Calgary Mayor Defends Angel's Cafe Lease Termination for Critical Water Main Project
Mayor Jeromy Farkas is standing by the city's difficult decision to terminate the lease of Angel's Cafe near Edworthy Park, describing the closure as an "unfortunate" but "very necessary" step in Calgary's race to build a critical feeder main that will protect the city's drinking water system.
Essential Infrastructure Takes Priority
Speaking outside council chambers on Tuesday, Mayor Farkas emphasized that using the Edworthy Park site is absolutely essential for constructing the vital water pipe. He warned that not being able to utilize this location would have "catastrophic" consequences for local residents and businesses throughout the Calgary region.
"It's a very serious and unfortunate decision that we've had to make, but I will stand by that decision," Farkas stated. "It is critical to move as fast as humanly possible to deliver safe and reliable clean drinking water to the 2 million Calgarians and others in the region who depend on this system."
Accelerated Timeline Justifies Difficult Choice
The mayor explained that the accelerated construction timeline makes this difficult decision unavoidable. "In this case, it's unfortunate that we've had to make this decision, but it's a necessary one in order for us to be able to deliver in one single year what would otherwise take four years," Farkas elaborated.
According to the mayor, lease terms between the city and Angel's Cafe specifically allow for termination with just 30 days' notice when municipal land is required for essential infrastructure projects of this magnitude.
Balancing Business Impacts
Farkas acknowledged that while one business is directly impacted by this decision, the alternative would be far worse for the broader community. "In this case, there is, yes, one impacted business," he conceded. "But the trade-off, if we weren't to go this way, would cause untold harm to dozens, if not hundreds, of other businesses for a more prolonged period of time."
The mayor revealed that city officials are working "behind the scenes" to explore potential relocation options for Angel's Cafe, demonstrating some commitment to helping the business transition despite the difficult circumstances.
Major Construction Site Incompatible with Business Operations
Michael Thompson, Calgary's General Manager of Infrastructure Services, provided additional context about why Angel's Cafe cannot continue operating at its current location. He confirmed that the Edworthy Park site will become a zone of "major construction" that will completely disrupt normal business activities.
"Unfortunately, this pipe and these sites were going to be right outside the front door to Angel's Cafe, so no ability to provide access for customers or for the business going forward," Thompson explained. "That's why as soon as we realized this, we gave them immediate notice."
Assessing Broader Impacts
Thompson noted that city staff are still evaluating the full scope of impacts associated with the accelerated feeder main project. The city owns several nearby properties with tenants who could potentially face similar disruptions as the construction progresses.
"We're in the process of determining exactly what the impacts will be," Thompson stated. "If we need access to those properties, we'll be talking with those residents or businesses, and anyone else that we need to connect with as we work through this project."
The decision highlights the difficult balance municipalities must strike between supporting local businesses and ensuring critical infrastructure projects proceed efficiently to benefit the entire community.
