CPR Corridor

Overview

Calgary's growth has always been linked to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The railway was a driver of the city's early development and was a key factor influencing its urban form. Today the track corridor is embedded in the core of the city and although it continues to be a vital economic factor, the corridor also poses challenges for the ongoing development of the downtown area.

The Centre City Plan (approved by Calgary City Council May7, 2007) identified the corridor as a "Special Area", and envisions it evolving as a vibrant and unique landscape within the city, offering a variety of land uses, exciting linkages, special places and iconic built form that connects the Beltline to the Downtown.

The City of Calgary is undertaking a project to determine future development potential in and along the CPR corridor. The project will be divided into three phases in total:

Timeline

Phase 1: 2010
The project began with a Visioning Workshop in November 2010 involving City planners, CPR representatives, public and private stakeholders and planning and design consultants. The workshop generated initial development ideas and visions and identified perceived potentials and constraints.

Phase 2: 2011
The results of the Visioning Workshop will guide and inform the second project phase. Here the City is considering holding an ideas competition in which urban planners and designers, architects, landscape architects, artists and other design professionals will be invited to develop ideas and design solutions for the corridor.

Phase 3: 2012
In this phase the conceptual design developed in the preceding competition will be translated into a new land use district for the lands in the CPR corridor. This district will contain the land use regulations and requirements to which proposed developments must adhere, such as appropriate uses, building scale and density, landscaping and parking requirements. Once complete the district will be implemented through the City's Land Use Bylaw 1P2007.

Related documentation

• Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan (Background Information) 
• Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan Visioning Workshop Results
• Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan Aerial and Ownership Maps
• Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan Sections Photo Maps
• Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan Sections Maps
• Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan Visioning Workshop Workbook
• ​Canadian Pacific Railway Corridor Plan Visioning Workship Photo Album

Study area

The northern boundary of the CPR corridor is defined by the half block north of 9th Avenue. The southern boundary is formed by the half block south of 10th Avenue. From West to East the CPR Corridor begins at Crowchild Trail and ends at the Elbow River.

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