Symons Valley Centre Library Construction | A Promise Kept

Today marked an important milestone for northwest Calgary.

At Symons Valley Centre (251 Sage Hill Boulevard N.W.), we gathered with project partners, Calgary Public Library, construction teams, and community members to celebrate real, visible progress on a new 15,000-square-foot public library and community commons.

This is a promise kept to the residents of Sage Hill, Kincora, Sherwood, Nolan Hill, Evanston, and surrounding communities who have waited years for a permanent, purpose-built library and gathering space close to home.

From Advocacy to Action

When I was elected to represent Ward 2 in 2021, I made this library a top priority. For years, this file sat untouched. Residents told me clearly: they wanted services, amenities, and third spaces closer to home, not temporary fixes in leased retail spaces, but lasting civic investments that reflect their own investments in their homes and their communities.

So I kept pushing by asking questions at Council and advocating with Administration. I worked on moving this project from concept to reality, because libraries aren't meant to live in 1,700-square-foot temporary retail locations. They're meant to be anchors where communities grow, connect, and thrive.

The current Sage Hill Library has been operating out of a small, transformed retail space since June 2017, over nine years now. It's bursting at the seams, serving one of the fastest-growing areas in Calgary with a fraction of the space it deserves. Today, we broke ground, finally fulfilling the City's commitment: replacing that temporary location with a 15,000-square-foot permanent library, designed to meet the real needs of this community.

Why This Matters

Northwest Calgary is growing rapidly. These communities are home to thousands of Calgarians who deserve access to the same quality of services and spaces as any other part of this city. This library isn't just about books, it's about belonging. It's about creating a foundation for community to come together, especially in a ward that has faced a desert of third spaces including a lack of sufficient recreation facilities.

Libraries are where students study after school, where families gather on weekends, where seniors connect over programs, where neighbours become friends. That's the kind of place we're building here.

What's Being Built

Phase 2 of Symons Valley Centre includes:

• A new 15,000-square-foot public library
• A community commons green space
• Underground and surface parking
• A multi-modal street designed for walking, wheeling, biking, and driving
• Supporting infrastructure for future phases, including non-market housing, mixed-use development, and a Calgary Transit terminal.

When complete, this seven-acre site will be a vibrant, walkable destination, where residents can connect, learn, and thrive, close to home.

A Milestone, Not the Finish Line

Today's celebration is an important milestone. but it's not the finish line. It's proof that when residents speak up, when Councillors advocate, and when administration delivers, we can build the kind of city we all want to live in.

Thank you to our project partners, Calgary Public Library, and the construction teams on site. And most of all, thank you to the residents of Ward 2, for your patience, and for trusting this day would come.

Construction will continue through 2028. As progress unfolds, my office will share regular updates. If you have questions about this project, or about other priorities in Ward 2, please reach out at ward2@calgary.ca.

Learn more about the project from Ward 2's Phase 1 announcement (March 2025): Sage Hill Library Construction Update

Let's keep building, together.