Divisive proposal to extend West District towers should take cues from Calgary’s past​on February 8, 2025 at 1:00 pm

In 1998, Statesman Villas pitched The Landings, a development in Signal Hill that stood out for all the right reasons. It wasn’t the most ambitious project Calgary had ever seen, yet it was rooted in respect for the people who already lived in the area.

The developer could have crammed more units onto the parcel. Instead, they worked with the councillor and residents to find a balance. As the Calgary Herald reported at the time, they settled on a number that “everyone (was) comfortable with.”

The result? A development that included semi-detached villas, duplexes and low-rise apartments, while preserving 60 per cent of the land as green space. Everyone walked away feeling like they’d had their voices heard.

Fast forward to today and it feels like we’ve lost sight of that approach.

In December 2024, city council pulled the plug on RioCan’s redevelopment plans for Glenmore Landing shopping centre. It started out as a solid idea for transit-linked development, before veering off course when the scope expanded to include the possibility of up to 15 towers, some reaching 30 storeys in the future. Neighbours didn’t see that coming.

Now, Truman Homes is looking to move the goalposts on its highrise project near 85th Street and Old Banff Coach Road S.W. What was originally capped at 30 metres is now proposed to soar to 90 metres in places — just shy of the Statue of Liberty’s height. If approved and built, the supersized towers would become some of the tallest buildings west of the city’s core. This area is planned for growth, but adding another 2,200 units goes far beyond what’s reasonable.

It’s no wonder people are concerned. At a community association meeting in January, I heard neighbours describe the plan as “absolutely crazy” and a “big threat to everyone.” These are families raising valid concerns about traffic, overstretched city services and schools already bursting at the seams. When folks feel caught off guard by decisions that change their neighbourhoods, it’s no surprise they start to lose trust.

This isn’t about opposing growth — far from it. Most people in our community love the idea of new shops and services alongside these residential projects. Welcoming new neighbours is part of what makes our city great. The point stands: Responsible growth means making sure these projects are communicated to the community.

Yet, the chair of the West Springs-Cougar Ridge Community Association’s planning committee told media at the end of January that his group was “caught by surprise” by the proposed extension, and he was disappointed by the lack of engagement.