Calgary Overview

Pioneer spirit meets modern enterprise in Canada's newest business capital. It's rich in cowboy culture and home to the Calgary Stampede; gateway to the Rocky Mountains and host of the 1988 Winter Olympics; and a magnet for adventurers the world over.

Districts

The skyscrapers of downtown Calgary seem out of place rising unexpectedly from the shallow Bow River Valley. They contrast sharply with the dry, flat prairie stretching off to the east and south, and are dwarfed by the jagged ramparts of the Rocky Mountains looming to the west. Pinched between the slopes of one of the world's most rugged mountain ranges and the soft, fertile undulations of the grasslands, Calgary is a city constantly on the move, rarely pausing to catch its collective breath before the next boom sweeps it off its feet.

Less than a century old, the city hasn't had time to develop a rich heritage, but instead has built a rough and ready character full of youth, which thrives on spectacle and excess. From the noise and bravado of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, billed as the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," to the more subdued opulence of the Palliser Hotel's famous galas, the city vibrates with a barely-controlled energy straining to rush after the next trend.

Known as a hotbed for young entrepreneurs, the city has embraced the information age while still clinging to the pioneer roots forged by the ranchers, railroad workers, and oilmen who laid Calgary's foundations.

The city sprawls from the foothills of the Rockies in the northwest to the rolling hills and farm country of the southeast. It is divided into four quadrants intersecting at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, which meet at right angles in the city center. Center Street runs north to south, and Center Avenue intersects it running east to west, with all streets laid out in a grid expanding outwards from the center.

Southwest Calgary
The Southwest extends from the boreal forests of Kananaskis Country to the office towers of downtown, and is a mix of residential and business districts. It includes the natural beauty of North Glenmore Reservoir and the haute couture and fashion of the 17th Avenue shopping section. The Southwest is also home to the Fourth Street Restaurant district and the Elbow River, which winds its way from Glenmore Reservoir down through the city center until its rendezvous with the Bow River near Inglewood. The Eau Claire Market and riverfront trails around Prince's Island Park provide a clean and refreshing break from downtown, and are popular lunch spots with downtown office workers.

Southeast Calgary
The Southeast is home to vast oil refineries, fabrication plants, and heavy industry, as well as trendy new housing developments and the world famous Spruce Meadows equestrian facilities. Its western boundary is defined by the Macleod Trail Strip: 10 miles of flashing neon, huge nightclubs, malls, hotels, and luxury car dealerships. In the north end is the Saddledome and Stampede Grounds, as well as the historic district of Inglewood and the old town-site of Fort Calgary.

Northeast Calgary
The Northeast is separated from the rest of the city by the Deerfoot Trail, a freeway which carries most of Calgary's commuter traffic and is one of the most dangerous roads in Canada. Comprised mostly of older working-class neighborhoods interspersed with industrial areas, the Northeast is the place to find factory-outlet shopping, as well as the Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden and Prehistoric Park, and Calgary International Airport. The area around the airport is currently undergoing heavy development, whose goal is the transformation of a rather seedy district into a comfortable village where air travelers can find all types of accommodation, dining, and shopping without ever leaving the area.

Northwest Calgary
In the Northwest you can find many of the city's academic institutions and athletic facilities, as well as its upscale residential districts. Both the University of Calgary and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology are located here, as well as the Canada Olympic Park and McMahon Stadium. On the banks of the Bow River and close to downtown is Kensington Village, a collection of shops, galleries, and restaurants catering to the more artistic crowd. Kensington’s famous eateries represent almost every ethnic cuisine, from Thai to Ethiopian to Irish, and are popular lunch spots for downtown executives.

Historical Background

The city of Calgary has only been incorporated since 1904, but it is estimated that the Bow River Valley has been inhabited for the last 10,000 years. At the end of the last Ice Age, the ancestors of the present-day native tribes made their way across the Bering Sea from Siberia, traveling down through Alaska before settling in the Rocky Mountain foothills. There they formed the Blackfoot, Sarcee, Blood, Stoney, and Shaganappi nations, and subsisted on the seasonal migrations of American buffalo herds. Their way of life remained relatively unchanged until the late 1870s, when Europeans hunted the buffalo to near-extinction.

With the buffalo gone, the natives began trapping beaver and other fur-bearing mammals for the Hudson's Bay and North-West Trading companies, who set up trading posts in the Bow Valley and at Rocky Mountain House to the northwest. The local furs were especially prized by designers in Paris and New York for their richness and quality, and commanded high prices from the traders.

This lucrative market lured opportunists from the United States, who began selling cheap bootleg whiskey to the traders and native trappers. The resulting anarchy inspired the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to dispatch officers in 1894 to build Fort Calgary and restore order.

Meanwhile, farmers were beginning to move onto the fertile Alberta prairies. The first settler in the area of what is now Calgary was a cattle rancher who started a small farm near the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, in an area now known as Inglewood. His ranch was the first of hundreds built by the flood of immigrants that would soon pour into the region.

In the late 1800s, Western Canada was still mostly wilderness and the Canadian government was afraid that the United States might try to annex the as-yet-undefined provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. To unite the nation, a railroad was proposed stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic. This railroad, which began construction in 1881, was to drastically change the nature of Calgary, and transform it from a remote frontier outpost into a bustling jumping-off point for the settling of the Western Prairies.

The Calgary townsite had the good fortune to be built at the entrance to the Kicking Horse Pass, one of the few passages through the sheer eastern wall of the Rocky Mountains. The 10,000-12,000 foot-high peaks denied access to a railway all along their thousand-mile length, except for a narrow valley which led from Calgary into the heart of British Columbia. This meant that the railroad had to be routed through Calgary, which became a major supply station during the construction process. Hotels, saloons, and shops sprang up to serve the construction workers, and the first trainloads of immigrant farmers and ranchers began pouring in. The fertile plains to the west of Calgary made ideal grain farming territory, while the rich and abundant natural grasses also produced a grade of beef unequaled in North America.

In 1904 the City of Calgary was incorporated with a population of 6,000. It grew slowly until the event occurred that would determine the city's direction for the rest of the century. In 1914, just before the start of the First World War, huge reserves of oil were discovered in the surrounding hillsides. Half the local ranchers became instantly wealthy, and a boom rocked the city. When the demand for oil dried up after the war, recession set in and many residents set off to seek their fortunes elsewhere.

In 1930, seeking to revive the floundering local economy, an American promoter and four local ranchers set out to create the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. This celebration of cowboy culture and the ranching lifestyle became the most celebrated festival in Western Canada, and the rodeo competitions are still a showcase of the best and toughest cowboys and cowgirls in the world.

As the Second World War was winding down, a vast oilfield was discovered to the north, near Edmonton, ushering in a new boom. While most of the actual drilling and processing of the oil was centered around Edmonton, most company headquarters, refineries, and related industries chose locations closer to the railroad in Calgary.

In the 1990s, many of Canada's largest corporations moved their head offices from the more traditional business centers of Montreal and Toronto, and set up shop in downtown Calgary. The electronics and e-commerce industries have found the community appealing, and are now a driving force behind the city's development.

Entertainment

A lack of entertainment should never be a problem in Calgary. Even though it's known more for its sense of bawdy adventure than refined good taste, there's still an activity to get anyone's blood pumping.

As soon as you mention Calgary, most people immediately think of the noise, dust, and excitement of the Calgary Stampede, but there is much more to the city. From the world-renowned sports facilities to over 4,000 restaurants of every nationality and culinary discipline imaginable to a vibrant performing arts community, Calgary provides enough entertainment choices to stave off any sort of boredom.

Sports
The Saddledome and McMahon Stadium are Calgary's two largest sports venues, and are home to the Calgary Stampeders Canadian Football League team and the Calgary Flames NHL hockey team. For a unique football experience, drop by McMahon Stadium on any chilly autumn Sunday to see rabid fans, wearing nothing but bathing suits and body paint, as they cheer on the Calgary Stampeders amidst driving sleet and hail. Impervious to cold, such hardcore cheering squads often brave -10 Celsius weather, and fueled by a healthy supply of cheap beer, will remain outside for the three-hour duration of the game.

After hosting the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, the city became known for its excellent athletic facilities, and became a destination for world-class athletes. At 4,000 feet above sea level, the high altitude and thin mountain air enhance training and attract athletes from all over the planet. The Olympic Oval speed skating track is famous for the setting of world records, as is the swimming pool at Lindsay Park Sports Centre, where the water is said to be faster than anywhere else in North America. Spruce Meadows is one of the world's most famous equestrian facilities, and the site of several prestigious show jumping competitions.

Outdoor Activities
If you want to get some skiing done but don't have time to drive to Banff and the Rocky Mountain ski resorts, Canada Olympic Park, site of many of the events in the 1988 Olympics, is located about five minutes from downtown and features several lifts and lots of artificial snow. For a real adrenaline rush, watch the Nordic ski jumpers as they launch themselves off the 90-meter ski jump and float hundreds of feet through the air. For a more relaxed skiing experience, Wintergreen Ski Area lies just outside the rustic hamlet of Bragg Creek, a 40-minute drive from downtown. With several small lifts and cross-country ski trails, it is ideal for the naturalist or beginner skier.

In the summer, horseback riding and cycling are the best ways to explore the forests and mountains of the parks surrounding the city, and guided tours are available in Kananaskis Country to the west of the city, as well as in and around the city itself. For those looking for a more leisurely adventure, canoes and drift boats can be rented for a pleasant float down the Bow River.

Theater and Comedy
Theater groups include the One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre, which is famous for its entertaining and controversial plays, and Loose Moose Theatre, renowned for its hilarious improvisational sessions. For large theatrical productions, the Calgary Center for Performing Arts has five venues scattered throughout the city, ranging from the 1,800-seat Jack Singer Concert Hall to the 180-seat Big Secret Theatre.

Shopping
Shopping in Calgary is easy. There are about a dozen shopping areas in the city, each unique in character, price, and merchandise. 17th Avenue is lined with trendy clothing and jewelry shops, Kensington Village caters to the artistic and international crowd, Downtown is home to both Banker's Hall and Stephen Avenue Walk, and Eau Claire Market is a showpiece of independent small business. Inglewood and Marda Loop areas cater to the more eclectic shoppers with vintage galleries and unusual import shops, and Macleod Trail boasts a selection of hundreds of discount warehouses and huge shopping centers.

Cinema
Calgary has a plethora of mainstream and alternative cinema choices for the discriminating moviegoer. Cineplex Odeon theaters are scattered throughout the city, and every major shopping center has a cinema hidden in it somewhere. The Eau Claire Market IMAX Theatre presents stunning documentaries and feature films on its four-story-high screen. The Plaza and The Uptown Stage and Screen are stanchions of the local independent film community.

Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Exhibition and Stampede is undoubtedly Calgary's biggest event, and claims to be the largest festival in Western Canada. Over a million people pour into the city to watch the bull and bronco riding, chuckwagon races, and receive a heaping dose of cowboy culture.

Concerts and Music
Calgary plays host to most North American rock and pop tours with a steady stream of concert dates throughout the year. The Palace and Outlaws nightclubs also feature classic and up-and-coming rock performers, while alternative and rave music can be found in the Night Gallery club. Jazz and Blues fans will be delighted by the Calgary Jazz Festival, held every year in July.

Aficionados of classical music will enjoy the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, which performs on a regular basis at events throughout the city.

Museums and Interpretive Sites
For explorers young and old, Calgary has a wealth of museums and exhibitions, including the Glenbow Museum, the futuristic Calgary Science Centre, and Heritage Park Historical Village. The Calgary Zoo, Botanical Garden, and Prehistoric Park showcase flora and fauna from every corner of the globe, while an hour's drive from Calgary in the town of Drumheller, the Royal Tyrrell Museum will astound and fascinate dinosaur lovers and naturalists with one of North America's largest dinosaur skeleton collections.

Dining and Drinking

Calgary is a city where an international population and a strong local culture assure a broad range of dining choices, whether you are looking for an old-fashioned family restaurant or feel a need to sample exotic foriegn spices. The bar and club scene is no less diverse with establishments catering to every crowd, from draft beer swilling traditionalists to martini-loving professionals to techno-rave enthusiasts.

There are several restaurant and bar districts, each with its own distinct flavor and character. From the refined pubs of Kensington to the rough and ready cowboy bars of the Stampede area, there is something for everyone to be found here.

Kensington
Kensington is the place to find the exotic and unusual in Calgary, with several blocks packed with small shops and restaurants. This is where ethnically diverse establishments ranging from Ethiopian to Irish to Italian come together to flavor and add even more character to an area already famed for its diversity and adventurous architectural style. This is also ground zero for coffee shops, with over a dozen establishments ranging from cyber-cafes to old-fashioned bakeries, all crowded into a few blocks.

Inglewood
Inglewood is the oldest region of the city, and the area where the first settler in the Bow Valley built his homestead. The buildings here date from the turn of the century, with many built in the now-crumbling sandstone blocks popular at the time. The local businesses reflect the frontier character by offering a more down-home Canadian atmosphere than the upper-crust cuisine of Kensington. This is where you will find Kane's Harley Diner, located in a Harley Davidson shop, as well as a pub that occupies a deserted fire-hall.

17th Avenue
Fashion, flash, and panache dominate 17th Avenue. Home to most of the city's upper-end clothing and jewelry designers, this is where the young and upwardly mobile strut their stuff. Martini and hibachi bars line the east end, while family and international restaurants nestle amongst the shops of the west end. Some of Calgary's more exotic nightclubs pump out industrial-driven techno music to crowds of over-energized teenagers late into the night.

Eau Claire Market
Eau Claire Market, located beside the Sheraton Cavalier, is the best place to find upscale chain restaurants. The market courtyard is surrounded with culinary standbys, while the interior is home to a few more adventurous establishments.

Stephen Avenue Walk
Stephen Avenue Walk is a cobblestoned street in the heart of the city that is closed to vehicles and has become a gathering point for Calgarians from all walks of life. This is where you will find The Palace Nightclub, which is the undisputed monarch of Calgary nightclubs, as well as more sedate pubs and a host of street cafes and small restaurants. Located beneath the towers of Bankers Hall, the sidewalks are always alive with street performers and buskers plying their trade amongst a steady stream of bike couriers, business people, and travelers.

Fourth Street
If you are looking for a restaurant of any nationality, flavor, or decor, chances are that it will be found somewhere on Fourth Street southwest. Between 17th street and the Elbow River, both sides of Fourth are jammed with dozens of restaurants serving fare as diverse as ostrich burger or garlic-saturated "stinking steak." The Fourth Street area is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best places to eat in western Canada because of its ethnic diversity and wide range of prices.

Macleod Trail
If you are looking for a chain restaurant of any description, it will probably be found somewhere on Macleod Trail. A drive along the strip will reveal at least one franchise of every American fast food restaurant imaginable, as well as the Southcentre and Chinookshopping malls. Lined with typical fast-food establishments, the strip is 10 miles of blazing lights and deafening music emanating from the many boisterous nightclubs. Sandwiched between the Porsche and Ferrari dealerships is a vast strip mall complex which shelters the largest and loudest of the Calgary clubs.

Stampede
This area is a little bit seedy, but contains some of the wildest and most interesting bars in the city. As it is close to the Stampede Grounds and the Saddledome, hockey fans and Stampede-goers make sure that an exciting time is had by all. The area is often frequented by sports celebrities traveling incognito and has become a favorite haunt of Prince Albert of Monaco.

The country-western tradition is especially strong here, with many bar patrons sporting cowboy boots and large-brimmed Stetson hats. Local saloon owners are fiercely loyal to the home hockey and football teams, and one has made a habit of standing in the street dressed only in red long underwear and sporting a shotgun while he waits for the opposing team's bus to drive by, which it invariably does after hockey games, accompanied by much derisive hooting from both the bar patrons and the occupants of the bus.

Where To Stay

When finding a place to stay in Calgary, your choice of activities will likely play a major factor in picking an area to stay. The most luxurious accommodations, which are also surrounded by the best dining and entertainment in town, can be found in the Downtown and Eau Claire districts. For those desiring the peace and quiet of a romantic getaway, one of the hundreds of bed and breakfasts scattered throughout the city and Rocky Mountain Foothills can satisfy even the most demanding guest. Hotels catering to business travelers and conventions can be found near the Calgary International Airport and in the Banff Trail area. Adventurers may prefer the lodging in the Bowness region for its proximity to the mountains of Banff and Kananaskis Country.

There are several times of the year when it is vitally important to make your hotel booking far in advance. During the Calgary Stampede, which occurs in early July every year, almost every hotel room in the city will be booked as thousands of rodeo fans flood into town. If you are visiting the city and are not in the rodeo spirit, it might be advisable to book a bed-and-breakfast out in the country, as the revelry is loud, boisterous, and affects nearly every part of the city. Similarly, during years that the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup is held in Calgary, accommodation becomes quite scarce.

Downtown
Built by the Canadian National rail company, the first major hotel in Calgary wined and dined investors before introducing them to the splendor of the mountains. The Palliser Hotel still stands as a monument to the faded railroad history which first put Calgary on the map. Although airplanes have replaced trains in transporting travelers to Banff, the Palliser Hotel continues to provide luxurious accommodations for those who desire nothing but the best, along with such newer hotels in the area.

Bowness
Adventurers and skiers on their way to Banff can watch the rising sun blaze scarlet off the eastern slopes of the Rockies from the balconies of the Bowness hotels. Conveniently located beside the Trans-Canada Highway directly across from Canada Olympic Park,these hotels offer easy access to the mountains while still allowing you the pleasures of Calgary nightlife. These hotels are best suited to travelers with their own vehicles, as it is a lengthy bus ride to downtown or a C-Train station, and taxi service is often slow to arrive this far from the city center.

Macleod Trail
If you want to be right in the thick of the action, the hotels along the Macleod Trail Strip are located amongst the biggest shopping centers and nightclubs in Calgary, and are only a five-minute drive from the Stampede Grounds, the Saddledome, and Downtown. Most of these hotels are moderately priced franchises of large international chains, and are a good place to stay while enjoying the sporting events and festivals in the Stampede area. There are several C-Train stations close to the hotels, which allow for quick and easy access to downtown.

Banff Trail
The Banff Trail hotels cater to business travelers who want to be close to the downtown business district, but want a more affordable stay with modern amenities. Located beside the Banff Trail C-Train station, which whisks commuters to the heart of downtown in less than five minutes, all are almost brand new, and most feature high-speed Internet access as well as virtual office services. These hotels are also popular with football fans, as they are right across the street from McMahon Stadium and the University of Calgary. Early reservations are very important during the football playoffs in October and November when exuberant fans flood the area.

Airport
If you are flying into Calgary and are only planning to stay overnight, a cluster of hotels near the airport can save you the 20-minute cab ride into town. Complete with a selection of chain and independent restaurants, as well as most of the city's warehouse-style shopping, the area around the airport could be considered a city independent from the rest of Calgary. Many of the hotels here cater to business travelers who want quick and efficient service and don't want any hassles. Many of these hotels have virtual office services including equipment rentals and high speed Internet connection.

Bed-and-Breakfasts
If you feel like something a little more laid-back than a big hotel, try one of the more than 100 bed-and-breakfasts scattered throughout the city. Each has a unique charm and personality, and service is generally better than that in hotels. Most are a little more expensive than comparable hotel lodging, but it is well worth it for the warmth and comfort.

Calgary by the Numbers

Province: Alberta
Population: 922,315
Elevation: 3556 feet

Average Winter Temperature: 19 degrees F
Average Summer Temperature: 62 degrees F

Electricity: 110 volts, 50 cycles, AC
Time Zone: GMT-7
Country Dialing Code: 1
Area Code: 403

Did You Know?

Colonel James Maclead named Calgary for a Gaelic word thought to mean "Clear Running Water." However, during the 1975 centennial celebration historians discovered the city's namesake actually means "Cove Garden."

Orientation/Geography

Calgary is located at the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The city is located 151 miles north of the U.S./Canadian Border, 246 miles east of Jasper, and 176 miles south of Edmonton.


Content Provided by WCities