Public hearing ahead for SW Calgary housing proposal on former high school site
Posted Apr 8, 2025 7:34 am.
The building that once housed Chinook Learning Services may be gone, but the future of the site off Crowchild Trail is still in limbo.
A public hearing is set to come before Calgary city council Tuesday on another revised housing strategy for the site, but opposition from Richmond-Knob Hill residents remains.
Housing developer Minto is putting forward its fourth and most recent concept for the site of the former Viscount Bennett High School.
Just off Richmond Road SW, it’s proposing to build 1,200 units primarily between four to six storeys at the 11.5 acre site.
This is a far cry from Minto’s initial proposal about two years ago for 2,500 units, including high-rises of up to 30 storeys.
Despite city-led outreach and 10 meetings with the public, opposition remains intense with administration receiving 196 responses, including three from the Richmond-Knob Hill Community Association.
Its president, Kevin Widenmaier, says this new plan is too dense for the neighbourhood, and Minto failed to account for traffic impacts, and challenges to water and sewer infrastructure.
