The City of Calgary is investing more than $800 million in parks, streets, public transit and City recreation and operational facilities. It supports Council’s commitment to build strong communities, invest in Calgary’s infrastructure for future growth and deliver the right services for Calgarians. As Calgary welcomes more people and business investment to our city each year, The City is responding by making sure the services we provide benefit Calgarians, businesses and visitors in the short term and the long term.
In addition to several important projects happening downtown this year, including construction of the Sunnyside Flood Barrier and rehabilitation of the 4 Avenue Flyover and Mission Bridge, below are just some of the many projects The City is working on this construction season, which help ensure Calgary continues to be recognized as one of the best places in the world to live:
Making it easier for Calgarians to live, play and connect
· New outdoor sports fields at Rocky Ridge Athletic Park: We’re building a new athletic park in Rocky Ridge. The park includes two new outdoor multi-use artificial turf fields, washrooms, parking and field lighting. It’s a $24 million investment that will be underway starting in fall of 2024. For more information, visit the project webpage.
· Upgrades to Calgary Soccer Centre: We’re installing a new FIFA-size artificial turf field under an air-conditioned dome. It will be accompanied by a new attached building with change rooms and washrooms. It’s a $28 million investment, which will be underway between spring 2024 to spring 2025. For more information, visit calgary.ca/CSCdome.
· More ice rinks at Glenmore Twin Arena: We’re increasing the availability of ice rinks at Glenmore Athletic Park with a new twin-ice arena that will replace the aging Stu Peppard Arena. It’s an $85.6 million investment, which will be underway from fall 2024 to summer 2027. Stu Peppard Arena will remain open until the Glenmore Twin Arena is complete. For more information, visit calgary.ca/glenmoretwinarena.
· Upgrades to Sandy Beach Park: We’re installing a new paved entrance, adding parking spaces, and upgrading water utility connections, including drought-resistant landscaping and pathway connections. It’s estimated to cost about $6 million and is expected to be under construction from summer 2024 to late 2025.
Making it easier for Calgarians to get around
· Upgrading Calgary’s streets: We’re planning to make more than 100 upgrades to existing streets across the city through the Various Street Improvements (VSI) Program, including intersections, traffic calming, sidewalks, pathways, and transit facilities. It’s an approximately $10 million investment for safety and operations improvements, scheduled to be underway during the 2024 construction season.
· Keeping Calgary’s streets safe and accessible with new pavement: We’re rehabilitating nearly 400 lane kilometres of roadway this season. Thanks to an increased investment from Council in 2023, the program will invest approximately $50 million to rehabilitate 20-30% more pavement than last year. The City’s Roadway Activity Map allows you to see the locations of the work underway.
· Improving public spaces in Ramsay and Inglewood: We are finalizing designs for new and upgraded connections around the future Ramsay-Inglewood Green Line Station so those who walk, wheel, take transit and drive can easily get to destinations across the city. Construction is expected to start later the summer. In advance of this work, we are preparing to replace and extend the water mains along 12 Street S.E. between 8 Avenue S.E. and 11 Avenue S.E. to accommodate future growth and development in the community.
· Preparing for the Green Line with the North Central Bus Rapid Transit line: While planning continues to bring future Green Line LRT service to the north, the North Central Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line is an immediate step to provide Calgarians in the north fast, frequent and reliable transit options. Construction began in April in communities along Centre Street from Country Hills Boulevard North to 28 Ave N.W. It’s anticipated to be complete in summer 2025. For more information, visit calgary.ca/northcentralbrt.
Making communities more vibrant and welcoming for everyone
· Improving Calgary’s Main Streets: Work continues this year to upgrade Bridgeland and Marda Loop Main Streets. The improvements to the sidewalk, streetscape improvements and infrastructure will support future development, businesses and increasing populations. Work is expected to be complete in both Marda Loop and Bridgeland in 2025. For more information, visit calgary.ca/mainstreets.
· Protecting and improving the Riley area: We’re undertaking several projects in the communities of Hillhurst, Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill, Sunnyside and West Hillhurst that improve public spaces, increase mobility and accessibility, and protect the area from river flooding. For more information, visit calgary.ca/rileyimprovements.
Keeping Calgary clean, healthy and safe for Calgarians
· Expanding the Calgary Composting Facility: We are investing $89.6 million so the Calgary Composting Facility can support the record-amount of organics that Calgarians are diverting from landfills through the green cart program. This expansion helps Calgary make progress on our path to net-zero and produces nutrient-rich compost for use in our gardens and parks. Composting also creates renewable natural gas, which will be sold to support the green cart program. Construction for the expansion started in April 2024 and is expected to be completed in late 2025. For more information on composting, visit our web page.
· A new fire station in the northeast: Construction begins this year in Cornerstone on a new integrated Fire Station and Household Hazardous Waste drop-off location. The new two-bay Cornerstone Fire Station will replace the temporary one-bay Skyview Fire Station, in the best location for fire response in the area. Construction on the $16 million facility began in February 2024 and is expected to be completed by spring 2025. In the future, The City also plans to develop future affordable housing at this location. For more information, visit www.calgary.ca/cornerstone.
· Supporting growth and development in the southwest: We’re continuing to build the Providence Offsite Storm Trunk. This project is part of the New Community Growth Strategy and involves installing a new 3.6 km system of underground pipe. A large-diameter pipe will carry treated stormwater from storm ponds in 14 new southwest communities to Fish Creek as part of the system that prevents roadway flooding. The $40 million project started in 2022 and will continue into 2026.
· Doubling the sanitary sewer capacity for north Calgary: Work continues in 2024 on the Nose Creek Sanitary Sewer Trunk, which will more than double the sanitary sewer capacity in north Calgary to support future development and population growth. Much of the project is being completed by tunneling, which reduces construction impacts on park and green space. As part of this work, we are improving Laycock Park for all users, including completing missing pathway connections and constructing a new parking lot, and rain garden.
· Enhancing aging underground utility infrastructure across Calgary: We take a proactive approach to protecting and replacing aging infrastructure through a variety of annual programs. These programs reduce emergency repairs and service interruptions. In 2024, communities will benefit from planned utility infrastructure enhancements through the water main replacement program, sanitary main replacement program, watermain anode retrofit program and more. Learn about these annual programs at www.calgary.ca/waterprojects
The City’s 2024 construction program includes many other infrastructure projects across Calgary. We will provide updates on individual projects and information to help Calgarians get around throughout the year.
