Articles by Richard White

Calgary is often criticized by urbanists for its huge footprint with new communities being built on the city’s edge. It should, however, be commended for the number and diversity of infill projects the City and […]

Calgary’s amazing collection of parks and pathways have been put to a test during the COVID pandemic.  Thousands have flocked to the city’s outdoor infrastructure to catch a few moments of relief while being cooped […]

They used to be called Business Revitalization Zones (BRZ) in Calgary. Today they’re called Business Improvement Areas (BIA). Whatever you want to call them, they’ve been a huge Calgary success story.  The BIA’s are like […]

While some Calgarians lament the fact many of our older buildings have been demolished, Calgary has a better track record for preservation than it’s often given credit for. Aritha Van Herk, author of the 2001 […]

Irfhan Rawji, CEO of the MobSquad and Chair of the Glenbow Museum, thinks so. Recently, he was on the Danielle Smith show on NewsTalk 770 talking about how Calgary needs to be more like Austin, […]

This is the second in a 2020 series of LiveWire columns by Richard White (a Calgary-based urban development writer), looking at past urban planning decisions that successfully shaped our city into one of the most […]

In 2019, I identified some of Calgary’s biggest urban planning mistakes and missed opportunities over the past 50 years. To be fair, in 2020, I will highlight some of Calgary’s best urban planning decisions made […]

Calgary has always been a suburban city from a residential perspective. In the 21st Century, the suburbs have also risen in importance as a place for Calgarians to work, play and be entertained.  There is […]