About this Walk
Calgary is young, but it has grown up fast. This walk will start at the base of the Calgary Tower, sight of Calgary’s original train station. we’ll talk how the area has developed over time. We’ll take time to stroll past some of Calgary’s historic buildings and walk down Stephen Avenue and review how Calgary became known as the Sandstone City. We’ll walk thru Calgary’s Chinatown and learn about the history and significance of Chinese immigration to our city. We’ll walk past the old CBE building and carry on to Stephen Avenue past the historic Public Building, Olympic Plaza, and City Hall. The main library will be a stop and then carry on to the East Village, past the National Music Centre and finish at Fort Calgary. We’ll stop at various public art installations along the way including; Wonderland, Family of Man, Famous Five, and the Upside Down Church.
Quadrant: CORE
Meeting Place: Calgary Tower
Walk Duration: 1.5 hour(s)
Areas of Interest: Architecture | History |
Accessibility: Uneven Terrain, Busy Sidewalks
Led By: Robert Ferguson
Inner City: Yes
About the Walk Team
Jane's Walks wouldn't exist without the help of our dedicated team of volunteers.
Walk Leader(s): Robert Ferguson
Robert Ferguson is a proud Calgarian having been born and raised in the Stampede City. During this time he has seen significant changes to the city including the building of the Calgary Tower, LRT, Olympic Plaza, Public Library, and the ever changing East Village. He can remember when Calgary’s population was 300,000 and has quadrupled in fifty years to 1.4 million.
The creation of the walk started last year when his daughter was getting married during the summer and his family hosted many international guests. Robert led a walking tour with his international guests of the downtown core on a hot afternoon. Now he wants to share what he has learned about his favorite city.
A Quick History of Downtown Calgary and Public Art Highlights