Make 17 Ave SW In Calgary More Inviting To the Public During Road Construction
- Target:
- City of Calgary Municipal Council, MLA Kathleen Ganley, and Premier Rachel Notley
- Region:
- Canada
The City of Calgary is well underway with their 17 Ave SW utility services upgrade between Macleod Trail and 14 St SW. This work is expected to take 2-3 years and requires full curb to curb road closures for several blocks, lasting 3-5 months in each zone. The work zone moves from East to West as they finish the work. This construction has devastating impacts to local businesses who rely on vehicle traffic and parking for consumers. Many have already left 17 Ave, or are waiting for their lease to expire so they can relocate to avoid being impacted. Sadly some have already been forced to close after seeing 60-80% reduction in sales.
We understand that the work needs to be done and have worked closely with the City to modify their plan to have the least impact on businesses by creating smaller work zones so detours could more easily avoid the construction zone and return to 17 Ave.
To help reduce the impact to businesses, we want to create a vibrant destination corridor so incredibly attractive that consumers will overlook the construction and some of the delays in order to visit the corridor.
We are proposing City Council and the Alberta Government create an atmosphere that is irresistibly vibrant just like Downtown Disney, Florence, Paris, New Orleans, Venice, San Antonio, etc. There are many examples all over the world of vibrant pedestrian corridors.
We believe businesses know the best way to promote their business and if government simply opens up many of the rules and regulations, on a temporary basis through this construction, we will see the business community take steps to create a very vibrant corridor.
We, the undersigned, call on Municipal and Provincial elected officials to take immediate action to enhance the pedestrian experience along 17 Ave SW Calgary, between Macleod Trail SE and 14 St SW, so that businesses who will be faced with pedestrian only access for months, during road closures, will have an increased flow of pedestrian traffic. We ask government to allow businesses to create an atmosphere that is irresistibly vibrant just like other major municipalities have done to create tourist destinations around the world. We call on government to:
-Create more areas for pedestrians to congregate as they walk the corridor through adding temporary tables/chairs, and benches.
-Relax liquor laws so businesses can sell to-go cocktails and wine along the corridor.
-Relax by-laws for businesses to advertise on sidewalks in front of each business,
-Relax by-laws to allow for businesses to set up stands on the curb to engage the public
-Relax by-laws for street performers and buskers, (not panhandlers), so it is more easy to attract entertainment along the corridor.
-Create a temporary stage near each construction zone to be used for local bands and performers.
-Relax by-laws for food trucks and pop-up stores along the corridor as well as sidewalk street vendors.
-Allow for businesses to sponsor and install temporary art projects on public property
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Make 17 Ave SW In Calgary More Inviting To the Public During Road Construction petition to City of Calgary Municipal Council, MLA Kathleen Ganley, and Premier Rachel Notley was written by Wolf Communications & Engineering and is in the category Local Government at GoPetition.