A property development company says it will foot the bill for a $23-million traffic interchange on Sarcee Trail, if the city approves its proposal for a residential, office and retail complex on land just east of Canada Olympic Park.

The developer, Trinity Hills, is asking the city to rezone and create a new area structure plan for 105 hectares of undeveloped land east of Canada Olympic Park (COP) and south of the Trans-Canada Highway between Sarcee Trail and Bowfort Road Northwest.

The proposal includes the new interchange as part of its transportation plan.

Trinity says the interchange would improve road access to their development and wouldn't slow traffic on Sarcee Trail or 16th Avenue. Brad Caco, a vice-president with the development company, says construction would begin quickly.

"Assuming we're successful, we would start as early as August or September with an eye to having a functionally complete interchange for the end of 2016," he said.

The plan to develop the area has encountered strong opposition from some Calgarians.

Some young residents of Cougar Ridge express their views about plans to develop the East Paskapoo Slopes. (SaveTheSlopes.org/Instagram)

Laurie Quon, a member of the group Save the Slopes, says the development will destroy a unique recreational space in Calgary. The group is circulating a petition against the proposed project.

"It's 260 acres of pristine inner-city wilderness that we'll never get back," she said.

"There's archaeological sites at the base that date back anywhere from 5,000 to 12,000 years."

The developer is planning to build on approximately 40 hectares (100 acres) at the site and transfer the remainder to the City of Calgary for use as a park.

The Trinity Hills project has already been approved by the Calgary Planning Commission. It goes to city council next month.