Building a better Eighth Street? City seeks pedestrian-friendly proposals
Calgary city council is looking to reinvigorate a southwest street that stretches through the Beltline and downtown and is currently seeking proposals from design firms.
The city says the reimagining of the section of Eighth Street S.W. between 17th Avenue and the Bow River, will need to be prioritize pedestrians while reinvigorating the area hardest hit by office vacancies of recent years.
"It's time to rethink 8 Street SW," said Thom Mahler, the City of Calgary's director of downtown strategy. "Calgary’s Greater Downtown Plan identified it as an important downtown street to transform into a complete street with accessibility for all modes of transportation and as a linchpin of the city's goal to create a green network of tree-lined, pedestrian-friendly streets connecting downtown’s diverse neighbourhoods and inventory of parks, outdoor spaces and pathways."
The request for proposal process, slated to end in September, builds off the reconstruction of the Eighth Street underpass that was completed in 2016 and will also include the redevelopment of a riverfront park to the north.
"A lot has changed since the 8 Street Corridor Public Realm Master Plan was developed, with the westside of Calgary’s downtown changing significantly since 2016," said Shannon Reid, project manager for the 8 Street SW Public Realm Improvement Project. "We’re excited to launch this project to help shape the future of downtown and support community vibrancy in this important downtown neighbourhood."
According to the city's public posting of the RFP, between $2.3 and $6.6 million has been earmarked for the project.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.