Tenants of a seniors’ home in the Beltline have launched a petition against the placement of a bike lane in front of their building, claiming it will impede vehicle access for visitors and essential services.
Residents of Grace Gardens, an inner-city seniors’ home located near 15th Avenue and 10th Street S.W., say the project would turn their building into a “seasonal prison.”
If the city proceeds with the bike lane as planned, resident Gerry Morgan suggests many seniors living at Grace Gardens will do whatever they can to block the project.
“Mark my words, if they start (construction) we will be there … and we will stop it.”
Morgan is one of many Grace Gardens residents opposed to the bike lane. Of around 100 residents living in the seniors’ home, 69 have signed the petition in opposition, he said.
“We’re just a bunch of old people … in a fight for our access out of the building and the services coming into the building,” said Morgan.
Among their concerns are that the bike lane would block access for emergency vehicles and other essential services, and limit access for visitors and caregivers. Residents also take issue with the city’s plan to move the designated loading zone 50 meters west to 10th Street S.W., saying it still won’t be feasible for those with mobility issues to access the building, especially during winter months.
According to the city, the 14 and 15 Avenue S Mobility Improvements project includes a protected two-way bike lane on the north side of 15th Avenue S., between 11th Street S.W. and Macleod Tail.
In addition to the petition, residents have also put up signs in the area near Grace Gardens opposing the project.
According to Morgan, residents feel there has been a lack of engagement from the city and local leaders, as well as a lack of consideration for the needs of seniors with mobility issues.
“(The city) told us, just use the back entrance for ambulances. If they even bothered to come by, they would know that’s absurd. It’s not possible,” Morgan said.
“That’s where the garbage goes out. There’s no proper entrance to the building at all.”
Councillor says plans have been adjusted based on feedback
Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott disagrees about there being a lack of engagement in relation to the proposed bike project.
Walcott said the city has actively engaged with residents going back several years and has adjusted plans based on feedback, including moving the loading zone to accommodate residents with mobility issues.
“The teams that work on these projects, they take these types of feedback from the day they start to the day that they finish,” Walcott said.
“The reality from a lot of these projects is that people often get involved when we get close to construction,” he said, noting an engagement process for the bike lane took place “several years ago” when some residents may not have been living in the building.
As far as blocking access to emergency vehicles, Walcott said having a bike lane is no different than having street parking along the road, which he suggested often blocks access more than a bike lane.
Walcott said the city has actively worked with residents to ensure the loading zone is in the right place and is still considering these concerns. He confirmed plans can still be adjusted if necessary.
“When we design something like this, and when we get to the construction phase, we still take feedback and make … adjustments,” he said.
‘We deserve to have respect and access’: resident
In an emailed statement, City of Calgary project manager Kristen Myers said the current design will ensure safe access for emergency vehicles to Grace Gardens without delay.
“We are also reviewing the possibility of adding a loading zone at the front entrance,” Dyers said in the statement, noting that the project team recently met with Alberta Social Housing Corporation, the property owner, to discuss these issues.
Speaking about shared sentiments among residents, Morgan said, “We’re not against bike paths but we are upset that we’re getting traded off and marginalized by the city.
“We deserve to have respect and access just the same as everybody else.”
Construction on the bike lane is set for spring 2025.
For more details about the project, visit calgary.ca/1415ave.