Here’s what Calgary’s transformed Olympic Plaza will look like

Calgarians got their first look at what Olympic Plaza will look like once a complete overhaul of the area is finished.

Calgary officials have revealed the designs for the Olympic Plaza transformation project that is meant to revitalize the downtown public space.

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), alongside Arts Commons and the City of Calgary, released the renderings for the project, showing off a revitalized area featuring a fountain and skating rink.

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In a news release, CMLC said public engagement informed the design process, which includes the “integration of Olympic legacy features, the continued presence of a skating rink, and the addition of green spaces, patios, and a pavilion to support year-round activities.”

“Calgary’s Olympic Plaza has long been a destination for culture and civic gathering in Calgary,” said Kate Thompson, the president and CEO of CMLC and development manager for the Arts Commons and Olympic Plaza Transformation projects.

“While the Olympic Games remain one of the best-known chapters in the plaza’s history, this revitalization ensures that the space will continue to serve as a modern, accessible and inclusive public gathering space for generations to come.”

The new space would provide a more accessible, barrier-free layout that can support up to 5,000 people for events.

Marc Halle, the co-president of CCxA Landscape Architecture, said the project’s design is inspired by the iconography of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.

“The ‘sunflake’ – which is represented thematically in the radiating stone pavers of the plaza and more literally in the design of the central water feature, a 12-metre tall structure the colour of an Olympic gold medal that serves as a fountain in summer, a centrepiece for the skating rink in winter, and a landmark through all seasons,” Halle said in a news release.

A pavilion on the east side of the site will offer an indoor gathering place, featuring food and beverage service and public washrooms. A sloped green space caps off the north side of the area.

The design utilizes 96 per cent of the former plaza’s space while accommodating the footprint of the new Arts Commons building.

“Together, the reimagined plaza reflects both the historical significance of the location and Calgary’s aspirations for a modern, inclusive public space,” Halle said.

The project is expected to be complete in 2028, with construction beginning in 2027.

It will cost approximately $70 million as part of the $660 million transformation of the Arts Commons campus.

The project is fully funded through a partnership between the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary, and Dave Werklund and family.