Let’s be perfectly clear, the $200M Calgary City Council approved for Greater Downtown revitalization is an experiment – a big one!

For the past 60+ years, Calgary politicians and planners have dreamt up schemes to create a vibrant downtown with limited, to no success. I truly hope this one works.

Calgary’s downtown and its surrounding communities have been constantly studied for ways to make them more vibrant for 60+ years. The Central Library has a wonderful collection of the various studies and plans.

No Guarantees!

However, there is no guarantee the $200M or the future billion dollar total city investment will fill up the $12 million square feet of empty downtown office space or the 4,000+ new condos and apartments that have been recently completed, are under construction or approved with developers waiting for a better economy.

Link: Calgary approves Greater Downtown Plan plus $200M funding

The $80 million allocated to the beginning of the Arts Commons transformation is just the down payment, another $300+ million will be needed to see if the transformation works.

Remember when the Performing Arts Center was first built back in 1985, it was supposed to be the catalyst for the transformation of the area around Olympic Plaza into a vibrant arts and cultural district. But, that didn’t happen.

I hope it does this time. It is unfortunate the new Central Library and National Music Centre weren’t built near Art Commons and the Glenbow to create the synergy needed for a vibrant arts and cultural district.

And, while some planners and politicians might argue we have abandoned the downtown over the past few decades. That’s not true.

Downtown is the hub of Calgary’s transit system. Billions have been spent in the past and billions more are allocated to making sure downtown is accessible by transit.

Here is a list of the some of the larger investments:

$1.4B West LRT to connect downtown with west side communities
$436M New Central library and National Music Centre
$396 M East Village and development programs
$208M Bus Rapid Transit system mostly to improve downtown accessibility
$183M 7th Ave Downtown Transit Corridor Enhancements
$60M Stampede LRT Station redevelopment
$45M St. Patrick’s Island redevelopment,
$44M 17th Ave SW infrastructure improvement for future development
$25M Peace Bridge
$25M George King Bridge
$24M Rehabilitation of former Planetarium for public art gallery
$11M West Eau Claire Park
$10M Century Gardens

This totals almost $3 billion dollars of mostly taxpayers dollars that have been invested in the Greater Downtown over the past 20 years. Millions were also spent extending the existing LRT lines over the past 20 years, which was done to enhanced downtown accessibility

In addition, the Province invested $160M for the expansion of Bow Valley College and $40M for the creation of the University of Calgary’s 8th & 8th downtown campus. Total = $200M.

And the Calgary Stampede Board initiated significant improvements to Stampede Park - $500M for the expansion of the BMO Centre, $43M for the Nutrien Western Event Centre, $15M for ENMAX Park and $10M for TransAlta Performing Arts Studios. Total = $568M

And lastly, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks opened its new $26M dance centre in 2016.

Add in the Green Line and new arena and the total investment in Calgary’s downtown by government will over $7 billion dollars.

The revitalization of Calgary’s Greater Downtown never stopped and never will. Just like owning a home, it needs constant repair, renovation and upgrades.

Upgrading of downtown buildings and infrastructure by both the public and private sector is an ongoing endeavour to adapt to new economic and market realities.

Facing Reality

I really do hope the $200M will be the catalyst for our downtown to thrive again. Unfortunately, the only thing that is going to really make downtown thrive will be the economic recovery of the oil & gas sector, not to record levels, but to a level that instills investor confidence. Even with the transition to alternate sources of energy, Canada and the world is going to depend on fossil fuels for a few more decades and even after fossil fuels will play a role in our everyday lives.

Yes the tech sector, and other uses, may gradually fill up some office space, but it will take at least 20 years to diversify the occupancy of downtown’s 40+ million square feet of office space.

Below is an interview I did with Mario Toneguzzi about facing reality when it comes to Downtown Revitalization recently.

Last Word

Calgary can add all the ambassadors, murals, banners, hanging baskets, street furniture, public art and public spaces it wants in its downtown, but what is ultimately needed is a strong economy and a successful adaptation to post COVID world. Both of which are not in the City’s control.

Downtown revitalization is not just a Calgary problem, most cities in North America are struggling to try and foster a vibrant downtown. Perhaps it is time to face the reality that downtowns aren't as important in the early 21st century as they were in the early 20th century.

Recently Richard Florida (professor University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management) wrote in CityLab about how Central Business Districts around the world will have to evolve from being dominated by office workers in high-rises to Central Social Districts, Learn more: The Death and Life of Central Business District. Lets’ hope Calgary’s Central Business District i.e. downtown core, can successfully be transformed.