The Werklund Centre modernization seeks to double its funding request from the City of Calgary to cover an expanded scope for the $345 million project.

That item will come to the Arts Commons Advisory Committee on July 20, with a request to increase Calgary’s contribution, just to the modernization part of the three-pronged project, to $125 million.

The entire Werklund Centre (formerly Arts Commons) and Olympic Plaza transformation project includes the $306 million Werkund Centre expansion, which will add 170,000 square feet of arts and culture space adjacent to the current Werklund Centre building.

That project broke ground back in 2024 and is well advanced into construction.

The Olympic Plaza transformation is a project to revitalize Calgary’s historic 1988 medal ceremony location, which had to be reconfigured to make way for the Werklund expansion.

The modernization project is a plan to virtually gut the current Werklund Centre building and bring it up to current standards.

“As a result of the adjusted project scope and associated cost estimate, Administration has requested an increase to the currently unfunded City modernization contribution from $63 million to $125 million through the 2027-2030 capital funding request,” reads the administration report.

That total project budget is $345 million.

According to the city admin cover page, design development has finished, and a Class B cost estimate (+/- 10 per cent) was completed.

“Modernization of the existing building is a critical component of the Werklund Centre Transformation vision and a key component of long-term operational sustainability,” the report reads.

“The existing facility is the premier performing arts space in Calgary, and the transformation of this space will allow Werklund Centre to continue to meet the needs of Calgarians and the growing demand for flexible cultural, arts, and education spaces.”

Has to be committed cash from the province, feds: Mayor Farkas

Mayor Jeromy Farkas said that he’s open to funding requests from civic partners, but it has to be weighed against existing financial resources they have. He’d also like to see the City of Calgary as a first-in investor, earmarking the cash, but not actually spending it until there’s a commitment from the province and feds.

“I’m not necessarily opposed to giving a commitment, so long as that’s conditional on full leverage from the province, the feds, and the private sector,” he said.  

“I think that that’s one of the best ways that the city can actually get these projects built. It’s not to write a cheque and have the cheque just waiting. I think that we should only be making those investments once we see leverage from at least one of the other two orders of government.”

The Werklund Centre has been advocating for $103 million from the federal government for the modernization project. The province has already committed $103 million to the project.

Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, Tanya Fir, said back in May that Calgary must have leading arts infrastructure for a city of its size.

“People come to Alberta for jobs, opportunity, education for their kids, for low taxes, for everything we have to offer, but they stay because there’s interesting things to do,” she said.

“They stay because there’s culture and community and vibrancy.”

She said at that time she would also continue to meet with federal minister Marc Miller on their portion of funding the project.

“I think arts should be and is nonpartisan, and I think arts is something we can all get behind and benefits everyone, so I’ll keep doing my part,” she said.

Should the modernization be fully funded by the end of 2026, construction could start in early 2029. That would rely on construction completion and occupancy permits for the new building, according to the report.

Construction would take approximately 36 months.