Downtown East Village more commonly known as simply East Village , is a mixed-use neighbourhood within the eastern portions of downtown Calgary , Alberta , Canada . It is contained within the city's Rivers District . Containing the earliest-settled land in the Calgary area - Fort Calgary - East Village was for years a mixture of high-rise residential, commercial, and industrial development. Much of the parkland currently surrounding Fort Calgary was industrial as recently as the 1960s. Construction of the city's light rail transit Blue Line, coupled with the closure of 8th Avenue at Macleod Trail in the early 1980s by construction of the massive Calgary Municipal Building, resulted in East Village being "cut off," from the rest of downtown. It became home to many rundown properties and vacant lots over the years, and a severe crime problem.
119-583: Beltline is a region of central Calgary , Alberta , Canada. The area is located immediately to the south of Calgary's downtown (south of 9th Avenue and the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks), and is sometimes considered part of downtown. The neighbourhood is bounded on the south by 17th Avenue, on the west by 14th Street West and on the east by the Elbow River . Beltline is one of Calgary's most densely populated neighbourhoods as well as
238-415: A median household income of $ 17,253 in 2005. As a reference, in 2005 the median household income for the whole city of Calgary was $ 67,238. In 2005 there were 53.1% low income residents living in the neighbourhood. As of 2006, 31.9% of the residents were immigrants . A proportion of 94.7% of the buildings were condominiums or apartments , and 83.8% of the housing was used for renting , this being
357-514: A satellite campus of the University of Alberta . The 1970s energy crisis resulted in significant investment and growth in Calgary. By 1981, 45 percent of the Calgary labour force was made up of management, administrative or clerical staff, above the national average of 35 percent. Calgary's population grew with the opportunity the oil boom brought. The 20-year period from 1966 to 1986 saw
476-822: A 300-seat performance hall. The new National Music Centre building has incorporated the 120-year-old King Edward Hotel building into its structure. The King Edward Hotel was, for a long time, a famous jazz and blues venue, thus continuing the tradition of this site as a centre for musical development in Canada. The village is also home to the New Central Library of the Calgary Public Library, which opened on November 1, 2018. The library houses children's books, performance venues and activity rooms on its lower floors, together with an extensive fiction section and reading room on its upper floor. CMLC held
595-406: A Public Council Hearing occurring on November 12, 2007. The area is intended to operate as a mixed-use region and is to include a mix of commercial services and high density condominium and apartment towers. Many of these residential structures are already under construction, and even more are in the proposal stages. Currently there are over 37 major residential towers in some stage of development in
714-562: A bill in the Alberta Legislature to incorporate the "Calgary University", however there was significant opposition to two degree-granting institutions in such a small province. A commission was appointed to evaluate the Calgary proposal which found the second university to be unnecessary, however, the commission did recommend the formation of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art in Calgary ( SAIT ), which
833-578: A bylaw requiring all large downtown buildings to be built with sandstone , which was readily available nearby in the form of Paskapoo sandstone . Following the fire several quarries were opened around the city by prominent local businessmen including Thomas Edworthy, Wesley Fletcher Orr , J. G. McCallum, and William Oliver. Prominent buildings built with sandstone following the fire include Knox Presbyterian Church (1887), Imperial Bank Building (1887), Calgary City Hall (1911), and Calgary Courthouse No. 2 (1914). In February 1887, Donald Watson Davis , who
952-606: A design competition for the new library. American- Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta and Canadian firm DIALOG won the competition to design the 240,000 square feet (22,000 m ) building. The $ 245 million structure will house 600,000 titles, a reading room, a cafe, a 340-seat theatre, and conference rooms, as well as many activity centres and reading areas. Much of the East Village redevelopment consists of mixed-use buildings, housing both residential and retail uses. This will be most apparent on ‘The Riff’. The Riff will be
1071-576: A detailed design and construction start on the south leg of a light rail transit system, which opened on May 25, 1981, and dubbed the CTrain . The University of Calgary gained autonomy as a degree-granting institution in 1966 with the passage of the Universities Act by the Alberta Legislature. The campus provided as a one-dollar lease from the City of Calgary in 1957 had previously served as
1190-518: A full-sized Loblaws City Market and Shoppers Drug Mart. So far, two of the neighbourhoods major historic structures have been redeveloped for retail uses. The Simmons Mattress Factory building has been redeveloped into the home of Charbar, Phil and Sebastians Coffee Roasters, and Sidewalk Citizen Bakery. While the newly completed revitalization of the St. Louis Hotel building has yet to receive any retail tenants as of January 2017, its upper floors are home to
1309-677: A natural location for the founding meeting of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (precursor to the New Democratic Party ). The organizational meeting was held in Calgary on July 31, 1932, with attendance exceeding 1,300 people. Pat Lenihan was elected to the Calgary City Council in 1939, in part due to the use of Proportional Representation in city elections. He is the only Communist Party member elected to Calgary council. (He
SECTION 10
#17327766526861428-612: A pedestrian street bisecting the neighbourhood from the northeast to the southwest, from the George C. King Bridge to 8th Avenue SE. The Riff will be a major retail street, housing an as yet unknown collection of retailers. In late 2016, RioCan Developments started construction on a major new retail destination known as 5th and Third. This development is an entire city block and will include two full floors of underground parking, 2 full floors of retail, along with two large residential condo towers on top. Confirmed tenants as of January 2017 are
1547-525: A provisional capital in Edmonton , it would be left up to the Legislature to choose the permanent location. One of the first decisions of the new Alberta Legislature was the capital, and although William Henry Cushing advocated strongly for Calgary, the resulting vote saw Edmonton win the capital 16–8. Calgarians were disappointed on the city not being named the capital, and focused their attention on
1666-464: A racetrack. It held a lavish parade as well as rodeo , horse racing, and trick roping competitions as part of the event. The exhibition was a success, drawing 100,000 people to the fairgrounds over seven days despite an economic recession that afflicted the city of 25,000. Calgary had previously held a number of Agricultural exhibitions dating back to 1886, and recognizing the city's enthusiasm, Guy Weadick , an American trick roper who participated in
1785-670: A ranked transferable ballot. The UFA government elected in 1921 changed the provincial election law so that Calgary could elect its MLAs through PR as well. Calgary elected its MLAs through PR until 1956 and its councillors through PR until 1971 (although mostly using instant-runoff voting , not STV, in the 1960s). Calgary endured a six-year recession following the First World War . The high unemployment rate from reduced manufacturing demand, compounded with servicemen returning from Europe needing work, created economic and social unrest. By 1921, over 2,000 men (representing 11 percent of
1904-511: A result, a number of seemingly abandoned buildings were occupied illegally by squatters. As the city has finalized land purchases and made final decisions on land use, this has decreased dramatically. The median household income in 2005 was $ 43,087 in Beltline. (compared with $ 67,283 Calgary average). Immigrants made up 31.3% of the residents in 2006, this compares against an immigrant population of 24.8% for Calgary overall. The majority of
2023-536: A vibrant and renewed future for Victoria Park, with a great deal of investment and interest. The district is also one of the city's most historic. Not only does it include two of the city's oldest neighbourhoods, but it also encompasses the Stampede Grounds, the site of Calgary's annual Calgary Stampede which sees over 1.25 million visitors per year. In 2007, Victoria Park was one of the first communities to get its own Wi-Fi Network. WestNet Wireless deployed
2142-411: A week before the election to find the town in disarray. Shortly before the 1886 election, G. E. Marsh brought a charge of corruption against Murdoch and council over irregularities in the voters' list. Travis found Murdoch and the councillors guilty, disqualifying them from running in the 1886 election, barring them from municipal office for two years, and fining Murdoch $ 100, and the councillors $ 20. This
2261-497: Is a mixed-use area with a dense concentration of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and shops. Behind this commercial development are residential areas. The street also "dead-ends" at the Stampede Grounds on its east side, and is thus central to the party-like atmosphere that overtakes the city during the Calgary Stampede festival. 17th Avenue was nicknamed the " Red Mile " in 2004 during the playoff run of Calgary's NHL team,
2380-668: Is at the confluence of the Bow River and the Elbow River in the southwest of the province, in the transitional area between the Rocky Mountain Foothills and the Canadian Prairies , about 80 km (50 mi) east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies , roughly 299 km (186 mi) south of the provincial capital of Edmonton and approximately 240 km (150 mi) north of
2499-488: Is named for an early 20th-century streetcar route . As of April 2018, there were 24,887 people residing in Beltline. The Calgary Fire Department serves Beltline from Fire Station No. 2 at 1010 10 Avenue S.W. The City of Calgary recognizes four smaller districts in Beltline community: West Connaught, Connaught Centre, Victoria Park and East Victoria Park. They are areas of equal north-south orientation and divided by 8 Street SW, 4 Street SW, Macleod Trail (1 Street SE) and
SECTION 20
#17327766526862618-465: Is one of the densest populated areas in the city, however due to significant undeveloped land in its Victoria Park region, the overall density figure tends to underrepresent the actual density of the developed regions. The Beltline is a mixed-income community with a large divide between the eastern and western portions of the community. The former community of Victoria Park was among one of the worst Calgary communities for crime prior to being merged into
2737-699: Is right along the RiverWalk. The city's oldest running hotel, the King Edward Hotel , built in 1905 has been deconstructed and rebuilt as part of the National Music Centre . The St. Louis Hotel has been revitalized and now hosts the headquarters of Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and a rental venue. The Hillier Block has been restored and is now home to the Calgary Public Library Foundation, ADD-IN, and
2856-677: Is the city's first parking-free condominium. East Village is home of the National Music Centre , the first national cultural institution dedicated to celebrating music in Canada in all of its forms. The $ 191 million building houses the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, broadcast facilities, a museum of impressive musical artefacts such as the Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Studio, and
2975-588: Is the subject of the book Patrick Lenihan from Irish Rebel to Founder of Canadian Public Sector Unionism, edited by Gilbert Levine (Athabasca University Press).) In 1922, Civic Government Association formed in opposition to the power of labour groups, endorsing its own competing slate of candidates. Labour's influence was short-lived on the City Council, with Labour as a whole failing to receive substantial support after 1924. Calgary gained further political prominence when R. B. Bennett 's Conservative Party won
3094-718: The Dominion Lands Act , which became a catalyst for immigration to the settlement. The I. G. Baker Company drove the first herd of cattle to the region in the same year for the Cochrane area by order of Major James Walker. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) reached the area in August 1883 and constructed a railway station on the CPR-owned Section 15, neighbouring the townsite across the Elbow River to
3213-400: The 1921 provincial election . It was elected to form the province's first non-Liberal government. By that time Calgary was using single transferable vote (STV), a form of proportional representation, to elect its city councillors. Calgary was the first city in Canada to adopt PR for its city elections. Councillors were elected in one at-large district. Each voter cast just a single vote using
3332-487: The 1930 federal election and formed government and became Canada's 11th prime minister . Bennett arrived in Calgary from New Brunswick in 1897, was previously the leader of the provincial Conservative Party, advocated for Calgary as the capital of Alberta, and championed the growing city. Calgary had to wait another decade to have a sitting premier represent the city, when sitting Social Credit Premier William Aberhart moved from his Okotoks-High River to Calgary for
3451-456: The 1940 provincial election after his Okotoks-High River constituents began a recall campaign against him as their local MLA. Only a little over a decade after shuttering the municipal tram lines, Calgary City Council began investigating rapid transit. In 1966 a heavy rail transit proposal was developed, however the estimated costs continued to grow rapidly, and the plan was re-evaluated in 1975. In May 1977, Calgary City Council directed that
3570-484: The Calgary Flames . During this time, it was not uncommon to see over 100,000 fans crowding the street and its bars and pubs on game nights. Connaught was established in 1905, and comprises the western part of Beltline, west of 4th Street W. Residents in this community had a median household income of $ 38,960 in 2000, and 26.1% of residents living in the neighbourhood were low-income. Victoria Park comprises
3689-598: The Calgary Protestant Public School District No. 19 was formed by the Legislature on March 2, 1885. On November 27, 1884, Lieutenant Governor Dewdney proclaimed the incorporation of The Town of Calgary . Shortly after on December 3, Calgarians went to the polls to elect their first mayor and four councillors. The North-West Municipal Ordinance of 1884 provided voting rights to any male British subject over 21 years of age who owned at minimum $ 300 of property. Each elector
Beltline, Calgary - Misplaced Pages Continue
3808-600: The Calgary electoral district representative on the 1st Council of the North-West Territories . As for education, Calgary moved quickly: the Citizen's Committee raised $ 125 on February 6, 1884, and the first school opened for twelve children days later on February 18, led by teacher John William Costello. The private school was not enough for the needs of the town and following a petition by James Walker
3927-665: The Canada–United States border . The city anchors the south end of the Statistics Canada -defined urban area, the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor . Calgary's economy includes activity in many sectors: energy; financial services; film and television; transportation and logistics; technology; manufacturing; aerospace; health and wellness; retail; and tourism. The Calgary Metropolitan Region is home to Canada's second-largest number of corporate head offices among
4046-712: The Elbow River . Beltline contains a number of less formal city districts within its boundaries. These include Midtown, the Design District, Victoria Park Business Revitalization Zone (Victoria), the 4th Street BRZ (located mostly within Mission ), the Uptown 17th BRZ , the Warehouse District, and a portion of the Rivers District. 17th Avenue , which is on the southern extremity of Beltline,
4165-642: The First World War further dampened the oil craze as more men and resources left for Europe and agricultural prices for wheat and cattle increased. Turner Valley's oil fields would boom again in 1924 and 1936, and by the Second World War the Turner Valley oilfield was producing more than 95 per cent of the oil in Canada. however the city would wait until 1947 for Leduc No. 1 to definitively shift Calgary to an oil and gas city. While Edmonton would see significant population and economic growth with
4284-675: The Isle of Mull in Scotland . Colonel James Macleod , the Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police , had been a frequent summer guest there. In 1876, shortly after returning to Canada , he suggested its name for what became Fort Calgary . The Indigenous peoples of Southern Alberta refer to the Calgary area as "elbow", in reference to the sharp bend made by the Bow River and the Elbow River . In some cases,
4403-551: The National Energy Program implemented by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau 's government and the drop in world oil prices , and the end of the construction boom in Calgary is associated with the completion of the Petro-Canada Centre in 1984. The two-tower granite Petro-Canada Centre, which some locals called "Red Square" alluding to the city's hostile view of the state-owned petroleum company, saw
4522-521: The 1980s prevented a full economic recovery until the 1990s. In May 1980, Nelson Skalbania announced that the Atlanta Flames hockey club would relocate and become the Calgary Flames . Skalbania represented a group of Calgary businessmen that included oil magnates Harley Hotchkiss , Ralph T. Scurfield , Norman Green , Daryl Seaman and Byron Seaman , and former Calgary Stampeders player Norman Kwong . Atlanta team owner Tom Cousins sold
4641-484: The 1980s, 70 percent within Alberta, as a result of capital spending, increased tourism and new sporting opportunities created by the facilities. Thanks in part to escalating oil prices, the economy in Calgary and Alberta was booming until the end of 2009, and the region of nearly 1.1 million people was home to the fastest-growing economy in the country. While the oil and gas industry comprise an important part of
4760-492: The Beltline in 2003, and likely would be such if it was classified as its own community currently. Beltline is a neighbourhood in transition. The district, along with the Rivers District and the Downtown East Village , are presently in the midst of an ambitious urban planning and rejuvenation venture planned by the city's municipal government to increase the residential density of central Calgary. On May 15, 2006
4879-664: The Blackfoot name of the city, Mohkínstsis . In 2017, the Stoney Nakoda sent an application to the Government of Alberta, to rename Calgary as Wichispa Oyade meaning "elbow town"; however, this was challenged by the Piikani Blackfoot . The Calgary area was inhabited by pre- Clovis people whose presence traces back at least 11,000 years. The area has been inhabited by multiple First Nations ,
Beltline, Calgary - Misplaced Pages Continue
4998-524: The CPR, August 1883 brought Calgary the first edition of the Calgary Herald published on the 31st under the title The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser by teacher Andrew M. Armour and printer Thomas B. Braden, a weekly newspaper with a subscription price of $ 1 per year. Over a century later, the CPR headquarters moved to Calgary from Montreal in 1996. Residents of
5117-748: The Calgary City Council approved the Beltline Area Redevelopment Plan. The plan details land use policies and implementation recommendations which are designed to be implemented concurrently with the broader Land Use Bylaw redesign, to take effect in 2008. It aims to accommodate up to 40,000 residents in the neighbourhood by 2035. A report on the Beltline ARP was presented to the Calgary Planning Commission on September 20, 2007. A public open house and information session occurred in late October 2007, with
5236-696: The Centre Street Bridge over the Bow River) opened in 1907 which provided for residential expansion north of the Bow River. The early-1910s saw real estate speculation hit Calgary once again, with property prices rising significantly with growing municipal investment, CPR's decision to construct a car shop at Ogden set to employ over 5,000 people, the projected arrival of the Grand Trunk Pacific and Canadian Northern Railways in
5355-556: The City of Calgary Charter elevated the frontier town to the status of a full-fledged city. Calgary became the first city in the North-West Territories, receiving its charter a decade before Edmonton and Regina . The Calgary charter remained in force until it was repealed with the Cities Act in 1950. The charter came into effect in such a way as to prevent the regularly scheduled municipal election in December 1893, and recognizing
5474-693: The Connaught Community School and the Victoria Community School. Western Canada High School is located along the 17th Avenue boundary of the community, and serves the area. One block outside Beltline is St. Mary's High School which serves most of the Roman Catholic high school students in the area There is a significant mix of economic groups in the community. With new revitalization, a number of middle and upper income groups are establishing themselves in
5593-578: The District Court. Cayley published articles critical of Travis and his judgment, in which Travis responded by calling Cayley to court, dismissing him from his position as Clerk, ordering Cayley to apologize and pay a $ 100 fine. Cayley refused to pay the fine, which Travis increased to $ 500, and on January 5, the day after the January 1886 Calgary town election , Cayley was imprisoned by Travis. Murdoch returned to Calgary on December 27, 1885, only
5712-788: The Dominion Exhibition as part of the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show, returned to Calgary in 1912 to host the first Calgary Stampede in the hopes of establishing an event that more accurately represented the "wild west" than the shows he was a part of. He initially failed to sell civic leaders and the Calgary Industrial Exhibition on his plans, but with the assistance of local livestock agent H. C. McMullen, Weadick convinced businessmen Pat Burns , George Lane , A. J. McLean , and A. E. Cross to put up $ 100,000 to guarantee funding for
5831-459: The East Village has seen the construction of several residential buildings, which have increased the population of the neighbourhood substantially. The first building to be completed under the guise of CMLC was Fuse in 2015. Fuse is the shorter of two towers that make up the Evolution development. As of January 2017, there are six residential buildings under construction in the East Village. N3
5950-485: The Elbow River and west to Eighth Street, and the first federal census listed the boom town at 3,876 inhabitants. The economic conditions in Calgary began to deteriorate in 1892, as development in the downtown slowed, the streetcar system started in 1889 was put on hold and smaller property owners began to sell. The first step in connecting the District of Alberta happened in Calgary on July 21, 1890, as Minister of
6069-462: The Games, resulting in the facility earning praise as "the fastest ice on Earth". Canada Olympic Park was built on the western outskirts of Calgary and hosted bobsled , luge , ski jumping and freestyle skiing . It was the most expensive facility built for the games, costing $ 200 million. Despite Canada failing to earn a gold medal in the Games, the events proved to be a major economic boom for
SECTION 50
#17327766526866188-522: The Interior Edgar Dewdney turned the first sod for the Calgary and Edmonton Railway in front of two thousand residents. The railway was completed in August 1891. Although its end-of-steel was on the south side of the river opposite Edmonton , it immensely shortened travel time between the two communities. Previously stagecoach passengers and mail could arrive in five days and animal pulled freight anywhere between two and three weeks,
6307-460: The Leduc discovery, many corporate offices established in Calgary after Turner Valley refused to relocate north. Consequently, by 1967, Calgary had more millionaires than any other city in Canada, and per capita, more cars than any city in the world. Early-20th-century Calgary served as a hotbed for political activity. Historically Calgarians supported the provincial and federal conservative parties,
6426-698: The NWT Lieutenant-governor, organized a public meeting in the NWMP barracks room on the issue of getting a representative in the NWT Council. Walker wrote the clerk of the Council that he was prepared to produce evidence that Calgary and environs (an area of 1000 square miles) held 1000 residents, the requirement for having a Council member. A by-election was held on June 28, 1884, where James Davidson Geddes defeated James Kidd Oswald to become
6545-562: The Nakoda or Stoney language , the area is known as Wîchîspa Oyade or Wenchi Ispase , both meaning "elbow". In the Cree language , the area is known as otôskwanihk ( ᐅᑑᐢᑿᓂᕽ ) meaning "at the elbow" or otôskwunee meaning "elbow". In the Tsuutʼina language (Sarcee), the area is known as Guts’ists’i (older orthography, Kootsisáw ) meaning "elbow". In Kutenai language ,
6664-527: The National Energy Program marked the end of Calgary's boom. In 1983 Calgary City Council announced service cuts to ease the $ 16 million deficit, 421 city employees were laid off, unemployment increased from 5 to 11 percent between November 1981 and November 1982, eventually peaking at 14.9 percent in March 1983. The decline was so swift that the city's population decreased for the first time in history from April 1982 to April 1983, and 3,331 homes were foreclosed by financial institutions in 1983. Low oil prices in
6783-418: The New Central Library Discovery Centre for the duration of the NCL construction project happening next door. Calgary Municipal Land Corporation has built three plazas in the neighbourhood, these are RiverWalk Plaza next to the Simmons Building, Fifth Street Square at the intersection of 5th Street SE and 7 Avenue SE, and Celebration Square along the C-train's Blue Line between 5th and 6th Avenues SE. CMLC
6902-417: The Niitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy; Siksika , Kainai , Piikani ), îyârhe Nakoda , Tsuutʼina peoples and Métis Nation, Region 3. In 1787, David Thompson , a 17-year-old cartographer with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), spent the winter with a band of Piikani Nation encamped along the Bow River. He was also a fur trader and surveyor and the first recorded European to visit the area. John Glenn
7021-426: The North-West Territories , who happened to be in Calgary at the time, to discuss an allowance for a school, an increase from $ 300 to $ 1,000 grant for a bridge over the Elbow River, incorporation as a town, and representation for Calgary in the Legislative Council of the North-West Territories . The committee was successful in getting an additional $ 200 for the bridge, In May, Major Walker, acting on instructions from
7140-467: The Swedish community of Falun and Italian community of Cortina d'Ampezzo . On September 30, 1981, the International Olympic Committee voted to give Calgary the right to host the 1988 Olympic Winter Games , becoming the first Canadian host for the winter games. The Games' five primary venues were all purpose-built, however, at significant cost. The Olympic Saddledome was the primary venue for ice hockey and figure skating. Located at Stampede Park ,
7259-572: The area due to the close proximity to downtown. However, low income residents still make up a large proportion of the population (28.3% in 2001). The Mustard Seed Calgary is located in Beltline at 102 11 Ave SE. There are also many poorly maintained and dilapidated buildings with low rents. A large portion of Victoria Park, in particular, is in poor condition due to the city's decision to restrict development on lands needed for Calgary Stampede expansion. Owners of this land were generally not interested in improving buildings they knew would be removed soon. As
SECTION 60
#17327766526867378-419: The area was named after the reeds that grew along the riverbanks, reeds that had been used to fashion bows . In the Blackfoot language (Siksiká) the area is known as Mohkínstsis akápiyoyis , meaning "elbow many houses", reflecting its strong settler presence. The shorter form of the Blackfoot name, Mohkínstsis , simply meaning "elbow", is the popular Indigenous term for the Calgary area. In
7497-455: The beginning of the oil and gas age in Calgary. Archibald Wayne Dingman and Calgary Petroleum Product's discovery was heralded as the "biggest oil field in the British Empire" at around 19 million cubic metres, and in a three-week period an estimated 500 oil companies sprang into existence. Calgarians were enthusiastic to invest in new oil companies, with many losing life savings during the short 1914 boom in hastily formed companies. Outbreak of
7616-418: The bid for Calgary and spent two years building local support for the project, selling memberships to 80,000 of the city's 600,000 residents. It secured CA$ 270 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments while civic leaders, including Mayor Ralph Klein , crisscrossed the world attempting to woo International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegates. Calgary was one of three finalists, opposed by
7735-451: The buildings (95.8%) are apartments, and 70.9% of the dwellings were used for renting in 2006. Calgary Calgary is the largest city in the Canadian province of Alberta . It is the largest metro area within the three prairie provinces . As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,680,000 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Calgary
7854-451: The city and Calgary's growing reputation as a growing economic hub. The period between 1906 and 1911 was the largest population growth period in the city's history, expanding from 11,967 to 43,704 inhabitants in the five-year period. Several ambitious projects were started during this period including a new City Hall , the Hudson's Bay Department Store , the Grain Exchange Building, and the Palliser Hotel , this period also corresponded to
7973-467: The city is referred to as ʔaknuqtapȼik’ . In the Slavey language , the area is known as Klincho-tinay-indihay meaning "many horse town", referring to the Calgary Stampede and the city's settler heritage. There have been several attempts to revive the Indigenous names of Calgary. In response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada , local post-secondary institutions adopted "official acknowledgements" of Indigenous territory using
8092-427: The city, which had fallen into its worst recession in 40 years following the collapse of both oil and grain prices in the mid-1980s. A report prepared for the city in January 1985 estimated the games would create 11,100 man-years of employment and generate CA$ 450 -million in salaries and wages. In its post-Games report, OCO'88 estimated the Olympics created CA$ 1.4 billion in economic benefits across Canada during
8211-432: The community. Victoria Park is a region of focused municipal redevelopment. The City of Calgary has declared it a Business Revitalization Zone (BRZ) and is encouraging a progressive redevelopment of the much-maligned community. The 42 and 34-story residential Arriva project, the tallest condominium development west of Toronto; the Sasso and Vetro development; the Colours project; and the multi-use Hotel Arts Centre, suggest
8330-451: The country's 800 largest corporations. In 2015, Calgary had the largest number of millionaires per capita of any major Canadian city. In 2022, Calgary was ranked alongside Zürich as the third most livable city in the world, ranking first in Canada and in North America. In 1988, it became the first Canadian city to host the Olympic Winter Games . Calgary was named after Calgary Castle (in Scottish Gaelic, Caisteal Chalgairidh ) on
8449-459: The dilapidated buildings were torn down, to be replaced by modern structures, and the Jack and Jean Leslie RiverWalk along the south bank of the Bow River was completed in the summer of 2012. As of January 2017, several luxury condominium towers have been completed, along with two new hotels, while construction is underway on several more condominium towers, retail buildings, with additional commercial and residential development planned. As of 2017,
8568-464: The east on Section 14. The difficulty in crossing the river and the CPR's efforts to persuade residents resulted in the core of the Calgary townsite moving onto Section 15, with the fate of the old townsite sealed when the post office was anonymously moved across the icy Elbow River during the night. The CPR subdivided Section 15 and began selling lots surrounding the station, $ 450 for corner lots and $ 350 for all others; and pioneer Felix McHugh constructed
8687-785: The eastern part of Beltline, is bisected by Macleod Trail , and contains the Warehouse district . It was named after Queen Victoria , who is celebrated in a monument to the Second Boer War located in Central Memorial Park . Victoria Park is adjacent to the Stampede Grounds and the Scotiabank Saddledome arena. Residents in this community had a median household income of $ 28,843 in 2000, and there were 34.2% low income residents living in
8806-818: The economy, the city has invested a great deal into other areas such as tourism and high-tech manufacturing. Over 3.1 million people now visit the city annually for its many festivals and attractions, especially the Calgary Stampede. The nearby mountain resort towns of Banff , Lake Louise , and Canmore are also becoming increasingly popular with tourists. Other modern industries include light manufacturing, high-tech, film, e-commerce, transportation, and services. Downtown East Village Plans to reshape this neighbourhood were approved by Calgary City Council in March, 2005 ( East Village Area Redevelopment Plan ). In Spring 2007, Calgary City Council approved
8925-520: The end of the "Sandstone City" era as steel frames and terracotta facades such as the Burns Building (1913) which were prevalent in other North American cities overtook the unique sandstone character of Calgary. The growing City and enthusiastic residents were rewarded in 1908 with the federally funded Dominion Exhibition . Seeking to take advantage of the opportunity to promote itself, the city spent CA$ 145,000 to build six new pavilions and
9044-526: The event. The Big Four , as they came to be known, viewed the project as a final celebration of their life as cattlemen. The city constructed a rodeo arena on the fairgrounds and over 100,000 people attended the six-day event in September 1912 to watch hundreds of cowboys from Western Canada, the United States, and Mexico compete for $ 20,000 in prizes. The event generated $ 120,000 in revenue and
9163-441: The facility was expected to cost $ 83 million, but cost overruns pushed the facility to nearly $ 100 million. The Olympic Oval was built on the campus of the University of Calgary . It was the first fully enclosed 400-metre speed skating venue in the world as it was necessary to protect against the possibility of either bitter cold temperatures or ice-melting chinook winds . Seven world and three Olympic records were broken during
9282-474: The first private building on the site. Earlier in the decade it was not expected that the railway would pass near Calgary; instead, the preferred route put forward by people concerned with the young nation's defence was passing near Edmonton and through the Yellowhead Pass . However, in 1881 CPR changed the plans preferring the direct route through the prairies by way of Kicking Horse Pass . Along with
9401-449: The formation of a wholly owned subsidiary known as Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) with the mandate to revitalize and redevelop the Rivers District, which includes the East Village. Construction began in earnest within the Rivers District by the new corporation in 2007 with the undertaking of a rare downtown Calgary stormwater treatment pond in the NW corner of Fort Calgary . Many of
9520-580: The formation of the provincial university. However, the efforts by the community could not sway the government, and the University of Alberta was founded in the City of Strathcona , Premier Rutherford's home, which was subsequently amalgamated into the City of Edmonton in 1912. Calgary was not to be left without higher education facilities as the provincial Normal School opened in the McDougall School building in 1905. In 1910, R. B. Bennett introduced
9639-724: The frontier town, in early 1884 Jack Campbell was appointed as a constable for the community, and in early 1885 the Town Council passed By-law Eleven creating the position of Chief Constable and assigning relevant duties, a precursor to the Calgary Police Service . The first chief constable, John (Jack) S. Ingram, who had previously served as the first police chief in Winnipeg, was empowered to arrest drunken and disorderly people, stop all fast riding in town, attend all fires and council meetings. Calgary Town Council
9758-611: The high speed network, which offers fiber optic speeds over Wi-Fi . In 2020, city council approved construction the Calgary Green Line , which will have two subway style stations in the Beltine: Centre Street S station and 4 Street SE station . The Green Line will be entirely underground through the Beltline in a tunnel under 11 Avenue S. Construction of the Beltline segment of the line will begin in 2022. Two public schools are located in Beltline,
9877-785: The highest renting/owning rate in the city. In the May 2023-May 2024 data period, Downtown East Village had a crime rate of 15.605/100, an increase from the previous data period. This puts it at this comparison to other Calgary communities: Saddle Ridge (1.358/100), Whitehorn (1.741/100), Rundle (2.342/100), Brentwood (2.348/100), Acadia (2.542/100), Bowness (2.934/100), Shawnessy (3.296/100), Inglewood (3.438/100), Sunnyside (3.650/100), Marlborough (4.703/100), Southwood (5.147/100), Sunalta (5.307/100), Montgomery (5.483/100), Forest Lawn (6.528/100), Rosscarrock (7.049/100), Downtown Commercial Core (12.705/100), Downtown East Village (15.605/100), Manchester (43.368/100). In
9996-472: The importance of the moment, the entire Town Council resigned to ensure the new city could choose the first Calgary City Council . Calgary's first municipal election as a city saw Wesley Fletcher Orr garner 244 votes, narrowly defeating his opponent William Henry Cushing 's 220 votes, and Orr was named the first mayor of the City of Calgary. By late 19th century, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) expanded into
10115-511: The interior and established posts along rivers that later developed into the modern cities of Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton. In 1884, the HBC established a sales shop in Calgary. HBC also built the first of the grand "original six" department stores in Calgary in 1913; others that followed were Edmonton, Vancouver , Victoria , Saskatoon , and Winnipeg. In October 1899 the Village of Rouleauville
10234-444: The ire of property owners on the east side of town. Property owners on both sides of Centre Street sought to bring development to their side of Calgary, lost successfully by eastsider James Walker who convinced the Town Council to purchase land on the east side to build a stockyard, guaranteeing meat packing and processing plants would be constructed on the east side. By 1892 Calgary had reached present-day Seventeenth Avenue , east to
10353-452: The larger 53-storey west tower rise to 215 m (705 ft) and become the largest building in Calgary for 26 years, and a smaller 32-storey east tower rise 130 m (430 ft). The city further expanded the CTrain system, planning began in 1981, and the northeast leg of the system was to be operational in time for the 1988 Olympics. The 1980s oil glut caused by falling demand and
10472-528: The lawful mayor of the growingly disorganized Town of Calgary, both holding council meetings and attempting to govern. Word of the issues in Calgary reached the Minister of Justice John Sparrow David Thompson in Ottawa who ordered Justice Thomas Wardlaw Taylor of Winnipeg to conduct an inquiry into the "Case of Jeremiah Travis" . The federal government acted before receiving Taylor's report, Jeremiah Travis
10591-633: The male workforce) were officially unemployed. Labour organizations began endorsing candidates for Calgary City Council in the late 1910s and were quickly successful in electing sympathetic candidates to office, including Mayor Samuel Hunter Adams in 1920 . As well the Industrial Workers of the World and its sequel, the One Big Union , found much support among Calgary workers. The city's support of labour and agricultural groups made it
10710-469: The most urban, featuring many apartments, condominiums and offices. It has the reputation of being one of Calgary's primary areas for eclectic night-life, restaurants and urban culture. The first established district in the neighbourhood was Connaught in 1905, followed by Victoria Park in 1914. When the region and its redevelopment plan were formally established in 2003, it amalgamated the inner city neighbourhoods of Victoria Park and Connaught. The community
10829-415: The neighbourhood has attracted $ 2.7 billion worth of investment. In the City of Calgary's 2016 municipal census, Downtown East Village had a population of 3,242 living in 1,897 dwellings, a 14.2% increase from its 2015 population of 2,838 . With a land area of 0.5 km (0.19 sq mi), it had a population density of 6,500/km (16,800/sq mi) in 2016. Residents in this community had
10948-401: The neighbourhood. In the City of Calgary's 2018 municipal census, Beltline had a population of 24,887 living in 18,029 dwellings, an increase of 1,668 residents from its 2017 population of 23,219 . With a land area of 2.9 km (1.1 sq mi), it had a population density of 8,580/km (22,200/sq mi) in 2018. This made Beltline the fastest growing neighbourhood in 2018. Beltline
11067-480: The neighbourhood. These upgrades included elevating the roads above the flood-plain of the nearby Bow and Elbow rivers, paving the new roads and sidewalks with stone bricks, building the award-winning Jack and Jean Leslie RiverWalk , major utility upgrades, the construction of plazas, and much more. These infrastructure upgrades were completed in 2015, with the completion of Celebration Square located along Riverfront Lane, between 6th and 7th Avenues SE. Since 2012,
11186-536: The now-eight-year-old settlement sought to form a local government of their own. In the first weeks of 1884, James Reilly who was building the Royal Hotel east of the Elbow River circulated 200 handbills announcing a public meeting on January 7, 1884, at the Methodist Church. At the full meeting Reilly advocated for a bridge across the Elbow River and a civic committee to watch over the interests of
11305-544: The office of Mayor of Calgary. Calgary had only a couple days' peace following the November election before the Calgary Fire of 1886 destroyed much of the community's downtown. Part of the slow response to the fire can be attributed to the absence of functioning local government during 1886. As neither George Murdoch or James Reilly was capable of effectively governing the town, the newly ordered chemical engine for
11424-665: The offices of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation. As of January 2017, construction is imminent on a new 4-storey retail building located directly between the RiverWalk and Confluence Way. This building is intended to host restaurants and will be in a key location, right along the riverbank. East Village plays host to several of Calgary's oldest buildings. The Simmons Mattress Factory building has been redeveloped to house Charbar, Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters, and Sidewalk Citizen Bakery, and
11543-482: The open traffic of liquor, gambling and prostitution in Calgary despite prohibition in the North-West Territories. Travis' view was accurate as the Royal Commission of Liquor Traffic of 1892 found liquor was sold openly, both day and night during prohibition. Travis associated Clarke with the troubles he saw in Calgary and found him guilty, and sentenced Clarke to six months with hard labour . Murdoch and
11662-629: The opposite of the Liberal-friendly City of Edmonton. However, Calgarians were sympathetic to the cause of workers and supported the development of labour organizations. In 1909, the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) formed in Edmonton through the merger of two earlier farm organizations as a non-partisan lobbying organization to represent the interests of farmers. The UFA eventually dropped its non-partisan stance when it contested
11781-535: The other members of Council were shocked, and a public meeting was held at Boynton's Hall in which a decision was made to send a delegation to Ottawa to seek an overruling of Travis' judgement by the Department of Justice. The community quickly raised $ 500, and Murdoch and a group of residents headed east. The punishment of Clarke did not escape Hugh Cayley the editor of the Calgary Herald and Clerk of
11900-518: The population increase from 330,575 to 636,107. Population growth became a source of pride, the June 1980 Calgary Magazine exclaimed "Welcome to Calgary! Calgary almost specializes in newcomers..." . High-rise buildings were erected during the economic boom, and more office space opened in Calgary in 1979 than in New York City and Chicago combined. The end of the oil boom is associated with
12019-608: The public until Calgary could be incorporated. The attendees were enthusiastic about the committee and on the next evening a vote was held to elect the seven members. A total of 24 candidates were nominated, which equalled 10 per cent of Calgary's male population. Major James Walker received 88 votes, the most amongst the candidates, the other six members were Dr. Andrew Henderson, George Clift King , Thomas Swan, George Murdoch, J. D. Moulton, and Captain John Stewart. The civic committee met with Edgar Dewdney , Lieutenant Governor of
12138-513: The recently organized Calgary Fire Department (Calgary Hook, Ladder and Bucket Corps) was held in the CPR's storage yard due to lack of payment. Members of the Calgary Fire Department broke into the CPR storage yard on the day of the fire to retrieve the engine. In total, fourteen buildings were destroyed with losses estimated at $ 103,200, although no one was killed or injured. The new Town Council sprung into action, drafting
12257-593: The situation and suggesting the name "Calgary" put forward by Colonel Macleod. Edward Blake , at the time Minister of Justice , agreed with the name and in the spring of 1876, Fort Calgary was officially established. In 1877, the First Nations ceded title to the Fort Calgary region through Treaty 7. In 1881 the federal government began to offer leases for cattle ranching in Alberta (up to 400 km (100,000 acres) for one cent per acre per year) under
12376-527: The spring and summer of 2008, archeologists made several rare discoveries in East Village: two historic dumps from the early 20th century, as well as a native stone circle and fire hearths dating back over 3,300 years. Calgary archeologist Brian Vivian says it's the first pre-contact site of its type that archeologists have discovered in inner-city Calgary. In 2007, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) invested $ 357 million in infrastructure upgrades to
12495-405: The structures to the ground. The local police did not attempt to intervene. Mayor Alexander Lucas had inexplicably left town during the riot, and when he returned home he called the NWMP in to patrol Calgary for three weeks to prevent further riots. Finally on January 1, 1894, Calgary was granted a charter by the 2nd North-West Legislative Assembly , officially titled Ordinance 33 of 1894 ,
12614-402: The team to Skalbania for US$ 16 million, a record sale price for an NHL team at the time. The team reached the playoffs each year in its first 10 years in Calgary and won the team's only Stanley Cup in 1989 . Public concern existed regarding the potential long-term debt implications that had plagued Montreal following the 1976 Olympics . The Calgary Olympic Development Association led
12733-493: The train was able to make the trip in only a few hours. Smallpox arrived in Calgary in June 1892 when a Chinese resident was found with the disease, and by August nine people had contracted the disease with three deaths. Calgarians placed the blame for the disease on the local Chinese population, resulting in a riot on August 2, 1892. Residents descended on the Town's Chinese-owned laundries, smashing windows and attempting to burn
12852-491: The western plains from US whisky traders, and to protect the fur trade , and Inspector Éphrem-A. Brisebois led fifty Mounties as part of F Troop north from Fort Macleod to establish the site. The I. G. Baker Company of Fort Benton, Montana , was contracted to construct a suitable fort, and after its completion, the Baker company built a log store next to the fort. The NWMP fort remained officially nameless until construction
12971-454: Was able to cast one vote for the mayor and up to four votes for the councillors ( plurality block voting ). George Murdoch won the mayoral race in a landslide victory with 202 votes over E. Redpath's 16, while Simon Jackson Hogg, Neville James Lindsay, Joseph Henry Millward, and Simon John Clarke were elected councillors. The next morning the Council met for the first time at Beaudoin and Clarke's Saloon. Law and order remained top of mind in
13090-460: Was arrested for threatening a plain-clothes Mountie who entered his saloon to conduct a late-night search. When the officer failed to produce a search warrant , Clarke chased him off the premises; however, the Mountie returned with reinforcements and arrested Clarke. Clarke found himself before Stipendiary Magistrate Jeremiah Travis , a proponent of the temperance movement who was appalled by
13209-430: Was complete, although it had been referred to as "The Mouth" by people at Fort Macleod. At Christmas dinner NWMP Inspector Éphrem-A. Brisebois christened the unnamed Fort "Fort Brisebois" , a decision which caught the ire of his superiors Colonel James Macleod and Major Acheson Irvine . Major Irvine cancelled the order by Brisebois and wrote Hewitt Bernard , the then Deputy Minister of Justice in Ottawa, describing
13328-447: Was despite the fact Murdoch was visiting Eastern Canada while the alleged tampering was occurring. Travis' disqualification did not dissuade Calgary voters, and Murdoch defeated his opponent James Reilly by a significant margin in early January to be re-elected as mayor. Travis accepted a petition from Reilly to unseat Murdoch and two of the elected councillors, and declare Reilly the mayor of Calgary. Both Murdoch and Reilly claimed to be
13447-475: Was eager to employ constables versus contracting the NWMP for town duty as the police force was seen as a money-making proposition. Constables received half of the fines from liquor cases, meaning Chief Constable Ingram could easily pay his $ 60 per month salary and the expense of a town jail. For the Town of Calgary, 1884 turned out to be a success. However, two dark years lay ahead for the fledgling community. The turmoil started in late 1885, when Councillor Clarke
13566-589: Was formed later in 1915. Built-up areas of Calgary between 1905 and 1912 were serviced by power and water, the city continued a program of paving and sidewalk laying and with the CPR constructed a series of subways under the tracks to connect the town with streetcars. The first three motor buses hit Calgary streets in 1907, and two years later the municipally owned street railway system , fit with seven miles of track opened in Calgary. The immediately popular street railway system reached 250,000 passengers per month by 1910. The privately owned MacArthur Bridge (precursor to
13685-539: Was hailed as a success. The Calgary Stampede has continued as a civic tradition for over 100 years, marketing itself as the "greatest outdoor show on earth" , with Calgarians sporting western wear for 10 days while attending the annual parade, daily pancake breakfasts. While agriculture and railway activities were the dominant aspects of Calgary's early economy, the Turner Valley Discovery Well blew South-West of Calgary on May 14, 1914, marked
13804-414: Was incorporated by French Catholic residents south of Calgary's city limits in what is now known as Mission . The town did not remain independent for long, and became the first incorporated municipality to be amalgamated into Calgary eight years later in 1907. The turn of the century brought questions of provincehood the top of mind in Calgary. On September 1, 1905, Alberta was proclaimed a province with
13923-607: Was running the I.G. Baker store in Calgary, was elected MP for Alberta (Provisional District) . A former whisky trader in southern Alberta, he had turned his hand to building Fort Macleod and Fort Calgary. The main other contender for the job, Frank Oliver , was a prominent Edmontonian, so Davis's success was a sign that Calgary was surpassing Edmonton, previously the main centre on the western Prairies. Calgary continued to expand when real estate speculation took hold of Calgary in 1889. Speculators began buying and building west of Centre Street, and Calgary quickly began to sprawl west to
14042-405: Was suspended, and the government waited for his official tenure to expire, after which he was pensioned off. Justice Taylor's report, which was released in June 1887, found Travis had exceeded his authority and erred in his judgements. The Territorial Council called for a new municipal election to be held in Calgary on November 3, 1886. George Clift King defeated his opponent John Lineham for
14161-490: Was the first documented European settler in the Calgary area, in 1873. In spring 1875, three priests – Lacombe, Remus, and Scollen – built a small log cabin on the banks of the Elbow River. In the fall of 1875, the site became a post of the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) (now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP). The NWMP detachment was assigned to protect
#685314