Redevelopment plans at former Viscount Bennett site raises concerns for residents – Calgary [Video]

The remnants of the former Viscount Bennett School are coming down, but what may take its place is leaving many residents wary in southwest Calgary.

Demolition is underway at the school site along Crowchild Trail, which has been shuttered since 2018.

Minto Communities purchased the property from the Calgary Board of Education in 2023.

The developer has since applied to the City of Calgary to change the zoning on the site, to make way for several multi-residential buildings.

What’s proposed is eight buildings, mostly between four and six storeys tall, as well as a trio of 16-storey towers along Crowchild Trail that could accommodate up to 1,509 units.

“It’s like plopping the population of a small town in the middle of an established, inner-city community,” said Greg Williams, who lives nearby in Richmond Knob Hill.

Several residents in the community are speaking out over the proposal, citing concerns over a loss of green space and the potential impact …