In mid-July, we learned that the anticipated sale had been completed, confirming that Geo-Energy Enterprises Inc. is now the official owner of the Shaw-Nee Slopes golf course.  We also know - courtesy of a CBC radio news story - that the new owner plans to file a rezoning application with the City Planning Commission in September.  What this undoubtedly means for our community is a resumption of the concerns expressed during SECA Town Hall meetings, our community association website, monthly newsletters and feedback from you. 

We expect a long and frustrating battle with a developer who appears convinced that City Hall will rubber stamp their application to bulldoze our beautiful green community and replace it with non descript high density housing and retail services.  However, there is due process that both parties must follow, even though we are the unfortunate victims of a developer whose intention is to exploit and destroy the golf course for their financial benefit. 
 
SECA will oppose any green space re-zoning application on behalf of the community. We will lobby our elected officials to ensure they support our position, values and needs.  It was the City that originally approved Shawnee-Evergreen less than 25 years ago on the basis of creating a golf course community.  Circumstances have not altered that would necessitate a rezoning change sharply reducing green space. We are a relatively young community and - despite recent propaganda to the contrary - our community was not targeted for TOD (Transit Oriented Development) nor does Plan-It Calgary intend to develop over existing green space. We are confident that sanity will prevail as the issues are addressed by City Council in the coming years.  As our Alderman, Diane Colley-Urquhart recently summarized: “they may have bought themselves a park.”

Please join us at the upcoming AGM where we will elect the Board that will lead the struggle against this unwarranted rezoning application.

Respectfully submitted,
Gloria Dingwall
President
Shawnee-Evergreen Community Association

Given Geo-Energy’s recent filing of a re-zoning application, I would like to share a piece of community golf course history.  While the application is under re-submission and details are not yet publicly available, in January 2009 Geo-Energy outlined their plans to replace this beautiful green space with 1,100 condo units.

Intriguingly, the history of the golf course was recently removed from the Shaw-Nee Slopes website.  Fortunately, one of our researchers had printed off this piece of history. 

Did you realise that the ancestors of the Shaw family were pioneers in our community and that the land has belonged to the family since 1883?  Today, their descendents own the golf course lands and as ironic as it may sound, when the golf course was established over forty years ago, their intent was to prevent “non-descript community development.”   Here is the excerpt that was removed from the website:

“In the early 1960s, Samuel William Shaw’s grandson, S.W. Shaw (Bill) envisioned the growth of Calgary south.  He envisioned it to the extent that non-descript community development would obliterate any trace of his forefathers homestead.  Bill’s solution was to preserve an open piece of land from development as a landmark from the original homestead. 

“Shaw-Nee Slopes Golf Course officially opened for business on July 1, 1965 and was managed by Mr. Bill Shaw until his death in 1990.  His families continue to operate the business and are adamant that Bill’s goal be kept intact: to conduct an extremely efficient operation so that the average Calgarian is able to golf on a prime facility at an economical rate.”

We all recognize that the impact of increased vehicular traffic and large-scale development will be considerable and change the nature of our community.  Environmental issues will affect water and soil as well as the conservation of wildlife on this piece of land abutting onto Fish Creek Park.  Among the many resources that the community association is accessing is the Alberta Land-Use Framework.  An article in the Calgary Herald on this subject from December 8, 2008, reported: “the document is intended to bring ordered development to Alberta, based on environmental, social and economic considerations.”   

In this era of environmentally-minded politicians and citizens, I have faith that the report, together with other aspects of our research, will prove to be critical when the proposed development of the Shaw-Nee Slopes golf course is put under the microscope.

Respectfully submitted.
Gloria Dingwall
President

Geo-Energy, the owners of the Shawnee Slopes Golf Course, recently held a pre-application meeting with the City of Calgary Planning Department.  These are all the details we have but you can read more in the Land Use Committee’s report elsewhere in this newsletter.  Shortly after that meeting, in early May, three executive members of the SECA Board, accompanied by our lawyer, also met with the same City Planners to review the pre-application process and what it entails for the Community Association.  We must now wait for the actual rezoning application to be filed by Geo-Energy.  Please be assured that we are ready to act as soon as the developer files an application for rezoning the golf course and will bring you the details when they are made available to us.

By the time you read this message the implementation of the traffic calming measures will be largely in place on Shawnee Drive, Evergreen Street and Evergreen Drive. With the support of many concerned citizens in our area, SECA has been working with the City to address safety concerns on these streets. The implemented measures were supported by the majority of community members who responded to the City survey conducted in 2007. As a result of the survey there were some modifications made to the proposal to address some concerns that had been raised. Your Association supported the final recommendations which will reduce the excessive speeding that has been recorded on these streets. The measures that were selected are intended to improve the liveability and safety in the community by dealing with motorist behaviour and pedestrian crossing safety at pathway crossings and near playgrounds. We were pleased that Diane Colley-Urquhart provided support to our Community at the LPT (Land Use Planning & Transportation) meeting last September and at City Council. Getting these measures approved and implemented has been a long process. SECA has been involved in this traffic speeding issue for over 10 years! On behalf of SECA I would like to thank Reg Roy (our former Director – Traffic Calming) for his patience and diligence in pursuing this on behalf of our community.

We hope to see y’all at this year’s Stampede pancake breakfast to be held June 20, 2009 at Evergreen Linear Park, 1611 Evergreen Drive, SW from 9.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.  The breakfast is FREE for SECA members and their resident families.   Mark your calendars. Board members will be on hand to cook and serve breakfast.  All of us are looking forward to meeting up with you there.                                                

Respectfully submitted,
Gloria Dingwall
President
Shawnee-Evergreen Community Association

At the time of writing this report in early March, we have heard nothing further of Geo Energy’s plans to develop the golf course since the appearance of the February articles in the Calgary newspapers (Sun (2/7/2009 and Herald 2/21/2009).   It is apparent that the developer sought out the news media as the preferred forum to spin their plan in the hope of persuading public opinion in favour of their proposed development of Shaw-Nee Slopes.   Anyone reading the articles would observe that in both instances, the facts were manipulated to convey the impression that the development proposal was signed, sealed and as good as delivered.  But, that could not be further from the truth. Alderman Diane Colley-Urquhart took issue with statements made in the Sun article, writing a rebuttal published on 2/14/2009.  The Alderman also explained in an email to the community that the City of Calgary “has not even received a land use application for this parcel of land let alone have something go to the Planning Commission in the next two months.  Land use re-designation is a long and lengthy process that requires considerable consultation and comments first within the City from various business units.  This is then followed by dialogue and consultation with other affected parties such as the communities in Ward 13, the Province of Alberta, Fish Creek Provincial Park, and myself as Area Alderman, to name a few.”  On behalf of the SECA board, I would like to thank our Alderman for publicly correcting the misinformation that the developer gave to the Sun’s editor. 

For our part, we are going at full throttle to put the necessary processes in place to ensure we win any rezoning fight.  In addition to hiring a lawyer and traffic consultant, we now have a Coordinator of Volunteers to assist us. Melissa Baisi will lead the charge to organize our volunteers.  To learn more about Melissa, her contact information, background and plans, check out her report in this newsletter.  For your part, we need many, many, volunteers to work as canvassers in our upcoming membership campaign.  This is where everyone in our community can help by getting involved.  Please contact Melissa to volunteer for the campaign.  If every home joins the community association our position will be incredibly strengthened.  Imagine the message that would send to the developer and anyone else who supports this absurd development.  PLEASE help our volunteer canvassers by joining the community association or renewing your membership when they come knocking at your door later this month or in May.  If you want to join sooner and keep the canvasser from coming to your door, complete and mail today the registration form in this newsletter.

Thanks to each and every one of you who communicated concerns, ideas and suggestions to the Board.  You are being heard.  Your ongoing involvement, support and commitment to our mandate are critical to our success.  Our demonstrated unanimity and determination to preserve our community WILL stop those who are intent on tearing up and removing the beautiful green space in our neighbourhood, increasing traffic congestion and taking away the lifestyle we invested in.  Together we can and will be successful in our efforts to stop this senseless development.

Respectfully submitted.
Gloria Dingwall