SW leg of Calgary's Ring Road Opened Today

[CaberTosser]

A portion of the new ring road opened up so it's now possible to head from Westhills due south to get to 90th Ave, Southland Drive, Anderson Rd & beyond (the connection to 22x is yet to open though). We took a spin on it and holy Hannah does it trim some time off the trip to the SW. I'm looking forward to seeing how it reduces traffic on other main arteries as its not that far from our place. Coming back from a walk at South Glenmore Park there was a deer that was a bit confused adjacent the road, I'm sure it was wondering what's up with all the traffic that didn't used to be passing by at twilight.

[Twisted Canuck]

It wouldn't have been a project in Canada without the appropriate 'protest', apparently.

https://www.westernstandardonline.co...ary-ring-road/

Although I'm not sure how giving yourself a haircut and dumping some dirt is much of a protest. Sounds like the vast majority of the Band voted in favor of it and a lot of people benefited financially. But hey, I wasn't there, so....

[CaberTosser]

I don't think I'd be too hard on the fellow, people do get really attached to land and their home. That being said it was a deal that was struck with the band, and the band voted on it democratically. In addition to a handsome payout to each member (close to $80K/each), they also got some compensatory land added to the other side of the reserve, which I've never seen happen in other circumstances. They got a way better deal than the residents of Mayfair whose homes were expropriated to build the Glenmore Trail & Elbow Drive interchange, those folks got fair market value, not a mittful of cash plus other land in compensation. Expropriation also happened for the building of the LRT through Sunnyside and many other areas where roads were widened.

With the economic benefits this will bring to the band as landlords of commercial developments, and the employment opportunities those businesses will bring to band members, its a positive for the community, despite the loss of some personal connection to portions of it. I know an AO member who used to spend lots of time there and he'll miss it, I can also sympathize with those perspectives but do see it as a greater good for everyone.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

I don't think I'd be too hard on the fellow, people do get really attached to land and their home. That being said it was a deal that was struck with the band, and the band voted on it democratically. In addition to a handsome payout to each member (close to $80K/each), they also got some compensatory land added to the other side of the reserve, which I've never seen happen in other circumstances. They got a way better deal than the residents of Mayfair whose homes were expropriated to build the Glenmore Trail & Elbow Drive interchange, those folks got fair market value, not a mittful of cash plus other land in compensation. Expropriation also happened for the building of the LRT through Sunnyside and many other areas where roads were widened.

With the economic benefits this will bring to the band as landlords of commercial developments, and the employment opportunities those businesses will bring to band members, its a positive for the community, despite the loss of some personal connection to portions of it. I know an AO member who used to spend lots of time there and he'll miss it, I can also sympathize with those perspectives but do see it as a greater good for everyone.

Just another case of someone stuck in the past, people like him are the reason it took half a century for this road to be built, that's how that long it took to reach a deal with the Tsutina.

Grizz

[DiabeticKripple]

Finally!

The 14th street BRT nightmare is almost complete too. Why couldn’t they wait until the RR was done before doing the BRT?

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Just another case of someone stuck in the past, people like him are the reason it took half a century for this road to be built. It took that long to reach a deal with the Tsutina.

Grizz

If he and his Mom spent any of the money he got for the deal, then that would be one thing. If they didn’t, then it would be another thing.

Yeah, progress can have a wrench thrown into the works by so many. When I first heard the deal was struck and learned of the contract stipulation that it be completed by 2022, and if it weren’t, the land would revert to the Tsuut’ina it made me wonder what ways people would try to slow it’s progress. Remember the people filing lawsuits over the width of the bridge crossing at Weaselhead?? I figured there would be people trying delay tactics all the time, I’m glad that wasn’t the case.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

Finally!

The 14th street BRT nightmare is almost complete too. Why couldn’t they wait until the RR was done before doing the BRT?

Every time I drive the section of 14th St past those dedicated lanes, I shake my head at the two-tier nature of it. The lanes are unoccupied 99.5% of the time, which is inefficient use of the land. Had those lanes simply been added to the road and available for use by all, it would reduce congestion for EVERYONE. Now there is a wide swath of barely-used pavement that is simply not fully utilized. That arrangement is a concrete testament to socialist inefficiency and ideology, the design is clear that they wanted the vehicular traffic to remain congested to punish (or at least not help) those evil car and truck drivers.

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Every time I drive the section of 14th St past those dedicated lanes, I shake my head at the two-tier nature of it. The lanes are unoccupied 99.5% of the time, which is inefficient use of the land. Had those just been lanes added to the road and available for use by all, it would reduce congestion FOR ALL. That arrangement is a concrete testament to socialist inefficiency and ideology, the design is clear that they wanted the vehicular traffic to remain congested to punish (or at least not help) those evil car and truck drivers.

Yes! They want everyone to take transit or ride their bikes.

What was wrong with running the BRT down the existing lanes? Just travel like a normal vehicle with no stops. To save 5 minutes the council spent millions!

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Just another case of someone stuck in the past, people like him are the reason it took half a century for this road to be built, that's how that long it took to reach a deal with the Tsutina.

Grizz

Garbage.

Young men like him are needed to keep the insanity of unchecked urbanization in check from destroying their homeland.

How about if "we" put a highway through your land so the surrounding land can be developed?....
Are you going to be happy about that?
Better not complain....

The City and the Province are the ones who are to blame for taking decades to "make a deal". A deal never had to be made in the first place.
The City had originally planned to use their own land for this road (37 st), past politicians got greedy and developed it instead, putting their descendants in a bind.

A person should also think of long term effects before deciding what is right.
Now that this road exists, developers have the green light to build high density residential on the south side of the Reserve....
This Reserve is becoming locked in with Urbanization on three sides....

With the expanded development allowed with the road, there is already a proposal for ANOTHER road through the Reservation....


People that actually care about Nature would see that this road is certain death to something they claim to Love.

This man, by cutting his hair, is displaying a ritualistic mourning of a lost Loved one. He actually loves the Land. Not money.

He has my respect.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Garbage.

Young men like him are needed to keep the insanity of unchecked urbanization in check from destroying their homeland.

How about if "we" put a highway through your land so the surrounding land can be developed?....
Are you going to be happy about that?
Better not complain....

The City and the Province are the ones who are to blame for taking decades to "make a deal". A deal never had to be made in the first place.
The City had originally planned to use their own land for this road (37 st), past politicians got greedy and developed it instead, putting their descendants in a bind.

A person should also think of long term effects before deciding what is right.
Now that this road exists, developers have the green light to build high density residential on the south side of the Reserve....
This Reserve is becoming locked in with Urbanization on three sides....

With the expanded development allowed with the road, there is already a proposal for ANOTHER road through the Reservation....


People that actually care about Nature would see that this road is certain death to something they claim to Love.

This man, by cutting his hair, is displaying a ritualistic mourning of a lost Loved one. He actually loves the Land. Not money.

He has my respect.

I watched his speech all through-glad they let him finish. His pain, wisdom and dignity clearly came through on the video.

Articulate, intelligent and respectful, his mother should be proud of raising such a fine young man.

Creeky....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Garbage.

Young men like him are needed to keep the insanity of unchecked urbanization in check from destroying their homeland.

How about if "we" put a highway through your land so the surrounding land can be developed?....
Are you going to be happy about that?
Better not complain....

The City and the Province are the ones who are to blame for taking decades to "make a deal". A deal never had to be made in the first place.
The City had originally planned to use their own land for this road (37 st), past politicians got greedy and developed it instead, putting their descendants in a bind.

A person should also think of long term effects before deciding what is right.
Now that this road exists, developers have the green light to build high density residential on the south side of the Reserve....
This Reserve is becoming locked in with Urbanization on three sides....

With the expanded development allowed with the road, there is already a proposal for ANOTHER road through the Reservation....


People that actually care about Nature would see that this road is certain death to something they claim to Love.

This man, by cutting his hair, is displaying a ritualistic mourning of a lost Loved one. He actually loves the Land. Not money.

He has my respect.

We're a society based on continued expansion, bring in more immigrants, we have to bring our numbers up to 100 million in order to economically sustainable, the "experts" claim. As long as we have that mind set, there is no alternative to projects like the ring road, or developing our natural resources, for that matter.

Grizz

[HVA7mm]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Garbage.

Young men like him are needed to keep the insanity of unchecked urbanization in check from destroying their homeland.

How about if "we" put a highway through your land so the surrounding land can be developed?....
Are you going to be happy about that?
Better not complain....

The City and the Province are the ones who are to blame for taking decades to "make a deal". A deal never had to be made in the first place.
The City had originally planned to use their own land for this road (37 st), past politicians got greedy and developed it instead, putting their descendants in a bind.

A person should also think of long term effects before deciding what is right.
Now that this road exists, developers have the green light to build high density residential on the south side of the Reserve....
This Reserve is becoming locked in with Urbanization on three sides....

With the expanded development allowed with the road, there is already a proposal for ANOTHER road through the Reservation....


People that actually care about Nature would see that this road is certain death to something they claim to Love.

This man, by cutting his hair, is displaying a ritualistic mourning of a lost Loved one. He actually loves the Land. Not money.

He has my respect.

Unfortunately land is appropriated all of the time. He is not the only person that it has happened to. It also has happened to many landowners in Canada whose ancestors homesteaded and cleared and developed their land by hand. It may have been for roadways, railways, public buildings, military installations, hydro-electric projects, irrigation and the list goes on and on.

As much as I too am tired of urban sprawl, it will continue as the population continues to grow, and consumers continue to consume. Although it's not right, at least people in Canada are compensated for the loss of their land be they indigenous or otherwise. In many parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, Russia etc. the land owners are not so lucky and often pay with their lives.

[Twisted Canuck]

Both sides of my family had all of their land taken by the Russians in 1940 when they were run out of Besserabia. They never received any compensation for what they had built over 150 years there. They didn't get to vote on it either. 5 years later the same Russians were stafing my family's refugee columns as they fled ahead of the army out of Poland. They were farmers, not combatants.

Sometimes life just isn't fair.

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

Both sides of my family had all of their land taken by the Russians in 1940 when they were run out of Besserabia. They never received any compensation for what they had built over 150 years there. They didn't get to vote on it either. 5 years later the same Russians were stafing my family's refugee columns as they fled ahead of the army out of Poland. They were farmers, not combatants.

If you’re down to “well Stalin did it too” as an argument in support of your position then maybe it’s time to take a knee and think about stuff.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

If you’re down to “well Stalin did it too” as an argument in support of your position then maybe it’s time to take a knee and think about stuff.

It wasn't any argument at all, and I never mentioned Stalin at all. It was a simple and true comment that life isn't fair with a personal example given, and it happens to people every day, all over the world, regardless of their color or background.

In the instance here, at least there was a democratic vote on the situation, and generous compensation paid. It's too bad some people aren't happy with it. I'm not happy that Trudeau got re-elected either. Life isn't fair.

I think about stuff all the time, but rarely need to take a knee.

[NCC]

I feel for the young man and appreciate his willingness to stand up for what he believes. That said, we live in a democracy and when 80% voted for the road to go through, he's SOL (I may regret that statement when 80% of the population decides we shouldn't have guns or the right to hunt). Hopefully he got a piece of the property west of the city.

There are going to be a lot of hard feelings when houses start getting bulldozed for the twinning of highway 11.

[MyAlberta]

Originally Posted by HVA7mm

Unfortunately land is appropriated all of the time. He is not the only person that it has happened to. It also has happened to many landowners in Canada whose ancestors homesteaded and cleared and developed their land by hand. It may have been for roadways, railways, public buildings, military installations, hydro-electric projects, irrigation and the list goes on and on.

As much as I too am tired of urban sprawl, it will continue as the population continues to grow, and consumers continue to consume. Although it's not right, at least people in Canada are compensated for the loss of their land be they indigenous or otherwise. In many parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America, Russia etc. the land owners are not so lucky and often pay with their lives.

appropriation is sometimes better. They dropped the dam thing in my backyard in Signal Hill. Can't imagine the delays on Glenmore.

[Jim Hunt]

Every new intersection in Calgary is screwed up .Cant believe the amount of expensive overpasses being built .What happened to the clover leaf .Way cheaper and it worked.Absolute mess