Downtown Calgary
Encyclopedia
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts.
Generally speaking, downtown Calgary is bordered by 14th Street W. on the west, 3rd Avenue S. and Eau Claire on the north, the Elbow River
Elbow River
The Elbow River is a river located in southern Alberta, Canada. It flows from the Canadian Rockies to the city of Calgary, where it merges into the Bow River....
on the east and the CPR
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
mainline tracks on the south. Within downtown are three city neighbourhoods. They are, the Downtown West End, the Downtown Commercial Core, and the Downtown East Village. The neighbourhoods of Eau Claire to the immediate north, Chinatown
Chinatown, Calgary
Calgary's Chinatown is the fourth largest in Canada after those in Vancouver,Toronto, and Montreal. The size of Calgary's Chinatown is indicative of the relatively high proportion of people of Asian descent living in the city....
to the northeast and the Beltline to the south are usually considered to be part of downtown, but strictly speaking they are not.
The population of Calgary's downtown is still low relative to certain other cities, despite major rejuvenation initiatives and the development of major condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
and apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
projects. The combined population of the three downtown neighbourhoods was 12,455 in 2009; however, this figure does not include the 1,700 that live in Eau Claire, the 1,300 in Chinatown, and the 18,000 that live in the Beltline. The Downtown West End and the Downtown East Village are generally considered to be the downtown's residential neighbourhoods.
Calgary Transit
Calgary Transit
Calgary Transit is the public transit service which is owned and operated by the city of Calgary, Alberta. In 2008, an estimated 95.3 million passengers boarded approximately 960 Calgary Transit vehicles , which thus provided 2.31 million hours of service .-History:What would eventually become...
's C-Train
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system runs down 7th Avenue S. through the middle of downtown, and the ride is free on this section.
Downtown commercial core
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and a few of the tallest in the country, are in Calgary. It is arguably the densest downtown area of any city of its size in North America. Many of the buildings are connected via an 18 km (11.2 mi) long network of elevated walkways and bridges. The system, known as the "+15" is the largest of its kind in the world.
The area surrounding the Stephen Avenue Walk
Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue is a major pedestrian mall in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The mall is actually the portion of 8 Avenue SW between 4 Street SW and 1 Street SE. It is open to vehicles only from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m....
is Downtown Calgary's primary retail area. Stephen Avenue (8th Avenue SW) is a pedestrian mall lined with historic buildings containing stores, restaurants, cinemas, and drinking establishments. Immediately adjacent to the outdoor portion of Stephen Avenue is an indoor complex of two shopping malls. The malls, The Core Shopping Centre
The Core Shopping Centre
The CORE Shopping Centre, which consists of TD Square, the Holt Renfrew building, and the former Calgary Eaton Centre, is the dominant shopping complex located in the downtown core of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It spans three city blocks and contains approximately 160 retailers on four levels...
(formerly TD Square/Calgary Eaton Centre) and the Scotia Centre are bordered at either end by the historic Hudson's Bay Company
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
store and Holt Renfrew's
Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew is a chain of high-end Canadian department stores. It is comparable to Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in the United States, and to two other upmarket chains owned by the same family, Britain's Selfridges and Ireland's Brown Thomas...
upscale department store. The street is also home to a number of galleries, restaurants, pubs, off-beat cinemas, and nightclubs. Other attractions in the commercial core include the Devonian Gardens
Devonian Gardens (Calgary)
Devonian Gardens is a large indoor park and botanical garden located in the downtown core of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is currently closed for a major $23.5-million renovation and is expected to re-open in Summer 2012....
in The Core, the Calgary Tower
Calgary Tower
The Calgary Tower is a 191 metre free standing observation tower in Downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally called the Husky Tower, it was conceived as a joint venture between Marathon Realty Company Limited and Husky Oil as part of an urban renewal plan and to celebrate Canada's centennial...
, the Art Gallery of Calgary, The Glenbow Museum
Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum in Calgary is one of Western Canada's largest museums, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, showcasing a selection of the Glenbow's collection of over a million objects....
, Olympic Plaza, The EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
The EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts is a multi-venue arts centre in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada, located in the Olympic Plaza Cultural District.-History:...
, and the Telus Convention Centre.
The commercial core is also divided into a number of districts. They include the Entertainment District/Stephen Avenue, The Olympic Plaza and Cultural District, and the Government District.
Government district
Macleod Trail (Calgary)
Macleod Trail is a major road in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a six to eight lane principal arterial road extending from downtown Calgary to the south of the city, where it merges into Highway 2. South of Anderson Road, Macleod Trail is an expressway and is slated to be upgraded to a freeway in...
, between the commercial core, Chinatown
Chinatown, Calgary
Calgary's Chinatown is the fourth largest in Canada after those in Vancouver,Toronto, and Montreal. The size of Calgary's Chinatown is indicative of the relatively high proportion of people of Asian descent living in the city....
and Downtown East Village. It contains the City Hall, the Calgary Public Library
Calgary Public Library
The Calgary Public Library is a distributed library system featuring 17 branch locations including the Central Library. It is the second most used system in Canada...
, the Calgary Police headquarters, the Harry Hays
Harry Hays
Harry William Hays, PC was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister in the government of Lester Pearson....
building (federal government), Bow Valley College
Bow Valley College
Bow Valley College is a public college, with its main campus located in Downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The enabling legislation is the Post-secondary Learning Act The branch campuses are: Airdrie, Banff, Blairmore, Brooks, Canmore, Cardston, Claresholm, Cochrane, Drumheller, Eden Valley, High...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
consulate and the Calgary Board of Education
Calgary Board of Education
The Calgary Board of Education is the public school board in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a public system, the CBE is required to accept any students who meet age and residency requirements, regardless of religion.-Size:...
among other buildings.
Cultural district
Burns Building
The Burns Building is a historic six story building located in downtown Calgary, Alberta. It sits at 237-8th Ave. S.E. on the end of Stephen Avenue overlooking Olympic Plaza and City Hall.-History:...
and Olympic Plaza, and contains educational and cultural venues such as Bow Valley College
Bow Valley College
Bow Valley College is a public college, with its main campus located in Downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The enabling legislation is the Post-secondary Learning Act The branch campuses are: Airdrie, Banff, Blairmore, Brooks, Canmore, Cardston, Claresholm, Cochrane, Drumheller, Eden Valley, High...
, Glenbow Museum
Glenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum in Calgary is one of Western Canada's largest museums, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, showcasing a selection of the Glenbow's collection of over a million objects....
and EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts
The EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts is a multi-venue arts centre in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada, located in the Olympic Plaza Cultural District.-History:...
, including The Big Secret Theatre (home of One Yellow Rabbit
One Yellow Rabbit
One Yellow Rabbit is an adult-oriented contemporary theatre company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.One Yellow Rabbit began as a small troupe in 1982 and has grown into one of Canada's best-known theatrical voices at home and abroad. Blending elements such as drama, dance, poetry and monologue,...
theatre company), Jack Singer Concert Hall (home of Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra, based in Calgary, Alberta. The orchestra gives the majority of its performances in the Jack Singer Concert Hall of the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts...
), Max Bell Theatre (home of Theatre Calgary
Theatre Calgary
Theatre Calgary, theatre company in Calgary, Alberta, established as a professional company in 1968.-History:The origin of the company dates back to the 1940s, when students of Betty Mitchell, a drama teacher at Calgary's Western Canada High School, established an amateur group known as "Workshop...
), Martha Cohen Theatre (home of Alberta Theatre Projects
Alberta Theatre Projects
Alberta Theatre Projects is a Canadian theatre production company, founded in 1972, based at the Martha Cohen Theatre in Calgary, Alberta....
), and Engineered Air Theatre.
A statue of The Famous Five
The Famous Five (Canada)
The Famous Five or The Valiant Five were five Canadian women who asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question, "Does the word 'Persons' in Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons?" in the case Edwards v...
stands between Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue is a major pedestrian mall in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The mall is actually the portion of 8 Avenue SW between 4 Street SW and 1 Street SE. It is open to vehicles only from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m....
and Olympic Plaza.
Entertainment district
Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue is a major pedestrian mall in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The mall is actually the portion of 8 Avenue SW between 4 Street SW and 1 Street SE. It is open to vehicles only from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m....
, lined with restaurants and shops, enclosed shopping centres (including The Core
The Core Shopping Centre
The CORE Shopping Centre, which consists of TD Square, the Holt Renfrew building, and the former Calgary Eaton Centre, is the dominant shopping complex located in the downtown core of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It spans three city blocks and contains approximately 160 retailers on four levels...
, Scotia Centre, Bankers Hall
Bankers Hall
Bankers Hall is a building complex located in downtown Calgary, Alberta, which includes twin 52-storey office towers , designed by the architectural firm Cohos Evamy in postmodern architectural style....
and The Bay
The Bay
The Bay is a chain of 91 department stores that operate across parts of Canada. It is the main brand of Hudson's Bay Company , North America's oldest company. It has its headquarters in the Simpson Tower in Toronto. In French, the chain is known as la Baie, short for "Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson"...
), as well as two art house movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
s (the Globe Landmark Cinema
Landmark Cinemas (Canada)
Landmark Cinemas Inc. is a film exhibition chain operating 33 theatres across the four western provinces of Canada. Landmark Cinemas Inc. was founded in 1965. The company's corporate office is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-British Columbia:...
and the Uptown) and recreation areas such as the Devonian Gardens
Devonian Gardens (Calgary)
Devonian Gardens is a large indoor park and botanical garden located in the downtown core of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The park is currently closed for a major $23.5-million renovation and is expected to re-open in Summer 2012....
. Landmark buildings found in this district include the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which incorporates several historic buildings into its facade, the Calgary Marriott and Fairmont Palliser Hotel
Fairmont Palliser Hotel
The Fairmont Palliser, is a hotel of the Canada-based Fairmont Hotels and Resorts chain. The historic hotel is located in downtown Calgary, Alberta on 9th Avenue South adjacent to the Calgary Tower and Palliser Square...
. Landmark skyscrapers in this district are Scotia Centre, Bankers Hall
Bankers Hall
Bankers Hall is a building complex located in downtown Calgary, Alberta, which includes twin 52-storey office towers , designed by the architectural firm Cohos Evamy in postmodern architectural style....
, and the under-construction Eighth Avenue Place.
The "Udderly Art Legacy Pasture", a collection of decorated fiberglass cows built in 2000, is hosted mainly in the Centennial Parkade, while other particular exponates are spread throughout the city.
Demographics
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
of $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
30,126 in 2005 with 41.4% of the population reported as low income residents. As of 2006, 44.3% of the residents were immigrants. A proportion of 99.7% of the buildings were condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s or apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
s, and 95.9% of the housing was used for renting
Renting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
.
See also
- List of neighbourhoods in Calgary
- List of attractions and landmarks in Calgary
- List of tallest buildings in Calgary