Marda Loop businesses struggle with monthly street closures

The city's solution to stormwater drainage in Marda Loop is creating headaches for business owners and residents.

Last year, Calgary installed permeable paving stones on 18 Street S.W., 19 Street S.W., and 36 Avenue S.W. to manage water runoff and reflect the neighborhood's character. But the city recently informed businesses that these pavers need two to four days of maintenance each month from May through October — with no street parking allowed during that time.

Al Frache's Flowers, where customers often pick up large floral arrangements, has seen the impact directly. Manager Marie Guechi said customers can't find nearby street parking during maintenance periods and some have stopped visiting altogether. "We are losing business, we're losing money on this," she said.

Residents are equally frustrated. Paige Knight, who lives on one of the affected streets, said her partner is waiting for a hip replacement and they can't park within a block and a half of their house — every single month. "I can't understand at all how anyone could have thought that this would be a good idea in this climate," she said.

According to Calgary, the stones allow rainwater to permeate through the roadway. Each spring, the gaps between stones must be cleaned of dirt and debris to ensure drainage. The city chose daytime hours to reduce noise and is trying to phase work to avoid blocking any one business for the full two to four days. In June, the work wrapped in just two days.

When the warranty period ends in 2027, maintenance will drop to twice a year or less.