It all started with a little competition! In late 2022, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), the master developer of East Village, launched a design competition for public washrooms in East Village with a call out challenging designers to “push the boundaries on the form and function of a conventional public washroom facility”. Today, the winning design was revealed, and the result is an innovative design that redefines what people can expect from traditional public spaces. We caught up with Liz Wreford and Peter Sampson, Founding Directors and Principals of Public City Architecture, win ..read more

In honour of International Women’s Day, which celebrates women's achievements and imagines a world that's diverse, equitable and inclusive, we’re profiling four exceptional women whose energy, passions and career undertakings are helping to shape the character and steer the evolution of East Village. We put a call out to the community in search of women from all walks of life who live or work in East Village and who embody the spirit of the community—bold, confident, generous, creative, boundary-pushing, evolving. These four exceptional women were selected from nominations submitted by East Vi ..read more

It’s stargazing in the city; expanding and contracting with the sounds of the neighbourhood. Cosmic Nexus, by local artist Ken Hacke, stands over 20 feet tall, spans 10 feet in diameter and has landed at Celebration Square in East Village just in time for Chinook Blast. Cosmic Nexus lighting up C-Square in East Village The piece unites light and structure to illuminate the profound interconnectedness of space and time. Composed of light tubes and programmable LEDs, this interactive piece harmonizes art and science, reacting to environmental sound resulting in a kaleidoscope of colours, inviti ..read more

‘Tis the season for gathering with friends to raise a glass to the year behind and the year ahead. Whether you are grabbing a drink to stroll along RiverWalk, or are having a night out, we’ve rounded up the best drinks – with spirits and without - for you to try this holiday season. Making spirits bright Out of Office - Magpie This isn’t your ordinary cocktail, it’s a vacation in every sip. Think piña colada, but make it pumpkin spiced, because, why not? This tropical escape in a glass perfectly encapsulates the blissful vibe of being “OOO”. Thai Milk Tea - Mr. Sun Tea Didn’t book a beach vaca ..read more

Welcome to this special blog post where we'll be discussing the fascinating findings of the recent BioBlitz conducted at St. Patrick’s Island in June 2023. Joining us today is the lead biologist behind the survey, Dr. Steven Handel. Dr. Steven Handel EV: First, could you explain what a BioBlitz is and why it's important? Dr. Handel: Absolutely! A BioBlitz is an intense survey of the biodiversity within a specific area over a 24-hour period. It's like a biodiversity "treasure hunt" where we try to identify and record all the living species present on a given day. BioBlitzes are important becau ..read more

Calling all citizen scientists! Join us for a 24-hour ecological treasure hunt June 9 and 10 on St. Patrick’s Island. All are welcome to come down and participate in this family friendly event.  A BioBlitz is a major biological event that invites members of the public to help search for all plant and wildlife species in a specific and concentrated area. Why BioBlitz? 10 years ago, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) the city-owned developer, began the revitalization of St. Patrick’s Island as a key placemaking and sustainability strategy in the redevelopment of East Village. The rec ..read more

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we are shining the well-deserved spotlight on some of the talented women that are leading the charge at some of your favourite East Village businesses. From culinary to fitness to early childhood development, this diverse group of ambitious and hard-working women are sharing their thoughts and experiences on what obstacles they have faced, progress towards equity in their industries and advice to help inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs and business owners. Back row from left to right: Sirine Berrached, Carrie Jackson, Emily Slaneff ..read more

Putting her own creative touch on East Village, local Calgary artist Cassie Suche created Touch Traces¸ a public art installation that can be found on bridge abutments and other surfaces along RiverWalk. Unveiled earlier this summer, Cassie’s work is comprised of hundreds of fingerprints collected from our very own neighbourhood. “Fingerprints are an intimate reference to touch. They symbolize one of the ways that we connect with others, and with our surroundings. They have a beautiful duality of being so universal, and also notably unique. They’re inextricably tied to our personal identitie ..read more

East Village was born out of lofty, imaginative ideas and has evolved into a model of disruptive thinking and relentless forward momentum. With all the necessary infrastructure and amenities now in place to support numerous businesses and their employees, EV is a magnet for big, bold boundary-pushers. EV’s ever-growing collection of start-ups, tech companies and entrepreneurs—and the essential businesses and community features that support its burgeoning population—mean it is perfectly poised to welcome the next generation of innovators. Dozens of ventures and businesses are br ..read more

East Village serves up some of the best inner-city views YYC has to offer - especially from the Bow. We’ve partnered with our friends at The Paddle Station to help guide floaters and boaters into The Cove on St. Patrick’s Island (SPI) to “end” their river adventure, but once you arrive, the adventure is far from over. It only made sense to create a checklist for your post-river floats to discover all things East Village and SPI. Photography credit: Christopher Martin -2021. (Instagram @cjm.photography) 1.Treat Yourself ICYMI its picnic season in EV and we have limited edition East Village P ..read more