serve as a gateway to East Village,” she says. “The result has been incredible. It’s led to such a dramatic change in the area. The library has over 1.2 million visitors a year and many of them are also coming in and enjoying East Village as well. It’s become a massive attraction.” Another project that dramatically transformed East Village was the Jack & Jean Leslie RiverWalk – the “true soul of the Rivers District,” according to Clare. When completed, it will meander four kilometres along the Bow and Elbow Rivers, “restoring the natural beauty of the riverbanks and linking neighbourhoods from Chinatown to East Village to Inglewood, Stampede Park and beyond.” The RiverWalk was actually one of CMLC’s first infrastructure projects in East Village. Previously, access to the river was very limitedas the riverbank was really overgrown. The impetus behind the RiverWalk was to “give back the river to the community.” “Designed as both a journey and a destination, RiverWalk is a key connector and commuter route for pedestrians and cyclists. At the same time, with its outdoor art installations, lighting, outdoor furniture and extensive landscaping, it’s a sought-after recreational destination – a place where Calgarians can reconnect with the river and literally dip their toes into the Bow.” Clare recalls opening the first stretchof RiverWalk in2012. She says that “it really transformed people’s perception of East Village,” and that “it was and continues to be one of our busiest public spaces.” She also believes that it was a key driver in the development that followed. “I don’t think a lot of the revitalization that followed would have happened if it wasn’t for the development of RiverWalk really setting the tone for what East Village was becoming.” Another high-performing public space is the newly-revitalized St. Patrick’s Island Park – one of Calgary’s oldest parks, with a history as a public space dating all the way back to the late 1890s. More than a century later, CMLC has helped the park “re-emerge as an amenity-rich, family-friendly” – and National Urban Design Award-winning – “park space for all Calgarians to enjoy.” Today, St. Patrick’s Island hosts more than 75 annual events, including festivals, guided nature walks and family picnics. Features include hiking and biking trails, a plaza and amphitheatre, play areas, an elevated rise and restored river channels. “CMLC’s redevelopment of St. Patrick’s Island was a key component of our placemaking strategy for the Rivers District. Creating infrastructure and developing programs to bring public spaces to life are central to our redevelopment efforts.” Those are just a fewhighlights of CMLC’s successful revitalization of East Village, and East Village was only the first phase of the Rivers District Community Revitalization Plan. Following their success there, CMLC has turned their attention to the nearby Culture + Entertainment District. There, they are playing a vital role in some cityshaping projects, including the BMO Centre’s $500 million expansion. For more on that project and others – andmore on howCMLC is bringing the Rivers District Community Revitalization Plan to life – check out the next edition of Construction Source Canada. OCTOBER 2022
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