Explore the Beltline: life in the heart of it all

Calgary’s Beltline has it all – the energy of an inner-city community so close to the downtown with top-end shopping and dining scene, but the presence of the historic Central Memorial Park at its core also gives this dynamic neighbourhood the vibe of a quiet, urban oasis.

Central Memorial Park is Calgary’s oldest park and it gives a quiet calm to the neighbourhood. It provides a serene respite to the condo dwellers and office workers in the buildings that surround it along the 300 block of 12th Avenue SW.

According to the City of Calgary, the grounds were modelled after a formal Victorian garden featuring geometric pathways, elaborate garden beds, and rows of imported and native trees. It features 11 unique memorials, including a Cenotaph, a Boer War Memorial, a World War I soldier statue and a memorial honouring Rt. Hon. Richard Bedford Bennett. Remembrance Day ceremonies are held here annually on November 11.

Recently restored and re-opened to the public in 2010, this popular downtown park is also the location of the historic Central Memorial Library, the first public library in all of Alberta and is also designated as a National Heritage Site.

Books aren’t the only things that hold knowledge here, as the library itself lists a lot of interesting features, including hidden symbolism and a mysterious room deep within it. It would certainly make for a fun afternoon for Beltline explorers.

There is 12 decades worth of history in the Beltline itself It was part of Calgary’s earliest days and is the amalgamation of the Connaught and Victoria Park communities.

In the last 20 years, the Beltline has been one of the hottest places to buy a condo apartment in the city. Tons of mid-rise towers went up, including five from BC-based developer Qualex Landmark alone, their latest high-rise – Park Point – still offers new homes.

Park Point still has eight, move-in-ready, park-facing two-bedroom suites from the $480,000s. Prospective buyers are able to take self-guided tours of the suites by picking up the keys from the concierge. More information at www.parkpoint.qualex.ca.

Residents here and in other surrounding condo buildings can find a ready-made lifestyle replete with a myriad of dining choices and a trendy shopping scene that gives it a worldly, modern feel. Some of the best restaurants in Calgary are concentrated in the Beltline, many of them around the one square block around the Central Memorial Park.

These include Native Tongues Taqueria, which many affirm as having the best tacos in Calgary. There’s no better place for an authentic Mexican meal, including a Mezcal and Tequila tasting station. Or sample a delicious variety of tacos at or try their family style Tacos al Carbon for an intimate sit-down dinner. https://www.nativetongues.ca/

There’s also The Beltliner, a modern twist on the classic dinner which is named after Calgary’s streetcar that ran down 12th Avenue SW in the early part of the last century. It offers a menu crafted with local, seasonal, artisanal and handmade ingredients. The Belt Adjuster special is a personal favourite. https://www.thebeltliner.com/

A little further down the road is the popular hangout spot, CRAFT Beer Market. It has a new rooftop patio that opened last year, which might be a good spotfor a socially-distant get-together come the warmer months. https://craftbeermarket.ca/calgary/downtown

To feed the soul, the Beltline has one of the best independent bookstores in Calgary – Shelf Life Bookstore. It inhabits the historic Fourth Street building, and recently celebrated it’s 10th anniversary. They host special events weekly with local or visiting authors, as well as book clubs, open mics, storytelling and discussion groups. They also support local authors and carry a good selection of their work. https://shelflifebooks.ca.

More can be found of the Beltline’s history and amenities in the website www.beltline.ca.