Work is expected to begin next week to relocate two northeast Calgary piers adorned with a community mural metres away from where they once held an aging pedestrian bridge.

Last year, LWC reported on a pedestrian bridge at 16 Avenue and 19 Street NE that was set for end-of-life demolition just months after a local artist had created murals for the crossing abutments on either side of the road.

Residents in the area were frustrated not only with the fact they were losing a safe crossing over a busy 16 Avenue NE but that the public art they had created for the area was being removed so shortly after it had been installed.

Discussions were ongoing to save the muralled supports, and the City of Calgary told LWC one year ago that they were looking at ways to preserve, relocate, or recreate the art somewhere in the community.

The City of Calgary said that once the bridge reached the end of its service life, the decision was eventually made to keep the murals painted on the pillars. The bridge was finally removed on Dec. 21, 2024.

“In consultation with the community, the murals will be relocated to highly visible locations nearby as a tribute to the area’s history and allow for future traffic safety improvements along 16 Avenue NE,” read an email statement from the City of Calgary.

The columns will be relocated next week, and a new canopy for the top of the pillars is being fabricated and will be installed in mid-February, the City said.

The construction cost for the project is $650,000, according to the City of Calgary.

“While not considered a public art project, The City is committed to five-year agreement to relocate the murals connecting the Mayland Heights, Vista Heights and Belfast neighhourhoods,” the City wrote in the email.

Not as straightforward as they thought, says CA treasurer

Ricardo Cosentino, treasurer for the Crossroads Community Association, said that saving the bridge piers and the artwork is great, and the community is thankful it’s going to be done.

Though, it wasn’t without some back and forth between the community and the City of Calgary. He said the City insisted the pillars were moved.

“We thought, just take the girder off, and then leave the pillars that support it, and then be done with it, kind of thing,” Cosentino told LWC.

“It just turned into a whole other thing where that wasn’t good enough and that was still deemed unsafe.”

As a result, the pillars are being moved roughly 30 feet to the northwest and southwest of where they once held up the 16 Avenue NE pedestrian bridge.  The above drawings show future sidewalk improvements and road adjustments that may have warranted the relocation.  

Cosentino said the community wanted them to stay in the area, and eventually they were able to convince the City to do it, though slightly out of the way. He said the vibe they were getting from the City was that they didn’t really want to do this at all.

“That was the message we were getting. But I think that their hands were tied, because they actually signed an optional amenities agreement with us,” he said.

“So, I think they were very reluctant to have to even give us this option, but they did and we were glad that they saved it, because it took, it cost us over $20,000 in several years to get it organized and painted.”

Still, the challenge remains with the crossing, Cosentino said. At a time when there’s talk of an infrastructure deficit in the inner city, he wondered why they wouldn’t have another bridge at that location. The first once was installed decades ago, when the traffic volume wasn’t as high along 16 Avenue NE.

Cosentino said the long-term plan is apparently for 16 Avenue to go under 19 Street NE, but it’s an unfunded project. That’s why no new bridge is coming.

“It would be amazing. That would be an incredible thing for the community,” he said.

“When it happens.”

Right now, it’s a tough intersection to cross, particularly with walking aids or strollers, Cosentino said. Intersection improvements have been made, including changes to the light timing and the addition of a pedestrian countdown.

When the project is complete, the community will be happy something positive was done with the area, Cosentino said.

“It’s keeping the space somewhat activated,” he said.

“It’s preserving the art. It’s a testament to what was there.”