Transforming Historic Fire Hall 1 and North-West Travellers Building into an Arts & Culture Hub

Project overview

In late 2023, The City released an Expression of Interest (EOI) to find an organization that could transform the Historic Fire Hall 1 (HFH1) and North-West Travellers (NWT) Building into an arts and culture hub for Calgary artists. This site is a great opportunity to improve downtown Calgary. The buildings are unique and in a prime location, perfect for reuse.

The City and cSPACE have signed an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) while we continue to work toward a formal signed agreement. This memorandum will allow cSPACE to continue to develop detailed plans and work with their own partners to continue developing a hub that will be sustained financially in the long term.

cSPACE was the top-ranked organization from the Expression of Interest and discussions between our two organizations have continued since spring 2024. Lengthy discussions are not uncommon following an Expression, especially when heritage buildings are involved.

To activate the site in the short term, Downtown Strategies is coordinating with cSPACE to on an artistic installations from March through July. This is part of their mandate to create a vibrant downtown by supporting programming and activations that build community, fostering creativity and stimulating economic growth in the heart of our city.

About cSPACE

cSPACE is a City partner and is well known for operating the historic King Edward School — cSPACE Marda Loop. The downtown arts and culture hub will expand on this concept.

This project will fit well with other projects happening in downtown Calgary, including the new Arts Common Transformation project and the Scotia Place Event Centre in the emerging Culture + Entertainment District. This project will also contribute to The City’s Downtown Strategy to revitalize our downtown core.

Project updates

April 2025

The City and cSPACE have signed an agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) for cSPACE to begin long-term planning to develop an arts and culture hub at this site.

Upcoming work

cSPACE is working with The City's Downtown Strategies on an artistic installation that will run through the end of Stampede to activate the site.

Project goals

Support Calgary's arts and culture community with affordable and accessible downtown spaces for collaboration.
Make the area lively and connected through events and activities.
Build social, cultural, and economic strength downtown.
Give local artists studio or workspace to keep talent in Calgary.
Provide opportunities for artists to display their work, from temporary to permanent, in various mediums.
Support artists at all stages of their careers — youth, student, emerging, mid-career, and established.
Attract private sector investment and diversify the economy.
Preserve historic Calgary buildings.
Fulfill the commitment to develop the site as an arts and cultural hub, as planned by Council in 2016.
Aim for sustainability and adapt to climate risks (LEED, Passivhaus standards).
Promote social diversity and inclusivity through this important civic asset in downtown Calgary.

Site overview and location

The Historic Fire Hall 1 and North-West Travellers Building are beside the Bow Tower in downtown Calgary.

Historic Fire Hall 1 – 140 6 Ave. S.E.

Historic Fire Hall 1 is owned by The City and was built in 1911. The Calgary Fire Department stopped using the building in 1973 and it was leased to Budget Rent-a-Car from 1989 to 2019. The building is currently empty.

The Fire Hall No. 1 was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in 2009. It was built diagonally on the corner so fire trucks could access either 1st Avenue or 6th Street. It was built of concrete and masonry with brick and sandstone cladding designed by the firm of Lang & Major, with help from Hodgson, Bates & Butler.

Fire Hall #1 had all the firefighting equipment necessary for a growing city. It also had office space and living quarters for firefighters on the second floor for 24-hour service. The fire station was large for its era with five bays large enough for new, motorized fire engines. It also had a 50’ hose tower with a dome roof that was later removed to add a new siren system.

For more information on the history of this building, visit Calgary Fire Hall No. 1 

North-West Travellers Building – 515 – 1 St. S.E.

North-West Travellers is owned by The City and was built in 1912. The building was formerly leased for many uses, including restaurant, office, non-profit and educational activities. The building is currently empty.

The North-West Travellers Building is a four-storey red brick building in the Edwardian Classical Style, from the era before World War 1. It is on one city block at 1 Street and 5 Avenue S.W. in downtown Calgary. A two-storey brick addition was built immediately to the north in 1954 but is not included in the designation.

The North-West Travellers Building is important because it played a part in Calgary's role as a district city in the early twentieth century. It ws also important for its association with the Northwest Travellers Association of Canada and to Calgary’s culture and city landscape in the years between the two world wars.

For more information on the history of this building, visit Alberta Register of Historic Places.

Map showing the outline of the Foothills Athletic Park area.

Benefit to Calgarians

This project will create more opportunities for Calgarians to enjoy arts and culture in a new venue. The arts benefit cities by:

Fostering community and shared experiences.
Boosting the local economy through tourism, job creation, and supporting local businesses.
Improving quality of life, making cities more attractive to live and work in.
Contributing to holistic development and downtown revitalization.

The project is in line with other arts initiatives in Calgary, like the new Arts Common on Stephen Avenue. Research also shows that repurposing heritage buildings positively impacts livability and economic growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did The City decide to redevelop the site as an arts and culture hub?

In 2019, Council asked The City to turn this site into an arts and culture hub using adaptive reuse. After extensive research, The City found great potential for this transformation.

Why was cSPACE the top-ranked proponent?

cSPACE proposed a strong plan to activate and manage the site long-term, aligning with The City's vision for an Arts and Culture Hub. They have experience with similar projects, like transforming King Edward School into an arts space for artists and non-profits at cSPACE Marda Loop.

What does it mean for a building to be designated as a Provincial Historic Resource?

Designation legally protects historic places. The Historical Resources Act allows the Government of Alberta to designate sites as Provincial Historic Resources. To qualify, sites must be linked to Alberta's past and retain key physical features.

Without written approval from the minister, these sites cannot be destroyed, altered, or repaired.

How does Provincial Designation impact any renovations cSPACE needs to do to develop the arts and culture hub?

In Canada, many heritage buildings are conserved for adaptive reuse rather than preservation (capturing a historical time period). Adaptive reuse repurposes a heritage site for new uses while maintaining its key features. Preservation restores a building to a specific time period.

cSPACE must follow the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, developed by Parks Canada. These guidelines offer practical advice for conservation and are widely used across Canada by governments and private organizations.

Questions?

For questions or concerns, contact 311.

Other capital projects

Arts Commons Transformation

Executed in two phases, ACT is the development of a new facility (the Road House), and the revitalization of the Resident House which is currently home to six resident companies. This will ensure Arts Commons remains a key contributor to our city’s social, economic, cultural and intellectual life and well-being.
BMO Centre Expansion

The expansion of the venue, projected to be completed in 2024, will provide Calgary with a world class event and convention venue that will attract large national and international conventions and conferences.
Scotia Place

Calgary’s new event centre, Soctia Place, will situate the city as a destination for visitors from around the world. It will become a gathering place and key cornerstone in the Culture + Entertainment district.
The Green Line

The Green Line is Calgary's next light rail transit (LRT) line.

It is also the largest infrastructure investment in our city’s history. It comes with $5.5 billion in commitments from the Government of Canada, Government of Alberta and City of Calgary.