On the grand scale of things, Calgary is a young city. From a wooden fort at the confluence of two rivers in 1875 it’s grown into a vibrant metropolitan city of over a million people in a wink. It’s been a bumpy ride, shifting from ranching to Canada’s capital for the energy sector – and just like riding a galloping horse, we’ve hung on. It’s exciting to live here, to be part of that energy. We work hard and play hard. Boy, do we play hard!
I love waking up to a big prairie sky with the ribbon of mountains to the west. With Banff National Park only an hour away, it’s the best backyard in the world. When friends visit in the summer I take them to cycle and hike, or splurge on tours to either go caving near Canmore or clip into the fixed ropes on the via ferrata at Mount Norquay. In the winter we’ll be at one of three ski resorts, floating on perfect powder. No matter which season, the day always ends with exaggerated tales while we raise a toast to our accomplishments at the pubs on Banff Avenue.
If we don’t go to the mountains, we still get some mountain biking in at Canada Olympic Park. Trails with daring obstacles and jumps are built into the forested hill. Or, we’ll wander through Heritage Park Historical Village so I can boast about how the sandstone fence in front of Calgary’s relocated first brick mansion was once mine. (Seriously! It was my grandma’s fence!) Heck, anyone who grew up in Calgary has a link to Heritage Park.
Nothing beats a hot summer day drifting through the city on a raft on the Bow River, or running along the river where both sides are graced with pathways for both cyclists or pedestrians. Actually, Calgary has the most extensive urban pathway network in North America, with nearly 800km of trails. And, no, I have not run them all, but my favourites are along the rivers and the reservoir.
The best time to visit Calgary is the first two weeks of July when the annual Calgary Stampede pays homage to our frontier tradition. The entire city gets involved, with free pancake breakfasts and parties where we dance way into the night. Everyone dresses their part in cowboy boots, hats and western wear, then heads to the Stampede Grounds to take in the massive festival. There’s a big amusement area of rides and games of chance but it’s the afternoon rodeo and the evening chuck-wagon races we like to watch. There’s a stage show and fireworks to top off the night. It’s spectacular and I really don’t think I’ve missed one yet.
I’m pretty proud of the efforts to revitalise the East Village where that first fort sat. The Charbar with its rooftop patio is perfect for late night dining. In the late summer, Calgary Opera takes over the promenade to put on operas and plays under a big white tent. To cap the night off we’ll head to Craft Beer Market to taste beer from around the world. There are more than 100 on tap.
There’s been a rush of new restaurants embracing the farm to fork movement and, with Calgary in the heart of cattle country, almost every restaurant has Alberta beef on the menu. It’s nice to see we haven’t forgotten our roots.
For more information and inspiration, see explore-canada.co.uk
