Where the Bow River
meets the Elbow River
This place has long been called Mohkinsstsis by the Blackfoot, Wîchîspa by the Nakoda, and Guts’ists’i by Tsuut’ina. It is also the birthplace of Calgary.
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.
About Brewery-Rail Lands
Project
Introduction
A comprehensive application for Land Use Redesignation and Outline Plan is now under review by The City of Calgary for the Brewery-Rail Lands, of which MATCO Development is the majority landowner.
The Brewery-Rail Lands are envisioned as an innovative, compact, livable, mixed use, and transit oriented urban development in the heart of Calgary, re-imagining the site’s industrial roots for the 21st century.
An Industrial Transition Area
in the Heart of Calgary
Having hosted various industrial and production uses over the course of the last century, today’s Brewery-Rail Lands mark a distinct area of industrial transition from the adjacent, vibrant mixed-use community of Inglewood to the north and the predominately commercial-industrial area of Alyth / Bonnybrook to the south.
While only a few remaining structures on the site are actively used today, the Brewery-Rail Lands continues to host a variety of commercial and light industrial uses and tenants, including a small character office building, the ZYN Wine Market and the site’s largest tenant – WestKey Storage.
The future vision for the Brewery-Rail Lands will build on the vibrancy of surrounding communities and the strong industrial character of the site to realize a compact, livable, mixed-use, and transit-supportive redevelopment over the medium to long term.
Comprehensive Planning Area
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Consolidated Ownership Structure
The Brewery-Rail Lands represent a unique city-building opportunity, with a large strategic inner city assembly and cooperative ownership structure that enables comprehensive and decisive planning from the get-go. MATCO’s holdings represent ±87% of the Comprehensive Planning Area lands, allowing for a comprehensive Land Use Redesignation and Outline Plan process to proceed for the MATCO-owned lands.
Comprehensive Planning Area – Looking East
Land Ownership
Location & Site Context
Rare Inner City Opportunity
The Brewery-Rail Lands are strategically located adjacent to the community of Inglewood, 2km east of Calgary’s Downtown core. The site is bound by 9 Avenue SE and 17 Avenue SE to the north, 15 Street SE to the east, and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) corridor to the south.
The site is prominently situated at the corner of 9 AV and 15 ST SE along Inglewood’s Main Street and is well connected to existing transportation networks, with adjacencies to key arterial links like Blackfoot Trail SE. Both the new MAX Purple Bus Rapid Transit line and future Inglewood-Ramsay Green Line Station are within easy walking distance.
The Brewery-Rail Lands enjoy unparalleled access to both local and regional inner-city amenities and destinations, including Calgary’s extensive open space and pathway network and one of the most vibrant Main Street corridors in the city.
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Planning Context
Growth & Change
Policy Alignment
The Brewery-Rail Lands are strategically located withing an inner-city context with the highest capacity for growth and change. The redevelopment of these unique lands will help advance the vision of the Municipal Development Plan (MDP), Calgary Transportation Plan (CTP), emerging Historic East Calgary Local Area Plan (LAP), and Ramsay/Inglewood Station Area Improvements through:
+ Comprehensive Planning
+ Linking Transit & Land Use
+ Main Street Investment
Comprehensive Planning
The draft Historic East Calgary LAP growth concept assigns the Brewery-Rail Lands a Comprehensive Planning Site policy modifier intended for large sites where additional comprehensive planning and detailed design is required to support future planning applications.
Redevelopment along the interface with the Canadian Pacific Railway lines will need to also reference municipal policy for Development Next to Freight Rail Corridors.
Local Area Plan
The project site is located within the boundaries of the draft (February 2021) Historic East Calgary Communities Local Area Plan (LAP). The LAP provides the long-term vision specific to the local plan area and articulates a broad set of policies and strategies for visualizing, enabling and supporting future community growth and change. Once current work on Heritage Conservation Tools and Incentives in commercial areas is completed, this LAP will be revisited as a part of the Area 7 multi-community LAP, following the phases set out in the Guide for Local Area Planning. In the meantime, amendments to the Inglewood Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) will be required for this comprehensive redevelopment.
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Main Streets
The North boundary of the project site is located along 9 AV SE, a Municipal Development Plan (MDP) identified Neighbourhood ‘Main Street’ that stretches from the Elbow River to 17 AV SE. Calgary’s Main Streets are active corridors that attract Calgarians to socialize, work, live, shop, dine, and celebrate—ideal places for mixed-use, residential, commercial, and retail intensification. Identified for strategic growth, the transformation of our Main Streets will occur jointly through public and private investment and are part of a long term plan to manage the growing population of our city over time.
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Primary Transit Network
The project site is a vital Transit-Oriented-Development (TOD) opportunity nestled between two MAX Purple Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Stations and the future Inglewood/Ramsay Green Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) Station—the backbone of the Primary Transit Network. The Calgary Transportation Plan (CTP) identifies the Primary Transit Network as an organizing tool for land use planning, with community design emphasizing higher intensity, compact mixed-used development concentrated near transit stops and stations to encourage ridership and optimize public infrastructure.
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Ramsay/Inglewood
Station Area Improvements
A significant, supportive transformation is proposed around the future Ramsay/Inglewood Green Line LRT Station. Local components of the public realm— streetscapes, parks, intersections, and pathways—are being re-envisioned and targeted for public reinvestment including a Greenway link from the Ramsay/Inglewood LRT Station to the Elbow River. Additional improvements to movement and connectivity are proposed through a new multi-use pathway, streetscape enhancements, and numerous intersection improvements along 11/12 ST SE, unlocking key circulation possibilities along the Brewery-Rail Lands’ rail-oriented southern border.
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Mobility Context
Multi-modal Connections
In addition to the Comprehensive Planning Area’s proximity to key BRT and LRT stations, future bike and pathway links are recommended in the Historic East Calgary Local Area Plan (LAP) to extend along 11/12 Street SE and the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). A Greenway link from the Ramsay/Inglewood Green Line LRT Station to the Elbow River is also proposed as part of the Ramsay/Inglewood Station Area Improvements project. To further connect even more Calgarians to their daily needs, we are proposing an additional key connection—named Rail Trail—that will link the Ramsay/Inglewood LRT Station to the multi-modal network along 15 Street/9 Avenue SE, allowing for a direct connection from the Elbow River path system all the way to 15 Street SE.
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