Having reached the end of its life cycle after servicing the community for over 50 years, the old Varsity Fire Station was in need of replacement. To better serve Calgarians for years to come, the new fire station was reimagined as a multi-service centre that strengthens the emergency response for a growing community while also providing new housing options, new services, and a public green space, all within a single community-focused hub.

The facility includes:

• A modern fire station (Varsity Fire Station #17) to meet today’s emergency response demands and support safety in Varsity and neighbouring areas.
• 48 mixed-income housing units, including 11 barrier-free homes and several multi-generational family units, creating stability and affordability for around 200 Calgarians. 
• A household hazardous waste drop-off site to support safe, convenient environmental stewardship.
• Flexible workspaces for City service teams operating in the community.
• A potential day care service in the new retail space.
• A welcoming new parkette, with more green space to follow on the site of the old fire station.

Once the old facility has been demolished, the site will be transformed into additional park space, complementing the outdoor parkette in front of the new building and contributing to the peaceful, residential character of the area.

Multi-service centres benefit Calgarians by:

• Making services easier and faster to access
• Making better use of City-owned land
• Reducing operating costs
• Reducing overall design and construction costs
• Being designed to meet LEED certification

The Varsity Multi-Service Redevelopment was designed and constructed to be an energy efficient and resilient facility, following The City’s Sustainable Building Policy. Key sustainability measures include:

• Achieved LEED Gold
• Energy efficient: enhanced building envelope, efficient lighting and heat recovery systems reduce annual utility costs by ~25%.
• Water efficiency: efficient water fixtures reduce indoor water use by 40%; native plant species eliminate the need for an irrigation system.
• Climate resilience: informed by projections of more frequent and intense heat waves, expanded mechanical systems cool the building to maintain safe and comfortable indoor conditions year-round.
• Renewable energy: a 180 kW rooftop solar PV system is split between the fire station and Calgary Housing buildings, generating electricity roughly equivalent to the usage of 45 apartment units, while reducing facility electricity costs by $37K annually.

This facility received $117K in funding from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre through the Municipal Electricity Generation Program.

“Through the Municipal Electricity Generation Program, we are producing clean power within our own city and making progress on our vision for a sustainable and resilient Calgary,” says Nicole Newton, Director of Environmental Risk and Resilience. “The grant funding reduces the financial burden on The City, enabling us to invest in infrastructure projects that reduce long-term operational costs for our facilities, while supporting local jobs and strengthening Calgary’s clean energy future.”

The total investment for this project is $53.5 million, with $10 million being provided by the Government of Alberta’s Local Government Fiscal Framework (formerly the Municipal Sustainability Initiative).

For project history, background, and past engagement information, please visit the Engage page.