Avenue Magazine Calgary

Love Calgary because we’re getting another pedestrian bridge

Consider it evidence that anyone can learn a lesson, even the City of Calgary.

After being chastised by the public for snubbing local talent with its choice of a Spanish architect to design the pedestrian Peace Bridge, which will connect Eau Claire with Sunnyside, a move was made toward inclusion. A design competition was opened to local and international architects and the public was encouraged online to “weigh in on the design” of a second pedestrian bridge that’ll link St. Patrick’s Island with the East Village and Bridgeland.

More than half of the 33 entries came from Calgary firms, with the remainder hailing from as far off as Australia and Europe. The submissions included everything from a Golden Gate-styled bridge to one that resembled a gigantic hamster tube, which one online Calgarian referred to as “scary,” lamenting that its closed-off design “could turn into a haven for drug users.”

Last November, the out-there offerings were whittled down to a shortlist of three that included a submission from a Calgary engineering firm, as well as entries from British Columbia and the United Kingdom. The finalist will be chosen early this year and be constructed in 2011.

Love Calgary because we’re getting more hockey rinks

Hockey players and skaters, get ready to lace up: Calgary is about to gain four sheets of ice, something that is laughably overdue in a city of more than a million people.

Now, add to that a high-performance training centre for pro athletes, plus new headquarters for Hockey Canada and Skate Canada, put it all at WinSport Canada’s Canada Olympic Park (COP), and you’ve reached something close to frozen Nirvana.

By 2011, the $190-million Athletic and Ice Complex will add programming and facilities that will enhance COP’s already-stellar position on the international sports scene. “The complex will be one of the most unique facilities in the world,” says Tracy Cobb, national director of communications and fund development for WinSport Canada.

The complex will house recreational activities, such as minor league hockey and ringette, skating simulators, sports nutritionists and sports therapists, plus a public fitness facility — everything that’s needed to train up-and-coming athletes.

Love Calgary because the Zoo’s Conservatory is open in time for winter

The tropical temperatures inside the Calgary Zoo’s Conservatory have long been a favourite refuge for those seeking to avoid — even for a few hours — the city’s occasional cold snaps.

The only problem was that, until recently, the 40-year-old Conservatory wasn’t exactly the most energy-efficient building. In fact, it sucked power and was in desperate need of repairs.

“We would’ve had to spend millions to get it up to par,” says Don Peterkin, director of facilities at the Zoo. “So we decided to start fresh and build something better.”

The Enmax Conservatory opened its doors on November 20. The $25-million conservatory now boasts greenhouses that are four times as energy efficient, as well as improved exhibits, such as an ethnobotanical display on how humans use plants, a larger butterfly garden and seasonal flower exhibits.

Getting out of the cold has never smelled so good.