Council unanimously supports zoning change at former CBC property despite concerns
Global News
Creosote was discovered under the northwest Calgary community after it had seeped from a former wood treatment plant on the south side of the river.
A change to the zoning at the former CBC property along Memorial Drive was unanimously approved by Calgary city council on Wednesday, despite concerns from nearby residents over soil contamination.
The decision follows a more than two-hour public hearing late Tuesday evening that saw debate carry into the spillover session on Wednesday afternoon.
The site, at 1706 Westmount Blvd. N.W., was the former home of the CBC for 50 years but was purchased by Anthem Properties in 2016 and has sat vacant since.
Originally set to be a townhouse complex, Anthem Properties is proposing three multi-residential buildings ranging from four to six storeys and close to 270 units.
While those opposed to the development argued there would be impacts to street parking, traffic and shadowing, one of the main concerns brought to council was around creosote contamination.
The concern amongst some residents was development of a partially-underground parkade on the site would disturb the toxic chemical.
“The human health risk assessments that were done back in 2022 didn’t consider the pathways of exposure which this development may cause,” said Jim Stirling, a retired petroleum engineer who spoke on behalf of residents in West Hillhurst.
Creosote was discovered under the northwest Calgary community after seeping under the Bow River from a former wood treatment plant that operated for nearly 40 years on the west end of the city’s downtown.
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