Jane’s Walk is a global event of free walking tours held each May.
Honouring Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), an urbanist and activist who introduced ground-breaking writings that championed a community-based approach to city building. Jane’s Walk Calgary was held between May 3rd and 5th, organized by The Federation of Calgary Communities, with over 1500 attendees and 50 different walking tours.
The Urban Explorer submitted its first Jane’s Walk utilizing the Story City App with Wonderland – Building a Legacy. Implimenting technology to explore the cityscape and your imagination in a Monopoly-styled, choose your adventure.
We also take this opportunity to recognize and celebrate those leaders who organized tours and those who gathered in this time-honoured tradition of walking their community.
Exploring Art, Culture, Time & Space
Setting out to explore Marda Loop and Currie Barracks, we started the morning with Nicole Zylstra and Kate Ware from cSPACE. Featured in Old School, King Edward is a prominent example of the successful ongoing use and adaptive reuse of historic schools that highlight Calgary’s sandstone construction boom. Click here to vote for which building you think is the best.
We witness how place-making and sustainability principles can inform urban development to support Calgary’s arts and culture sector, contributing to vibrant communities.
The image of the 105 hourglasses filled with sandstone, suspended from the ceiling at the entrance, captures the discussion about time, spaces and art.
Permanently embedded examples of Instagram-worthy public art at cSPACE Marda Loop.
Canadian Forces History & Housing
We moved on to learn about the history of the Canadian Forces Base at Currie Barracks. The decision to bring a military base to Calgary in the 30s, the construction of Crowchild Trail just outside the gates in the 60s and the impact on the surrounding areas.
Starting with the story of Currie Barracks
We crossed Crowchild Trail on our way past former PMQs (Permanent Married Quarters or Private Married Quarters), receiving historical information, anecdotes and stories about those who helped shape Marda Loop, Altadore and the development of Garrison Woods.
Thank you to local historian Harry Sanders, former CFB Pastor Lloyd Northcott, and volunteers from the Military Museum. Margaret Hope (Marda Loop BIA), Rita Shewchuk (Marda Loop Communities Association) and BIA History Project.
The walk concluded at Garrison Square Park.
Where to go from here
The Military Museums
On the east side of Crowchild Trail is The Military Museums of Calgary, the largest tri-service museum in Western Canada and the second largest military museum in the country.
Currie Barracks
On the west side of CrowChild Trail, located on the former Canadian Armed Forces Base, is the evolving community of Currie.
As The City of Calgary Council battles with citizens over a housing strategy at home and military conflicts persist overseas, it is an opportune time to explore an evolving urban space, incorporating elements of its heritage and honouring its military origins as a Canadian Forces Base.
Take the Trasimene Heritage Walk and visit Alexandria or Valour Park in a community not bound by the constraints of an established neighbourhood. An inclusive design that mixes form and density, utilizing landmarks and grand spaces to create significant place-making.
My final thought from this experience is a quote from James Thurber.
“Let us not go back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.“
The Urban Explorer 