Good morning, beautiful people of Calgary!
A quick reminder: water restrictions start today. You know the drill.
Thank you to everyone who sent in summer camp recommendations and patio suggestions. We got a lot of responses and are putting the finishing touches on both roundups. If you still have a favourite patio or a camp tip to share, hit reply — we are still taking them.
This edition is heavy on housing and real estate news — a new downtown office conversion, the secondary suite boom, and February's market numbers. If you are buying, selling, renting, or just browsing Realtor.ca for fun (no judgment), there is plenty to chew on. We also have the World Cup of Hockey bid, a weather whiplash that only Calgary could pull off, and a sweet story about some wooden faces at Devonian Gardens.
Let's get to it.
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Another downtown office tower becomes apartments. The HAT @ NINTH is now open at 205 9 Ave SE. The 1966 Teck Place building sat empty for years. Now it holds 108 rental suites with balconies. This is the seventh completed conversion under the city's Downtown Development Incentive Program, turning 2.68 million square feet of dead office space into 2,600 new homes. It brings much-needed rental inventory and steady foot traffic to the core after 5 p.m. Read the announcement
Calgary now has 22,000 legal secondary suites. A decade ago, that number was 1,000. The city is leaning on basement and laneway units to add housing inventory without expanding the urban sprawl. Homeowners are jumping on board to use the rental income to offset heavy mortgages. A federal incentive program reimburses up to $10,000 in safety costs to build and register a suite. Builders are now offering legal suite designs at the pre-sale stage. The minimum lot width dropped to 32 feet, and you only need one extra parking stall for approval. Read the breakdown
February housing numbers show a split market. The overall city benchmark price dropped 4.4% to $560,500, but things are moving in two directions. Detached homes are still selling quickly. Apartments are a different story. That market is sitting in oversupply, with apartment benchmark prices falling 9.3% down to $298,600. Overall inventory is up 16%. See the full report
Scotia Place could host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. NHL Commissioner Bettman visited Calgary last week and confirmed a joint Calgary-Edmonton bid for the tournament. The timing lines up. Scotia Place opens fall 2027, and the World Cup is set for February 2028. Alberta pledged $15 million to support hosting. Bettman called it a good bid, and an announcement is coming soon. Read the update
Saturday hit 18 degrees and Sunday dumped 15 cm of snow. Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning Sunday night with heavy snow and winds gusting to 60 km/h. This morning brings minus 3 temperatures and flurries. This is the most Calgary weekend of all time. Check the forecast
The wooden faces at Devonian Gardens are staying forever. For over 40 years, more than 30 hand-carved wooden faces have lived among the plants at Devonian Gardens. Local carver Tom Ward loaned them to the city in 1986. Last week, his family and the city signed a formal agreement to keep them on display permanently. Next time you visit the Gardens, look for them. Read the story
Last week, nearly half of you overshot the price. Only 35.9% nailed it. The Calgary market might be cooling faster than you think.
Speaking of which — this week we are switching it up. With apartment prices dropping 9.3% and inventory sitting in oversupply, we figured it was time to guess the price of a condo. Take a good look at the photos and cast your vote. Bonus points if you can guess the neighbourhood.
Monday
Penguin Walk | Final week. The King Penguins march daily at 10:30 a.m. (weather permitting). The walk ends March 15. Free with admission. Check status
Toonie Skate at the Olympic Oval | Public skating from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. $2 gets you on the fastest ice in the world. Skate rentals available. Details
Beyond Human Limits | The extreme sports exhibit is running at TELUS Spark through April 12. Good for a snow day with the kids. Open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Plan your visit
Tuesday
The Tale of the Gifted Prince | Theatre Calgary's world premiere musical is in its final week at the Max Bell Theatre. Tuesday through Sunday. Closes March 15. Get tickets
Botticelli in the Fire | Downstage's provocative Renaissance drama at the Big Secret Theatre. Final week — closes March 14. Recommended 16+. Get tickets
Anne of Green Gables | Final week at the Beddington Theatre Arts Centre. Tuesdays to Saturdays at 7:00 p.m., weekends at 2:00 p.m. Closes April 12. See schedule
Wednesday
Hitmen vs. Brandon Wheat Kings | Wednesday night hockey at the Dome. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. Grab seats
Black Pistol Fire | The Austin garage-rock duo brings the Flagrant Act of Bliss Tour to The Palace Theatre. Info
Tracy and Martina: Live | The comedy duo performs at Bella Concert Hall, Mount Royal University. 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
Thursday–Sunday Lookahead
Sumo Fest (Fri–Sat) | Canada's first sumo wrestling festival. World-champion wrestlers, live matches, a Japanese market, and cultural exhibitions at the Nutrien Western Event Centre. Get tickets
Swan Lake (Fri–Sun) | Alberta Ballet brings Tchaikovsky to the Jubilee with a live orchestra. Get tickets
Matt Berninger (Fri) | The frontman of The National plays his first solo Canadian tour at the Jack Singer. 8:00 p.m. Get tickets
YYC Food & Drink Experience (Fri, Mar 13–29) | Over 70 restaurants across the city offer fixed-price multi-course menus. Two weeks of eating out with a good excuse. See restaurants
World Women's Curling Championship (Sat) | The tournament opens at WinSport. Runs March 14–22. Get tickets
Roughnecks vs. Ottawa Black Bears (Sat) | The St. Patrick's Day Party edition at the Dome. 7:00 p.m. Grab seats
Want your event to be featured? Hit reply and send us the details. If it's cool, we'll share it with Calgary.
VIRAGO | The Blues Can | Mon, 8:00 PM Info
Poetry Slam | Dickens Pub | Mon, 7:30 PM Info
Eliot Chang | Comedy Cave | Mon, 7:30 PM Info
Esra Cash | Gravity Espresso | Tue, 6:30 PM Info
Punk Rock Bingo | Ship & Anchor | Tue, 7:00 PM Info
Tuesday Takeover: Jarvis Zawatsky | The Laugh Shop | Tue, 8:00 PM Info
Tom Phillips & The DTs | The Blues Can | Tue, 8:00 PM Info
Eliot Chang | Comedy Cave | Tue, 7:30 PM Info
They Got Talent | Dickens Pub | Tue, 8:00 PM Info
Comic 247 Comedy Contest | The Laugh Shop | Wed, 8:00 PM Info
Mixtape Music Trivia | Dickens Pub | Wed, 7:00 PM Info
Open Mic Night | Ironwood Stage & Grill | Wed, 7:00 PM Info
Ben Rose | The Blues Can | Wed, 8:00 PM Info
Have a great week.
P.S. Forward this to someone who has never noticed the wooden faces at Devonian Gardens.