Officers mentioned the mission will see a whole redesign of the historic plaza that can join the area extra seamlessly with Stephen Avenue and Arts Commons
![Olympic Plaza in downtown Calgary](https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/0601-olympic-plaza.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=l9Q3BaodP9tI6zjcXYKoDg)
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Planning for a metamorphosis of Calgary’s historic Olympic Plaza is underway, with town and associate organizations hoping a full revitalization of the world will carry extra life to town’s downtown core.
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The Calgary Municipal Land Company, the Metropolis of Calgary and Arts Commons introduced the initiative on Tuesday. Officers mentioned the mission will see a whole redesign of the historic plaza — constructed for town’s 1988 Winter Olympics, which hosts medal ceremonies all through the occasion — that can join the area extra seamlessly with Stephen Avenue and Arts Commons. each of which endure their very own. regeneration initiatives throughout the similar metropolis block.
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“The transformation of the Olympic Plaza will renew an necessary however growing old downtown cultural area,” mentioned Mayor Jyoti Gondek, including the transfer “clearly illustrates Calgary’s downtown revitalization and is poised so as to add to the expertise of different regeneration initiatives.”
Officers mentioned collectively the initiatives characterize the start of a “new future” for downtown Calgary’s arts, tradition and leisure id.
Olympic historical past will likely be thought of
The mission will coincide with the revitalization of the Arts Commons with a growth settlement between the three organizations that govern each the Olympic Plaza and Arts Commons actions, whereas CMLC manages the Stephen Avenue redevelopment. Officers say the coordinated management between the initiatives will allow design synergies and building efficiencies all through the method.
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It is too early to know what the plaza’s redesign will appear to be — CMLC President and CEO Kate Thompson could not discuss particularly about how the revitalized area would honor its Olympic roots. She mentioned CMLC and the chosen design workforce will think about the plaza’s historical past together with latest public engagements as they plan the redevelopment.
“Probably the greatest components about Olympic Plaza is how cherished it’s and the way a lot reminiscence Calgarians have about this area,” she mentioned. “By way of the historic references to the Olympic Video games and medal ceremonies, it will all begin to decide the strategy to the design of the area and the way we use the area going ahead. So keep tuned.”
CMLC issued an RFP to seek out an “revolutionary design workforce” to steer the idea planning of the mission.
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‘Lengthy Excellent’
The thought of a full-scale redevelopment of Olympic Plaza has been floating round Metropolis Corridor for the higher a part of twenty years, mentioned Thom Mahler, town’s director of downtown technique.
“It is lengthy overdue for town to do that,” Mahler mentioned. “The life cycle is at a stage the place it is beginning to crumble, and now’s the chance with the management that we’ve got with Arts Commons, our arts neighborhood at massive and CMLC to actually dig into this to offer an area that is 30 to 50 years.”
![Olympic Plaza](https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/calgaryherald/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/0601-olympic-plaza-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&sig=nWHEDzBlmfn07PxRJdJFYw)
The Arts Commons workforce will lead programming for the revitalized plaza as soon as it reopens. It’ll even be liable for the operation and upkeep of the area.
“Having the ability to make the most of the Olympic Plaza as we do town amenities which can be Arts Commons provides us the power to achieve extra Calgarians no matter local weather, no matter age, no matter earnings, and to have the ability to say, ‘This a part of Calgary belongs to you. ,” mentioned Arts Commons President and CEO Alex Sarian.
Whereas the plaza is usually a busy place and host occasions year-round, Sarian mentioned programming usually occurs “regardless of the state the plaza is in, versus due to it.”
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“As cherished as Olympic Plaza is, it’s deteriorating,” he mentioned.
Venture key a part of downtown revitalization
Town earmarked $108 million for downtown revitalization over the subsequent three years in its most up-to-date funds, $40 million of which was devoted to the Olympic Plaza mission, with additional prices anticipated when building begins. Gondek mentioned town’s complete dedication of $425 million to its downtown technique — which incorporates its workplace conversion initiatives — is paying off in two necessary methods: “We’re receiving reciprocal personal funding, and we’re getting plenty of world consideration.”
Mahler added, “Over the previous a number of years, we have seen greater than $189 million in personal funding in downtown associated to our downtown workplace conversion program.”
Officers didn’t supply a projected timeline for the Olympic Plaza transformation mission Tuesday.
mrodriguez@postmedia.com
Twitter: @michaelrdrguez
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