Eau Claire plaza reopens with new beach, picnic lawns, water misters
Posted Jul 2, 2025 5:57 pm.
Last Updated Jul 2, 2025 7:09 pm.
The reimagined Eau Claire Plaza in downtown Calgary is now open.
The new plaza officially opened to the public on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included food trucks, live music, and a self-guided tour through the redeveloped area.
The $47 million redesign includes a sandy beach, picnic lawns, water misters, and an urban plaza surrounded by the areas existing hotels, restaurants, shopping, and riverside condos.
From its early beginnings as a sawmill, Eau Claire has seen its share of changes, most recently, replacing a wading pool with a fog-emitting water feature and saying goodbye to a marketplace and hello to a stage built for festivals.
Some of the original landmarks remain, including the arch and the lumber company building that has been repositioned and repurposed to accommodate an artist and residency program.
“Originally built in the early 1900s, the lumber company is what gave the name Eau Claire to this area of the city,” said Calgary’s infrastructure services general manager Michael Thompson.
Thompson was on scene to take part in a ceremonial log sawing to mark the occasion.
The Olympic Arch, first installed at Eau Claire Plaza over three decades ago for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, has been restored and forms a gateway at the northeast corner of the plaza.
The redesigned plaza won’t have to wait long to host its first event with Mexifest booked for this weekend.
More information from the city on the Eau Claire area improvements can be found here.
