In September Calgary Municipal Land Corporation hosted Tommi Laitio Executive Director for Culture and Leisure for the City of Helsinki as part of its ongoing “Creating Vibrant Downtowns” speakers’ series. He is currently researching the role of partnership in creating vibrant parks and libraries in five different cities. What interested me most about his talk was the similarities of how Helsinki and Calgary have and are currently trying to foster more downtown vitality.

Helsinki’s new downtown central library.

Importance of Library

The most obvious similarity was the opening of a new downtown public library by both cities late in 2018, both of which serve not only as traditional libraries, but as a community centre for residents in the heart of the city in Calgary’s case. In Helsinki’s case the Oodi Library is not only a city landmark but also a country one.

What is even more amazing is the similarity in the design and massing of the two buildings. While the architects are different, the two buildings have very similar massing, scale and design, including a huge arch at the entrance.

While the new library was the catalyst for enhancing downtown Helsinki’s vibrancy, Laitio noted the importance of the private Amos Rex museum (next door to the Library) which opened its subterranean annex also in 2018. Calgary’s equivalent would be the National Music Centre which opened in 2016 to house one of the world’s largest private collections of keyboard instruments, just a block from our library.

Calgary’s Bell Studio, National Music Centre.

Diversity of Projects

Laitio quickly pointed out “no one single project makes a city.” He then discussed 20+ different projects from 2000 to 2030 that have enhanced Helsinki’s downtown vitality. Things like Tuska (Pain) heavy metal music festival (which started in 1998 and moved to Kaisaniemi Park in the middle of the city in 2001), World Design Capital (2012) and renovations to several public museums, art galleries and public transit improvements.

Again, I couldn’t help but think how Calgary’s downtown has also added numerous parks, public spaces, festivals and transit since 2000.

Here is a quick list:

2000 Shaw Millennium Park with its huge skate park, basketball and beach volleyball courts and a new festival site.

2000 North Building of Calgary TELUS Convention Centre and BMO Centre expansion.

2000 The Bridges masterplan for redevelopment of Calgary General Hospital site

2002 Prince’s Island Park renovation with new stage, Chevron Learning Pathway

2007 Sled Island Music & Art Festival

2009 East Village master plan approved, another BMO Centre expansion

2011 TELUS Spark and East Village Riverwalk

2012 West Leg of LRT and 7th Avenue LRT Station refurbishment

2013 Beakerhead: art, engineering and science festival

2013 Bow Valley College South Campus building

2014 Nutrien Western Event Centre

2015 St. Patrick’s Island renovations

2016 National Music Centre and Enmax Park

2017 BUMP (Beltline Urban Mural Program)

2018 Central Library and MAX bus rapid transit network

2018 High Park on roof of the City Centre parkade

2020 Contemporary Calgary in old Science Centre Planetarium building

2024 BMO Centre becomes largest event centre in Western Canada

2026 JR Shaw Centre for Arts & Culture (formerly Glenbow)

2030 expansion and renovations of Arts Commons, Olympic Plaza and Stephen Avenue, new arena at Stampede Park

Calgary’s High Park is on the roof of a mega downtown parkade over the freight train tracks that run through the middle of the City Centre.

Shaw Millennium Park is both a festival site, huge skate park. beach volleyball and basketball courts.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek, left, and Jonathan Tippet, Exosapien founder, sit on top of the world's first fully functional exoskeleton at Beakerhead in Calgary on Sunday, September 25, 2022. Mayor Gondek piloted the vehicle on Sunday. ARYN TOOMBS / FOR LIVEWIRE CALGARY

Be More Calgary

One of the biggest takeaway ideas I got from Laitio’s talk was the idea that “you have to build on your own culture.” Laitio’s research indicated that “Helsinki had to be more Helsinki,” not try to be Stockholm, Copenhagen or any other city. In Helsinki’s case it was to build on the city’s existing uniqueness things like its sauna and heavy metal band culture.

FYI: In Finland the sauna is like a second living room - there are 3.3 million saunas for 5.5 million people. And, Finland has 53 heavy metal bands per 100,000 people - the highest per capita in the world.

In Calgary’s case I expect it would be to build on our Stampede culture which is happening with Stampede Park’s mega makeover that includes the new SAM Centre a state-of-the-art western heritage museum opening in early 2024. The addition of a Stampede theme restaurant bar would be a logical addition to Stephen Avenue Walk, maybe even a Stampede themed hotel.

The Bow and Elbow Rivers are also an important part of Calgary’s DNA. The City has implemented numerous projects to enhance Calgary’s river experience from Shaw Millennium Park to Fort Calgary Park, with more in the works. Over the past 20 years floating on the river has become very popular, perhaps the creation of a series of summer beaches along the Bow and Elbow Rivers is the next step. Wouldn’t a large year-round outdoor heated public swimming pool next to the river would be fun? What about more restaurants and cafes along the river to encourage people to linger?

Calgary also needs to celebrate its unique “oil & gas” and agriculture history. Beakerhead is the perfect festival for Calgary as it combines art, science and engineering. What if there was a permanent Beakerhead Innovation Laboratory in downtown Calgary where locals and visitors could learn about Alberta’s innovations from oil and gas to agriculture in partnership with TELUS Spark, Contemporary Calgary, Arts Commons and Glenbow.

Calgary’s +15 indoor walkway is a huge part of downtown Calgary’s unique DNA. What if the City planners and building owners embraced the +15 to create a major visitor attraction with cafes, restaurants, pop-up shops, gardens, more public art and programming. Rather than shut it down, open it up. It could be a-mazing!

Calgary’s downtown is an outdoor art gallery with 100+ murals, sculptures and public art. This mural celebrates Calgary’s railway history with a portrait of Baron Mount Stephen in the alley behind Stephen Avenue Walk. Stephen was the first president of the Canada’s iconic Canadian Pacific Railway whose main line runs through downtown Calgary still today.

Calgary could make the downtown +15 indoor walkway a unique winter oasis for locals and tourist to enjoy shops, restaurants, cafes, public art and special events seven days a week.

Police Partnerships

While many found Laitio’s talk inspiring I can’t help but think he was preaching to the converted. Calgary has been doing the same thing Helsinki and every city in North America and Europe have been doing for decades in an attempt to enhance downtown vibrancy - renovate or add new parks, public spaces, festivals, libraries, art galleries and museums. Some with more success than others.

What I found strange was Laitio made no mention of the need for more residential development as a means of creating a vibrant downtown. However, he did mention the importance of the working with the Police Department to make sure downtown is safe, which is surely the biggest barrier to Calgary’s downtown vibrancy today. It would have been interesting to learn more about what unique safety initiatives are happening in Helsinki.

Last Word

I shared a draft of this column with Laitio and he responded with “the main differences between the two cities are that Helsinki has no skyscrapers and 79% of travel is done on foot, bike or public transit.”

Then adding “there is a lot in Calgary that feels very familiar. I texted a friend when in Calgary that I could see myself living a good life here.” Enough said!

Here are some similar blogs that might interest you:

Calgary vs Montreal: The Above Ground City vs The Below Ground City

Calgary vs Mexico City: The Private City vs The Public City

Copenhagen vs Calgary: Polar Opposites Approaches To Urbanism

Calgary and Helsinki could be sister cities

Importance of Library

Diversity of Projects

Be More Calgary

Police Partnerships

Last Word

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