‘It’s a new beginning’: Danish Canadian Club relocating after 60 years in downtown Calgary

The Danish Canadian Club opened its doors on 11th Avenue S.W. in 1964. Now, the club is moving to share space at the Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre.

The Danish Canadian Club, which opened its doors at 727 11th Ave. S.W. in 1964, will soon move into the Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre at 3112 11th Street N.E.

Per Andersen, club president, says it’s time for something new.

“The building is now over 100 years old, and it’s just come to the end of its life cycle,” he said.

“The club business has diminished a little bit—it’s just time to move on and try something new.”

In its heyday, the Danish Canadian Club had more than 2,000 members, and now it’s down to less than 600.

“There were sort of three waves of immigrants coming from Denmark,” said Andersen.

“A lot in the 20s, and my uncle was actually part of that, and he was later on instrumental in getting me to come here. Then in the 50s, another fairly large group came, and then in the 70s.

“Now we’ve been unable to attract second- and third-generation Danes—the young people just don’t go for this sort of environment.”

Andersen was part of that 1970s immigration and says the club offered community and a taste of home.

“You could find marinated herring, for example, with Aquavit. That would be difficult to find anywhere else,” he said.

“And then other traditional Danish meals.”

Andersen is looking forward to the next chapter of the club.

“There’s always been a very strong relationship between the Danes and the Austrians,” he said.

“They were actually in this building at one time—their club was in this building before they built where they’re at now.”

Jan Sorensen has been a member since 1969 and says in those early years it was the place to be in Calgary.

“Because we were the ones that had the biggest dance floor in the city upstairs at that time,” he said.

“Food was good, lots of people were there, and we had a soccer team, handball team, curling team, bowling team, golf team (and) folk band.”

Now Sorensen is tasked with managing all the artifacts that have collected in the building for the past six decades, including more than 500 plates hanging on the walls.

“Everything you see on the walls has to come down and be distributed to all the original donors, to the (Dickson) Museum,” he said.

“Some we will take with us to the new location, and the rest will be picked through at an open house.”

Sorensen says most of the historical artifacts, like a portrait of King Christian X and an honour guard uniform, will end up at the Danish National Museum in Dickson, Alta.

He’s getting emails every day from members asking if they can claim some of the items as keepsakes.

“I have lists and lists and lists of all the different names,” he said.

“I am here just about every day right now to make everything ready to go because the moving trucks are already booked, so we have to be ready.”

Sorensen, like the other members, has great memories of the club.

“This was our second home, where we came for many, many years, so it’s hard to give up in a way,” he said.

“I’m going to be sad, of course—we all are, very much—but on the other hand, we’re also starting to look forward to a new chapter.

“It’s a new beginning.”

Annemarie Pedersen grew up at the club.

“I’ve been here all my life—I grew up in this building,” she said.

“My mom and dad actually met here, at a Christmas dance upstairs in 1965. My sister and I ran around here as little kids.”

Now Pedersen is tasked with the role of manager of operations for the club at its new facility.

“They’ve really got a lovely place there, and it’s got a great view, and we have lots of windows and we don’t have as many of those here,” she said.

“There’s positives, and it’s going to be a new experience and we’re all going to just have to figure it out as we go, right? But I think it’s an exciting time.”

Pedersen says there’s an opportunity at the new location for Calgarians to learn more about their Danish heritage and become members.

“I think there’s lots of stories still to tell for people who aren’t familiar with the Danes or who are second- or third-generation Danish and want to sort of reconnect with Denmark and the Danish culture,” she said.

The club is closing its doors at the downtown location at the end of May, and the site will soon be demolished, making way for a condominium complex.

“It’s called Copenhagen House actually,” said Andersen.

“Out of respect for the Danish community, the owner has decided to call it Copenhagen House.”