Tsuu T'ina Vote Down Ring Road Proposal - July 2nd 2009

SO AT LAST PROGRESS CAN BE MADE

The Tsuu T’ina Nation have finally voted down the ring road proposal. Good and about time too! It was far too sweet a deal for the Tsuu T’ina and not nearly good enough for Calgarians.

So at last the city planners can get their heads together and come up with another plan. Four options suggest themselves to me. In order of making sense (to me) they are:

1. Follow the line of 37th St which is right up against the edge of the Tsuu T’ina land. Join up with Glenmore Trail and then use Sarcee Trail to link up with Highway 1. Main problem with this route is that the northern end of the road has to cut through (or over or under) the Weaselhead Natural Environment Park. Building a tunnel under the western end of Glenmore Reservoir to continue following the line of 37th St would be the best environmental option but the cost would be high. This still looks to me to be the best option though.
2. Follow 37th St over Fish Creek and then turn east along Anderson, north up 24th St and east along 90th Ave to join up with 14th St at the eastern end of the Glenmore reservoir and hence to Glenmore Trail. Alternatively follow Anderson east to 14th St and then north to Glenmore Trail from there. From Glenmore Trail, use Sarcee Trail to link up with Highway 1 as for option 1. Main problem and expense with this route would be the number of houses that may have to be compulsorily purchased and knocked down.
3. Follow Highway 22 around the western end of the Tsuu T’ina lands through Bragg Creek and up to Highway 8 and Highway 1 west of Calgary. This is more an outer ring road than something that would benefit travellers within the city. It is however already a major route for heavy vehicles heading west from Calgary’s south eastern industrial parks. If this is the selected possibility then extend the highway east along 22X until it meets Highway 1 near Gleichen and reroute Highway 1 along this new route so it avoids the centre of Calgary altogether. Problems abound with this route, not least that Highway 22 as it passes Redwood Meadows already cuts through Tsuu T’ina land. To avoid Tsuu T’ina land completely, the road would have to cut north through Wintergreen up to Highway 1 or turn east back to Highway 22 at the Highway 8 junction. This would doubtless be the most expensive option and the one that is the least use to most Calgarians.
4. Abandon plans for a western arm of the ring road and make a C road like that crazy one in Saskatoon!

So planners. You must already have been thinking of the alternatives in case the Tsuu T’ina voted down the proposal so what’s your solution? Let’s not waste any more time and get this thing built before another ten years are wasted in fruitless negotiations.

Comment by Kalyn Adams on August 13th 2009

I don't feel that enough credit has been given to the First Nations people. Their land has been stolen and finally they were given a little chunk to live off of, now we want to intrude again. We don't know the full deal that was made between the government and the First Nations people. It has been kept a secret from the public by the government. The ring road was planned to be built on sacred burial grounds, how would you feel if a whole city of people did not care that a 6 lane highway was to be built over your ancestors/blood relations resting place? I feel that people should know their facts before coming to incorrect conclusions. We will all have our own opinions, but should we be bashing innocent people... all these people want is to keep their land untouched and sacred, and not have a 6 line highway in their back yard.

My personal conclusion to this problem is to invest more into city planning. Why would they continue to build houses out their when they know all that traffic needs to go somewhere... Stop the insane expansion of urban sprawl and plan our city better, for the future of Calgary and the Tsuu T'ina Nation.

Comment by soccerchik on September 23rd 2009

I think it is stupid that the Tsuu Tina Nation would not let Calgary build the S.W end of the Ring Road on Tsuu Tina land, they don't even use all their land.

They can use our land, why can't we use theirs?

Comment by Cheyyene Little Light on May 12th 2010

Dont even use our land?! Excuse me do u live there? Do U know how many homes would have to be torn down beacause of that stupid road? No I didnt think so.That small peice of land is all we have left.It's sacred land our people have lived there for generations. We dont trust the gov cuz they already screwed us over so many times. Thats why were holding on tight to what we have left.