On Monday, February 25, we're streamlining our online services by consolidating The City of Calgary News Blog and The City of Calgary Newsroom. This means one location to bookmark – making it easier to stay connected and informed on the stories that highlight the great works of The City and its employees.
While this News Blog will no longer be updated, The City of Calgary Newsroom will evolve to include feature stories, photos, videos and other forms of content about the many municipal services and programs we offer to make Calgary a great place to live. Content from the News Blog will be archived.
Mark your calendars for February 25 and check The City’s Newsroom for many great features. At this time you will not be able to subscribe to the newsroom to receive the content directly so please bookmark https://newsroom.calgary.ca/
We are excited to share the news with you.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Historic City Hall's Tower Clock set to return to work
At 107 years old, the City Hall Clock has already had a long career keeping time for Calgarians – and its career isn’t over. The iconic Calgary time piece will be back in its tower in Historic City Hall when restoration completes in 2020. Until then the Tower Clock, as it is fondly referred to, will be on display in the atrium of the Municipal Building, during regular business hours until fall of 2019. The clock will be housed in a transparent display case which will also be used to protect the clock when it is reinstalled within Historic City Hall.
The Tower Clock is the only one of its kind in Canada, only 50 of this model were ever manufactured, and is one of just 12 Seth Thomas Clock Company models #16A around the world that still operates as designed.
Once back to work, in the four-faced tower the Clock’s hands will again point out the time and its bells will chime the hours. A City employee will continue winding the Tower Clock by hand and doing regular inspections to see if any maintenance is needed when the Clock returns to work in the five-storey, sandstone tower.
To our city’s early citizens, the Tower Clock was more than four pretty faces when installed in 1911. Its chimes were the only way most people knew what time it was as few could afford their own time pieces.
Before the Tower Clock, the best mark of time the community had was canon fire at noon. Retired North West Mounted Police officer James H. Walker carried out the task.
The Tower Clock has reliably served Calgarians over the decades with a little time off here and there as to be expected.
While we no longer depend on a clock to tell us what time it is, the Tower Clock is still a treasure as a reminder of our past.
Once back to work, in the four-faced tower the Clock’s hands will again point out the time and its bells will chime the hours. A City employee will continue winding the Tower Clock by hand and doing regular inspections to see if any maintenance is needed when the Clock returns to work in the five-storey, sandstone tower.
To our city’s early citizens, the Tower Clock was more than four pretty faces when installed in 1911. Its chimes were the only way most people knew what time it was as few could afford their own time pieces.
Before the Tower Clock, the best mark of time the community had was canon fire at noon. Retired North West Mounted Police officer James H. Walker carried out the task.
The Tower Clock has reliably served Calgarians over the decades with a little time off here and there as to be expected.
While we no longer depend on a clock to tell us what time it is, the Tower Clock is still a treasure as a reminder of our past.
For a historical background on the City Hall Clock visit http://www.calgary.ca/CS/CPB/Pages/Projects-and-initiatives/Historic-City-Hall/CityHallsFamousClock.aspx
Read more stories of Historic City Hall at http://www.calgary.ca/CS/CPB/Pages/Projects-and-initiatives/Historic-City-Hall/Historic-Stories-and-Image-Gallery.aspx
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Time capsule in Historic City Hall opened after 110 years
A snapshot of Calgary from days past came into focus today with the removal of a 110-year-old time capsule from under the cornerstone of Historic City Hall.
The time capsule was put in place on Sept. 15, 1908 at a point during construction when the cornerstone had to be laid. It is now, while the building is being rehabilitated, that The City decided to open the time capsule.
Time capsules usually have a date for opening, says Cassie Brannagan, Communications Analyst with The City. “This one didn’t. We looked through all the council minutes from 1908 and any documents from that time and couldn’t find one. It was decided that we would remove it now so that any contents, that are over a hundred years old, could be saved from further deterioration.”
In a newspaper article from 1908 that covered the ceremony, Mayor Arthur L. Cameron is quoted as saying, “Enterprise has made Calgary a commercial capital. Our citizens are building beautiful homes, both private and public institutions are erecting buildings of which any city might proud of, and I think I am safe in saying that you will take pride in this new building.”
For the 12,000 residents of Calgary in 1908, their city was 14 years old and was still a country community. The First World War was six years away, women would be able to vote provincially in eight years and the stock market crash that ushered in the Great Depression wouldn’t strike for 21 years.
In the words of Mayor Cameron, a burning question for years was whether Calgary should have a municipal building. “On becoming a greater Calgary, and with a rapidly growing population and general prosperity, the council of 1907 found that it was absolutely necessary to have proper accommodation to carry on our municipal government to advantage.”
The time capsule, a copper box, includes the 1907 City financial report, bylaws, the 1907 voters list, reports of the general hospital and school board, 1908 stamps, coins, names of members of the police and fire departments, copies of newspapers and reports from churches in the city.
This morning, Mayor Naheed Nenshi pulled the time capsule out of the cornerstone where it sat behind a sandstone cover. A conservator will now remove each of the 27 items and allow them to acclimatize to the room’s humidity level for several hours before examining them further and developing with a plan to preserve them.
With a nod to the future, The City will engage citizens in 2019 about what the contents of a new time capsule that will be placed within Historic City Hall should contain.
Full list of the time capsule's contents:
1. New Testament
2. By-laws, City of Calgary
3. Financial Report, City of Calgary, 1907
4. Voters’ List, 1907
5. Report of the Board of Trade (the future Calgary Chamber of Commerce), 1907
6. Album of the Dominion Exhibition, held in Calgary in 1908 (and an inspiration to Guy Weadick (1885–1953), who performed at the event, to return and mount the Calgary Stampede in 1912)
7. Report of Grand Lodge of Masons of Alberta, 1908
8. Report of Grand Lodge of Oddfellows of Alberta, 1908
9. General Hospital report, 1907
10. Calgary School Board report, 1907
11. Tercentenary stamps, Canada, 1908
12. Coins, 50¢, 25¢, 10¢, 5¢, Dominion of Canada
13. Copy of history of Roman Catholic Church, Calgary, 1907
14. Medal of chairman of Police Department
15. Medal of city comptroller
16. Members of the Calgary Fire Department
17. Report of Knox Church, Calgary
18. Members of the Police Department
19. Proceedings of synod of Church of England for western Canada
20. Minutes of Alberta conference of Methodist church
21. Yearbook of the Central Methodist Church (later renamed Central United Church)
22. Report of Baptist church
23. Copy of Daily Herald
24. Copy of Morning Albertan
25. Copy of special edition of Albertan
26. Copy of Daily News
27. Copy of Eye Opener
Find more info about the rehabilitation of Historic City Hall at calgary.ca/historiccityhall
Time capsules usually have a date for opening, says Cassie Brannagan, Communications Analyst with The City. “This one didn’t. We looked through all the council minutes from 1908 and any documents from that time and couldn’t find one. It was decided that we would remove it now so that any contents, that are over a hundred years old, could be saved from further deterioration.”
For the 12,000 residents of Calgary in 1908, their city was 14 years old and was still a country community. The First World War was six years away, women would be able to vote provincially in eight years and the stock market crash that ushered in the Great Depression wouldn’t strike for 21 years.
The time capsule, a copper box, includes the 1907 City financial report, bylaws, the 1907 voters list, reports of the general hospital and school board, 1908 stamps, coins, names of members of the police and fire departments, copies of newspapers and reports from churches in the city.
This morning, Mayor Naheed Nenshi pulled the time capsule out of the cornerstone where it sat behind a sandstone cover. A conservator will now remove each of the 27 items and allow them to acclimatize to the room’s humidity level for several hours before examining them further and developing with a plan to preserve them.
With a nod to the future, The City will engage citizens in 2019 about what the contents of a new time capsule that will be placed within Historic City Hall should contain.
Full list of the time capsule's contents:
1. New Testament
2. By-laws, City of Calgary
3. Financial Report, City of Calgary, 1907
4. Voters’ List, 1907
5. Report of the Board of Trade (the future Calgary Chamber of Commerce), 1907
6. Album of the Dominion Exhibition, held in Calgary in 1908 (and an inspiration to Guy Weadick (1885–1953), who performed at the event, to return and mount the Calgary Stampede in 1912)
7. Report of Grand Lodge of Masons of Alberta, 1908
8. Report of Grand Lodge of Oddfellows of Alberta, 1908
9. General Hospital report, 1907
10. Calgary School Board report, 1907
11. Tercentenary stamps, Canada, 1908
12. Coins, 50¢, 25¢, 10¢, 5¢, Dominion of Canada
13. Copy of history of Roman Catholic Church, Calgary, 1907
14. Medal of chairman of Police Department
15. Medal of city comptroller
16. Members of the Calgary Fire Department
17. Report of Knox Church, Calgary
18. Members of the Police Department
19. Proceedings of synod of Church of England for western Canada
20. Minutes of Alberta conference of Methodist church
21. Yearbook of the Central Methodist Church (later renamed Central United Church)
22. Report of Baptist church
23. Copy of Daily Herald
24. Copy of Morning Albertan
25. Copy of special edition of Albertan
26. Copy of Daily News
27. Copy of Eye Opener
Find more info about the rehabilitation of Historic City Hall at calgary.ca/historiccityhall
RECAP: 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Assessment Committee
At the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Assessment Committee meeting on November 6, a number of items were presented and discussed, including:- The conclusion of the public engagement program
- The cost-benefit report by Ernst & Young
- The Calgary 2026 proposal on a Cultural Olympiad
- A Calgary 2026 update
Public engagement program
Our public engagement program closed on October 28. The What We Heard report is now available. The report is a summary of the public engagement process and what participants told us. Thank you to all the citizens who made time in their busy days to learn more about the proposed bid and talk with us about why Calgary should or should not host the Games.
Cost-benefit analysis
We hired Ernst & Young to complete a cost-benefit analysis of the Calgary 2026 Draft Hosting Plan Concept. The analysis weighs both the advantages (benefits) and disadvantages (costs) of hosting the Games. The analysis looked at five categories:
- Government financial
- Environmental
- Social
- Resident consumer
- Economic development
Results show both costs and benefits to hosting the Games in Calgary. You can read and review the report and Ernst & Young’s presentation for more information.
Culture and education - Calgary 2026
Calgary 2026’s approach to culture and education realizes one of the three pillars of the Olympic movement (Sport, Culture and Sustainability). Its objectives include:
- increasing cultural understanding through creativity; and
- building better relationships with Indigenous peoples.
Traditionally, the cultural programming kicks off with the Flag Handover Ceremony at the closing ceremonies of the previous Games. It’s followed by a Cultural Olympiad, educational events, and youth programs, which can take place over the next four years, leading up to and during the proposed 50 days of celebration during the next Games. Calgary 2026’s draft hosting plan includes $30 million to fund these programs.
Calgary 2026 update - risk management and cost overrun insurance
Calgary 2026 presented an update on its approach to risk management, including a discussion about insurance to mitigate the risk of cost overruns. An example of construction cost overrun was provided.
Your chance to help Council decide - Vote 2018
Your chance to vote on whether Calgary should host or not host the Games is on Tuesday, November 13. To find out when and where to vote and voter eligibility requirements, visit calgary.ca/Vote2018.
City Secretariat report to Committee
We will continue to work diligently to ensure you have balanced information. Please check our blog series and visit calgary.ca/2026Games for more information.
Monday, October 29, 2018
Ready to roll: bike share pilot launches in Calgary
The City of Calgary has issued the first of two operating permits for Phase One of the Council approved Dockless Bike Share Pilot.
Dockless bikes are set to hit the streets of Calgary, as part of the first pilot project of its kind in Canada. Calgarians can expect to see shared bike services on streets and pathways this fall.
Like car share technology, the dockless bike share will be GPS-enabled and can be rented using each company’s smartphone app. A bicycle can be parked in an acceptable public space, making sure it is not impeding pedestrian traffic. Each operator will have a service area within Calgary, where bicycles will be available to the public.
“The City is taking an innovative approach to the traditional bike share model,” says Dockless Bike Share Pilot Project Manager Nathan Carswell. “We are excited that citizens of Calgary will be given another mobility option that will connect them to the places they live, work and play.”
Two applications to operate in Phase One of the pilot were received from Lime and U-bicycle. Both companies meet the operating requirements outlined as part of the permit application. Lime is planning to commence operations in October 2018 while U-bicycle plans to start operations in spring 2019.
For the first phase of the pilot, Lime will have a fleet of 375 electric pedal assist bicycles. While The City will provide oversight, the pilot will be fully funded and operated by each bike share company. Costs to The City will be recovered by fees collected from the permitted operators.
“Besides being implemented at no cost to the City, bike share will create jobs, promote mobility, and enhance tourism. We’ve seen the success of Car2go and other ‘disruptive’ technologies—bike share is another example of Calgary adopting bold new transportation methods. Our cycling infrastructure is in place and this pilot project will only compliment it,” says Councillor Evan Woolley.
Set to run until 2020, the bike share pilot will allow The City to explore new ways of providing flexible, affordable and accessible mobility options. Throughout the process, feedback will be gathered by the operators through customer surveys. An application process for phase two of the pilot will take place in Spring 2019.
For more information about the Dockless Bike Share Pilot, visit calgary.ca/bikeshare.
Dockless bikes are set to hit the streets of Calgary, as part of the first pilot project of its kind in Canada. Calgarians can expect to see shared bike services on streets and pathways this fall.
Like car share technology, the dockless bike share will be GPS-enabled and can be rented using each company’s smartphone app. A bicycle can be parked in an acceptable public space, making sure it is not impeding pedestrian traffic. Each operator will have a service area within Calgary, where bicycles will be available to the public.
“The City is taking an innovative approach to the traditional bike share model,” says Dockless Bike Share Pilot Project Manager Nathan Carswell. “We are excited that citizens of Calgary will be given another mobility option that will connect them to the places they live, work and play.”
Two applications to operate in Phase One of the pilot were received from Lime and U-bicycle. Both companies meet the operating requirements outlined as part of the permit application. Lime is planning to commence operations in October 2018 while U-bicycle plans to start operations in spring 2019.
For the first phase of the pilot, Lime will have a fleet of 375 electric pedal assist bicycles. While The City will provide oversight, the pilot will be fully funded and operated by each bike share company. Costs to The City will be recovered by fees collected from the permitted operators.
“Besides being implemented at no cost to the City, bike share will create jobs, promote mobility, and enhance tourism. We’ve seen the success of Car2go and other ‘disruptive’ technologies—bike share is another example of Calgary adopting bold new transportation methods. Our cycling infrastructure is in place and this pilot project will only compliment it,” says Councillor Evan Woolley.
Set to run until 2020, the bike share pilot will allow The City to explore new ways of providing flexible, affordable and accessible mobility options. Throughout the process, feedback will be gathered by the operators through customer surveys. An application process for phase two of the pilot will take place in Spring 2019.
For more information about the Dockless Bike Share Pilot, visit calgary.ca/bikeshare.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)