Residents of U of C's decommissioned family residence concerned as redevelopment plan enters second phase

Little is left of Varsity Courts now that the second phase of a plan to decommission the University of Calgary housing complex is in full swing.

Once the site of the post secondary institution's residences for graduate students and families, located in the city's northwest community of Varsity, the infrastructure is being torn down to make room for a new development that will be incorporated into University District.

Unlike Varsity Courts, however, the planned development will not be oriented for student accommodation, adding to concerns of an already expensive cost of living situation — and a competitive rental market for those who call the complex home.

"Families, many who have been here for more than five years, are starting to seriously consider what their future means, whether they can stay in Calgary, whether they can continue to study at the university," said Janine Giles, a Varsity Courts resident and U of C student.

"The concern is not that there's change in development, but that there isn't an alternative to affordable family housing."

Giles, who studies at the Werklund School of Education, moved to Calgary from Canmore, and will be heading into the final year of her two-year program this fall.  

Her situation isn't as dire as others, she says, because she only has one year left before she graduates. 

But it's a different story for many still living in the area, with a looming departure date of 2026 set for current occupants.

"There is no other place outside of this family housing that you can afford," said Su Joy Subroto, who's been living at Varsity Courts for five years with his wife and children.

"Oftentimes the house owner, they are kind of … reluctant to rent a house because we don't have any fixed income and we are on international student status, so this is another layer of struggle on top of affordability."

Varsity Courts is located on land that was transferred to the University of Calgary Properties Group (UCPG), the developer behind the newly-built University District neighbourhood.

The U of C began issuing notices that it would decommission the residence in 2021, according to a bulletin posted on the institution's website.

A number of things, including aging infrastructure and the site's proximity to University District are behind the move. 

"The decommissioning was delayed to address the demand for on-campus housing but the Varsity Courts buildings are now past their lifecycle," UCPG said in a statement to CBC News.

"Once this work has been completed, the land will be available for redevelopment by the University of Calgary and [UCPG]. We are always looking at opportunities to provide a broad range of housing options in our community."

The U of C broke the record for the number of students moving into its residences again this year. As of August 26, 89 students were still on the waitlist for residential housing. 

Some students also had to be put into a hotel to accommodate students who were unable to get a place in residence. 

The U of C does have a long-term plan to expand its overall residence spaces, according to Shane Royal with the university's ancillary services department.

But he said the plan remains in the budgetary phase, and there's no confirmation as to whether these new accommodations will be accessible to all students or made exclusively for undergraduates, 

"We've known that we'd be decommissioning [Varsity Courts] for some time so we've integrated that into our planning for new residences," said Royal.

"Although it won't be in this location, any new residence we build, we have designated space for on campus."