A Placemaking Journal

In 1989, the City of Calgary annexed the area now known as the Providence community. A “dog-leg” of land in the City’s southwest quadrant, it presented unique opportunities for a more sustainable approach to development than the typical automobile-focused expansion of the city.

Fast forward almost two decades. Looking to take advantage of these opportunities, a consortium of property owners within the annexed area hosted a design competition and ultimately engaged the T-Six/PlaceMakers team to envision a transit-supportive, multi-modal corridor to serve as both the heart and spine of the Providence community. Reaching back to Calgary’s rich history of streetcar suburbs, Providence as a “modern streetcar suburb” demonstrates a renewed commitment to regional expansion based on transit-focused, walkable neighborhoods.

As envisioned, the 162nd Avenue Corridor forms the primary spine for Providence, forming a multi-modal transportation corridor to serve the up to 1,200 acres of transit supportive neighborhoods that will ultimately line its two-mile stretch.

Moving beyond its illustrative plan, the vision also includes a form-based development code, detailed street section and streetscape design, and a programmatic implementation plan.