City of Calgary announces plans to build mixed-use fire station in Inglewood

The City of Calgary is pleased to announce that it will partner with a local developer to build a mixed-use fire station in the community of Inglewood, using a new integrated approach to facility planning under The City’s Corporate Facility Planning & Delivery Framework.

The original site was purchased by The City of Calgary in 1986 and supplemented by an additional purchase in 2010 for the purposes of an emergency response station. The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) obtained Council-approved funding from the 2019-2022 budget cycle to construct and operate on the site.

In 2015, Council directed Administration to build multi-service facilities to use City-owned land more efficiently and better serve the community. As a result, the Integrated Civic Facility Planning (ICFP) Program was created.

In 2016, the CFD worked with an external consultant to create a long-term plan to guide the future growth and development of response stations in Calgary’s downtown. The number one recommendation was to build two smaller, two-bay stations, one in the Bridgeland zone and one in the Inglewood zone to replace existing Station #1. This decentralized approach provides excellent coverage and works well with the CFD’s current operational model with sites secured within the downtown core with suitable response times

“Previously, City facilities were often planned independently according to their specific needs and service lines,” says Ryan Meier, Acting Manager, Facility Planning. “By changing our facility planning approach to this integrated approach, we can increase efficiencies, maximize value for investment, create opportunities for partnerships, and better collaborate with community partners to build facilities that truly reflect our thriving and evolving neighbourhoods.”

Through The City`s Request for Proposal (RFP) process, the opportunity was marketed to the private sector to obtain a developer for the site to lead and fund the planning, design, and construction of a mixed private and public development. RNDSQR was the highest rated proponent based on selection criteria and will lead the project. RNDSQR has considerable experience in delivering inner-city developments ranging from affordable and family-oriented row homes that meet a growing demand for walkable urban living; to mid-rise, mixed-use developments that offer a range of housing and employment options.

The City and RNDSQR are working with a multi-disciplinary local team of planning, design, and engineering professionals. Core members of the team are CivicWorks, a Calgary-based planning and urban design firm specializing in inner-city redevelopment; and S2 Architecture, an architectural firm with a track record of designing mixed-use developments in Calgary and more than 20 fire station and emergency service projects in Alberta and British Columbia.

The team will be exploring development concepts to support: a high-quality, mixed-use outcome with a focus on realizing a fire station that meets the goals and objectives of The City; new housing options that take advantage of the transit-oriented location of development; and ground-level retail options to activate the 11 AV SE and 12 ST SE streetscape and contribute to the overall vitality of the community.

There will be multiple opportunities for stakeholders to learn about and provide input on the project. The building is scheduled to begin construction in 2023 and open in 2024.

To learn more visit engage.calgary.ca/inglewood-station.

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