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Downtown Calgary's Olympic Plaza is one of the city's primary gathering places. Its history dates back to 1988, when it was created to host the medal ceremonies for the Winter Olympic Games. It has since been used as a popular venue for festivals, concerts, and other cultural events. In the winter, the plaza lays claim to the only refrigerated outdoor ice surface in Calgary. With the approval of the Civic District Public Realm Strategy in early 2016, several landmark locations within the Civic District will be given special attention. The public spaces around Olympic Plaza, City Hall, and the new Central Library are each being eyed for potential improvements.
The City of Calgary is now seeking public input for future improvements to Olympic Plaza, the surrounding public realm, Municipal Plaza across the street, and connections through City Hall onto Third Street S.E. A number of improvements have been suggested in the feedback amassed so far. To enhance the safety and comfort of users, additional pedestrian lighting, increased social services for vulnerable persons, and increased police/security presence were recommended. Other suggested amenities include ice skating rentals, public art, coffee shops, and patios to animate the space year round and create a vibrant atmosphere.
Through public engagement, including social media outreach, residents indicated that pedestrian routes in the area were uninviting and uninteresting. They suggested that existing walkways be decorated with greenery, trees, special lighting, public art, street furniture, and wayfinding signs. They also felt surrounding cultural institutions had a role to play in improving the public realm, and should be encouraged to add visual interest by modifying any blank walls that persist.
Four guiding principles will steer the renewal of Olympic Plaza and its adjacent spaces moving forward:
- A space for an intensity of use within the Centre City.
- A gathering space that embraces the everyday actions of its users.
- A destination with varying scale and density of public space.
- A legible space defined by active edges and a diversity of program.
Director Park in Portland, Union Square in New York City, Federation Square in Melbourne and Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia were each identified as successful, accessible and flourishing public spaces that could serve as models for Calgary while the public engagement phase continues to unfold. To find out what our Calgary Forumers have suggested, check out this thread and get involved in the discussion. Alternatively, you can provide your own feedback at the official website for the project.
