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Changing Chinook Winds

The Chinook LRT station in Calgary. Photo: Fernando Moreno-Prado

For many years, the Chinook LRT station has connected the Chinook communities, including Bel-Aire, Britannia, Manchester, Manchester Industrial, Mayfair, Meadowland Park, Parkhill and Windsor Park.

The city’s vision for 30-year growth is the Chinook Community Local Area Plan. It highlights areas like the Britannia Shopping Plaza and Manchester, home to thriving businesses, including cafés, breweries, bookstores, pet shops, and bakeries.

The plan aims to improve accessibility, safety and connectivity by addressing challenges such as mobility issues, diverse housing needs and the potential benefits of a future 50th Avenue LRT station.

Manish Singh, senior planner and project lead, points out that change is inevitable. He explains how the plan introduces an “element of predictability” that can allow interested parties to be in the know and have their voices heard.

“We have worked together through a robust engagement process to come up with a vision that adds more predictability,” he says. “You also have investments linked with how the old area is growing and changing over time.”

The Chinook LRT station revitalization future has sparked interest in the impact on the local area. Many venues of various tastes are within walking distance of the station and stand to benefit from increased vibrancy and foot traffic.

Venues near the station include various ethnic food places, some barber shops, hot tub dealerships, bookshops and thrift stores.

Sentiments revolve around transiency, open drug use and how the current number of crosswalks. Some of the employees at Thriftopia on 62nd Avenue SE feel that a sidewalk could make the shop more accessible to people going uphill.

Appreciation for clients runs rampant in all the venues.

Fair’ Fair Chinook bookstore staffers Christine (left) and Jessica Menacho. Photo: Fernando Moreno-Prado

“I see great people all the time. It’s a great place to work. You have a great vibe of people in here,” says Fair’s Fair bookstore manager Gordon Deane about his customers. “The people that work in our company and shop in my store are fantastic.

“I have a great vibe here.”

Fair’s Fair Books is located on 61st Avenue SW, approximately northeast of the LRT station. It has a decorative atmosphere and many books, CDs, and DVDs. The decorations are largely of pop culture and vintage style.

“The brewery presence has been very beneficial to the vibe of the area and supporting organic growth,” said a participant in the latest Chinook Communities information booklet.

Gerard Coles, co-owner of Prairie Dog Brewing on 58th Avenue SE, believes it is important to maintain the diverse business landscape and support that through enhancements such as better lighting, wider sidewalks, and more trees along Centre Street S to increase foot traffic and safety.

The final draft of the Chinook Communities Local Area Plan, issued in October, references the consideration of investments in trees, landscapes, and public art across various Chinook communities.

“We do have a lot of people coming by the train, but I know that the safety at the Chinook station area is certainly a factor that keeps people away from taking the transit to get here or to head home from here that way,” says Coles.

Prairie Dog Brewing intends to continue being a place committed to inclusivity and fostering a cultural hub atmosphere. According to Coles, it is a brewery for beer tasting and a barbeque restaurant that aims to excel at both. The place has a stage for live music; all ages are welcome.

Cultural enrichment is maintained in multiple ways on 58th Avenue. Long & McQuade, known as “Canada’s music store,” offers a large selection of musical instruments, lessons, and rentals for all occasions.

“It’s a hub for bringing community music together,” says Nicole Popovics, Long & McQuade lesson centre coordinator.

The Rocky Mountain liquor store held a tasting event in December featuring brands like Joyhall, Ursa Imports, and Charton Hobbs. Concern has been expressed about increased crime in the area and its impact on liquor stores.

East of the Chinook LRT station lies a strip mall on Centre Street containing shops run by diverse people, including the Latin Food Specialties Market & Kitchen, Comic-Kazi pop culture store, and Creative Mindz Hair Salon and Barbershop.

Alejandro Rodriguez, owner of Latin Food Specialities, believes the area could benefit from new lights, sidewalks and better signage.

“They got plenty of space,” he says. Rodrigues welcomes the prospect of bringing improvement to one of Calgary’s busiest stations for locals and tourists alike.

Latin Food Specialities has thrived and evolved as a business since 2012, despite suffering a robbery in the last couple of years. From a cheese manufacturing company, it expanded to offering high-quality Latin food. Rodriguez’s business now serves as a platform for aspiring food entrepreneurs to showcase their products.

A transaction at Latin Food Specialities and Market. Photo: Fernando Moreno-Prado

AUTHOR

Fernando David Moreno-Prado

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