Lakeview ring road letter drives controversy

It sounded innocuous at first: a letter from the Lakeview Community Association to the province and the City of Calgary to reconsider plans for a portion of the Southwest Ring Road that would link the neighbourhood to a Tsuut'ina development. If you're wondering what could possibly go wrong, the answer is just about everything.

The letter was prompted by concerns that some Lakeview residents expressed about increased traffic that might come with the new $4.5-billion development planned for the Tsuut'ina First Nation. The development would include retail, residential and entertainment elements, and at least one access point at the 5600 block of 37th Street S.W.

Southwest ring road is poised to usher in new era of growth in Calgary's south end

It's been a long time coming, but the southwest section of Calgary's ring road is finally being built, and the city's developer community is among those most thrilled to see construction going ahead.

"It's really going to open up growth in the area, and provide not just opportunities for new communities, but also existing ones," said Steve LePan, director of sales and marketing with Anthem United.

"We're certainly happy to see it moving forward, because it would have had a negative impact (on our development in the area) if it had not been approved."

Southwest BRT will offer residents more options and make communities more accessible

While too many choices can be overwhelming, options are generally a good thing.

That's the rationale behind the new Southwest Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. One of four additions to Calgary's primary transit network, the project includes construction of new bus-only travel lanes and new BRT stations.

"For southwest Calgary, and especially south of the reservoir, this system gives people an effective transit choice that gets them not just into downtown, but also connects with major hubs along the way," said Brian Pincott, city councillor for Ward 11.