Construction of Village Commons at East Village Place in Calgary is complete. The project is a partnership between the Calgary Housing Company (CHC), Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and carya.  CMLC acted as the project manager to lead the construction.

The team completed the design and construction of the project under budget and within 11 months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With construction complete, carya has begun moving into Village Commons and will soon be operating virtual programs for all ages from the space. The new hub will be home to a wide range of programs in flexible spaces for community meetings, wellness classes, financial planning, empowerment, and more.

Exciting and innovative features include a new art studio, family counselling centre, and an industrial-sized state of the art community kitchen. The space is also equipped with video and streaming capabilities to ensure programs and events continue to be accessible online.

“East Village is the place where Calgary’s future continues to unfold and we see that with opening of Village Commons which invites current residents and supports the evolving needs of the neighborhood,” says Kate Thompson, CMLC president and CEO.

In 2016 CHC purchased the property to preserve more than 160 affordable homes. Work began immediately to explore options for redeveloping the former Golden Age Club site to offer a space that would serve the residents of East Village Place and the broader community. In 2017, carya came on board as the partner.

“Our vision for Village Commons has always been a space where all Calgarians can come together and feel like they belong,” says Theresa Watson, CEO of carya. “While we can’t gather in this space just yet, we are thrilled it is now complete and ready for us to come together when it is safe to do so.”

On-site programming and a grand opening event will be planned for later this year when public health and safety permits.