Confluence

A pop-up transit plaza at heritage lrt

Heritage LRT is a point of convergence for Calgary’s Heritage communities. It’s a transfer point between multiple transit routes, stitching together these neighbourhoods with each other and the rest of the city. What do locals have to say about it? It is well-used, but could use a little love! More walkability, more convenience - with amenities like groceries and coffee - and more sense of safety through on-site activity. So we’re giving it a whirl. Confluence is a pop-up transit plaza with games, coffee, fresh food, markets and concerts. It showcases an alternative use of land surrounding the LRT, that provides more walkability and convenience to the average commuter and surrounding community.

The project will be delivered over a series of pop-ups, scheduled for July 21 - 24, August 11 - 13, and September 1 - 3. See below for a detailed schedule for the community programming. Hope to see you there!

August 11 - 13
Wednesday
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm: YYC Food Truck Pop-up - Meraki
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm: C-Train Serenade ft. Bennett Mitchell

Thursday
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm: YYC Food Truck Pop-up - The Curryer
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm: C-Train Serenade ft. Robin & Jason from I Am The Mountain

Friday
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm: YYC Food Truck Pop-up - Happy Hero
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm: C-Train Serenade ft. Kenzie & Elicia from Krill Williams

September 1 - 3
Details TBA

Get involved

For years the Heritage communities have called for a safer, more convenient transit hub. A place where they can socialize, get groceries, and feel safe walking home. In collaboration with the Acadia CA, we created a conceptual rework of Heritage LRT station (Acadia Design Schemes, 2016) to respond to this call. Feedback was collected through online engagement, door-to-door surveys, and in-person engagement at community events.

This project was scaled out into the Anderson-Heritage Design Project (2018), in which a similar design intervention was created. Collaboration was expanded to include additional community associations and feedback was collected through a similar process. Both projects were guided by research into the socio-economic profile and urban topology of the area.

The pandemic has only the increased the need for such a space. Transit ridership has plummeted and numerous lifestyle changes have occurred that favour those with cars. Most worryingly, the curb-side or drive-thru substitutes to in-person services are generally inaccessible to those unable to drive or afford a car. In response, Confluence integrates a variety of amenities and programming directly into the community transit hub itself, such that recreational, commercial, and social activity is easily accessible to all.

This project is generously funded by the City of Calgary, ActivateYYC, and Take Action Grants.

browse Sustainable Calgary’s work in the heritage communities