Kudos to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce for making its concerns heard regarding the possible negative effects of the proposed Sovereignty bill.
For too long the chamber seemed to be quite ineffective in representing business, but under the leadership of president and CEO Deborah Yedlin has become a strong voice and in this matter suggests to the government that the bill would not help attract investment to the province, or the employees we so need.
The Canadian Chamber has also joined in with a warning that a fight between the two levels of government could be detrimental to business growth, but Premier Danielle Smith seems to take little heed and continues to charge ahead regardless.
Meanwhile the NDP just stays quiet and waits with a growing amount of confidence, gleefully watching the polls.
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I was interested to note that Alberto de Salvatierra, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape is leading a project to come up with better uses for empty downtown parking stalls.
My first thought, of course, was if something needs doing about an overabundance of parking, then shouldn’t the city planning department and the Calgary Parking Authority be working together in addressing it?
Nevertheless, there are a lot of empty stalls in the downtown core today and de Salvatierra is to be commended for his keen interest, even though loss of parking is a bit of a scary thought for some. A concern is always the long term.
Hopefully more people will be returning to work downtown, requiring daytime usage, and no doubt some of the parking lots will be developed on which will bring down the number of empty spaces.
But more of concern today is one shared by Councillor Terry Wong – my pick as the councillor blessed with the most common sense – who says that parking is vital for commercial tenants in attracting customers who need to get to them in a vehicle.
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Talked to a friend recently who told me that apart from visiting his dentist, he hadn’t been downtown for years. Bad enough the reason for the trip, but then having to find and pay for parking. Visiting my new doctor means paying for parking, but fortunately lab tests and x-rays are at Market Mall where there’s lots of free parking.
Problem is parking the person.
Arriving on a cold morning at 6:40 a.m. for blood tests at the lab that opens at 7:00 a.m., I thought I’d be first in line. I was number 12 and shortly afterward that number had more than doubled. Snaking around the rather bare corridor space, I felt for some of the people who looked as if they weren’t able to stand for 15 minutes – chairs or stools would be welcome.
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Good advice: if you are travelling, no matter how heathy you feel, get health insurance. And secondly, make sure you are admitted to the Maui Memorial Hospital where I was a guest for a couple of weeks.
The doctors and nurses are exceptional; I had the best treatment and would you believe visitors enjoy valet parking?
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Congratulations to Kevin Gregor of DHR International who has been awarded an honorary diploma by Bow Valley College. Gregor has been passionate in his support of BVC since its inception, as board member, fundraiser and chair of the Premier’s Luncheon.
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Final words: Do not add one straw to the burden another is carrying.
