Development permit for Calgary’s new arena approved by planning commission
Posted Nov 18, 2021 11:40 pm.
One of the last major hurdles before construction has been cleared for the Calgary Event Centre, replacing the iconic Saddledome.
The Calgary Planning Commission unanimously approved the development permit application for the $600 million project Thursday night.
The approval does come with a list of more than 70 conditions that are required to be met before the project can officially start being built.
The design of the new structure came under question several times during the meeting.
Councillor Raj Dhaliwal, who sits on the planning commission, said when he migrated to Calgary the Saddledome was the first building that caught his eye when he flew in. He was told it represented western culture.
Dhaliwal asked how this new arena would continue to reflect that culture.
The city’s Chief Urban Designer David Down says this is more about an integrated building that reflects a new attitude.
“The form itself isn’t as literal as a saddle, it’s really more about a progressive, up-to-date, highly finished, integrated building that reflects a new attitude toward building new inner-city neighbourhoods,” he said.
Down added the building wasn’t meant to stick out like a typical arena.
City officials also told members the new arena is more aggressive with achieving carbon neutrality. They are looking at a target date of net-zero by 2035, ahead of the city’s intended goal of 2050.
The new arena will have a seating capacity of approximately 18,320 for hockey games, 17,500 for end-stage concerts, and over 20,000 for centre-stage events.
Shovels are expected to be in the ground by early 2022.
