Construction resuming on Calgary’s Scotia Place, other projects next week

With work paused for Stampede, construction is set to resume in Calgary’s Culture and Entertainment District with planned road and sidewalk closures on the way.

Crews are ready to resume a number of projects Monday, including on the upcoming home for the Calgary Flames, Scotia Place.

The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation says work will not only start back up on the event centre, but also on the redevelopment of Stampede Trail, infrastructure enhancements, and land preparation for the new Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel at Stampede Park.

“There’s great momentum happening in the Culture and Entertainment District,” says Emma Stevens, Director of Communications & External Relations at Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC).

Workers are beginning to poor concrete on the actual floors in the building.

“They’re moving around the building in sections, so throughout we’ll get up to grade sometime in the Fall, and you’ll actually be able to see slab on grade and see steel on the ground,” says Bob Hunter, Scotia Place project lead with the City of Calgary.

The work will see the intersection of 12 Avenue SE and Stampede Trail closed from Monday until Oct. 9.

“These next two months between now and the start of the Flames season are the quietest in the district,” says Stevens. “It allows us to get that work done before we get those large groups of people for those games.”

Right across from the intersection that will be closed for months is Wine Tales Liquor Store, who’s owner says the construction disruptions have hurt business.

“We lost 20 to 40 per cent of our customers that time,” says owner Joban Turna.

Turna says the area was under construction a year-and-a-half ago, learning of more disruptions now is putting him a little on edge.

“It took us a year to bring all the customers back, and guess what, after a year-and-a-half we are going to lose our customers again,” he says.

Scotia Place is 35 feet below ground, a set-up which the city says will allow for seamless access to ground floor amenities, including indoor and outdoor spaces and accessible seating.

The redeveloped area will also include a 1,000-seat community arena, indoor and outdoor public plazas, year-round dining options, and the Calgary Flames Store.