Downtown Calgaryis a dense urban district in centralCalgary, Alberta.It contains the second largest concentration of head offices in Canada, despite only being the country's fourth largest city in terms of population.[4]The downtown is divided into several residential, commercial, corporate, and mixed-use neighbourhoods, including the Financial District (CBD),Eau Claire,Chinatown,East Village,Beltline,and theWest End.[5]
Downtown Calgary | |
|---|---|
Neighbourhood | |
 Downtown Calgary seen from the north | |
  Location of Downtown Commercial Core inCalgary | |
| Coordinates:51°02′53″N114°04′17″W/ 51.04806°N 114.07139°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Alberta |
| City |  Calgary |
| Quadrant | SW & SE |
| Wards | 7,8 |
| Established | 1875 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jyoti Gondek |
| • Administrative body | Calgary City Council |
| • Councillors | Terry Wong Courtney Walcott |
| Area | |
• Total | 6.0 km2(2.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,045 m (3,428 ft) |
| Population (2016)[3] | |
• Total | 38,663 |
| • Density | 6,400/km2(17,000/sq mi) |
| •Average Income | $30,126 |
| Website | Calgary Downtown |
Downtown Calgary is bordered by 14th Street W. on the west, theBow RiverandPrince's Island Parkon the north, theElbow Riveron the east and theCPRmainline tracks on the south. The neighbourhoods of theBeltlineandMissionto the immediate south are often considered part of downtown, due to the high concentrations of businesses, high population densities, and occurrence of retail and nightlife opportunities, but strictly speaking they are not technically part of downtown.
The population of Calgary's downtown has grown substantially in recent years, growing by several thousand between 2011 and 2016.[6]With the population of the five combined downtown neighbourhoods surpassing 18,000 as of 2016[update],[7]Downtown Calgary now has a significantly larger population than that of other Canadian cities of similar size, such asOttawaandEdmonton.[8][9]While Downtown Calgary continues to grow, the Beltline neighbourhood to the immediate south, with a population of 21,958 as of 2016[update],is taking up the majority of residential development in inner city Calgary.[10]
Calgary Transit'sCTrainlight railsystem runs down 7th Avenue S. through the middle of downtown in an east–west direction, and the ride is free on this section. The futureGreen Linewill run underground through downtown under 2nd Street, in a north–south direction.
Neighbourhoods
editCommercial core
editCalgary's dense business area comprises the bulk of the downtown community. It is a core of skyscrapers. As of February 2017[update],eight of theten tallest buildingsin westernCanada,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[citation needed].Many of the buildings are connected via an 18 km (11 mi) long network of elevated walkways and bridges. The system, known as the "+15"is the largest of its kind in the world.[citation needed]
The area surrounding theStephen Avenue Walkis 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(formerly TD Square/Calgary Eaton Centre) and theScotia Centreare bordered at either end by the historicHudson's Bay Companystore andHolt Renfrew'supscale 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 theDevonian Gardensin The Core, theCalgary Tower,the Art Gallery of Calgary, TheGlenbow Museum,Olympic Plaza,Arts Commons,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
edit
The government district is an informal subdivision of the downtown core, and is centered alongMacleod Trail,between the commercial core,ChinatownandDowntown East Village.It contains the City Hall, theCalgary Public Library,theCalgary Policeheadquarters, theHarry Haysbuilding(federal government),Bow Valley College,theUnited Statesconsulate and theCalgary Board of Educationamong other buildings.
Cultural district
editThe cultural district is centered on theBurns Buildingand Olympic Plaza, and contains educational and cultural venues such asBow Valley College,Glenbow MuseumandArts Commons,includingThe Big Secret Theatre(home ofOne Yellow Rabbittheatre company),Jack Singer Concert Hall(home ofCalgary Philharmonic Orchestra),Max Bell Theatre(home ofTheatre Calgary),Martha Cohen Theatre(home ofAlberta Theatre Projects), andEngineered Air Theatre.
A statue ofThe Famous Fivestands betweenStephen Avenueand Olympic Plaza.
Entertainment district
edit
The entertainment district is located along 8th Avenue South. It contains the pedestrian mall ofStephen Avenue,lined with restaurants and shops, enclosed shopping centres (includingThe Core,Scotia Centre,Bankers HallandThe Bay), as well as Calgary's only art housemovie theater(theGlobe Cinema) and recreation areas such as theDevonian Gardens.Landmark buildings found in this district include theHyatt RegencyHotel, which incorporates several historic buildings into its facade, the Calgary Marriott andFairmont Palliser Hotel.Landmark skyscrapers in this district areScotia Centre,Bankers Hall,andEighth Avenue Place.
The "Udderly Art Legacy Pasture", a collection of decorated fiberglass cows built in 2000,[11]is hosted mainly in the Centennial Parkade, while other particular exponates are spread throughout the city.
East Village
editThe East Village is an area to the east of the Downtown Commercial Core. This area was plagued by crime and homelessness for a long time. However, the area has seen a great amount of redevelopment since the late 2000s. In 2007, theCalgary Municipal Land Corporationbegan construction on $357 million worth of infrastructure upgrades to the neighbourhood, bringing all streets above flood plain levels, upgrading sewers and storm drains, and building plazas.
The neighbourhood has since become a new hot-spot for the downtown area, playing host to the award-winningRiverWalk,several restaurants in the historic Simmons Mattress Factory building, and several new condo towers, with several more under construction. The neighbourhood is host to the $191 millionNational Music Centre of Canada,and will be host to the $245 millionNew Central Libraryof theCalgary Public Librarysystem. Since the redevelopment has started, the neighbourhood has seen $2.7 billion worth of investment.[12]
West End
editThe West End is a high-rise, high-density residential neighbourhood to the west of the Downtown Commercial Core. The neighbourhood is home toMillennium Park,which plays host to a large skate park, and is the home of theCalgary Pridecelebration every September. TheDowntown West - KerbyC-Trainstation serves the community. Downtown West End is also well connected into thePlus 15skywalk system.
Chinatown
edit
Chinatown is located directly north of the Downtown Commercial Core and northwest of the East Village. The neighbourhood is characterized by high-density living and a high density of East Asian retail and restaurants. Calgary's Chinatown is home to the largestChinese Cultural Centrein North America. Designed in a traditional style, the cultural centre's roof is modelled after theTemple of HeaveninBeijing.Chinatown Calgary has anarea redevelopment planin place with work continuing towards revitalizing the neighbourhood. The neighbourhood also contains Dragon City Mall, the only traditional Chinese-inspired shopping mall in Alberta.
Eau Claire
editEau Claire is a neighbourhood located directly north of the Downtown Commercial Core. The area, which was developed from reclaimed industrial land, fronts theBow Riverand sits immediately north of 3rd Avenue South. North of Eau Claire isPrince's Island Park,a large urban park on an island in the Bow River and the site of many summer festivals, including the Calgary Folk Music Festival, Carifest,Shakespearein the Park and variousbuskinghappenings.Within Eau Claire is Eau Claire Market and a variety of pubs and restaurants. It is also located on the city's large network of pedestrian pathways and trails, along
Demographics
editAs of the 2016 Canadian Census, the population of Downtown was about 38,663 people living on approximately 6.0 km2(2.3 sq mi) of land. Also as of 2016, there were approximately 137,030 jobs in Downtown Calgary.[13]
Residents in this community had amedian household incomeof$30,126 in 2005 with 41.4% of the population reported as low income residents.[14]As of 2006[update],44.3% of the residents in the commercial core wereimmigrants.A proportion of 99.7% of the buildings werecondominiumsorapartments,and 95.9% of the housing was used forrenting.[14]
Crime
editIn the May 2023-May 2024 data period, theDowntown Commercial Corehad a crime rate of 12.705/100, a decrease from the previous data period.[15][16]
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).
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Calgary Elections".City of Calgary.2017.RetrievedNovember 12,2017.
- ^"Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries"(PDF).www150.statcan.gc.ca.Statistics Canada.Retrieved25 September2021.
- ^"Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries"(PDF).www150.statcan.gc.ca.Statistics Canada.Retrieved25 September2021.
- ^"State of the West 2010: Western Canadian Demographic and Economic Trends"(PDF)(PDF).Canada West Foundation.2010. pp. 65 & 102. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 14, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 16,2017.
- ^Downtown Calgary Association (2005)."Downtown Districts".Archived fromthe originalon October 6, 2007.Retrieved2017-02-16.
- ^Global News and Statistics Canada (2017)."Population Change 2011 - 2016".Retrieved2017-02-16.
- ^City of Calgary (2016)."Comparative Community Results"(PDF).Retrieved2017-02-16.
- ^(Census tract number 5050048.00)http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=1601&SR=51&S=94&O=A&RPP=25&PR=0&CMA=505&CSD=0
- ^"Neighbourhoods".City of Edmonton.RetrievedFebruary 16,2017.
- ^SkyscraperPage (2017)."Development Map Calgary".Retrieved2017-02-16.
- ^View Calgary (2000).""Udderly Art" Exhibition ".Retrieved2007-06-01.
- ^"Construction".EV Experience.RetrievedFebruary 16,2017.
- ^"Defining Canada's Downtown Neighbourhoods: 2016 Boundaries"(PDF).www150.statcan.gc.ca.Statistics Canada.Retrieved25 September2021.
- ^abCity of Calgary (2012)."Downtown Commercial Core Community Statistics"(PDF).Retrieved2013-08-03.[permanent dead link]
- ^Service, Calgary Police."Calgary Police statistical reports".calgary.ca.Retrieved2024-10-06.
- ^Strategies, Community."Community Profiles".calgary.ca.Retrieved2024-10-06.
External links
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