Calgarians have plenty to say about new downtown arena

Love or hate the idea of a new downtown arena, Calgarians are plenty interested in the topic.

More than 14,000 people took part in the public engagement process led earlier this year by the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.

The city agency will be the development manager for the new event centre.

It wanted public feedback on what the new arena should include and what people value in terms of its integration with the surrounding entertainment district.

The feedback will be incorporated into the design of the new building, which is now underway.

The city and the owners of the Calgary Flames are splitting equally the cost of the $550-million new building.

More than sports, concerts

Numerous engagement sessions were held online and also in each ward of the city prior to the COVID-19 pandemic being declared.

While the arena will be the focus of sports and concert events, people told CMLC that they also want it to be the centrepiece of eventand retail opportunities which would attract people to the area year-round.

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CMLC reports that nearly 27 per cent of respondents said that a new arena will attract better concerts and events.

But they also see it as important for civic pride, that it will revitalize the Victoria Park area and be close to a new community gathering space and retail opportunities.

When asked what they wanted to see the new event centre include, roughly 70 per cent of respondents said that seats close to the action, good social gathering spaces and sit-down restaurants were important.

Outside space important, too

As for a new community space outside the event centre, people want to see it host festivals, outdoor concerts, free performances and provide outdoor screens for people to gather to watch events either inside the arena or from elsewhere.

More than half of the respondents said they want to see that community space include facilities like public washrooms, green space and be close to nearby retail offerings that would include local products, craft beer and sit-down restaurants.

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The president and CEO of CMLC, Kate Thompson, said what people want will be incorporated in the design of the new building.

She said the new arena will not be like the Saddledome, which sees most patrons climb stairs to enter and the building surrounded by parking lots.

"What we're looking for in this building is really one that connects," said Thompson.

"It's got to have activation at the ground level, that allows people to activate it not just in a jersey on game day but throughout the year and to be able to feel that it's their own and it's someplace they can go in and out of any day of the year."

Huge interest

The chair of council's event centre assessment committee, Coun. Jeff Davison, said he's pleased with the feedback that CMLC was able to gather from the community.

"With nearly 15,000 people engaged through CMLC, you couple that with the over 6,000 pieces of engagement council received when we were originally talking about the project, I think the engagement on this has been significant," said Davison.

"I probably one of the most significant works of engagement that the city has ever undertaken."

Not all of the results from the engagement point to people wanting the event centre.

When asked what the building will mean, 7.4 per cent of respondents said "financial burden."

In an open comment section, 8.3 per cent of respondents said they were unsupportive of the new event centre.

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For a question about barriers that prevented people from visiting the Saddledome, 75 per cent had concerns about ticket prices.

Friday was also the last meeting of council's event centre assessment committee.

It approved a motion calling on city council to vote to disband the committee.

The design of the new arena is expected to be unveiled by the end of 2020.

Construction on the new building will start in August 2021 with the new arena opening in May 2024.