MAKICHUK: River Run condos, a Gondekian disaster
Appropriation of condos at Eau Claire, a complete waste of money and time
Notice how, it’s never her fault?
Seriously … it’s never her fault. It’s always someone else’s fault.
It’s the province, it’s Danielle’s fault, it’s Calgarians’ fault, it’s everybody’s fault … but definitely not hers.
I am talking, of course, about our mayor, Jyoti Gondek.
Who hit us with a red flag on the first day of her term, by making Climate Change the city’s No. 1 priority.
And not only, is it not her fault, she doesn’t listen.
She’s completely out of touch and has no desire to get in touch, with the residents of Calgary.
While most Calgarians were clearly against the housing zoning proposal, she completely turned her back on them.
Went ahead and pushed it through, whether we liked it or not.
That is the Gondek way.
Councillors who supported Gondek, lied through their teeth, telling concerned Calgary residents they “did not have adequate data” to support any one side in the discussion.
Now let’s get to the subject of this piece, the River Run condos.
A few years ago, a friend of mine who resided there, alerted me to the fact that they had to move.
The city was playing hardball, low-balling them, and forcing them out.
Keep in mind, these are monied people, these are pricey condos.
During the great flood of 2013, not a single car in the basement parking garage suffered any damage.
A well designed automatic system prevented any water from getting in.
Nevertheless, the condos would be demolished, they said, to make way for the Green Line.
A new station would be built there, along with a tunnel under the Bow River.
A crazy idea to start with, of course.
Some of the residents, including one high profile individual, a big wheel with Price Waterhouse Cooper, would fight the city, spending thousands in legal costs.
The city has since refused to refund them that money.
So, now that the province has withheld its’ one third share of the money for the Green Line — the biggest project in Calgary’s history — the entire River Run eminent domain land grab, was a complete waste of time.
These people were tossed out of their homes for no good reason.
And it’s not like it was a surprise.
Billionaire Jim Gray, who led a group against the Green Line, wanting only a pause and a rethink — which may have actually saved the project — was completely ignored by Gondek and the city.
If one was to describe the city’s current council, it is that it is completely blind to the concerns of Calgarians.
It is a swamp, that should be drained — but that’s still years away. Alas, we are stuck with them and the mayor that was booed by 18,000 fans at the Saddledome.
The River Run condo fiasco is yet another Gondekian disaster.
Early estimates from city administration showed a wind-down would cost at minimum $850 million, and combined with $1.3 billion spent on the project to date, the total costs to the city surpass $2.1 billion, Global News reported.
“We now have spent $2.1 billion literally on a train to nowhere, zero kilometres,” Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner said. “Deeply, deeply frustrating.”
City council voted 10-5 in favour of winding down the project following a lengthy debate both in public and behind closed doors; councillors Sonya Sharp, Andre Chabot, Evan Spencer, Sean Chu and Dan McLean voted against.
Sharp is being touted as a possible candidate for mayor, to replace the controversial term of Gondek. A mayor whose popularity has sunk so low, it would make a skunk proud.
And by the way, the River Run project involved building new condos on the land.
How that was decided, and who would own those condos and rake in the cash, is a mystery, as far as I know.
It sure as hell isn’t me. Like the CCR song, I ain’t no fortunate one.
Stay tuned for more Gondek screw-ups.
Hopefully, she doesn’t take us down with her.