Culture, Entertainment, Stampede

Civitas is currently working with a partnership of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and the Calgary Stampede in collaboration with the Calgary Flames to develop an urban design vision for 300 acres of urban property. The land is within easy walking distance of downtown and surrounded on two sides by the Elbow River; however, it is also cut-off from adjacent neighborhoods by railroads and arterials on two sides. The Stampede, Calgary’s famous rodeo and festival of Western Heritage, is beloved by all Calgarians but challenged for space for facilities and access. The Flames, who have occupied the Saddledome in Stampede Park for decades, need a new, urban format arena, and Calgary Transit is proposing to build a new Light Rail line through the area.

Civitas is leading a group of stakeholders including property owners, neighbors and the city to develop a cohesive urban design vision and development strategy to create a new downtown neighborhood. The vision will integrate a new light rail station, new hockey arena, a cultural and entertainment district, expand Stampede facilities and the Convention Center, and add over 8 million square feet of new mixed-use development focused around a connected, walkable and bikable public realm. This will stitch the Victoria Park Rivers District into the existing fabric of the city and link downtown to the river. Key to the project’s success is aligning stakeholder interests around a common vision and attainable phasing strategy based in economic realities, property owner interests and existing infrastructure constraints.