A Meeting Place
At the confluence of two rivers, collective, celebratory energy has been part of this land for more than 15,000 years. Where the Bow meets the Elbow is called Moh’kinsstis by the Blackfoot nation, for the crook, or elbow, in the river.
Here, the Cree and Métis gathered for trade and mingling. The Nakoda and Dene migrated into the region as European settlers encroached.
Calgary’s Original Neighbourhood
Fort Calgary appeared nearby in 1875. As Canada took form and the railroad stitched the country together, the first trains stopped here. A bustling neighbourhood grew around the station. East Victoria Park, first known as Calgary’s East Ward, was the original transit-oriented development.
In 1899, the Calgary and District Agricultural Society purchased 38 hectares of land for its exhibition grounds. The reigning monarch encouraged exhibitions as a way of bringing people together in celebration, so they named the area for the queen. Victoria Park was born.
- 1901Fairgrounds renamed Stampede Park
- 1981Round Up Centre opens
- 1983Saddledome replaces Stampede Corral
Enter The Innovator
In 1912 Guy Weadick had a vision: entertain a crowd with a wild west show featuring the skills of ranch hands. The people of Treaty 7 would also play a significant role that continues at that wild west show today: the Calgary Stampede.
Through Calgary’s ups and downs, the Stampede emerged as a galvanizer. It captures the city’s spirit and is one of North America’s most remarkable community rituals. It was true during the First World War and the Second, and again after the flood in 2013. And now, revitalization brings a new era with deep roots in world-famous hospitality, starting with the expanded BMO Centre and new Event Centre.
The Calgary Stampede’s goals are about welcoming as many people as we can to Stampede Park and giving them the best experience possible. The Rivers District Master Plan, and all of the connections that we’re building to the areas around Stampede Park, are going to do just that.
– Jim Laurendeau, Calgary Stampede
The Future Arrives
The C+E District helps Calgary define itself in a multi-faceted, mixed-use destination celebrating the heritage and the future of the arts, culture and entertainment. It’s always been a meeting place — for people and big ideas. The collective and connective energy of east Victoria Park makes it the right place for the next chapter of Calgary’s story.
Calgary’s future story is rooted in its history and is unlike anything seen before.
