Downtown Calgary lies in a
self-evident cluster of mirrored
glass and polished granite facades
bounded by the Bow River to the
north, 9th Avenue to the south,
Centre Street to the east and 8th
Street to the west. A monument to
oil money, the area is about as
sleek as an urban centre can be:
virtually everything is brand-new,
and the modern architecture is easy
on the eye. The
city centre ,
so far as it has one, is
traditionally 8th Avenue between 1st
Street SE and 3rd Street SW, a
largely pedestrianized area known as
Stephen Avenue Mall.
Any city tour, though, should
start with a trip to the Glenbow
Museum , while a jaunt up the Calgary
Tower , across the street, gives
a literal overview of the Calgarian
hinterland. Thereafter a good deal
of the city lends itself to
wandering on foot, whether around
the mall-laden main streets or to Prince's
Island , the nearest of many
parks, and gentrified Kensington
, a busy shopping and café
district. The appeal of attractions
further afield - Fort Calgary
, Heritage Park and the Calgary
Zoo - will depend on your
historical and natural-history
inclinations. These sights, together
with a crop of special interest museums
, can be easily reached by bus or
C-Train.
