We are now just 10 days away from the 3rd Reading, where the final decision on the TSMV Village Centre ASP will be made.
While we are grateful to Town Council for rejecting the Smith Creek ASP and making several important amendments to the Village Centre ASP, significant action is still required to address the MAJOR community concerns on (1) Truth & Reconciliation, (2) undermining and (3) the unviable wildlife corridor pinch point within the Village Centre ASP.
While we appreciate the efforts to encourage more consultation with the Stoney Nakoda Nation, they simply do not go far enough. Meaningful consultation requires the free, prior, and informed consent BEFORE proceeding with the TSMV approvals. It’s 2021 — we can and should do better. Let us not forget the request from the Stoney Elders during the Public Hearing to reject these ASPs so that they can fully participate in this process.
Also, we all know the unfinished golf course is riddled with underground shafts and other past coal mining workings. Independent mining experts, including the late Gerry Stephenson, explicitly stated that building in this area is unacceptably risky (see great short films about it here and here). Equally important, it adds critical open space to an otherwise-too-narrow section of Canmore’s only functioning along-valley wildlife corridor.
But did you know the Town, TSMV and the Province all agreed to keep this area free of development back in 2004 and the agreement is captured in our Municipal Development Plan? If that’s the case, why is Town Council still considering urban development on the unfinished golf course as part of TSMV’s current Village Centre ASP?
It’s a critical question that Town Council should ask themselves as they move towards 3rd Reading on May 11th. To prompt them to do so, we are sending a community letter to Town Council that discusses our major concerns and we are asking you to add your signature to our letter. BVE will send this letter to the Councillors AND publish it with all our names in the local newspaper next week. We will need your signature by Tuesday at 10am.
How much space will we need to run it in the paper? Half a page? A full page? Maybe a 2-page spread?
The number of names is up to you. Leave the booking and paying the ad up to us. Thanks to the many generous people who answered our call for donations last week, we are in a good position to buy whatever space we need. THANK YOU! This is an AWESOME community!
Be sure to sign on to the letter and get your friends and neighbours to do the same. And stay tuned for more ways to engage coming soon.
Have a great day!