Eau Claire, Calgary

The neighbourhood of Eau Claire in Calgary, Alberta, Canada is located immediately north of Downtown, and south of the Bow River and north of 4th Avenue. A mix of riverside condominiums, shopping, restaurants, hotels, a large public plaza and urban parkland make Eau Claire one of Calgary's most popular areas. Contained within Eau Claire is the city's Festival District.

For other uses, see Eau Claire (disambiguation).
Eau Claire
Neighbourhood
Festival plaza in Eau Claire
Eau Claire
Location of Eau Claire in Calgary
Coordinates: 51°03′11″N 114°04′17″W
Country Canada
Province Alberta
City Calgary
QuadrantSW
Ward7
Established1885
Government
 • MayorNaheed Nenshi
 • Administrative bodyCalgary City Council
 • CouncillorDruh Farrell
Area
 • Total0.4 km2 (0.2 sq mi)
Elevation
1,045 m (3,428 ft)
Population
 (2006)[2]
 • Total1,717
 • Average Income
$80,210
WebsiteEau Claire Community Association

The area, which was developed from reclaimed industrial land, fronts the Bow River and sits immediately north of 3rd Avenue South. North of Eau Claire is Prince's Island Park, a large urban park on an island in the Bow River and the site of many summer festivals, including the Calgary Folk Music Festival, Carifest, Shakespeare in the Park and various busking happenings. Within Eau Claire is Eau Claire Market and a variety of pubs and restaurants. It is also located on the city's large network of pedestrian pathways and trails, along the Bow River pathway.

History

The name Eau Claire derives from one of Calgary's original industries - a sawmill transplanted from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and staffed by mostly Norwegian mill workers. The area on the banks of the Bow River was selected in 1886 for its easy access to fallen timber.[3] The community was subsequently named for the Eau Claire Lumber Company.

Eau Claire Plaza, at the core of the Festival District is currently undergoing a major modernization and redevelopment to better integrate it with the city, Prince's Island, Eau Claire Market, Barclay Mall and the other surrounding hotels, restaurants and businesses. The community has an area redevelopment plan in place.[4]

Demographics

In the City of Calgary's 2012 municipal census, Eau Claire had a population of 1,851 living in 1,328 dwellings, an 8.2% increase from its 2011 population of 1,711.[5] With a land area of 0.5 km2 (0.19 sq mi), it had a population density of 3,700/km2 (9,600/sq mi) in 2012.[6][5]

Residents in this community had a median household income of $80,210 in 2000, and there were 21.8% low income residents living in the neighbourhood.[7] As of 2000, 32.7% of the residents were immigrants. A proportion of 98% of the buildings were condominiums or apartments, and 38.7% of the housing was used for renting.[2]

It is represented in the Calgary City Council by the Ward 7 councillor.

Eau Claire Market
Eau Claire Market

Eau Claire Market is the focal point of the neighbourhood. It sits immediately south of the Bow River and was built on former industrial land. The mall is home to several unique and "one of a kind" shops and galleries, a six screen Cineplex Odeon multiplex, a food court and several restaurants. To coincide with the reconfiguration of Eau Claire Plaza, plans are currently in development to demolish and completely rebuild the market which has declined in popularity in recent years. The new market will likely cater to a larger and more diverse demographic to better serve the residential community at large. The redeveloped market will enclose the entrance to the future underground 2 Street SW Station, part of the Calgary Green Line. Taking design inspiration from the Central Library, the north end of the market will feature a tunnel portal integrated in the building, leading the CTrain to north-central Calgary via a new bridge over the Bow River. Construction of the station is expected to begin in 2024.[8]

References
  1. "Calgary Elections". City of Calgary. 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  2. City of Calgary (2006). "Eau Claire Community Statistics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  3. Ward, Tom (1975). Cowtown : an album of early Calgary. Calgary: City of Calgary Electric System, McClelland and Stewart West. p. 182. ISBN 0-7712-1012-4.
  4. City of Calgary Planning (2005). "Eau Claire Area Redevelopment Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  5. "2012 Civic Census Results" (PDF). City of Calgary. 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  6. "Community Boundaries" (Esri shapefile). City of Calgary. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  7. City of Calgary (2004). "Ward 7 Profile" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  8. "Calgary council votes to build the $5.5B Green Line".
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