Ground has been broken on the permanent replacement for a temporary fire station in south Calgary, and with it, the first-ever combination with a public library.

The $34.2 million Walden Fire Station and Library began construction on Oct. 21, 2026, with a ceremony at the 969 Walden Drive SE location, a project expected to open its doors in 2028.

It replaces a modular temporary fire hall, first built around 2020 at a cost of just under $2 million, after response time concerns were raised due to a fire in the community of Legacy. The temporary station will remain in service until the new one opens.

The new facility will have two bays and 15,000 square feet of space, adjacent to an 11,000 square foot Calgary Public Library location, along with parking for both staff and the public.

It will be Ward 14’s first public library building. That gives all 14 Calgary wards a public library location.

Calgary Fire Department Chief Steve Dongworth said that the city’s first combination building between a fire station and a library builds on a long-standing partnership between the two organizations.

“This building will be a place where safety, learning, and community all come together. It represents what can happen when organizations share a commitment to serving people and building strong neighbourhoods,” he said.  

“This new station will strengthen our ability to provide timely emergency response in Calgary’s south, and ensure the firefighters have the facilities, equipment, and resources they need to serve the community effectively.”

Sarah Meilleur, CEO of the Calgary Public Library, said that it’s an exciting time for the CPL, with other new builds in Belmont and in Symons Valley. Plus, it’s a big jump from the 64-square-foot greenhouse that’s doubling as a temporary neighbourhood library – where 200 books per week are circulated.

“We’re so excited and more than ready to give you more space in this community to connect, to learn, and to create your own stories,” she said.

“On opening day, residents will be welcomed into a beautiful space that includes an incredible collection of books for all ages, access to library programs and events, lots of cozy nooks and seating spaces for reading, public meeting rooms, and even better, a fire hall right next door. It’s going to be totally awesome.”

More much-needed infrastructure in a growing city: Mayor Farkas

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said that Wednesday’s announcement was another exciting snapshot of what’s going on in the city’s growing communities.

“Calgary is growing every year. More people are choosing to make our city their home. They’re coming here to build careers, to start businesses, to raise families, to pursue new opportunities, and while that growth brings us tremendous opportunity, it also brings responsibility,” he said.

“Because as our city grows, we need to make sure that the services and infrastructure Calgarians rely on are growing alongside us. That means investing in our roads, our water infrastructure, our parks, our recreation facilities, but it also means investing in the essential community services that make Calgary such a wonderful place to call home.”

Ward 14 Coun. Landon Johnston said he hopes this is one of many announcements of new infrastructure in his ward, which he said are lacking in the area. He said he and his family use the library system once or twice a week, and the new one will be welcome.

“it’s great to see something that’s going to benefit anybody and everybody that wants to visit it, not just Ward 14, but neighbouring communities,” he said.

“Very excited to be a part of this. I wasn’t part of the council that approved it, but I’m lucky enough to be part of the council that gets to be here when it opens.”

The project was partially funded through developer off-site levies, and a $4.1 million contribution from the Government of Alberta through the Local Government Fiscal Framework.

When complete, it will serve the communities of Walden, Legacy, Chaparral, Wolf Willow and surrounding communities.