Arts Commons project takes next step with $160M in funding

The City of Calgary says it will hire a design company for a planned expansion of Arts Commons after it secured $160 million of the $240 million required for the project. 

City council approved a financial strategy last year for four major projects — a new arena to replace the Saddledome; a $500-million addition to the BMO Centre; a $412-million expansion to Arts Commons, and a new fieldhouse at Foothills Athletic Park. 

The Arts Commons expansion will be built at the west end of the block that includes Olympic Plaza. 

New funds

Council approved $25 million for the project in September last year and the province told the city at the end of February that it would release $135 million.

"Council had requested that the province release the municipal sustainability initiative funding, the MSI funding, and that has been given the go ahead," said Coun. Druh Farrell. 

"So, that means that we can take the project forward as far as design and where some of the details are concerned while we still look for funding from other orders of government."

New building in phase one

Currently there's no source for the remaining $80 million needed for the project. An application for federal funds under the Canada Infrastructure Program was not successful in 2019.

Phase one of the project will involve building a new facility at the west end of Olympic Plaza that will feature a new 1,200-seat theatre, two smaller theatres, rehearsal space and an elevated corridor that will connect it to the existing building. 

Construction is expected to start in 2024.

Phase two will start once the first phase is complete and involves revamping the old Arts Commons space.