East Village Way

EAST VILLAGE WAY

Spring 2011 Ten principles of the Eco-City 4 A walk through time 7 The Intervention 16 v

eco cities exposed

The search for a vibrant and sustainable community i

Letter from the editors Dear Calgary, Ahh yes... I recall a time when East village was rich with heritage. It was the centre of a city full of, excitement, and unlimited potential but time has dried out these streets that were once proud. This city has many needs, lower taxes, better public transportation, less crime and a Stanely Cup contending hockey team.

All

jokes

aside,

this

city

needs

its

ROOTS,

here

at

EVW Magazine we are planting a new seed, just as a plant needs nutrients to grow strong and stand proud, so does the comunity of East Village.

We invite you to

take a journey with our new seed, our plant, our vision.

Table of contents

2 Our Vison 4 Eco-Cities 6 Contributors 7 A Walk Through Time 18 Socioeconomics 24 Form 35 Environmental 38 Asset-Planning 42 Community Involvement 46 A Glimpse Into The Future

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Our Vision

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Sometimes deep history, also comes with deep stereotypes...

The community of East Village is located on the eastern edge of downtown Calgary, and is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. The East Village’s close proximity to the Bow River (it runs directly alongside the river’s western edge) has caused many to consider this land very valuable, due to its strategic location. As we will see, the East Village as of today can hardly be classified as a community, let alone a healthy and sustainable one. The words above describe common perceptions that many Calgarians have of the area.

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ECO-CITIES Although the framework of the Eco-City has been a relatively new and emerging term, the principles that guide this movement are influenced by a blend of many old planning movements, notably those based around ecological urban planning. The term “Eco-City� originated in the mid-seventies, from the scholar Richard Register, who lead the first wave of Urban Ecology at the University of Berkeley, California (Roseland, 1997). After the release of Register’s book entitled Eco-City Berkeley, several other academic efforts helped increase popularity of the movement; notably the creation of the scholarly journal The Urban Ecologist, as well as the International Eco-City Conference, held every two years (Roseland, 1997). The Eco-Cities movement is based around encouraging cities to adopt environmentally friendly approaches to planning, in hopes of creating more sustainable urban spaces.

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Revise land-use priorities to create compact, diverse, green, safe, pleasant and vital mixed-use communities near transit nodes and other transportation facilities.

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Revise transportation priorities to favor foot, bicycle and transit over autos, and to emphasize “access by proximity�

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Restore damaged urban environments

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Create decent, affordable, safe, convenient, and racially and economically mixed housing

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Nurture social justice and create improved opportunities for the disadvantaged

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Support local agriculture, urban greening projects and community gardening

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Promote recycling, innovative technology, and resource conservation

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Work with businesses to support ecologically sound economic activity while discouraging pollution and waste

9 The lack of development in the East Village can in part be blamed on the fact that the area has a long history of failed plans.

The new 2011 redevelopment plan of the Downtown East Village therefore needs to take a different direction than previous plans, if it is to achieve successful implementation. As environmental concerns continue to climb to the forefront of the future of urban spaces, we decided to aim at creating a model area of sustainability, in which the rest of Calgary can look up to and strive to imitate in the future. The Eco-Cities movement offers a very holistic and flexible approach to green planning; the new plan for the East Village will be guided by several of the ten principles of Eco-Cities, while we recognize that the principles not included in the plan would continue to be informally realized by the implemented changes.

Promote voluntary simplicity and discourage excessive consumption

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Increase public awareness of the local environment and of ecological sustainability issues

Eco-City principles will be guiding the 2011 redevelopment process of the East Village: Look for this leaf throughout the different phases to see which principle(s) influenced that particular intervention.

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Contributors

iences studying Natural Scfurther y in his third year Rodney is currentl ergy Sciences and Math. He hopes to has alconcentrating in Enthe non-fossil fuel industry. Rodneyfeels that his knowledge in d in the study of city planning, and ll fulfill ways been intereste ention plan for the East Village wi unity. rebuilding a comm working on an interv about processes in comprehensive research rn lea to er ng hu his bought a ct, Rodney has done Through this proje s of transportation. He has recently less his y de rel mo n that he ca in alternative ng membership, so us storm bike and a car shari ourite pastime is right after a viscoide in his fav pr s Hi es le. tak hic ey ve dn Ro own nbows. erge from the sky. when rainbows em ulars that are built for viewing rai oc bin of collection

Micha el N g

Rodn ey Bl an co

his Bachelor of his third year ofHe is majoring in in tly en rr cu .

Lawrence is the University of Calgary is intense pasArts degree at and minoring in Sociology. H drove him to Urban Studies,vironmental and social causese he has gained sion for the en ects. The eclectic knowledg for the future, study these subjstudy has influenced his visionEast Village to throughout his t. He found this study of the ic past, its ecoand this projec cause of the village’s histor prime location be intriguing be , and the neighbourhood’s at the East Vilnomic hardshipn core. He has great hope th munity within to the downtowborn as a strong vibrant com tend the maslage can be re algary. Lawrence plans to at and Regional a sustainable Cat the School of Community ish Columbia. ter’s program RP) at the University of Brit Planning (SCA

Da vid Un de rwood

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L aw re nce Po rt er

and gistered Social Worker, David is currently a Repleting his Bachelor of Sois on his way to com going to university to gain cial Work degree. He issocial work and open doors a wider perspective on . David enrolled in Urban to more job opportunitiesferent perspective on comStudies 451 to gain a dif social advocacy skills. He munities to enhance his in the area through volt it has first-hand experience eless. He really feels tha unteering with the homa redevelopment plan, which of is fascinating to create of life for the residents could improve the qualityhas enjoyed working with vid Da y the East Village. s group, and feels that thee. lag his youthful Urban Studie Vil t Eas the on rk wo his have brought energy to

Mark is ban Stud currently enroll diploma ies. He has prev ed in his secon achieve in Architecturaiously graduate d year of Urd a Maste ing an im r ’s degrel Technology, a with a SAIT e p re in s s Architec nd hopes to ive educ his way tu the grea to putting his nation, Mark wil re. By gaining infotest architects o ame on the wo l be well on become rmation about f all time. Thro rld as one of ability o increasingly c the East Villagugh researchproblem f our world as oncerned about e, Mark has the centelies within oursa whole. He beli the sustainmake a r of strength elves, and that eves that the contribu w tion to s ithin ourselveswe must find ustainab ility in thin order to e long ru n.

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Michael is en ness, currentlyrolled at the Haskayne Sc He hopes to in his third year of studyi hool of Busitry, where he achieve a career in the re ng Marketing. al estate indu and commerci finds great interest in land s451, he feels al selling. By enrolling in development th U at rb as an pects of plan Studies directly apply ning has been partic to his future career ambia Canadian city aspect of this ularly inspired by the affo tions. Michael prices have inredevelopment plan. The rdable housing throughout al creasingly become a signraising housing various deve l cities across Canada. Thrificant concern there must belopments in Vancouver, heough studying those in Van affordable housing proj believes that couver, implem ects ented across , similar to the country.

A m an da M ache ll

student, and year Urban Studies Amanda is a third process of environmental ree also plans has helped plan the the East Village. Sh mediation within bility within the area by providto increase sustainaas for a bright future. Through ing innovative ideout various types of plants that doing research ab st Village, Amanda has planted are ideal for the Ea e in her backyard. Amanda has a weeping birch tre r in all aspects of life, whether creating a restrived to be a leade ural volleyball, or it comes to intram for the East Village in Calgary. development plan background, it is in her blood Due to her Germanentive, and disciplined leader. to be a strict, att

M a rk Ho s

fo rd

A walk through time 7

Being one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Calgary, the East Village has a rich and fascinating history; understanding the areas past helps to explain why it is what it is today. A quick historical background check will provide a base to understanding the problems that the East Village redevelopment plan of 2011 will seek to address. Join us as we take a glimpse into the intitial growth of the community.

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Pre-20th Century

The East Village was home to many Native American tribes (CMLC, 2011), mainly due to the strategic location of the area to the Bow River. The arrival of the whiskey trade to the area brought in white settlers, and Fort Calgary begin to develop (CMLC, 2011).

A new form of transit also entered the area, in 1883 with the CP railway, which caused Fort Calgary to experience accelerating rates of growth (Canadian Pacific, 2010). As railway engineers were brought to the area, they imposed the gridiron street pattern that still exists today in the East Village.

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Early 1900’s Fort Calgary continued to grow, and with the onset of the bustling street known as “Whiskey Row” (CMLC, 2011), the area became a bustling and vibrant community. It was at this time that economic prosperity within the area allowed for the construction of historical buildings that still exist today (CMLC, 2011). Notable historical structures include The Hillier Block (a mixed-use development) and The King Edward Hotel (a well-known landmark at the time).

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1940

The East Village area begins its decline to becoming a place of urban decay within the city; illegal activities such as bootlegging, prostitution and murder begin to make their way into the area. This once-bustling community is now referred to by many as “Skid Row� (CMLC, 2011). An increase in suburban developments in Calgary (Federation of Calgary Communities, 2007) also contribute to the decay of the East Village, as investment increasingly leaves the downtown areas for peripheral regions around the city.

1950

East Villages location within the flood plain of the Bow River has been causing many issues of seasonal flooding in the area; this time period marks the first efforts seen at mitigating this environmental issue, as a dyke was built in an attempt to control this problem (LUPPPDAD, 2010, p.12).

1960

Robert Moses spirit floats through the East Village, as Rational Comprehensive Planning (Elkey, 2011) guides the clearing of a substantial portion of the area (LUPPPDAD, 2010, p. 14). Le Corbusier also joins the party as his ideas of the Radiant City (Lewis, 2011) influence the building of three senior high rise apartment buildings (LUPPPDAD, 2010

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1980

The construction of a new City Hall in 1985, which neighbors the East Village area, symbolizes the neglect the city has for the East Village; this new building cuts off access to/from the East Village from the pedestrian-heritage area of 8th (Stephen) Ave, and faces away from the East Village community (CMLC, 2011). Many plans of redevelopment are proposed for the East Village area (LUPPPDAD, 2010); however due to lack of funding from the city, little development actually occurred.

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Sa lvat ion Army Centre of Hope

2000

Calga ry Drop-In Centre

The dawning of a new millennium has seen great changes in the East Village, as new planning documents begin to pass and new, sustainable infrastructure projects are implemented. Notable improvements include the construction of the new underpass on 4th street; a sustainable measure that increases connectivity within the area, thus making it more pedestrian-friendly. Continued improvements to the problem of seasonal flooding are also seen; the raising of the grade throughout the East Village was implemented as a way to decrease damage from future flooding (CMLC, 2011). This era also saw the East Village embody several public housing projects, such as the Drop-In Centre as well as the Salvation Army Centre for Hope (LUPPPDAD, 2010); although these projects help to accommodate the less-fortunate populations that reside in the downtown area, they help stigmatize the area as a place of fear and crime.

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2008

The Calgary Heritage Strategy is passed (LUPPPDAD, 2008), which has a positive effect on the East Village; several heritage structures within the area are now protected, and they will help create important landmarks and increase a sense of place for the future of the community.

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As we can see, the East Village has been subject to several unfortunate events; notable misfortunes include the arrival of illegal activities, the location on a flood plain, as well as many failed redevelopment plans. It now becomes clear that if redevelopment is to be successful in this area, the new plan must stand out from the rest; it must also appeal to various big players in both public and private industry in order for this process to become a reality. A more in-depth analysis of the current conditions of the East Village area will help in creating specific and detailed solutions that will clarify the goals of this project, and will of course be guided by the Eco-City principles of sustainability.

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Now that you have seen into some important events that have helped shape the East Village into what it is today, this next section will provide guidelines in which the new redevelopment plan of 2011 will strive to implement. We will not only point out current issues that the area is struggling with, but we will also seek to determine what conditions are of benefit to the neighborhood. Recommending solutions to current problems, as well as building on what is already working in the area, will help ensure that the new plan is taking a holistic approach to the revitalization process.

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Revitalization 2011 of the East Village While the suggestions we present throughout the revitalization process each seek to improve a certain quality of the area, it is important to note that all interventions within the area are inherently related to one another, and hence provide benefits across the defined boundaries in which the ideas are presented. Although the future of the East Village will seek to create, through innovation, a template community that both Calgary and other cities may strive to parallel, we will be integrating certain features from other North American cities, whose success stories cannot go unnoticed.

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As we have seen, the East Village has seen a long and eventful past; this has caused the area to take on several unique characteristics that differ greatly from the more modern attributes that, for the most part, define the newly-emerged city of Calgary. We will begin to see that embracing and preserving the East Villages uniqueness will help to set it out from the rest, and help create a distinct and attractive area within the city.

As of 2009, the population of Downtown East Village was 2437.

In comparison with the rest of the city, the proportion of youth is quite small. On the other hand, the population above 55 years of age takes up a much larger portion of the area’s total residents.

This is a sign that the community is aging (City of Calgary, 2010).

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East Village has a high proportion of visible minorities that reside within its boundaries. It is clear that there is a higher proportion of diverse cultures in this area, compared to the rest of the city. Most immigrant populations in East Viilage originated from India, Pakistan, and South Korea (City of Calgary, 2010). This current conditionv of high ethnic diversity within the local population fulfills the Eco-City principle 4, which recommends the encouragement of racially mixed communities. Although this positive feature of the area is currently in healthy conditions, we will later look into how this diversity may be preserved into the future.

Housing in the East Village 94.7% of all occupied private dwellings are apartments.83.8% of all occupied private dwellings are rented, while 16.2% are owned. This is an unusually high number; 27.7% of private dwellings in the rest of Calgary are rented while 72.8% are owned. Rental housing is related to the high amount of apartment complexes relative to other types of dwellings, which in turn relates to the fact that most households consist of one or two persons (City of Calgary, 2010).

Median household income in 2005 was $17 253, which is about 25% of the median household income earned by the rest of Calgary – $67 236 (City of Calgary, 2010). With the Low-Income Cut-offs for Canadian cities with a family unit size of 2 person’s at $24 077, this classifies the majority of East Village residents as living in poverty (City of Calgary, 2003). 56% of tenants in Downtown East Village spend 30% or more of their household income on shelter, while the rest of the city averages 39.3%. This means that many households in East Village have a low discretionary income (City of Calgary, 2010). We can see that there is not only a high demand for current residents living within the area to have access to more affordable housing, but the area also needs to focus on attracting higher income populations. Without gentrifying the area of course, we would like to see a mix of low, middle and high income residents who are able to define the East Village as an accepting community, where all residents live in harmony with one another, despite their economic status.

Meet Rufus.

I met Rufus for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon, and as I sat down to order a coffee, he insisted that he was due for his afternoon beer. For him, having a beer was a way for him to cope with his recovering drug addiction. Twenty-seven years ago, Rufus followed his addiction to the East Village, one of the only areas within the city that was not in the hands of corporate developers. “The rest of downtown is full of white-collared rich folks. I think a lot of people like me had no place to go, so we naturally moved into the East Village... the city seemed to be quite alright with it.” Rufus currently relies on the Drop-In Centre and the Salvation Army Centre of Hope to have a bed to sleep on most nights. Like 82% of seniors in the area, he relies on the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for the majority of his basic income (Cooper, 2005). Rufus has recently gotten back on his feet working at a grocery on the other side of downtown, but his income is not nearly sufficient enough to afford rent at the current market rate. Rufus’ largest concern about the area is his fear of walking through the community at night. Fear of crime in the area is quite high, in fact, 65% of East Village residents report that they have a high paranoia about crime (Cooper, 2005), similar to that of Rufus.

(Fictional character based on statistical analysis of the area)

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Housing Dilemma

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5

95% apartment type housing

-83% rental housing in comparison with Calgary as a whole at 28%

-53% of people spend 30% or more of their income on shelter 59% of people live alone, and 78% of those people are seniors Less than 2% of the population is under the age of 20

60% of clients at the Drop-In Centre are employed HOUSING IN THE EAST VILLAGE East Village has a unique housing situation. Firstly, most housing in the area is apartment type rental housing that consists of either one or two residents per unit. With such a low marriage rate and a minimal number of children, there are a limited number of families in the area. Also, with a majority of people spending 30% or more of their income on shelter, it takes away from their ability to attain other basic needs such as food, electricity, clothing, and water. The high number of employed residents in the Drop-In Centre shows that employment is not the central challenge of poverty in area, but affordability is.

The dominant demographic of the area consists of single seniors living alone, and spending the majority of their income on shelter. (City of Calgary, 2010) and (Brown et al. 2006)

Although the East Village area is located in the heart of Calgary, it is unique compared to other downtown neighbourhoods in that it has plenty of room for growth. The area has the potential to become a densely populated community with diversity in age, ethnicity, and income. As we have seen in the preliminary analysis of the current site, there are many seniors present and virtually no children or small families. In order to create a vibrant, dense population, the East Village must attract more young families to the area, which begins with the availability of desired housing.

INTERVENTION The East Village must provide for the many low income people in the area by reducing the cost of housing, but it also must provide as a base for families entering the newly developed area. This means that the East Village must find a way to ca-

ter to many different income levels rather than keeping them segregated.

There are many types of affordable housing that the East Village must take advantage of (See Figure 1.1 for Types of Housing). Since there is not enough space for detached and single detached homes, there must be a variety of each type of affordable housing in each apartment complex. By doing so, housing encourages diversity by blending together people with varying incomes. There are some innovative developments in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver, British Columbia that are a hybrid of non-market housing combined with market housing.

The Woodward’s building and 60 West Cordova are both prototypes for many new types of affordable housing to come in the future; we plan on implementing these strategies throughout the redevelopment of the East Village.

Figure 1.1

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Woodward’s Building In Downtown Eastside Vancouver The main goal of the Woodward’s project is to take into account the needs of the disadvantaged, while still providing private market housing for the public. There are multiple non-market units that accommodate the disabled, and affordable homes generously set aside for non-profit organizations and co-operative housing groups. On top of the non-market affordable housing, there are rental assistance programs that include low-interest loans for low-income individuals. The W-43 building is where the Woodward’s project profits with higher priced units sold to the general public.

This building emphasizes community development in its design, programs, and retail space. In the development process, it incorporated user group involvement through visioning workshops in the design process. Through interest groups and the ideas of the general public, the de-

velopment team designed a basketball court in the centre of the courtyard, used local art and architectural ideas, built a child development centre, and included many other programs as requested. Woodward’s also provides non-profit job training opportunities, especially in the trades industry, and gives local residents an opportunity to be employed by the services of the building, which include security, gardening, and cleaning. By subtly providing much needed jobs for disadvantaged people in the area, Woodward’s fosters positivity throughout the Downtown Eastside (City of Vancouver, 2010).

The Woodward’s Building is a completely rejuvenated Heritage building located right in the heart of the infamous West Hastings block. In addition to its different types of affordable housing, it is combined with commercial/retail and institutional space, all of which are designed to be socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable. It consists of four buildings that each serves different functions for the community (Woodward’s Redevelopment Group, 2005):

The concept of each building with separate functions is a great way to incorporate different types of people into the development. While there is a degree of separation between the high-end units and non-market units, they are still connected by a contemporary courtyard that includes a London Drugs, a grocery store, a daycare facility, and a basketball court, as seen in figure 1.2 (Woodward’s Redevelopment Group, 2005).

1) 1908 Heritage Building – includes community non-profit space and a child development centre.

2) SFU – contains retail, the SFU (Simon Fraser University) School for the Contemporary Arts, and singles non-market housing on the top floors.

3) W-32 – houses retail, offices, family non-market housing, and market housing.

4) W-43 – completely market units, including higher end market units.

Figure 1.2

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60 West Cordova 60 West Cordova is situated on the edge of Gastown across the street from the Woodward’s Building.

Similar the Woodward’s Building, 60 West Cordova dedicates 12 of the 108 units towards nonprofit housing. The rest are classified as “affordable ownership,” where units are sold in the public market, but are intended only for those in need of owning or renting an affordable home. Although it is difficult to monitor the motives of buyers, those hoping to flip the units and make a profit would not be eligible to buy.

Affordable market homes are unique because there are many aspects that reduce the cost of the units. It may be classified as a hybrid of co-operative housing and market housing because it requires residents to participate in the maintenance of the building and community. For instance, owners are required to volunteer a minimum number of hours in construction, management, and maintenance of the premises. Non-profit organizations, Habitat for Humanity and PHS, require residents to contrib-

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ute a minimum number of hours performing “sweat equity.” Also, costs of units are reduced by the complex providing fewer parking spaces; rather than providing one stall per unit, there are car sharing stalls. Through a zoning law passed by the BC government, buildings are allowed to reduce the amount of parking stalls that they provide for every car sharing parking stall. This reduces the cost of each unit because the cost of a parking stall in each unit is slashed (Rossi 2010).

The most notable offer that 60 West Cordova uses to drive down the costs of market units is its reduced mortgage rates.

Vancity Banking Services generously provides what they call a “springboard mortgage,” where 20% of the deposit is borrowed at 0% interest for those making as low as $36,000 in income, and with 40% or less of their income available for housing. It is a great way to keep money in the pockets of those in need so that they are able to afford other basic necessities (Vancity, 2011).

The Solution

As our goal is to create a more dense and vibrant community, there is an opportunity here to create unique housing that accommodates existing residents, brings new people in, and acts as a hub for a renewed sense of community. By implementing spaces similar to the Woodward’s Building and 60 West Cordova into the redevelopment plan of the East Village area, we could create more affordable housing while also creating a more attractive urban space for prospective buyers. The East Village has had a problem with a lack of families and children in the area.

New affordable homes will attract middle class families to the area, which will also bring in a new wave of people willing to work. These unique apartment complexes will encourage growth of new types of people into the area, while still accommodating people that already live in the East Village, and also make life better for residents by improving the quality of public space. It will allow people who are employed to be able to afford rent, rather than be forced to rely on public shelters on a daily basis. Economic opportunities in building maintenance will also help to employ some of the disadvantaged residents that are currently struggling within the area, therefore increasing the overall median household income of the area, which as we have seen is currently quite low.

A Day in 2030 Jane and Melissa have recently moved to the East Village. There has been quite a bit of buzz going on about how the younger population is looking to the East Village to be the home of their new community. Melissa has just begun her career working in the Hu man Resources Department for Nexen, and her younger sister, Jane, studies at the University of Calgary. Melissa feels that the East Village is a perfect place for her and Jane to live due to the close proximity to her office on 7th avenue and the train station that Jane will use to commute to school. Melissa was able to afford her two bedroom apartment with assisted mortgage rates generously provided by the bank.

Due to the increased densification of the area, East Village now consists of 100% apartment type housing with complexes that have become affordable and desirable for middle to upper class fa milies, while still accommodating the disadvantaged in need of affordable housing. Although there has been paranoia of crime in the past, Jane and Melissa feel perfectly safe riding their bike through the dense neighbourhood on a Saturday afternoon. As they ride through the area, they encounter many people of different income, ethnicity, and age, all spending a majority of their day along the vibrant East Village Way.

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Due to a constantly changing area redevelopment plan, the East Village’s built environment has been drastically altered over the past 40 years; this has not only helped influence demographic trends, as we have seen, but has also contributed to the relatively bare and empty urban space that today comprises the East Village. The two figure-ground maps from 1969 and 2010 illustrate some of this hard change.

These maps show the following changes in the area: Amount of Structures, Intensity of the structures, and the spatial distribution of the structures in the community. The trend has been that the amount of structures is decreasing with an increasing intensity (density). The spatial distribution has also changed from one of ubiquitous structures, to one in which structures are separated by large areas of open space. Much of the present open space of the area is composed of parking lots with public parks running alongside the river, and the East Villages eastern border.

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The Downtown East Village is home to historic buildings, which are: the St. Louis Hotel, The King Edward Hotel, The Hillier Block, and The Simmons Building (CMLC, 2011). Each of these buildings provide the East Village with a unique sense of character, creating a ‘sense of place’ in the community. These structures give the area of the East Village a unique sense of place as Calgary’s birthplace, and demonstrate that this is a neighborhood with a very vibrant history. These buildings also allow the East Village to juxtapose varying types of architecture, which influence the feel and streetscape of the neighborhood.

Policy and Land Use: The area is currently managed through the “Calgary Land Use Bylaw IP2007”, and has had specific land use designations designed for the neighbourhood in Part 12 of the document (Land Use Bylaw Sustainment Team (LUBST), 2008). This Land Use Bylaw governs the development of the neighbourhood (Elkey, 2011). The current districts in this area are CC-ET, CC-EMU, CC-EIR, CC-ER, CC-EPR, CC-ERR, and DC100D2010, and are outlined on the map entitled “Zoning Map”. The district CC-ET (City Centre East Village Transitional District) was created to provide a transition between the highintensity office uses of the Downtown Core to the west, and the residential land uses to the east (LUBST, 2008).

The CC-EMU (City Centre East Village Mixed Use District) is meant to provide a mix of commercial and residential uses while being sensitive to the surrounding residential uses (LUBST, 2008). The District CC-EIR (City Centre East Village Integrated Residential District) is intended as a residential district which integrates a “broad range of support commercial uses” located at grade (LUBST, 2008, pg.765). The district CC-ER (City Centre East Village Recreational District) is intended to provide the area with recreation, and small-scale temporary commercial (LUBST, 2008). The zone CC-EPR (City Centre Primarily Residential District) is an area that is meant to be composed of mainly residential uses, although some commercial at grade is allowed (LUBST, 2008). The district CC-ERR (City Centre East Village River Residential District) was created for the purpose of a mainly residential area, also supporting ground-level commercial, and promotes the integration of its riverfront vistas (LUBST, 2008). These policy documents are important to the understanding of the area because they are the legal bearings from which the area develops. It will be imperative that any solution implemented in the district understand how it can integrate with this bylaw.

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Mobility The neighborhood currently has infrastructure dedicated for the use of the automobile, mass-transit (bussing), bicycling, and pedestrians, illustrated by the map entitled ‘Mobility Map’.

Currently there are nine (9) bus stops in the East Village. These bus routes travel along 6th and 9th Ave, 6th and 3rd Street, and Riverside Ave. There are currently no LRT stops in the area.

Although there are no C-train stops in the area, the coverage of the area by public transit makes each stop only a short walk away. The only bike path in the area runs along the river-side park. This lack of biking infrastructure creates an environment which is unfriendly to cyclist movement. Pedestrian mobility in the area is primarily reliant on sidewalks, which run along every street, and are located on both sides. Sidewalks are grade-separated, and they are constructed with bulbing techniqes leading up to crosswalks.

The bulbing of sidewalks allows areas for pedestrians to approach crosswalks at in increased visibility relative to the absence of a bulbed sidewalk (Hlewka, 2011). Sidewalks are also raised to allow for pedestrians ease of travel (CMLC, 2011). All of these factors create an environment where pedestrians can travel easily, but with little reason for intra-district travel, pedestrian mobility is hindered. Due to the area’s dispersed buildings, plenty of parking, and ease-of-access with an automobile, the East Village is an area which caters to the car.

This map of East Village shows the nodes, paths, landmarks and barriers, designed from Kevin Lynch’s Image of the City (1960), shows the location of structures. Location in this sense means the relative location of uses (nodes) to one another (Hodge and Gordon, 2008).

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Perception of Crime Before 2007, East Village had a reputation of high crime. Since the addition of almost 50 officers dedicated to patrolling downtown streets plus a stiffer public behaviour bylaw, efforts to clean up the area have paid off. Const. Scott Kerr-Smith of the Calgary Police reported, “It used to be a free-for-all for people to do what they want� (CBC News, 2010).

Although the statistics for the East Village area from January 2008 through December 2008 show an overall decrease in crime, perceptions of fear among the local residents is still a major issue (Cooper, 2005).

-68% decrease in property crime -25% decrease in person crime -9% decrease in instances of social disorder (CMLC 2009)

A Broken Window This is an image that was recently taken within the East Village boundaries; the broken window helps explain why the area is suffering from urban blight. According to the Broken Windows theory, leaving even petty crimes unattended will send out an message that this type of behavior is ok, and will result in an invitation for more of this type of crime (Wilson and Kelling, 1982). This is among several issues of concern that the area will need to address, if it is to achieve a future vision.

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Proposed Land Uses The new Downtown East Village should be mainly composed of multi-family residential uses, accompanied by strategically placed mixed uses which will have: commercial or institutional uses fronting the public street and are wholly located within the first few stories of the building, and multi-family residential above these commercial or institutional uses. This focus on increasing residential density is meant to replicate the similar happenings on the west side of the city’s core, which will offer a balance to the employment-dense, residentially sparse Downtown Core.

This future vision of uses in the area is shown on the map labeled figure 2.1 The commercial/institutional fronting

buildings should be located on 9th Ave SE, 6th Ave SE, 3rd Street SE, Village Way (discussed on the next page), and where appropriate on 5th Ave SE, and 4th Ave SE. Mixed uses along 9th Ave, 6th Ave, 5th Ave, and 4th Ave will take advantage of current high traffic corridors. This will provide the businesses with a commercial base and allow for easily accessible institutional uses.

Mixed uses on Village Way are meant to be a continuation of Stephen Avenue’s pedestrian friendly environment and will provide a connection that allows easy access to public park areas.

Mixed uses along 3rd Street are meant to entice traffic around the neighborhood. Residential frontage areas take advantage of lower-traffic streets, and

Eco-City principals one, two and nine guide new land uses proposed to the East Village area. With the increase in commercial and institutional space, future residents will not be forced to leave their community for basic necessities; the effective result will be a decrease in automobile use among the local residents.

By adjusting and customizing land uses to cater to the community, this will help simplify the everyday lives of local residents; less time spent in their vehicles will result in an increase in quality of life, as residents are now able to spend more time interacting within their neighborhood.

Figure 2.1

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areas around public parks. These proposed changes in uses are very different than the current zoning of the neighborhood. The new uses will seek to create the following: a historic, pedestrian-friendly extension to Stephen Avenue, a greater focus on residential dwellings, and a diversion of commercial uses, along with traffic, to the outskirts of the community. These new suggestions of land use were needed, as with the logic behind the current zoning patterns, is not entirely clear on what they attempt to accomplish.

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Connecting the East Village Connectivity within the East Village can be improved through two main efforts: The first of these solutions is the removal of barriers that impede the flow of traffic in the community. The two main barriers in the community are City Hall and Route 201 of the LRT system. The City should continue on with plans to relocate the downtown portion of Route 201 of the LRT system underground, as soon as economically possible. City Hall should be reconfigured to allow for a publicly-accessible pedestrian-orientated at-grade thoroughfare through the building, allowing for a connection to be made from 8th Avenue SE on both the east and west portions of the building.

Figure 2.2 - Red diagonal line is new Village Way

The second initiative to improve connectivity is the creation of a road between the two areas where the historical buildings of the neighborhood are located. This street is conceptually referred to as Village Way, and shown in both figures 2.2 and 2.3. This street is meant to be a continuation of the pedestrian-orientated Stephen Avenue, and allow the area to showcase its historical past by connecting historical structures.

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Figure 2.3 - View down Village Way

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Moving around Traffic Calming

In order to reduce the East Village’s dependence on cars, streets that cater to all forms of mobility, while ensuring the safety of all, must be created. Creating these streets follows the strategies put forth by the creation of “complete streets” (National Complete Street Coalition, 2011); which is a relatively inexpensive way to modernize streets (Preiksaits & Associates, 2006). This method involves: the narrowing of traffic lanes, the addition of biking lanes and medians, and the creation of pedestrian friendly streetscapes

Real Time transit schedules

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(National Complete Street Coalition, 2011).

Traffic calming should be implemented on 6th Ave SE, 9th Ave SE, 3rd Street SE and 6th Street SE. Due to the current high volume of traffic present on these streets, implementing traffic calming on them will help to mitigate the negative impacts that heavy traffic presents; these beneficial techniques will also help to welcome and integrate biking and pedestrian-friendly modes of transit throughout the community.

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Techniques of traffic calming.

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Although the East Village is currently well served by over nine transit stops (Calgary Transit, 2011), these local transit services should focus on creating connections with surrounding neighborhoods, and with the major inter-neighborhood stops. The major inter-neighborhood stops in the neighborhood are: City Hall LRT station (under construction), and the BRT stop on 9th Ave (Calgary Transit, 2011). These actions should be accomplished to ensure the accessibility using public transit in and out of the neighborhood, as well facilitating cross-neighborhood travel.

Another factor that must be addressed in terms of transit, is how will we ensure continued ridership throughout the cold winter months? We have several suggestions to the issue of tran-

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Transit

sit within a winter city. First, implementing a policy in which bus routes would offer more frequent service (every ten minutes) would help reduce waiting times for customers, as well keep them using the service in the future. More importantly, however, would be the introduction of realtime schedules and stops using GPS technology; perceived waiting times are often longer than real times, and can often discourage people from using transit. This new way of informing riders about available services would be accessible through several different modes; an up-to-date webpage with smart phone compatibility, which riders can use to check route information, as well as screens placed at major bus stops and inside LRT stations.

the community Tour de East Village

Calgarians, even those in the East Village, are very dependent on vehicles for getting around the city.

The future East Village should strive to allow residents to use other forms of mobility, notably that of biking, which offers a cheap and healthy alternative to driving.

The East Village can follow examples seen in cities like Seattle and Vancouver; these cities have successfully implemented cycle plans

by encouraging and educating the public of this great alternative to driving. The Seattle Bike Master Plan refers to bicycling as “an affordable mode of transportation requiring only a fraction of the cost that it takes to own and operate a motor vehicle” (City of Seattle, 2010). The emphasis on the economic incentive, to choose cycling over driving, has influenced many city dwellers to adopt this form of transit. The American Automobile

Along with the significant cost savings, there are the added health benefits of continuous physical activity for people who choose to cycle. Learning from surveys conducted by the City of Vancouver, planners and engineers at the City of Vancouver were able to put together data which showed bicycle counts during peak hours of travel, shown in figure 2.4 (City of Vancouver, 2009). The thick lines denote high counts on the major arterials roads within the city, and Vancouver has responded by catering these roads with features that make cycling a safe transit option (City of Vancouver, 2009). The City of Calgary is currently updating their cycle plan (City of Calgary Transportation Planning, 2009) and should look to cities such as Seattle and Vancouver, as case studies to be implemented throughout the downtown core especially.

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Association estimates that the average American spends nearly $8,000 per year to own and operate an automobile, while cyclists typically spend less than $200 per year (2011), further enforcing cycling’s case as being a cheap alternative form of transportation.

Figure 2.4

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A step away from parking

Parkades

As we have seen, the East Village area is made up of many unused parking lots. The community’s new parking strategy will focus on: reducing the need for space dedicated for parking, reducing the communities need for individual vehicles, and should not allow parking to inhibit the formation of a pedestrian friendly streetscape.

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ting time limits or increasing parking fees (Blanco, 2011). In residential buildings, parking should be sold separately from the individual unit; this type of parking strategy is currently taking place in many condos in downtown Toronto, with much success. Development within the community should include the construction of parkades to meet parking requirements. By implementing these policies, The community should implement parking man- the city will be able to reduce much of the current agement systems that encourage high turnover for space that is dedicated to parking in the community. street parking; this can be accomplished by set-

Parkades: A great way to hide vehicles and get them off the street.

CO-OP

Another strategy that should be implemented is car sharing or car co-ops, either set up by individual condo developments or companies that parallel Zipcar (a membership-based car sharing company that provides its members with cars billable by the hour or day). People pay membership or user fees to operate these cars and do not have the hassle of needing to find a permanent parking spot for these short-term leases. This strategy both reduces the area that is used for parking, and the individuals that require personal vehicles within the neighborhood.

To ensure that parking space does not inhibit a pedestrian friendly streetscape, parking access should be located in the rear of structures where possible in order to minimize the breaking of a continuous streetscape.

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As we have seen, despite the actual decrease in crime throughout the East Village, perceptions of crime within the area continue prevail among many Calgarians. Using certain design techniques throughout the redevelopment of the East Village area, we hope to make this urban space safer by adopting innovative features that both serve to protect the community, as well as alter current negative perceptions of the area. We will be implementing principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED); this is a proactive approach to reducing crime that deals with four major components: natural access, natural surveillance, territoriality, and maintenance (Cozen, Saville and Hillier, 2005). Natural access means that the area is designed to make offending a

risky activity, by denying access to potential targets (Cozen, Saville and Hillier, 2005); an example of this is a security person at a business entrance, or limited access to a street. Natural Surveillance means that the physical environment does not impede persons from observing their surroundings (Cozen, Saville and Hillier, 2005).

In other words, natural surveillance means allowing a clear path for “eyes on the streets” (a term coined by Jane Jacobs that explains how having many people occupying an area makes that space more secure). Territoriality means that the area’s use and users are clearly defined (Cozen, Saville and Hillier, 2005); an example of this are signs which instruct specific uses for properties. Maintenance means the promotion of a positive

CPTED

community environment through the maintenance of the built environment (Cozen, Saville and Hillier, 2005); this concept includes actions like the cleanup of graffiti and other acts of vandalism (although it is important to note that we are planning to allow professional graffiti throughout the East Village, in the form of public art). The concepts of natural access and natural surveillance can be incorporated into newly designed buildings, and used to retrofit older buildings, in order to make the East Village safer. Maintenance should be incorporated into the East Village by strengthening Calgary’s Community Standards Bylaw to include not only the cleanup of unwanted graffiti, but also other acts of property vandalism.

Raising from the ground.

Currently, the East Village faces two obstacles to the neighborhood’s development; both the current economic recession, as well as the lack of certain amenities, which prevents many Calgarians from living and working in the community.

should introduce certain incentives that target the introduction of various amenities, which are for the most part currently absent in the community. A specific example of a use that the city should try to attract to the area is a grocery store.

The City has already proven that high-density residential developments can be profitable in the City’s core, seen through the development of the neighborhood of Eau Claire. This means that if development does not take place as intended, this lack of development may be because of the current economic climate, caused by the worldwide recession. Due to this factor the city should look at how development is progressing in the future to see if development within the community will have to be encouraged.

Although the city may not need to encourage all forms of development in the community at present, the municipality

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’ n i p a c s t Stree

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Streetscape in the East Village should focus on becoming more pedestrian-friendly. This can be accomplished by focusing on the following: the building’s setback, architectural controls, and the height of the buildings.

Building setbacks in this neighborhood should be dependent upon the building frontages. Where the use of the buildings frontage is that of a commercial or institutional use, these buildings should have setbacks at or close to the property line. An example of this type of setback is shown in figure 2.5. Residential setbacks should be larger than those allowed for mixed-use buildings, but still close to the property line. This increase in setbacks for residential buildings is intended to increase privacy for residents, while still retaining a building setback that creates an intimate streetscape for pedestrians. An Example of this type of setback is shown in figure 2.6.

Figure 2.5

Figure 2.6

Architecture in this neighborhood should take a distinct approach.

Buildings along Village Way should seek to exhibit the architectural patterns found in the community’s historic buildings. This architecture is shown in figure 2.7 and 2.8, which are the St. Louise Hotel and the Simmons Building respectively. By focusing on this historic architecture, Village Way will have the feel of being part of the village’s history, and not just a link between the two historical areas where buildings are located. The rest of the Downtown East Village should promote the use of postmodern architecture. This is done to juxtaposition the historic architecture used on Village Way, to the architecture in the surrounding area. This juxtaposition will allow the Downtown East Village to show off the community’s vast history, while also showing its rebirth as a vibrant twenty-first century community. This distinct use of architecture will also provide the East Village neighborhood with a distinct sense of place within the city of Calgary.

The height of the neighborhood buildings should offer a transition between the high towers of the Downtown core, to a more human scale, while still allowing for the buildings to be tall enough to increase residential density. The height of the buildings planned for the new East Village should follow a layered cake approach to development. This means that the buildings surrounding the downtown core will be taller, with a decreasing height as the developments approach both the Bow River, and Fort Calgary public park areas. While this transitioning in the height of buildings is currently reflected in the Land Use Bylaw, the proposed changes to zoning in the area make it important to make sure that these future uses retain this characteristic.

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Figure 2.7

Figure 2.8

Due to the historically high levels of industrial and commercial activity that have taken place in the East Village area (notably the presence of the CP railway), the surrounding soil quality was negatively affected; many sources of contamination have been found in the area’s soil such as buried debris, two former landfills, elevated metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and drycleaner chemicals, to name a few (CMLC, 2008). Current assessment work taken on by the CMLC has declared that the majority of East Village generally has some level of environmental contamination (CMLC, 2008); proper environmental remediation will likely dictate the rate of development that will take place in the future of this area. This is a cross section sample is of Eastbow soil, obtained from the Alberta Research Council’s Terrain Sciences Department. This type of soil would be what you would typically find in the East Village boundaries, notably along the area bordering the river. Eastbow soil is a weakly developed soil that prevails on generally level landscapes, and consists of silty and strongly calcareous material that overlies a sandy, coarse loamy material; the growth of vegetation in this type of soil is not limited by climate, but by observed soil erosion and pockets of drought (MacMillan, 1987).

Due to the close proximity to the Bow River, the East Village area can be described as a river plain with a long history of flooding.

Recent improvements`v to the area have included serious flood control measures, such as raising the street level, up to a meter and a half in some areas (CMLC, 2011). Also, a storm pond retention wetland has been constructed, with the goal of cleaning runoff water from the East Village before it enters the Bow River (CMLC, 2010).

Having the Bow River as a border to the community has brought many challenges to the physical state of East Village; however, theses initiatives of controlling the influence of the river has shown a serious commitment of stewardship on the part of the East Village.

East Village is located within a winter city; however, due to a lack of climate-responsive planning in the area, East Village struggles to create vibrancy during the winter months of the year. With very few amenities located within the area (City of Calgary, 2010), this forces automobile use as walking out of the neighborhood during cold weather would be unrealistic. The lack of planning for cold climate also has huge impacts on disadvantaged populations, by further curtailing their daily activities (Pressman, 1988); this raises huge concerns for East Village as a large proportion of its residents are made up of seniors and disabled people (City of Calgary, 2010).

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A breath of fresh air 3

Soil Contamination

As we have come to learn, the East Village has been subject to many uses throughout its history; notable high levels of previous industrial uses within the area currently present potential health risks for surrounding humans, animals and plants. The need to bring this situation under control is a priority phase in this redevelopment project, as future development will be likely be dictated by the ability of the area to meet basic health standards.

Rebirth of the Soil

Due to the recent increases in landfill costs (Herwijnen et al., 2007), it would be very expensive to physically remove and dispose all of the contaminated soils present in the East Village area. We found that a more cost effective way of remediating this problem would be to bring in large amounts of Green Waste Compost (GWC) and to add it to the current soil. A study done by a group of scholars found that the addition of GWC to contaminated soils is a suitable remediation to contain many metals, and therefore promote a healthier environment. This phase of environmental remediation will be a crucial step, as creating a stable soil base will need to be accomplished before the greening of the area may begin.

GreenWaste Compost is a biodegradable waste that is made up of both garden/park waste, as well as domestic and commercial food waste (Windsor Waste Management, 2005).

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Mitigating River-Flooding We know that the area of East Village rests on a river plain, and is very susceptible to seasonal flooding; although there have been several efforts to control this flooding issue, we will be incorporating the environmental features of urban trees and urban vegetation to further continue efforts of disaster planning. Not only do we want to protect the East Village area from any serious water damage, but we are also hoping to reduce storm water runoff in order to decrease pollution entering the Bow River, a valuable resource that needs to be protected. Acting as a buffer to help reduce these issues, we propose an intense urban greening of the entire East Village area; this increase in green infrastructure will not only help to solve the stated issues at hand, but will also bring other benefits to the area that were not initially sought.

The presence of street trees and vegetation, especially when planted in high density, can help to absorb much excess water that exists in a certain area (Donovan & Butry, 2010); this will offer significant contributions in terms of resource conservation of the Bow River. Although trees may suffer degradation by being exposed to excess amounts of water during periods of flooding, they are relatively easy to replace, while the Bow would not be. The ability of urban trees and vegetation to absorb significant amounts of water will also help protect building infrastructure throughout the East Village; planting a high volume of trees and plants throughout the area has the ppotential of reducing future costs associated with flood damage.

Urban Trees

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Increasing urban vegetation also offers many other benefits, such as providing a natural way to cool urban spaces, as well as contributing to an aesthetically pleasing community (Simson, 2008). One of the more significant benefits can be seen in the fact that urban trees have been proven to raise property values; scholars Donovan & Butry found that the number of street trees fronting the property and crown area within 100ft (30.5m) of an urban space positively influence sales price (2010). This is a great fact that could potentially influenced developers and local residents alike to plant more trees on their properties.

The benefits of urban trees and vegetation are not limited to their adjacent homeowners; trees especially act as great carbon sinks that both reduce greenhouse gases and also improve the surrounding air quality (Nowak, 1993). This is an important long-term planning strategy that should be implemented not only throughout the East Village, but should also be considered throughout the rest of the city; protecting both the health of humans and the planet are necessary measures to achieve when attempting to create a sustainable future.

Blue Spruce Trees

Weeping Birch Tree

Dwarf Alberta Spruce Tree

The River Birch Tree

We will be carefully selecting the types of trees that will be planted throughout the East Village; emphasizing the growth of species native to Alberta will be important to ensure high chances of survival. It is also crucial to choose plants that retain their function during the winter season; trees that maintain year long dense foliage will not only provide a barrier for wind and snow, but they will also help retain a vibrant sense of community during the depressing cold weather months. Trees will also be placed in strategic locations; for example, lining all major pedestrian pathways will help mitigate days of harsh weather climate, and will further promote a walkable community.

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Asset-Based Planning

The redevelopment of the East Village is not only concerned with correcting current issues, but we also value the importance of identifying what is working in the community, and helping to strengthen these positive attributes. We will are taking a shift away from the glass being half-empty, to the more optimistic planning approach where the glass is already half full.

In terms of sustainable action, there are some good things currently happening within the East Village area...

East Village is located within a winter city; however, due to a lack of climate-responsive planning in the area, East Village struggles to create vibrancy during the winter months of the year. With very few amenities located within the area (City of Calgary, 2010), this forces automobile use as walking out of the neighborhood during cold weather would be unrealistic. The lack of planning for cold climate also has huge impacts on disadvantaged populations, by further curtailing their daily activities (Pressman, 1988); this raises huge concerns for East Village as a large proportion of its residents are made up of seniors and disabled people (City of Calgary, 2010).

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The East Village Area was recently equipped with several of these new, energy-saving garbage cans, built by the innovative company BigBelly Solar. These cans offer a mixed use of solar-powered trash compaction, efficient recycling as well as a unique network management software; this new way of going about trash collection can save the area up to 80% of it’s waste management operating costs (BigBelly Solar, 2010).

Maintaining social sustainability In recent years, the East Village has been the location of several city-approved public art projects, such as the blown-up photography along the riverwalk, as well as several professional graffiti murals throughout the community (CMLC, 2010). These efforts are crucial for the future of community-building and creation of sense of place in the area; through an asset-based planning approach we plan to further these efforts.

Maintaining social sustainability

In recent years, the East Village has been the location of several city-approved public art projects, such as the blown-up photography along the riverwalk, as well as several professional graffiti murals throughout the community (CMLC, 2010). These efforts are crucial for the future of community-building and creation of sense of place in the area; through an asset-based planning approach we plan to further these efforts.

Enlarged photographs, taken by local artist Derek Besant, have been placed in various places along East Village’s riverwalk; these are images of real Calgarians who are expressing their relationship with the Bow River (CMLC, 2010). As the professionals Yasmin Dean and Janice Bidyk claim, these types of projects that visually involve the community are very significant in building a sense of place in the area, resulting in higher qualities of life.

Local graffiti artist, David Brunning, is also contributing to an improved sense of place for East Village residents. His tasteful art has been placed on both the Seafood Market building, as well as the King Eddy Hotel (CMLC, 2010).

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“LEED�ING THE WAY...into the future 6

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After seeing the current measures that the East Village is taking in terms of sustainable action, we believe that, by using the concept of asset-based planning, new innovative ideas concerning sustainable practice should be sought. We plan to increase sustainability throughout the area using a very holistic approach, which will be channelled through the enforcement of LEED certification for all new developments to the community.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and is an internationally recognized green building certification system. LEED seeks to measure a variety of different indicators of sustainability, and grades them using a point system; its ultimate goal is to improve environmental and economic performance of buildings using advanced industry principles, practices, materials and standards (Canada Green Building Council). There are different levels of LEED certification (Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum); the more points the building is awarded, the higher the

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rank of certification, as seen in figure 3.1 (Clevenger, 2008). As LEED is gaining popularity throughout the country, we would like to set a high standard within the city of Calgary by imposing a minimum of silver certification throughout the East Village; the silver level was chosen due to the high costs of the higher gold and platinum ranks, which can increase building costs from anywhere between 5 and 8.5% (Nusca, 2010).

Figure 3.1

One perception that many have towards building green, is that it is too expensive to adopt and therefore ignored; this, however is far from true. In fact, the reality is just the opposite: scholar Rodney McDonald identified that the average capital cost for green building is in fact approximately 5% less than regular, conventional construction (2005). Educating different industries, notably that of development and construction, on the cost-effectiveness of building green, could potentially cause significant increases in popularity of the LEED certification program. LEED certified buildings also offer another benefit that is worth noting, that of increasing productivity on many different scales. Scholar Caroline Clevenger, on the benefits of LEED buildings, found the following: an average of 2.5 day earlier discharge among patients of LEED hospitals; 20% better test performance among students in LEED schools; and anywhere between 2-16% increase in productivity among workers employed in a LEED office building (2008). These results show the wide range of benefits that LEED can offer to the future of the East Village.

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Hi Developers!

Obtaining points towards LEED certification requires touching on a multi-dimensional array of sustainable issues, which include the following: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process (Clevenger, 2008). As we can see, meeting requirements needed for LEED certification requires taking a comprehensive approach to a building’s design and function; the holistic nature and flexibility that is involved in obtaining LEEvD credits means that there are many ways certification could be achieved. We would like to suggest to developers a few examples of what we would like to bring into the East Village community, while realizing at the same time that the possibilities associated with achieving LEED credits are endless.

One suggestion that we would highly recommend to building developers would be the implementation of greenroofs; these living rooftops provide a wide array of positive benefits to both the building and the surrounding area, and offer as well certain advantages that are specific to mitigating current concerns within the East Village. Among the most notable benefits of greenroofs include: decreasing the urban heat island effect, improving surrounding air qualities, reducing energy consumption by cooling buildings, serving as great areas to conduct urban agriculture, as well as increasing the longevity of the roof membrane (Oberndorfer, 2007). However, the most important use of the greenroof within the East Village, would be its ability to mitigate storm-water runoff (Oberndorfer, 2007), which we have seen is currently a concern for the health of the precious Bow River. Although the initial costs of greenroofs are higher than that of conventional roofs, over their lifespan they have been proved to be much more economical than their counterparts (Oberndorfer, 2007).

Another aspect that would attract LEED credits would be a switch to more sustainable buildings materials to be used throughout the East Village area.

An excellent example of this would be the use of fiber cement; this material is not only very fire resistant, requires very little maintenance, and is very durable, but it is also made from recycled materials (Adams, n.d.).

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THANK YOU members of 4 East Village!

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We would like to thank all of the area’s stakeholders (including local residents, business owners, the City of Calgary, and developers) for providing input concerning the future of your community. Involving you from the beginning of the planning process has not only helped ease the idea of bringing change to the area, but it has also allowed you help shape the future of your neighborhood. Citizen participation in the planning process is an old phenomenon that we believe deserves a high level of attention in order to maintain a competitive nature throughout this project; as scholar Soen claims, “Citizen participation or community participation is now generally taken to be a necessary precondition to the successful implementation of any renewal or rehabilitation project” (1981). Your involvement in helping create the East Village redevelopment plan has also delivered economic benefits; as scholars Dittmar and Ohland write, “Good design does not have to be expensive if it is done right the first time” (2004, p. 53). This quote reinforces the idea that if your voice is not implemented at the beginning of the planning process, mid-way changes to a project intended to please dissatisfied stakeholders can become quite expensive, and should be prevented.

We have had much success thus far in engaging local stakeholders to participate in the planning process; however we want to ensure that this engaging communication continues on into the future. By establishing a holistic approach to contacting and informing the local residents, we hope to achieve high levels of citizen participation throughout the various upcoming decisions regarding the future of the East Village. Using a variety of different mediums for communication will ensure that all categories of local residents may be reached. Approaches you will see being used include email lists and a webpage, printed flyers and newsletters, community posters, and of course the more traditional community meetings. This multi-dimensional approach to contacting local stakeholders will also encourage open communication among each other, and we hope that it will expedite social cohesion and getting to know your neighbours.

STAY TUNED!

We are striving to reach levels 6 and 7 in the ladder of Citizen Participation, meaning that we want to encourage you to not only negotiate and engage in trade-offs with traditional power holders, but we also would like you to eventually obtain the majority of decisionmaking seats, concerning the future of the East Village (Soen, 1981).

To begin these efforts, we invite you to participate in deciding what should be the new permanent uses of the soon-to-be restored historical buildings within your neighborhood. We believe that the comfort level of local East Village residents will in part be determined by the quality and meaning of their surroundings. By increasing the decision making power of East Village dwellers, they may also be able to bring light a strength or need of the community, not thought of by the planners who may not reside in the East Village area.

Ladder of Citizen Participation (Soen, 1981).

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Sculpting a community

Community Place-Making

Making the East Village a distinct neighborhood within the City of Calgary is very important; creating a sense of place that local residents are proud to live in, as well as creating a desirable destination for other city dwellers must be realized in order to achieve the goals of the redevelopment plan. Although previous efforts have been mentioned during the intervention stage of the plan in which hard infrastructure will help reinforce a sense of place throughout the East Village, we believe in taking it one step further by reaching out to the local residents and providing them and their community with a more symbolic means of creating a sense of place.

Public art and involving the local community in the process of its application is a major way of making local residents feel like the community is theirs, and that they belong. “The use of art as a vehicle for indexing, defining, presenting, and amplifying a community’s own voice is a powerful tool that can be used in the service of community development and organizing�

(Thomas & Rappaport, 1996, p.323). As we have seen in the preliminary analysis of the site, some community art already exists in the East Village; we are therefore using an asset-based planning approach to encourage both the maintenance of existing art, as well as the strategic placement of new artistic efforts.

Sculptures by local artists is a form of public art that we would like to see throughout the East Village; receiving community feedback as to what they would like to see in their community would help liven up the surrounding space, while reminding residents on a daily basis that their voice has been heard.

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Now that you have come to see the proposed revitalization of the East Village in its entirety, not only have you experienced the projection of what the future community will look like, but you have also gained an understanding of what it means to be an Eco-City. As you followed along the story of the East Village, from the early stages of growth, to the replanting of the area back into the ground as a seed with potential to grow, you were probably thinking, well, are the new proposed changes going to work in a city like Calgary, where conservative ideals generally overrule those of inclusiveness? Although this will be a difficult task, introducing a new type of green development within the core of the white collar district, we plan to use to power of awareness through education, in hopes of reconfiguring the attitudes that many Calgarians currently have towards the environment. Implementing opportunity for all is a very important feature that the future Downtown East Village will offer, and with a lot of hard work dedicated to the local community, the area will be able to achieve its potential as a desirable place within the city. After bringing it all together, although the journey of the East Village is far from over, the revitalization plan of 2011 is coming to an end. We have watched the project plant grow, mature, and now we hope that it has caused the blooming of many inspirational ideas, to be used in a multi-dimensional array of ways.

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A glimpse into the future...

The future of the East Village. Buildings throughout the area high density, mixed-use, and house both a racially as well as economically diverse population. New innovative forms of affordable housing have made possible the diverse array of residents that live in this area. The neighbourhood is also very accessible; thanks to the recently completed construction of the Village Way, Calgarians now have a more direct route from the East Village to the downtown core. Taking a tour through the area, you would ask yourself, “Where are all the vehicles?”. Auto-use throughout the East Village has successfully reduced its role, making room for healthy alternatives such as walking, biking and public transit, which you can see through their widespread use throughout the area. The community has a feel of vibrancy and security; the streets are both aesthetically pleasing as well as functional, maintaining a good flow of eyes on the street that makes you want to stick around. The East Village’s distinct features of intense urban greening help define the area as a place within the city, and has also been becoming a popular destination for many as citizens begin to learn about the benefits of proximity to urban greenspace. The high presence of innovative technology throughout the East Village also helps attract visitors, as well as prospective residents. The high level of community involvement throughout the area is obvious; public displays of inclusive art can be seen everywhere, and attractive posters advertising various community events are seen in abundance. Overall, this East Village has become hands down the most attractive neighbourhood within the city, and due to its successful planning and design practices, people are beginning to think that the East Village vision could be implemented elsewhere in the city. The downtown East Village has accomplished its goal of becoming a vibrant and sustainable community, and continues to set a benchmark for future development within the region.

Now that we have made the complete circle through the East Village’s redevelopment process, it is time for this chapter of the story to end. It is hoped that continued efforts, that parallel the ideas suggested throughout this magazine, continue on into the future and help shape the East Village beyond our initial project expectations.

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So, remember our interview with Rufus (Page 19)? Where do we see him in the next 15 years? How different would our interview have been with him if we were sitting down with him at the same cafe on a Tuesday afternoon? This is our vision of how we would like to see our old friend, Rufus.

As I sat down to meet Rufus for the second time, I already noticed something remarkably different. Rufus waved down the waitress and asked, “Can we have another seat for the lady please?” He plopped the chair right beside his own, and a nice lady named Bella sat down. With a big grin on his face, he introduced the lady as his long-time girlfriend, and that was when I knew that things changed for the better.

Although I remembered Rufus ordering a beer in the middle of the afternoon the first time we sat down, he insisted that coffee had become his new routine and that he had been “off that garbage for years.” I wanted to know how Rufus’ life in Downtown East Village had changed. Fifteen years ago, our team came to this area with so many fresh ideas to make life better for people such as Rufus. With all of these changes that we were planning, Rufus “really thought that our changes would drive out people like him, rather than make things better.” We had a goal at the beginning of this project to ensure that we would make life better for the people living in the area, while bringing in a new wave of young families such as Jane and Melissa (Page 23). Things here in the East Village had changed for the better. All of the young, middle-class people had added a new energy to the area that Rufus had never seen before. “Even on the cold days, I see people on the streets all the time and feel real safe.” Rufus went on talking about how he loved walking around the streets of the East Village. He had grown to have a passion for the entire streetscape, and later I found out that it was because he had met Bella on the lively streets of the East Village. The streets have brought a higher quality of life to residents ever since we improved the quality of public space by adding various types of trees to mitigate the effects of the winter wind and snow, developed a variety of retail space along the streets, encouraged alternative modes of transportation besides the automobile, and made the area more sustainable for our children’s children.

“This area is SO green.” Rufus was quite surprised by how environmental the area had become, even though we lived in a climate not known for its ability to sustain greenery. “I never thought I’d say this, but walking around in the winter has become quite the stroll. There are spruce trees all over the place, and they make me feel like I’m in some sort of winter wonderland or something.”

I don’t know if it was the improved streetscapes, or the improved greenery, or the influence of Bella, but Rufus looked healthier then he had 15 years ago. I like to believe that the improvements that we have made in the East Village have somehow influenced his well-being. The area looks beautiful, and as we continue to carry out our 30 year plan of redeveloping the area, we have already accomplished so much by improving lives of those like our old friend, Rufus.

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East Village Way Magazine are a group of highly passionate individuals, who strive to better the East Village community. We hope to inspire a vision that helps to bring back to this area the former growth and pride it once had.