Concrete barricades, partly to ward off potential car bombers, went up around the city hall complex yesterday as Calgary and K-Country began hunkering down for G-8.
City officials acted on a city police recommendation the metre-tall concrete walls be placed on 3 St. S.E. along the eastern length of the Municipal Building and on a stretch of Macleod Tr. in front of the complex.
The move was taken to prevent motorists abandoning or driving vehicles that could pose a security risk to the complex, said John Chaput, the city's G-8 manager.
"It's to prevent people from driving up onto the sidewalks and vandalism...or carbombs," said Chaput.
"The unthinkable has happened a couple of times, though we don't expect (a carbombing) to occur."
City police Insp. Al Redford, who's overseeing G-8 security said: "I think it's a fairly prudent security measure."
Any anxiety Premier Ralph Klein felt regarding security during the upcoming G-8 summit has since lessened, he said.
"I think everything is well under control," he said.
"To see the activity around the city of Calgary and as I understand, around Kananaskis and Banff, Canmore -- it's absolutely phenomenal. I have never seen so much military, so much evidence of security in my whole life."
He said he's confident that if any problems arise next week in relation to the G-8, being held Wednesday and Thursday in Kananaskis, each will be handled appropriately.
"You're always concerned but not overly concerned," he said.
Meanwhile, the G-8 security office has finalized plans for road closures downtown during the summit.
From late Tuesday night until Friday evening, two blocks surrounding the Telus Convention Centre will be deemed a controlled access area, cordoned off by a one-metre-high fence.
Centre St. will be closed between 9 Ave. and 7 Ave. S.W. and only those on legitimate business will be permitted between 6 Ave. and 7 Ave. S.W.
Also, the LRT will not stop in front of the Telus Convention Centre from Tuesday to Friday.
"Establishing this access control area is not meant to restrict the movement of the public who have legitimate business in the area," said Redford.
Not everyone believed the measures were designed for safety.
"How much of this is about security and how much of it is an attempt to prevent people from exercising their democratic right to public spaces?" said Sarah Kerr, spokeswoman for the Solidarity Village Committee.
The controlled access area was identified to accommodate media shuttle buses and international delegations staying at hotels inside the two-block radius, security officials said.
For security purposes, Airport Tr. will be closed from Wednesday to Friday and Aero Rd. N.E. will be limited to emergency service use.
As well, overnight parking won't be allowed at downtown Calgary Parking Authority lots and some Plus-15s will be closed.
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