Calgary

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City of Calgary
Image:PengrowthSaddledomeDay.jpg Downtown Calgary.
Image:Calgary Crest.png	Image:Flag of Calgary, Alberta.svg
Coat of Arms of Calgary	Flag of Calgary
Image:Calgary, Alberta Location.png Location of Calgary within census division number 6, Alberta, Canada.
Area	726.50 km²
Metro area	5,107.43 km²
Population	988,193 (2006)[1]
Population rank	3rd
Metro population	1,079,310 (2006)
Metro rank	5th
Population density	1360.2
Location	51°02′N, 114°03′W
Altitude	1048 m
Incorporation	1894
Province	Alberta
Census division	6
Members of Parliament
Diane Ablonczy, Rob Anders, Art Hanger, Stephen Harper, Jason Kenney, Deepak Obhrai, Jim Prentice, Lee Richardson
Members of the Legislative Assembly
Cindy Ady, Moe Amery, Neil Brown, Wayne Cao, Harvey Cenaiko, Harry B. Chase, Alana DeLong, Heather Forsyth, Yvonne Fritz, Denis Herard, Arthur Johnston, Ron Liepert, Richard Magnus, Gary Mar, Greg Melchin, Hung Pham, David Rodney, Shiraz Shariff, Ron Stevens, David Swann, Dave Taylor, Len Webber
Mayor	Dave Bronconnier (Past mayors)
City manager	Owen A. Tobert
Governing body	Calgary City Council
Time zone	Mountain (UTC-7)
Postal code	T1Y to T3R
Area code	403
Official website: City of Calgary

Calgary is the largest city in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, approximately 80 km east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Calgary is the third largest civic municipality, by population, in Canada. As of the national census 2006, Calgary's population was 988,193. The metropolitan population (CMA) was 1,079,310 in 2006,^[2] making Greater Calgary the fifth largest Census Metropolitan Area in the country. Because it is located 300 km (185 miles) due south of Edmonton, statisticians define the narrow, populated region between these cities as the "Calgary-Edmonton Corridor".^[3] It is the largest Canadian metropolitan area between Toronto and Vancouver.

A resident of Calgary is known as a Calgarian.

Calgary is well-known as a destination for winter sports and ecotourism with a number of major mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. Economic activity in Calgary is mostly centred on the petroleum industry; however, agriculture, tourism, and high-tech industries also contribute to the city's fast economic growth. Calgary also holds many major annual festivals which include the Calgary Stampede, the Folk Music Festival, the Lilac Festival, One World Festival (GlobalFest), and the second largest Caribbean festival in the country (Carifest). In 1988, Calgary became the first Canadian city to host the Olympic Winter Games and one of the fastest ice skating rinks in the world was built to accomodate these games.

Contents 1 History 1.1 First settlement 1.2 The oil boom 1.3 Recent history 2 Geography 2.1 Calgary's neighbourhoods 2.2 Climate 3 Culture 4 Sports and recreation 5 Attractions 5.1 Skyline 6 Demographics 7 Government and politics 8 Economy 9 Education 10 Infrastructure 10.1 Transportation 10.2 Medical centres and hospitals 11 Military 12 Local media 13 Contemporary issues 14 Other names 15 Sister cities 16 See also 17 References 18 External links

History

First settlement

Before the Calgary area was settled by Europeans, it was the domain of the Blackfoot people whose presence has been traced back at least 11,000 years. In 1787 cartographer David Thompson spent the winter with a band of Peigan encamped along the Bow River. He was the first recorded European to visit the area and John Glenn was the first documented European settler in the Calgary Area, in 1873.^[4]

The site became a post of the North West Mounted Police (now the RCMP). Originally named Fort Brisebois, after NWMP officer Éphrem-A Brisebois, it was renamed Fort Calgary in 1876 because of questionable conduct on the part of that officer. The NWMP detachment was assigned to protect the western plains from US whiskey traders. Fort Calgary was named by Colonel James Macleod after Calgary (Cala-ghearraidh, Beach of the pasture) on the Isle of Mull, Scotland. When the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the area in 1883 and a rail station was constructed, Calgary began to grow into an important commercial and agricultural centre. The Canadian Pacific Railway headquarters are located in Calgary today. Calgary was officially incorporated as a town in 1884 and elected its first mayor, George Murdoch. In 1894, Calgary became the first city in what was then the Northwest Territories.

The oil boom

Oil was first discovered in Alberta in 1902,^[5] but it didn't become a significant industry in the province until 1947 when huge reserves of it were discovered. Calgary quickly found itself at the centre of the ensuing oil boom. The city's economy grew when oil prices increased with the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973. The population increased by 254,000 in the seventeen years between 1971 (403,000) and 1988 (657,000) and another 335,000 in the next eighteen years following (to 992,000 in 2006). During these boom years, skyscrapers were constructed at a pace seen by few cities anywhere. The relatively low-rise downtown quickly became dense with tall buildings,^[6] a trend that continues to this day.

Calgary's economy was so closely tied to the oil industry that the city's boom peaked with the average annual price of oil in 1981.^[7] The subsequent drop in oil prices and the introduction of the National Energy Program were cited by industry as reasons for a collapse in the oil industry and consequently the overall Calgary economy. The NEP was cancelled in the mid-1980s by the Brian Mulroney federal government. Continued low oil prices, however, prevented a full recovery until the 1990s.

Recent history

With the energy sector employing a huge number of Calgarians, the fallout from the economic slump of the early 1980s was understandably significant. The unemployment rate soared. By the end of the decade, however, the economy was in recovery. Calgary quickly realized that it could not afford to put so much emphasis on oil and gas, and the city has since become much more diverse, both economically and culturally. The period during this recession marked Calgary's transition from a mid-sized and relatively nondescript prairie city into a major cosmopolitan and diverse centre. This transition culminated in February of 1988, when the city hosted the XV Olympic Winter Games. The success of these games^[8] essentially put the city on the world stage.

The economy in Calgary and Alberta is now booming, and the region of nearly 1.1 million people is the fastest growing in the country.^[9] While the oil and gas industry comprise most of the economy, the city has invested a great deal into other areas. Tourism is perhaps one of the fastest growing industries in the city. Over 3.1 million people now visit the city on an annual basis^[10] for its many festivals and attractions, as well as the Calgary Stampede. The nearby mountain resort towns of Banff, Lake Louise, and Canmore are also becoming increasingly popular with tourists, and are bringing people into Calgary as a result. Other modern industries include light manufacturing, high-tech, film, transportation, and services. The city has ranked highly^[11] in quality of life surveys: 25^th in the 2006 Mercer Quality of Living Survey,^[12] and 10^th best city to live in according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).^[13]

Geography

Calgary is located at the transition from the Canadian Rockies foothils and the Canadian Prairies and is relatively hilly as a result. Calgary's elevation is approximately 1048 metres (3440 feet) above sea level downtown, and 1083 metres (3556 feet) at the airport. The city proper covers a land area of 721 km² (as of 2001) and as such exceeds the land areas of both Toronto and New York City.

There are two major rivers that run through the city. The Bow River is the largest and flows from the west to the south. The Elbow River flows northwards from the south until it converges with the Bow River near downtown. Since the climate of the region is generally dry, dense vegetation occurs naturally only in the river valleys, on some north-facing slopes, and within Fish Creek Provincial Park.

The city is large in physical area, consisting of an inner city surrounded by various communities of decreasing density. Unlike most cities with a sizable metropolitan area, most of Calgary's suburbs are incorporated into the city proper, with the notable exceptions of the city of Airdrie to the north, Cochrane to the northwest, Strathmore to the east, and the sprawling Springbank district to the west. Though it is not technically within Calgary's metropolitan area, the town of Okotoks is only a short distance to the south and is considered a suburb as well. The Calgary Economic Region includes slightly more area than the CMA and has a population of 1,146,900.

The city of Calgary proper is immediately surrounded by two municipal districts, Rocky View No. 44 to the north, west and east; and Foothills No. 31 to the south.

Calgary's neighbourhoods

Main article: List of neighbourhoods in Calgary

The downtown region of the city consists of five neighbourhoods: Eau Claire (including the Festival District), the Downtown West End, the Downtown Commercial Core, Chinatown, and the Downtown East Village (also part of the Rivers District). The commercial core is itself divided into a number of districts including the Stephen Avenue Retail Core, the Entertainment District, the Arts District and the Government District. Distinct from downtown and south of 9th Avenue is Calgary's densest neighbourhood, the Beltline. The area includes a number of communities such as Midtown, Victoria Crossing and a portion of the Rivers District. The Beltline is the focus of major planning and rejuvenation initiatives on the part of the municipal government to increase the density and liveliness of Calgary's centre.

Adjacent to, or directly radiating from the downtown are the first of the inner-city communities. These include Crescent Heights, Hounsfield Heights/Briar Hill, Hillhurst /Sunnyside (including Kensington BRZ), Bridgeland, Renfrew, Mount Royal, Mission, Ramsay and Inglewood and Albert Park/Radisson Heights directly to the east. The inner city is, in turn, surrounded by relatively dense and established neighbourhoods such as Rosedale, North Haven, and Mount Pleasant to the north; Bowness, Parkdale and Westgate to the west; Park Hill, South Calgary (including Marda Loop), Bankview, Altadore and Killarney to the south; and Forest Lawn/International Avenue to the east. Lying beyond these, and usually separated from one another by highways, are the suburban communities, often characterized as "Commuter Communities". The greatest amount of suburban expansion is happening in the city's deep south with major growth on the northwestern edge as well. In all, there are over 180 distinct neighbourhoods within the city limits.^[14]

Climate

Calgary has a highland continental climate with long, but highly variable, winters and short, warm summers (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 3b). The climate is greatly influenced by the city's elevation and close proximity to the Rocky Mountains. Although Calgary's winters can be uncomfortably cold, warm, dry Chinook winds routinely blow into the city from the Pacific Ocean during the winter months, giving Calgarians a break from the cold. These winds have been known to raise the winter temperature by up to 15°C (27°F) in just a few hours, and may last several days. The chinooks are such a common feature of Calgary's winters that only one month (January 1950) has failed to witness a thaw over more than 100 years of weather observations. More than one half of all winter days see the daily maximum rise above 0°C (32°F). Some mid-winter days even approach 20°C (68°F) on occasion.

Calgary is a city of extremes, and temperatures have ranged anywhere from a record low of −45°C (-49°F) in 1893 to a record high of 36°C (97°F) in 1919. Temperatures fall below −30°C (-22°F) on about five days per year, though extreme cold spells usually do not last very long. According to Environment Canada, the average temperature in Calgary ranges from a January daily average of −9°C (16°F) to a July daily average of 16°C (61°F).

As a consequence of Calgary's high elevation and relative dryness, summer evenings can be very cool, the average summer minimum temperature drops to 8°C (46°F), and frosts can occur in any month of the year. Calgary has experienced snowfall even in July and August. Although not common, Calgary experiences summer daytime temperatures of above 30°C (86°F) on an average of four days per year. With an average relative humidity of 55% in the winter and 45% in the summer, Calgary has a semi-arid climate typical of other cities in the Western Great Plains and Canadian Prairies. Unlike cities further east, like Toronto, Montreal, or even Winnipeg, humidity is almost never a factor during the Calgary summer.

The city is among the sunniest in Canada, with 2,405 hours of annual sunshine, on average. Calgary receives an average of 413 mm (16.2 in) of precipitation annually, with 301 mm (11.8 in) of that occurring in the form of rain, and the remainder as snow 112cm (44 in). Most of the precipitation occurs from May to August, with June averaging the most monthly rainfall. In June of 2005, Calgary received 248 mm (9.8 in) of precipitation, making it the wettest month in the city's recorded history. Droughts are not uncommon and may occur at any time of the year lasting sometimes for months or even years. Precipitation decreases from west to east; consequently, groves of trees on the western outskirts largely give way to treeless grassland around the eastern city limit.

Calgary averages more than 20 days a year with thunderstorms, with almost all of them occurring in the summer months. Calgary lies on the edge of Alberta's hailstorm alley and is prone to occasional damaging hailstorms. A hailstorm that struck Calgary in September 7, 1991 was one of the most destructive natural disasters in Canadian history, with over $400 million dollars in damage.^[15]

Seasons

• Winter: November to mid-March.
• Spring: mid-March to May
• Summer: June to August
• Autumn: September to November

Weather averages for Calgary

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Avg high °C	-2.8	-0.1	4.0	11.3	16.4	20.2	22.9	22.5	17.6	12.1	2.8	-1.3	10.5
Avg low °C	-15.1	-12.0	-7.8	-2.1	3.1	7.3	9.4	8.6	4.0	-1.4	-8.9	-13.4	-2.4
Avg high °F	27.0	31.8	39.2	52.3	61.5	68.4	73.2	72.5	63.7	53.8	37.0	29.7	50.9
Avg low °F	4.8	10.4	18.0	28.2	37.6	45.1	48.9	47.5	39.2	29.5	16.0	7.7	27.7
Precipitation (cm)	1.16	0.88	1.74	2.39	6.03	7.98	6.79	5.88	4.57	1.39	1.23	1.22	41.26
Precipitation (in)	0.45	0.35	0.68	0.94	2.37	3.14	2.67	2.31	1.79	0.54	0.48	0.48	16.24
Source: Environment Canada[16] Dec 2006

Culture

Calgary's urban scene has changed considerably since the city has grown. It is also starting to become recognized as one of Canada's most diverse cities. Today, Calgary is a modern cosmopolitan city that still retains much of its traditional culture of hotel saloons, western bars, night clubs, and hockey. Following its revival in the 1990s, Calgary has also become a centre for country music in Canada. As such, it is referred to by some as the "Nashville of the North." Calgary is also home to a thriving all-ages music scene of many genres, including pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic and country.

As a relatively ethnically diverse city, Calgary also has a number of multicultural areas and assets. It has one of the largest Chinatowns in Canada as well as a “Little Italy” in the Bridgeland neighbourhood. Forest Lawn is among the most diverse areas in the city and as such, the area around 17th Avenue SE within the neighbourhood is also known as International Avenue. The district is home to ethnic restaurants and stores.

As the population has grown, and particularly, as the urban density in central Calgary has increased, so too has the vitality of this area. While the city continues to embrace suburbanism, people are beginning to find a wide variety alternatives in the inner city. This has led to significant increases in the popularity of central districts such as 17th Avenue, Kensington, Inglewood, Forest Lawn, Marda Loop and the Mission District. The nightlife and the availability of cultural venues in these areas has gradually begun to evolve as a result.

The Calgary Public Library is a public library network with 17 branches throughout the city, including a large central library.

See also: List of notable Calgarians

Calgary is the site of the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, a 4 million cubic foot (113,000 m³) performing arts, culture and community facility. The auditorium is one of two "twin" facilities in the province, the other located in Edmonton, each being locally known as the "Jube." The 2,700-seat auditorium was opened in 1957 and has been host to hundreds of Broadway musical, theatrical, stage and local productions. Annually, over 850,000 visitors frequent the performance space. The Calgary Jube is the resident home of the Alberta Ballet, the Calgary opera, the Kiwanis Music Festival, and the annual civic Remembrance Day Ceremonies. Both auditoriums operate 365 days a year, and are run by the provincial government. Both received major renovations as part of the province's centennial.

Calgary has a thriving festival scene with festivals being held all year round. Some established festivals that attract talent from all over the World are FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival and the Folk Music Festival.

Calgary is also home to a number of contemporary and established theatre companies; among them are One Yellow Rabbit, which shares the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as Theatre Calgary, and Alberta Theatre Projects. There are also many smaller theatre and performing arts companies in the city, such as Vertigo Mystery Theatre and THEATREboom. Calgary was also the birthplace of the improvisational theatre games known as Theatresports. The Calgary International Film Festival is also held in the city annually, as well as the International Festival of Animated Objects.

Calgary is also home to a number of world class marching bands. They include the Calgary Round-Up Band, The Calgary Stetson Show Band, and the two time World Association for Marching Show Bands champions, The Calgary Stampede Show Band.^[17]Calgary is also the home to the Bishop Grandin Marching Band, which is one of the only remaining high school bands in Canada.

The city is home to several museums. The best-known of these, the Glenbow Museum is the largest in western Canada and includes an art gallery. Other major museums include the largest Chinese Cultural Centre in North America, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame (at Canada Olympic Park), The Military Museums, the Cantos Music Museum and the Aero Space Museum. There are also a number of art galleries in the city and many of them are concentrated along the Stephen Avenue and 17th Avenue corridors. The largest of these is the Art Gallery of Calgary (AGC).

Calgary is home to a number of major annual festivals and events. These include the growing Calgary International Film Festival, the Calgary Folk Music Festival, The Greek Festival, Carifest, the Lilac Festival, GlobalFest, the Calgary Fringe Festival, Summerstock, Expo Latino, and many other cultural and ethnic festivals. Calgary's most well-known event is the Calgary Stampede, which occurs every July. It features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a midway, stage shows, agricultural competitions, chuck-wagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. It is among the largest and best-known festivals in Canada. The event has a 93 year history. In 2005, attendance at the 10-day rodeo and exhibition totalled 1,242,928.

See also: Festivals in Calgary

Sports and recreation

Main article: Sport in Calgary

In large part due to its proximity to the Rocky Mountains, Calgary has traditionally been a popular destination for winter sports. Since hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics, the city has also been home to a number of major winter sporting facilities such as Canada Olympic Park (luge, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, downhill skiing, snowboarding, and some summer sports) and the Olympic Oval (speed skating and hockey). These facilities serve as the primary training venues for a number of competitive athletes.

See also: 1988 Winter Olympics

In the summer, the Bow River is very popular among fly-fishermen. Golfing is also an extremely popular activity for Calgarians and the region has a large number of courses.

The city also has a large number of urban parks including Fish Creek Provincial Park, Nose Hill Park, Bowness Park, Edworthy Park, the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Confederation Park, and Prince's Island Park. Nose Hill Park is the largest municipal park in Canada. Connecting these parks and most of the city's neighbourhoods is one of the most extensive multi-use (walking, bike, rollerblading, etc) path systems in North America.^[18]

Professional sports teams