Here's how Calgary's streets have changed in the last 65 years

Times change, and cities change along with them — whether we notice it or not.

2nd Street at 7th Avenue SW

There’s no doubt that Calgary loves anything shiny new, to the point where you sometimes have to dig deep to catch glimpses of the past. Here’s a shot of 2nd Street looking south towards 8th Avenue SW during the 1970 Calgary Stampede parade:

Provincial Archives of Alberta/Flickr

And here is what that same area looked like as of June 2024.

Google Street View

Calgary Planetarium

Built in 1967 for Canada’s centennial and considered one of Calgary’s best examples of Brutalist architecture, the Centennial Planetarium, located at 701 11th St. SW, became the Calgary Science Centre in the mid-1980s. It served in that role until 2011, when the Science Centre moved to the northeast. Today, the space is home to Contemporary Calgary, a modern art gallery.

Here’s what it looked like in a photo taken sometime in 1975:

Provincial Archives of Alberta/Flickr

And here’s what that area looks like as of 2023:

Google Street View

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

The Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium and its sibling, the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, were constructed in the late 1950s to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Alberta.

Here is a photo of the Jubilee Auditorium taken sometime in 1965:

Provincial Archives of Alberta/Flickr

And this is what it looked like in April 2021. Much of the same, only more trees!

Google Street View

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Calgary Courthouse

Taken from the corner of 6th Avenue and 4th Street SW, here is a photo of the building that served as the Calgary Courthouse, according to a photo taken sometime in 1962:

Provincial Archives of Alberta/Flickr

And here is what that same corner looked like in June 2024:

Google Street View

Stampede Grounds looking downtown

Previous to the construction of GMC stadium, the Calgary Stampede’s flagship events took place in an area a little closer to the Big Four Building. Here is a shot of the events with downtown Calgary in the background, taken in 1970:

Provincial Archives of Alberta/Flickr

Here’s the most recent view from this angle on Google Street View, taken in 2021. If you ever doubt how quickly Calgary can change, consider that this image is already out of date. The pedestrian overpass across Macleod Trail is gone, Victoria Park/Stampede Station has been completely revamped, and Calgary Tower — aside from its iconic red top — is nearly hidden behind new developments.

Google Street View