Eau Claire, Calgary
Eau Claire | |
|---|---|
Neighbourhood | |
 Festival plaza in Eau Claire | |
 | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Alberta |
| City |  Calgary |
| Quadrant | SW |
| Ward | 7 |
| Established | 1885 |
| Government | |
| • Administrative body | Calgary City Council |
| • Alderman | Druh Farrell |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.4 km2 (0.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,045 m (3,428 ft) |
| Population (2006)[2] | |
• Total | 1,717 |
| • Average Income | $80,210 |
| Website | Eau Claire Community Association |
The neighbourhood of Eau Claire in Calgary, Alberta, Canada is located immediately north of Downtown, and south of the Bow River and north of 4th Avenue. A mix of riverside condominiums, shopping, restaurants, hotels, a large public plaza and urban parkland make Eau Claire one of Calgary's most popular areas. Contained within Eau Claire is the city's Festival District.
The area, which was developed from reclaimed industrial land, fronts the Bow River and sits immediately north of 3rd Avenue South. North of Eau Claire is Prince's Island Park, a large urban park on an island in the Bow River and the site of many summer festivals, including the Calgary Folk Music Festival, Carifest, Shakespeare in the Park and various busking happenings. Within Eau Claire is Eau Claire Market and a variety of pubs and restaurants. It is also located on the city's large network of pedestrian pathways and trails, along the Bow River pathway.
History
The name Eau Claire derives from one of Calgary's original industries - a sawmill transplanted from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and staffed by mostly Norwegian mill workers. The area on the banks of the Bow River was selected in the 1880s for its easy access to fallen timber. The community was subsequently named for the Eau Claire Lumber Company.
Eau Claire Plaza, at the core of the Festival District is currently undergoing a major modernization and redevelopment to better integrate it with the city, Prince's Island, Eau Claire Market, Barclay Mall and the other surrounding hotels, restaurants and businesses. The community has an area redevelopment plan in place.[3]
Demographics
In 2006 the neighbourhood had a population of 1,717.[4] Residents in this community had a median household income of $80,210 in 2000, and there were 21.8% low income residents living in the neighborhood.[1] As of 2000, 32.7% of the residents were immigrants. A proportion of 98% of the buildings were condominiums or apartments, and 38.7% of the housing was used for renting.[2]
It is represented in the Calgary City Council by Ward 7 Alderman Druh Farrell.
Eau Claire Market
Eau Claire Market is the focal point of the neighbourhood. It sits immediately south of the Bow River and was built on former industrial land. The mall is home to several unique and "one of a kind" shops and galleries, a movie theatre, a food court and several restaurants. To coincide with the reconfiguration of Eau Claire Plaza, plans are currently in development to demolish and completely rebuild the market which has declined in popularity in recent years. The new market will likely cater to a larger and more diverse demographic to better serve the residential community at large.
One local resident states, "I've lived a few blocks from Eau Claire Market for several years. It's been a retail mutt since day one. The so-called food market is an overpriced joke. The mix of small retail stores has no appeal to downtown residents. Most downtown residents take the LRT to malls where there at least is a major grocery store with competitive prices. As for restaurants, much better food variety and prices exist within walking distance in Chinatown and the rest of downtown. The whole conception of this structure was flawed from day one."
References
- ^ a b City of Calgary (2004). "Ward 7 Profile" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ a b City of Calgary (2006). "Eau Claire Community Statistics" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ City of Calgary Planning (2005). "Eau Claire Area Redevelopment Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
- ^ City of Calgary (2006). "Community Population Comparison" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-05-11.
External links
Places adjacent to Eau Claire, Calgary | |
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