Revitalizing Calgary’s Downtown West

Описание: The City of Calgary is adding to the vibrancy of the Downtown West neighbourhood through community murals, façade improvements and temporary park space.

“When our Centre City thrives, so does the rest of the city,” said City Planner Natalie Marchut of the planned enhancements for the community between Eighth Street and 14th Street S.W. “Partnering with the Downtown West Community Association on these initiatives allows us to support revitalization and reinvestment in commercial properties and create places for residents and visitors to gather and enjoy.”

Two locations have been selected for murals that reflect the neighbourhoods’ principles of inclusion, sustainability and community pride. The first mural by Jason Botkin has been installed at 1010 Sixth Ave. S.W. This real-life depiction of a young girl from an Attainable Homes housing development drawing with chalk, symbolizes hope, home, and community. Requests for murals are still being accepted and building owners in the Downtown West are encouraged to visit calgary.ca/downtownwest for more information.The City is also supporting business owners in the Downtown West through a Façade Improvement Program and the creation of temporary parks in the area.

“Upgrading business facades enhances the streetscape and brings vibrancy back to properties in need of renewal” said Marchut. “We are also looking at using vacant, City-owned land as temporary parks to help create a welcoming and lively environment in the neighbourhood.”

The Downtown West Initiative is part of a larger Downtown West Revitalization Strategy that aims to provide immediate benefit to the area through short-term and low-cost community building programs. The Downtown West neighbourhood is bordered by the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks to the south and the Bow River to the north. It is home to residential towers, businesses, historical buildings and post-secondary institutions. This area has been the site of development since Calgary’s earliest days and continues to be more than 130 years later.

For more information about Centre City planning initiatives such as Downtown West, please visit calgary.ca/downtownwest.