Hello From The Canadian Rockies - Part 26 - A Final Walk Through Calgary
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Travel Leisure -> subcategory Vacations.
Hello From The Canadian Rockies - Part 26: A Final Walk Through Calgary
As our final hours in Alberta ticked away, we set out to explore downtown Calgary one last time. Departing Banff around 9:30 am, we arrived in Calgary shortly before 11, parked just east of the city center, and began our walking tour.
Our first stop was Calgary City Hall, an elegant sandstone building standing opposite Olympic Plaza. Originally built for the 1988 Winter Olympics medal ceremonies, Olympic Plaza is now a vibrant hub hosting various festivals. During the Calgary Stampede, pancake breakfasts are served here, and in winter, it transforms into a picturesque skating rink.
Nearby, the Telus Convention Centre, the Art Gallery of Calgary, and the Glenbow Museum await exploration. The southwest corner of the plaza features the Famous Five sculptures, honoring the influential women activists who championed women's rights in Canada. A replica of this sculpture resides on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
Our journey continued to the historic Stephen Avenue Walk, named after Lord George Mount Stephen, the first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Designated a Canadian Historic Site in 2002, this pedestrian area flourished during Calgary's early 1900s boom, with wealthy merchants erecting grand sandstone buildings for shops, saloons, and restaurants. Today, it hosts six major shopping centers, boutiques, galleries, and summer festivals filled with live performances and artistic events.
One of Calgary's unique features is its network of interconnected elevated walkways, known as +15s, since these pathways are at least 15 feet above street level. The most striking of these is the Royal Canadian Pacific Pavilion, a stunning yet exclusive sky bridge. With 58 bridges spanning 18 kilometers, connecting over 100 offices, retail, and other buildings, Calgary boasts the world's largest enclosed elevated walkway system.
We ventured into this walkway network linking key sites along the Stephen Avenue Walk, including the Calgary Eaton Centre, TD Square, Bankers Hall, The Bay, and the Scotia Centre. Within TD Square lies the Devonian Gardens, a vast indoor park offering a tropical escape with waterfalls, lush plants, water features, and even goldfish and water turtles. It’s the perfect spot for relaxation, open daily from 9 am to 9 pm with free admission. On this chilly winter day, both locals and tourists enjoyed the warmth and beauty of this indoor oasis.
One corridor along the +15 walkways showcased historic Calgary Stampede posters, tracing the evolution of graphic design and event promotion over nearly a century.
As our departure loomed, we reluctantly returned the rental car and headed to the airport for our flight back to Toronto. This brief glimpse of Calgary, coupled with a week in Banff, offered us a rich experience of Western Canadian history and hospitality. We look forward to returning someday.
For more details and photos of our adventure, please visit [Travel and Transitions](http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/calgary_final_walk.htm).
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Hello From The Canadian Rockies - Part 26 - A Final Walk Through Calgary.
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