City says redevelopment of former Midfield Mobile Home Park site 'progressing steadily'

Seven years ago, it was Midfield Mobile Home Park. Now, it's set to become Midfield Heights.

The site, located along 16th Avenue N.E. just west of Deerfoot Trail, ceased to be a mobile home park in 2018 when the City of Calgary evicted the park's residents after lengthy legal and political battles that spanned years.

The city pointed to failing sanitary and water infrastructure in its case to close the park but numerous residents resisted, saying they wanted to stay in their homes.

The City of Calgary owns and is the master developer of the site, which has been vacant since the evictions in February 2018.

After planning approvals were obtained in 2021 and site servicing was completed in 2024, redevelopment of the site is now "progressing steadily," city spokesperson Jaime Stopa said in a statement to CBC News.

Seven development sites were approved by the city — of those, five were released for sale in 2024 and are currently under contract, she said.

Two purchasers were selected for those five development sites, with details currently confidential as the deals are still pending. Construction is slated to begin within 24 months of those deals being closed.

Of the remaining two sites, one will be reserved for affordable housing, while the other will be released at an undetermined date.

"Midfield Heights is part of the city's strategic redevelopment program," Stopa said. "Projects like these are unlikely to proceed without city involvement due to cost or complexity."

According to the statement, the city's total budget for the project, from the closure of the Midfield Mobile Home Park to completion of the Midfield Heights development, is $44 million.

She highlighted that the project is not funded by tax dollars. Rather, the money comes from a real estate reserve funded through proceeds from land sales.

"As master developer, the city was responsible for navigating the planning approvals process and delivering the public realm infrastructure, including roads, sidewalks, landscaping, and community amenities," Stopa said.

Five of the sites are zoned for mixed-use residential development — three for buildings up to six storeys high, and two for up to 12 storeys — while the other two are zoned for townhouses, with those sites limited to 42 and 54 units.

In total, more than 1,000 homes are set to be built at Midfield Heights.