Guide to Local Area Planning/ “The Guidebook”

On March 3rd, 2021, nearly two hundred MRCA members attended our Town Hall, hosted to hear critical feedback about the City of Calgary proposed Guidebook to Great Communities.

Many MRCA members dedicated time, knowledge and passion to fire up our love for communities by defending our neighborhoods, showing teamwork and sending City Council a powerful message.

Thanks to hard work by community associations and dedicated volunteers throughout Calgary, city administration proposed amendments to the Guidebook to Great Communities including amending the document name to “Guide to Local Area Planning” and making it a non-statutory plan.  The “Guide” served as a rallying force amongst Calgary communities, with 38 community associations, and 21 individuals representing 77 communities in 14 wards submitting a joint letter to Council. 

Resident efforts clearly demonstrate to City Council how deeply we care about our neighborhoods. As of June 2021, a delay to enable the opportunity for review and discussion of proposed changes amongst communities had been requested.  City Council’s Planning and Urban Development Committee again heard from citizens on May 5 before sending the Guide back to city administration for use as a general source for future planning studies. The committee recommended that Council abandon the bylaw that would have adopted the Guide as statutory.