Calgary highlights more than $800M in investments for 2024 construction season

The City of Calgary announced it is investing more than $800 million in parks, streets, public transit and City recreation and operational facilities during the 2024 construction season, supporting City Council’s commitment to build strong communities, invest in Calgary’s infrastructure for future growth and deliver the right services for Calgarians.

“City infrastructure supports everyone who calls Calgary home, as well as those visiting from around the world,” said Michael Thompson, general manager of Infrastructure Services. “The improvements we have planned for this year will make it easier to live, play, and get around in the city. It will help keep our city healthy, clean and safe; and it will make our communities more vibrant and welcoming.”

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:

• New outdoor sports fields at Rocky Ridge Athletic Park: 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.
• Upgrades to Calgary Soccer Centre: 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.
• More ice rinks at Glenmore Twin Arena: 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.
• Upgrades to Sandy Beach Park: Installation of 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.  

• Upgrading Calgary’s streets: 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: Rehabilitation of 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: 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.
• 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.
• Protecting and improving the Riley area: Several projects in the communities of Hillhurst, Hounsfield Heights-Briar Hill, Sunnyside and West Hillhurst will improve public spaces, increase mobility and accessibility, and protect the area from river flooding.

• Expanding the Calgary Composting Facility: A $89.6 million investment 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.
• 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.
• Supporting growth and development in the southwest: The City continues 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.

Featured image: Rendering of future Cornerstone Fire Station. (City of Calgary)