Forest Lawn Civic Centre
Forest Lawn Civic Centre
We are planning the new Forest Lawn Civic Centre, a multi-service centre for the Greater Forest Lawn area to create a hub for culture, community and recreation.
Project overview
The City is developing a new Civic Centre site in Forest Lawn that supports recreation, arts and culture and community programs. These services are needed for creating vibrant communities, promoting health and well-being, fostering social connections and enhancing quality of life. The Forest Lawn Civic Centre will be a key community hub for residents and visitors to the area. The centre will feature a mix of indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, an arts and culture centre, housing and a fire station.
The Centre will replace aging buildings and combine their services with new services. This will address service gaps in Greater Forest Lawn, which has a diverse population that has been underserved, especially in arts and culture programming.
The City is finishing the Forest Lawn Civic Centre Master Plan. The plan will give The City a roadmap for building the Civic Centre in three phases. The complete Civic Centre will address community needs by building high-quality spaces and amenities using a design that considers the diverse residents who live in the area.
Engagement was done in 2022 and this information was used in the master plan. To read about engagement, visit The City’s Engage Portal.
Phased approach
Phase 1 - Fire station and outdoor amenities
- A new five-bay fire station to replace the existing station that is at its useful lifespan.
- Parking
- Skate park
- Multi-service recreation fields
Phase 2 - Recreation facilities and site improvement
- Recreation centre with a pool, fitness centre, multi-purpose rooms, gymnasium and community spaces.
- Field house and washrooms
- Soccer field
- Park and green spaces
Phase 3 - Arts, culture, Library and site improvements
- Calgary Public Library location
- Arts and culture hub
- Site improvements and open space amenities for gathering and cultural activities.
Project update
The project team is working on the Forest Lawn Civic Centre Master Plan. It is expected to be completed in early 2025.
Site overview and location
The site is in Forest Lawn between 14 Avenue S.E. and 8 Avenue S.E., and between 47 Street S.E. and 52 Street S.E. It covers 26.4 acres and is close to the City of Calgary's 17 Avenue Main Streets initiative and the planned 52 Street S.E. BRT route.
Timeline
Expand the stages for more details.
- The design team finished a feasibility study that gave an idea where buildings could be placed on the site. After looking at several concepts, the team settled on a concept that met all the needs of the development.
- Phase 1 Pre-design – Q1 2025
- Phase 2 Pre-design – Anticipated 2026
- Phase 3 Pre-design – Anticipated 2028
- Phase 1 Detailed design – 2025-2026
- Phase 2 Detailed design – Estimated 2027-2028 Based on budget approval
- Phase 3 Detailed design – Estimated 2030-2032 Based on budget approval
- Phase 1 Construction – Estimated 2026-2028 Based on budget approval
- Phase 2 Construction – Estimated 2029-2032 Based on budget approval
- Phase 3 Construction – Estimated 2032 or beyond
- Phase 1 Doors open to the community – Estimated 2028
- Phase 2 Doors open to the community – Estimated 2032
- Phase 3 Doors open to the community – Estimated 2035 or beyond
Investment
This project has enough funding to complete the Master Plan that will be used to create the business case for the funding request. The request will go to Council in the 2027-2030 Council budget cycle.
Benefit to Calgarians
- Create a recreation hub in the Greater Forest Lawn Area with services that everyone can enjoy including people with physical and other challenges.
- Offer services that are convenient, safe, affordable and inclusive for the diverse local community and organizations.
- Create multi-service facilities and programs that support Calgary’s youth, artist, sports, recreation and multicultural groups.
- Invest in facilities for the Greater Forest Lawn Area that address equity concerns highlighted by the Calgary Equity Index.