Save Nose Creek continues to advocate for the protection of Nose Creek Valley despite Calgary city council’s approval to rezone land parcels adjacent to the creek.
Members of the advocacy group raised concerns about the industrial rezoning encroaching on the land, but their initial attempts were unsuccessful.
“The talk afterwards with some of the councillors has been positive,” says Andrew Yule, founder of Save Nose Creek, who now has plans to meet with some councillors to share his ideas.
Save Nose Creek wants to increase development setbacks to 90 metres from the 30 metres determined by the Calgary River Valley Plan. A larger development setback would provide more space for the wildlife that composes the wetlands of Nose Creek.
Save Nose Creek is also pushing for the elevation of certain roads that run along the perimeter of Nose Creek to allow for a regrowth of wildlife under the roads. The group says development setbacks and roadway elevations are crucial starting points for the primary goals of having Nose Creek Valley designated as a provincial or national park.
Their vision extends from Greenview Industrial Area to the Confluence Park.
Austin McCrown has only visited Confluence Park a couple times since the pandemic, but he wishes he could get out more often.
“We are very, very, very lucky to have it,” he says. “(It) takes just a little research to see that. How many cities would love to have a little bit of what we have?” says McCrown.
The environmental health of wetlands has become a municipal concern as awareness surrounding the subject has expanded. Wetlands like Nose Creek provide an ecosystem for a variety of plants, animals, and aquatic life.
Nose Creek also boasts archeological value, according to Yule. He points to the location’s value on a historical level. Indigenous populations, and later settlers, both utilized the land.
“The more I learned about Nose Creek, the more I felt this isn’t really about infrastructure,” Yule says. “This is about preserving a wetland, and Calgary is very desperate to keep their wetland because we’ve pushed out so much of our wetlands.”
There is a precedent for establishing local parks under similar circumstances. Citizens contested a zoning reclassification regarding the land of Nose Hill, which eventually led to the City of Calgary purchasing the land from developers and establishing Nose Hill Park.
The circumstances of Nose Creek Valley are more complex, as multiple municipalities will have to be involved with park designations relating to the sprawling wetlands.
Yule remains hopeful despite the challenges.
“It’s one of those things where you have to give it a shot,” he says. “Because until there’s shovels in the ground, we have a chance.”
