I am a single parent living in Akinsdale, on Arlington Drive. While I do support affordable housing, I am vehemently opposed to the development of the proposed housing complex in our community’s only significant park space. Akinsdale is already a densely populated community. I see the looks on people’s faces when I tell them I live in Akinsdale. The inference is that our community is ‘less desired’ than other communities in St. Albert due to the apartments and townhouses that are here.
It’s easy to classify those of us opposed as NIMBYs (Not in My Backyard), but the citizens of this community want the same respect as the newer communities in St. Albert. Let Habitat for Humanity build two or three duplexes that blend into the community like they did in North Ridge.
Akinsdale is an established neighbourhood, and I bought my home because of the development that is already in place. If I wanted to live five houses down from a 58-unit complex I would have bought in Millwoods or Clareview, and paid significantly less than what I paid for my modest bungalow. I wanted my daughters to be able to play in a park that was within walking distance to our house. I wanted them to be able to walk our dog, kick a soccer ball or run freely in the park area. If the new development comes in, I would not feel safe letting them walk through this development in order to get to the playground.
Arlington Drive is a very busy street. Drivers routinely disregard the posted speed limit as they race to the local 7-11. I have called bylaw numerous times to report speeding transit buses, and other vehicles. I have never seen photo radar in my neighbourhood. When 5 p.m. rolls around in the summer time I am vigilant about where my children are as I do not trust that they will be able to dodge speeding cars while they are trying to cross the street to play with their friends.
Arlington Drive has no marked crosswalks despite it being the main road into the community. Akinsdale already has met the 80/20 split of single-family dwellings to multi-family units. We are a densely populated community, yet it is an established community. We who have bought houses here bought with the expectation that what was in place was already developed.
Build the complex in a new area where it can be part of a developing neighbourhood, where it can blend into the architecture of other homes, and where the infrastructure is in place to support the numbers.
As a single parent, I understand the need for affordable housing and community supports. However, putting a complex such as this in a neighbourhood that is already established will bring down my property value, and will bring traffic, crime, noise and garbage to an area that is already dealing with significant issues because of the high density and transient population in the apartment buildings that are nearby.
I implore city council to respect the community’s wishes and to honour previous city council’s recommendation that Akinsdale does not need or desire a new housing development.
Keri McEachern, St. Albert
