A New Home for Families
About Trellis
Trellis Society (“Trellis”) is a registered non-profit dedicated to empowering individuals of all ages, backgrounds and experiences.
We work alongside those affected by homelessness, poverty, social isolation, and other challenges by providing a range of services that include housing, community hubs, employment readiness, cultural connection, and clinical supports.
Our organization is driven to create generational impact and grow communities where everyone can flourish. Trellis was formed in 2020 as a merger of two organizations (Boys & Girls Clubs of Calgary and Aspen Family and Community Network Society).
Since then, we’ve grown to better serve children, youth, families, homeless or vulnerable persons, newcomers, Indigenous communities, the 2SLGBTQIA++ community, and all those who walk through our doors.
To deepen the services Trellis provides, we are looking to expand our housing programs by building and managing our own affordable family housing units. This will help alleviate the serious need for affordable housing in Calgary while also supporting the families we serve to have a safe place to call home.
A home is the foundation that every family needs to succeed as it provides the foundation to grow from and achieve your dreams.
OUR PROGRAMS
After School Clubs
Shelter + Housing
Group Homes for Youth
Stay in School Programs
Therapy Programs
Pre-School
Indigenous Initiatives
Family Resource Network
Group Homes
Employment Training
Family + Parent Programs
A New Home for Families
GROWING TRELLIS HOUSING SUPPORTS
Trellis provides services in every quadrant of Calgary and in the surrounding communities. We operate family and community hubs, run Calgary’s only emergency shelter for youth, offer preschool and afterschool programming, and support people of all ages to find and maintain stable housing.
It is our goal to always grow in providing better and more comprehensive supports to the community and we are now ready to help tackle one of Calgary’s biggest challenges: the lack of affordable housing by growing our housing services in the Bowness community.
WHY BOWNESS?
Over 50 years in Bowness
Trellis has been part of the Bowness community since 1976. Trellis staff work across Bowness connecting residents with resources like rental assistance and food, and we support youth in our group home to connect back to their families.
The Bowness Hub
Our Hub is a safe place that helps build a positive sense of self through supportive adult mentors and engaging activities that challenge and enrich the body, mind and spirit of each member. We offer direct programming for children and youth (ages 6-17), while also ensuring that their families have the support needed to thrive in the community.
Commitment to Community
Trellis is deeply invested in the community and in ensuring that the work we do contributes back to our neighbours in positive ways.
Wonderful Place to Live
With staff who work, live, and play in Bowness, we know that it is a wonderful family-oriented, friendly, and active community: a perfect place for families to grow and thrive together.
Growing with Bowness
We plan to construct a new home for families near our existing Bowness Hub. This will ensure that the families who live in the building have easy access to other Trellis and community-based services whenever needed.
Supporting Bownesians
In 2023, Trellis' Bowness Hub identified 27 Bownesian families at risk of homelessness. Trellis is working to ensure your neighbours are safe. A home is the foundation that every family needs to succeed.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN CALGARY
To support our growing population, the City of Calgary believes we must increase and diversify our affordable housing options. The city defines a household in need of affordable housing if it earns less than 65% of the median income (currently $63,700) and spends 30% or more of its before tax income on shelter costs.
Despite adding 308 units per year since 2011, the city needs 2,000-2,500 new units annually to meet the demand.
Trellis will update this website as Trellis' New Home for Families evolves -
please check back regularly for updates.
Site Development
Trellis explored several options for our New Home for Families building. We looked for a site in a family-oriented neighbourhood that was near to one of our existing Trellis Hubs.
Our Site
The new building will be located at 6623 Bowness Road NW. The site is ideally situated in a residential area featuring both single-family and multi-family homes. It is currently zoned as R-CG (Residential - Grade Oriented Infill) and is a empty lot with a small playground owned by the City of Calgary.
In 2022, the City identified the property as surplus to municipal requirements and made it available through a Non-Market Land Sale in 2023. Trellis was the successful proponent in securing the land.
A portion of the proceeds of the sale are to be reinvested into other Park infrastructure elsewhere in the community.
Land Use Redesignation
We will be seeking a land use redesignation to MU-1 with modifiers. These include: height of 20.5 m, maximum density of 50 units, and a floor area ratio of 3.0. This better aligns with the surrounding properties. The Bowness Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) was approved by City Council on December 17, 2019, identifying the property as within the “Neighbourhood – Mid-Rise” district, and did not include the parcel in its current or future open space plans.
Project Team
Our dedicated project team includes Larkspur, a development management firm who will manage the project on our behalf to come in on schedule and on budget.
Our construction manager is Chandos Construction, who have great experience working within communities. We are also excited to work with LOLA Architecture renowned for their thoughtful and aesthetically pleasing designs and experience with affordable housing projects.
Trellis is not a private developer - this building will provide affordable housing for the families we serve.
New Building Concept
The New Home for Families building will provide Trellis with the opportunity to increase the availability of affordable housing in the city, particularly for families.
This new affordable housing building for families will provide quality, affordable housing for families small and large.
Families will have the opportunity to live in these units for the long-term, so that their children can flourish in one of the best communities in Calgary.
Benefits of this Development:
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Provide much needed affordable housing within Calgary's NW
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Provide barrier-free units and an accessible facility (20%)
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Create an energy efficient building and sustainable design to provide operational and maintenance benefits
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Activate the western end of Bowness Road NW
Preliminary Design Concepts
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A five story building - height of 20.5 m
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Up to 50 units - mix studio, three-bedroom, and connected three-bedroom-studios
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Parking above grade on the main level
Design Guidelines
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Accessible units & buildings
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Durable materials
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Aesthetics aligned with neighborhood character
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Community & connection between residents & neighborhood
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Family focused & friendly, including multigenerational homes
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Comfortable, trauma-informed design
Target date for New Home for Families building completion is Fall 2026.
Community Engagement
As active members of the Bowness community, engaging with our neighbours is a critical part of Trellis' New Home for Families.
What We Heard
To begin our engagement process we met with the Bowness Community Association and several residents at a regularly scheduled meeting in June 2024. At that time, we had no plans. The goal was to better understand community concerns and opportunities for Trellis' New Home for Families building.
Here's what we heard during that initial discussion:
Parking
Concern on how to deal with parking on site, not street.
Traffic
Concern traffic will increase due to housing project.
Greenspace
Loss of greenspace & playground currently on site.
Number of Units
Higher than existing buildings in area & concern of lot size.
Social Housing
Feel there is too much of social housing in Bowness already.
Aesthetic
Want a nice design that doesn't look like affordable housing.
At that meeting, Trellis committed to incorporate the issues into our planning and design to try to deal with the concerns raised with unique design solutions. We also committed to a strong engagement process with the surrounding community.
Upcoming Events & Engagement
Open Houses
September 15, 2024
@ 2:00 to 5:00pm;
September 16, 2024
@ 6:00 to 9:00pm.
Bowness Community Association
City of Calgary Planning
You can give direct feedback to the City of Calgary using this link: LOC2024-0196
Trellis Directly
Fill in the form below to share feedback with the Trellis project team
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
See our response to some common questions we've received to date on Trellis' New Home for Families building.