As Bowness development continues, residents reflect on changing community

What was once a small bungalow in Bowness has made way for a new rowhouse development designed for up to eight families.

It's only one of many high-density housing projects underway in the northwest Calgary neighbourhood, which has been sought after by developers since city council approved blanket rezoning last May.

The policy change was contentious, as the decision was preceded by Calgary's longest-ever council meeting that saw over 700 residents speak at a public hearing. Some in the city have continued to challenge the policy throughout the year following council's decision.

The designer behind that rowhouse development, Cesar Amaya of Amaya Design, told the Calgary Eyeopener the blanket rezoning bylaw has been a gamechanger.

"It's saving so much time," said Amaya. "Before, we had to go through the rezoning process to be able to build something like this, and for them to just be able to go straight to applications with this, it's been amazing."

The development was approved by the city last June, just under a month after council approved blanket rezoning.

Amaya said he landed on building in Bowness due to the neighbourhood's natural beauty, as well as its proximity to downtown and the mountains.

"It's just a great place for families to move into," he said.

With up to eight families moving into a unit that previously held one, Amaya acknowledged there's been pushback from some residents due to concerns around issues like parking.

"It isn't a perfect solution," Amaya said on blanket rezoning. "But I think it's a needed solution for the housing crisis we're living through."

Blanket rezoning was billed as a response to Calgary's growing population and concerns around housing insecurity, but some residents remain unconvinced.

Bowness resident Jean Woeller, one of the 736 speakers at last year's public hearing, told the Calgary Eyeopener she considered blanket rezoning a "cop out," because it doesn't account for the specific needs of different communities.

"I didn't believe that blanket rezoning was real urban planning," she said.

Since city council approved blanket rezoning, Woeller said Bowness — which had been attracting development permit applications long before council's decision — is "radically changing."