Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 14

B2 Tuesday, March 5, 2013 CITY REGION Breaking news at calgaryherald.com Ex neo-Nazi pleads guilty to murder 1 fc rip- 1 Jj.l f. Calgary HeraldFiles Inglewood residents have complained noise, vibration and pollution have become too much since CP consolidated locomotive servicing work at its Alyth yard and doubled the size of the operation. Council approves extension for study of railway yard noise Collecting the noise data during winter was a priority for the city Mayor Naheed Nenshi said there were "a number of inconsistencies in the data," and that the city should continue moving forward with its own study. Nenshi was hoping for a meeting with CP's new boss Hunter Harrison last month, but the two have yet to meet due to scheduling demands, said Nenshi. The first phase of community consultation and case study, and legislation review is complete, and cost $70,000.

The second phase is noise and environmental data collection, followed by a risk study. SZICKEF00SECALGARYHERALD.COM The Alyth yard, located south of Blackfoot Trail to 42nd Avenue S.E., has been operated by CP for more than 100 years. Residents of Inglewood and Ramsay are asking the railway to stop operations at the Alyth yard during "reasonable hours" on weekday evenings and on weekends. Although CP had agreed to pay for half the costs of the $150,000 independent noise study, the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled in October in favour of the Inglewood Community Association's rail yard noise and vibration complaint That prompted CP to temporarily back out of the city's noise study after the first phase to compile its own research. CP has said it's simply following the CTA's orders.

DARYL SLADE Calgary Herald Mark Mariani's family heard his killer plead guilty Monday to second-degree murder, apologize to them and be sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 10 years. What they didn't hear was a motive, a reason, or even an excuse for the vicious, senseless beating of Mariani on Oct. 3, 2010. The family had prepared to hear the grisly details during what was scheduled to be three weeks of pretrial motions followed by a five-week trial for Tyler William Sturrup, 28, a former member of a Calgary neo-Nazi group. "I think we were all preparing for a lengthy trial," Dino Mariani, the victim's brother, said outside court.

"It was a shock how it turned around today. I can't speak for all of the family; I want to believe it (the apology). I want to accept it and have faith in humanity." In a victim-impact statement read earlier in court, Mark Mariani's sister, Kathy Weltzin, said the horrific slaying occurred shortly after Mark, who had battled Crohn's disease for 11 years, had surgery that "would have changed his life." Court of Queen's Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi accepted a joint sentencing submission presented by Crown prosecutors Adam May and Brian Holtby, and defence lawyers Tonii Roulston and Andrea Urquhart "Your counsel said you committed the crime after consuming alcohol, and your personality and alcohol don't mix," said the judge. "It's truly unfortunate you had to take another human life to learn this lesson. "The murder itself was cowardly, cruel, vicious.

I don't know why you did this, Mr. Sturrup, but you have taken Mr. Mariani away from his family forever." In addition to the jail sentence, Sturrup was also ordered to provide a DNA sample and was prohibited for life from owning or possessing firearms or other weapons. SHERRI ZICKEFOOSE Calgary Herald The city is staying on track with its noise study at Alyth yard despite Canadian Pacific Railway pulling out of its funding agreement. City council agreed Monday to fund an extra $30,000 for the noise project's second phase.

Noise and activity have long been a concern for Inglewood and Ramsay area residents, who are anxious for data to be collected in winter as well as summer. Inglewood residents say the noise, vibration and air pollution from the yard have become too much since the railway consolidated locomotive servicing work at Alyth and doubled the size of the operation. Calgary HeraldFiles Tyler Sturrup's only explanation for the 2010 beating death of Mark Mariani was that "it was senseless," his lawyer said. Court heard Mariani, 47, was attacked at 245 a.m. by two men as he was walking down the alley behind 1540 16th Ave.

N.W. He was knocked down by the men, who repeatedly kicked and stomped his head and body, then left the scene and went to a friend's home. Mariani died from blunt-force trauma to the head, including multiple skull fractures and injuries to his neck and trunk, including several broken ribs. Roulston said she believed her client's apology was sincere When asked if Sturrup had any explanation for why he committed the offence, she said: "In his view, it was senseless. That's the only thing he offered, was it was senseless.

It's unfortunate. If he could turn back the clock, he would." Crown prosecutor Adam May said "it was a fair result for the family and justice was definitely served in this case." He also said Sturrup's plea has no bearing on the trial of Robert Reit-meier, which begins with pre-trial motions in September and a trial starting Nov. 4. Reitmeier is also charged with second-degree murder. DSLADECALGARYHERALD.COM CYCLISTS: Call for more education FROM Bl Finding a comfortable space on the road is one of the many challenges of urban cycling, said Brent Clark, the president of Bike Calgary.

"More segregated bike lanes would provide a more comfortable environment for cyclists, and that would get more people cycling, which would raise awareness of cycling among more roadway users," Clark said. "The bigger challenge is that these are children who don't understand the rules of the road," Malejko said. "They don't know what's expected of them as users of a vehicle, because a bicycle is a vehicle, and they're not being properly taught that It's unfortunate that so many kids are being hurt, but I don't think bike lanes are the solution." With files from Jason markusoff, nstechys0ncalgaryherald.com I don't think bike lanes are the solution MELISSA MALEJKO But while bike lanes certainly have their place, education is what's most likely to keep young cyclists safe, said Melissa Malejko, a Can-Bike cycling instructor. Most car-bike collisions with young cyclists happen at intersections, Malejko said. CEPF Calgary Educational Partnership Foundation 7 1 A I f-x Dialogue -s 1 about digital safety oive Calgary HeraldFiles Pedestrians walk past a memorial near where Wong Shuk Yee was killed in a hit and run.

Hit and run death sparks push for more pedestrian protection a cyber crime younonline reputation SHERRI ZICKEFOOSE Calgary herald The recent death of a woman struck by two vehicles has sparked a call to improve pedestrian safety. Aid. Gael MacLeod's urgent notice of motion calls for a city study to help prevent pedestrian-auto collisions. The Ward 4 alderman is calling for city administration to work with Calgary police to identify improvements and their costs by July. The idea was sparked by community concern after pedestrian Wong Shuk Yee, was killed at Sandstone Drive and Berkshire Boulevard N.W.

"It's a much broader issue, there was a need to do something concrete. We're trying to do something positive," MacLeod said. "It's about see and be seen, reflective clothing. Maybe there's something for both drivers and pedestrians. I don't know what this is going to look like.

But we would like to explore the possibilities." Wong, a 56year-old mother, was struck by one vehicle and then hit again, Both drivers left the scene, and police believe other vehicles manoeuvered around her as she lay in the street. One man has been charged with hit and run causing death, but police continue to search for the second driver. During Monday's council meeting, council heard there is an average of 360 pedestri ans hit by vehicles each year. Of those, 330 collisions result in injuries and six people are killed. "It is a significant portion causing a handful of deaths every year, so any way we can reduce that is great," said transportation general manager Mac Logan.

The answer could be better lighting, as the city's long dark winter nights can make it challenging for drivers to spot pedestrians. "Even just reminding people what they can do to be more visible, too, and working with the police in areas where motorists are maybe not paying attention to crosswalks." SZICKEF00SECALGARYHERALD.COM Connect Council approves record twin towers with Online Safety Week March 4 8, 2013 www. cepfoundation. com SKYSCRAPERS Council unanimously approved zoning for a twin-skyscraper project that will give downtown Calgary a new tallest building "a very big jewel," one alderman said Monday. Brookfield Office Properties has planned 56- and 42-storey office towers on the downtown block where the Bay parkade stands and where the Calgary Herald's former building is being demolished.

"We're getting an entire city block built right on the LRT, and it's going to be an extraordinary development," Aid. Druh Farrell said. The first tower, a glass box with corners that curve and taper inward toward Its crown, will stand 11 metres taller than The Bow. Some aldermen were uneasy about the future loss of short-stay parking when the parkade gets demolished for the second phase, although Brookfield does plan to add some replacement parking in Its own office parkade. The underground parkade at 225 Sixth Ave.

S.W. will be designed with several special features for cyclists. Brookfield will offer cyclists their own entranceexit ramp, as well as storage lockers, showers and a bike repair facility for riders. Calgary Herald nline Ssfcty.