Victoria Park could be the new home for the Calgary Flames, as a proposal for the city’s new event centre would see the complex built on two existing parking lots on Stampede grounds.
The so-called “Victoria Park Option” wound have a 7.2 acre, two-block footprint — bordered by 12 Avenue, 5 Street SE, 14 Avenue SE and Olympic Way SE — just north of Stampede Park, according to a proposal posted on the City of Calgary website.
“There’s a lot of benefits around looking at that area but there’s a long path to trot on this we need to talk to Calgarians we need to talk to the neighbouring communities there a number of stake holders the stampede the community associations,” said Ward 9 councillor Evan Wolley after reading the report.
The new centre, for which there are no plans yet, would include an NHL-level arena along with other “ancillary services” that are yet to be determined, the report says.
“Preliminary site planning and architectural investigations have determined that there is sufficient site area for an event centre with the same specifications and details as the event centre included as part of the CalgaryNEXT design,” the report said.
The original CalgaryNEXT arena concept, which was pitched by the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) in November 2015, was declared “dead” by Mayor Naheed Nenshi in March of this year. It would have been built in Calgary’s West Village neighbourhood.
“A Victoria Park concept has been prepared,” the report says, with the group going on to say the new stadium would revitalize the Victoria Park neighbourhood.
“This location is well suited for growth, due to recent public infrastructure investments and significant anticipated future investments in the area,” the report reads.
The report also says the stadium would be “central” to the Rivers District plan and the Stampede Master Plan.
There is no estimate for what the new event centre construction might cost, but the report says the city, CSEC and other stakeholders are “engaged in ongoing budget discussions that include project costs and funding.”
The report is on the agenda to be discussed at city council Monday afternoon.
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