Saving Calgary’s Original Small-Town Heart

By: Darren Chu

We need your help! Calgary’s historic Inglewood is under threat. Help to Save 9th Ave by signing this petition before July 19, 2020.

Calgary's historic Inglewood is anything but ordinary; it is Calgary's oldest neighbourhood and is centred around 9th Avenue SE, formerly known as Atlantic Avenue. As the home of Calgary's original "main street," Inglewood has retained its village-like charm by staying true to the feel of the authentic establishments. But don't just take our word for it, see for yourself!

Not sure where to start? Peruse the plentiful selection of reading materials at Fair’s Fair Books (2020 Best of Calgary winner for Best Bookstore), try on unique fashions at Espy Experience (2020 Best of Calgary winner for Best Menswear Store), grab a cappuccino at Rosso Coffee Roasters, or try some delicious Italian sausage at Spolumbos. Looking for entertainment? Give your inner child time to play some arcade games at Revival Brewcade, enjoy a riotous drag performance at Lolita’s Lounge, or check out live music at the Ironwood Stage and Grill.

Whatever your taste, Inglewood has it. It’s no wonder Inglewood was named Best Shopping District and Best Neighbourhood by Best of Calgary in 2020.

These local businesses form a tight-knit community here in Inglewood, a neighbourhood that we are proud to call home. Spot Power and its parent company, Utility Network & Partners Inc. (UTILITYnet), enjoy a fantastic view of all the charm 9th Avenue has to offer from a two-storey building in the heart of Inglewood. But all of that is under threat by planned developments and land-use changes that could alter the look and feel of Inglewood forever.

Three separate land-use change applications have been proposed (907-915 9th Ave SE, 1025-1139 9th Ave SE, 1230-1234 9th Ave SE) each more than twice the existing bylaw limit of 65 feet or about six storeys. L.J. Robertson, Planning & Redevelopment Director for the Inglewood Community Association, says the new developments are not appropriate for Inglewood as the heritage centre of Calgary.

"By putting in buildings that are two to two-and-a-half times the existing bylaw, that can have nothing but a negative impact on the street,” said Robertson. “We are already seeing on the western end of 9th Avenue, a sense of increased shade and sort of a wind tunnel feel."

City Council is due to review the proposed land use changes on July 27. Members of the Inglewood Community Association are calling on Calgarians to speak up before this date to voice their concerns to council in hopes of retaining the community character of Inglewood that we all know and love.

A petition, which has already received over 14,000 signatures, has been started by the Association and Calgarians can call or write to their councilor to express their views. Click here for more information.

Residents and local businesses are also concerned that the new developments will drastically harm Inglewood's heritage and will ultimately drive people out of the picturesque neighbourhood. With the current economic situation, businesses are challenged in Inglewood, like anywhere else, but hang on because this area is so unique.

Johanna Lane is the owner of Calgary Ghost Walks and her business relies on the distinct feel of Inglewood to tell the local ghost stories and local history that draws in customers.

“Our guests love coming down and enjoying the character of the buildings and the heritage feel of the whole area,” said Lane. “It becomes harder to tell and harder to have the guests connect to and care about historical stories when buildings are destroyed or more modern replacements that don’t fit the landscape show up.”

For those wanting a less supernatural experience, Calgary Ghost Walks also does historical tours, a facet of their business that is enhanced by heritage buildings.

Inglewood is more than just a trendy shopping district; it's also home to community gatherings. The Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club, established in 1936, sits at the intersection of 8th Avenue and 12th Street SE and is a local hotspot during the summer months, hosting parties and team building events. The club has a storied history that tells of the communal spirit which helped build it. Having become an Inglewood institution, it now has the largest lawn-bowling membership in Calgary.

One of the proposed land-use developments is RNDSQR's "Block," a 12-storey mixed-use project that will sit on the corner of 9th Avenue and 12th Street SE and will tower over the surrounding establishments. The sheer size and scale of the building itself aside, the RNDSQR development will overshadow a large portion of the Inglewood Lawn Bowling Club's greenspace, and could potentially lead to its closure. If the grass dies, even replacing it with AstroTurf will likely not save their business from constant shade.

9th Avenue has also been featured in many film and television series, which rely on the already-built filming location. One such series, Fargo, featured several sites such as Inglewood Pizza and Delightful Donuts & Cafe.

The pandemic notwithstanding, there is concern that the alteration of Inglewood's screen-worthy look and brand will further reduce Calgary's appeal as a location for film and television scouts. Inglewood can be made to look and feel like many locations around North America, and having local businesses that are already open is a valuable asset to producers. According to Calgary Economic Development, the film and television sector earned Calgary $181 million in production in 2018, and $197 million in 2019. This is in addition to the thousands of jobs the industry generates for Albertans.

"It's remarkable to me that the city wants to kill the goose that's laying the golden eggs," says Robertson.

Surveys of local residents have revealed a disconnect between the community and city council. According to an Inglewood Community Association survey, respondents felt that the RNDSQR Block would not relate, integrate, or defer to the surrounding buildings. It was stated that the new development "did not relate (rather) it bullied" the neighbouring buildings.

To be fair, the Inglewood community is not entirely against new development in the area. These surveys also revealed that residents recognize the benefits of bringing more people into the community. Having additional people in the area would help support the small businesses that call Inglewood home. They are merely seeking "appropriately contextual architecture," as outlined in the concerns brought forth by the Inglewood Community Association.

As one such local business, Spot Power is throwing its support behind the Save 9th Avenue community initiative. Ten years ago, we bought a building on 9th Ave, in the same block as Spolumbos. Our office is on the second floor and our two tenants (Knifewear and Kent of Inglewood) are typical examples of other small businesses that have flourished because of the street traffic and the support that they receive from people who live in the neighbourhood.

"The issue is it changes the ambience of a small town where people enjoy walking the streets.” said Nick Clark and Madeline Low, owners and founders of UTILITYnet. “We don't have big box stores, so people tend to walk on the street, and they browse; that's the feeling of Inglewood. We like the odd stores; you won't find them in a big mall, you find them in Inglewood."

"The City of Calgary did a good job of maintaining the heritage look of Stephen Avenue. With what they're proposing to do here with development, they'll destroy the atmosphere of Inglewood. Small businesses will suffer if you lose the streetside appeal by making buildings impersonal," Clark added. "We could go for a walk down the street, and the local merchants will say hello to you; it's that personal touch that gets lost in a steel and glass high-rise setting."

Spot Power is committed to supporting local businesses and maintaining the integrity of the Inglewood community. If the city continues down this path, we fear that Calgary will lose its historic community altogether, making us the only major Canadian city without a heritage district.

The Inglewood Community Association needs your help! Calgarians need to do their part to ensure that City Council and Administration understand that the Inglewood Heritage Village is worth saving. We encourage our readers and customers to engage with the Inglewood Community Association by signing their petition or by contacting their City Councillor.