City hall 'minutia' wont carry into 2010: mayor

Some of the controversies that rippled thorough city hall this year won't have a lasting impact, said Calgary's mayor in a year-end interview with CBC News.

Among the issues that generated debate and made headlines in 2009 were the $22 million pedestrian Peace Bridge, park-and-ride fees in C-Train lots, and the closing of Memorial Drive for a block party.

In a year-end interview, Dave Bronconnier said public debate can be mired in "minutia."

"Some of the smaller issues capture the imagination of the media and citizens, but the overall day-to-day funding, the day-to-day framework of our city, is going quite well. We are a city that continues to grow, an area that people look to for prosperity," he said.

Major civic accomplishments in 2009 included investments in policing and firefighting, and commissioning the west C-Train line, he said.

"We are moving forward in the areas where the majority of citizens are quite happy to see," he said.

Mayor defends Peace Bridge

One of the most controversial projects the mayor defended in 2009 was the Peace Bridge over the Bow River. The $22-million project was handed to award-winning Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, whose tubular design was revealed in the summer.

The mayor said Calgarians will eventually realize the bridge is actually the right project for the city.

"If you look at other key pieces of infrastructure there is always hurdles to overcome," he said.

"We wouldn't have had projects like the Saddledome, the Talisman Centre, Centre Street Bridge, even city hall itself, all projects that came with a hefty price tag but all lasting pieces of architecture that when you look around our city, they are symbols of this city."

In 2010, Bronconnier is looking forward to the start of construction of a new interchange at Glenmore Trail and 37th Street S.W., which he calls a top taxpayer priority.

Also looming next year is the fall general municipal election. Bronconnier said the controversies of recent years will not be priority issues when Calgarians go the polls.

Bronconnier has been on city council since 1992, but he said he still has goals he wants to accomplish as the city's top elected official.

"All plans are that I will continue to put my name forward for the 2010 general municipal election."