Stephen Avenue
Stephen Avenue Revitalization Project
New Look. New Feel. New Stephen Avenue.
Stephen Avenue is getting a major upgrade! Our goal is to create a vibrant, lively place where people can work, shop, eat, and enjoy arts and culture all year round – right in the heart of Calgary.
Stephen Avenue has been an important part of downtown for decades. Now, it's time to refresh it to match Calgary’s bold and energetic vibe. This project will help boost the local economy, bring more people downtown, and make the area more welcoming for businesses, residents, and visitors.
The vision for a new Stephen Avenue
The new design for Stephen Avenue will make it more welcoming, easy to walk, and fun to spend time in. Here’s what you can expect:
- A highly walkable and pedestrian-friendly street
- More outdoor public seating with patios, and places to relax
- Spaces for live music, street festivals, and cultural events
- New trees, lighting, and canopies to make it inviting all year round, day or night
- Safer biking and wheeling paths
- Easier access for people of all abilities and incomes
- Preserving the avenue’s history and character
- A better shopping and dining experience that attracts more people
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Construction updates – bringing the vision to life
The work will be done in phases to reduce disruptions. The City is working closely with local businesses and groups to keep the area moving while construction is underway.
What to expect
We will complete construction in sections:
- Section 1 (1 Street S.E. to 1 Street S.W.) is scheduled to begin after Stampede 2025, and is expected to be completed by late 2026.
- More information about future sections will be shared as soon as it's available.
During construction, The City will:
- Give advance notice of work and what to expect
- Keep access open for visitors and businesses
- Remind people that Stephen Avenue is still open for business
- Coordinate with other nearby construction to reduce delays
Project timeline
- Revisioning of Stephen Avenue began in 2019
- Citizens and stakeholders were engaged to understand challenges and opportunities and define what success looks like.
- A public realm study was created that provides a vision and roadmap for the future of Stephen Avenue.
- The project moved from planning to doing by testing ideas from the public realm study to better understand and measure the impacts of change along the Avenue.
- Ideas/pilots included a pollinator garden, seating clusters, the Winter City Design Competition, and more.
- The Streetscape Master Plan is a comprehensive design document that guides how the Avenue will look, feel, and be experienced by Calgarians and visitors.
- Ideas and feedback from Calgarians, along with technical analysis, best practices and policy review informed the conceptual streetscape master plan.
- The project team will finalize the design and create the construction drawings.
- Construction budget confirmation will determine how and when the project moves to implementation.
- As the implementation plan continues to be developed, impacts and opportunities to align with adjacent projects are considered, including those in-progress and planned.
Why this project matters to Calgary
Refreshing Stephen Avenue is a big part of The City’s plan to make downtown a better place for everyone. It supports Calgary’s goals to build a strong, people-friendly, and successful downtown.
Want to learn more?
See Calgary’s Greater Downtown Plan – Roadmap to Reinvention
For the latest updates on the Stephen Avenue project, stay connected with us here.
Full 2023 Streetscape Master Plan
How the community helped shape the design
Phase 1 Engagement:
We asked Calgarians to tell us what they liked and what could be better on Stephen Avenue. Their input helped shape the future vision.
Phase 2 Engagement:
We shared design ideas and asked for feedback on what would inspire people to spend more time on the Avenue.