Momentum in the Culture + Entertainment District
Just eight months after receiving the City’s stamp of approval on the Rivers District Master Plan, CMLC's vision for east Victoria Park is rapidly—and dramatically—taking shape. A major expansion of BMO centre, a new event centre, and the much-anticipated extension of 17th Avenue SE into Stampede Park are just the beginning…
While it has since been expanded to include placemaking opportunities beyond downtown Calgary’s east end, CMLC’s original and enduring mandate is to implement the Rivers District Community Revitalization Plan—a public infrastructure program launched in 2007 to kickstart Calgary’s urban renewal.
Over the dozen years that have followed, CMLC’s strategic approach to placemaking has transformed East Village into one of Calgary’s most livable, most lovable neighbourhoods. Now, we’re gaining unstoppable momentum in doing for east Victoria Park what we did (and continue to do) for East Village.
A plan of action that gets immediately to action!
Just as the East Village Master Plan (2009) has so successfully guided our revitalization efforts in that neighbourhood, our vision for east Victoria Park is articulated in the Rivers District Master Plan (RDMP)—which was given the green light by the City in December 2018.
Among a number of strategic infrastructure improvement initiatives and city-building projects laid out in the master plan, three of the biggest and most exciting are now underway:
BMO Centre Expansion A key component of the RDMP is the expansion and modernization of Calgary’s premier convention centre. Valued at $500 million, this project will more than double the BMO Centre’s rentable space. Upon completion (targeted for 2024) BMO Centre will rank as Canada’s second-largest meeting facility after the Toronto Convention Centre, and will give Calgary top-tier destination status in the competitive international meetings and conventions market.
Project update: Currently under construction northeast of the existing facility, 'Hall F' , an approximately 100,000 SF extension, will be completed in spring 2020 to ensures business continuity during the expansion construction.
New Event Centre In July, the City of Calgary, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. (CSEC) and Calgary Exhibition and Stampede agreed to fundamental terms and conditions for developing a new public sports and entertainment complex in east Victoria Park. Beyond establishing a new, world-class sport and entertainment arena, the vision for the $550 million project includes the development of outdoor festival space and enhanced infrastructure for nearby Stampede Park.
Project update: As part of CMLC’s role as Development Manager for the facility, a 10-week public engagement process will begin early in 2020, consisting of an online survey and a series of public community events where citizens can provide input into the project and the process of bringing it to life.
17th Avenue SE Extension To increase connectivity and create an attractive right-of-way for new retail and commercial development, this infrastructure project involves the extension of 17th Avenue to forge a pedestrian and vehicular link into Stampede Park across Macleod Trail
Project update: Detailed design work is underway and construction to enable the project will commence in 2020.
