How should the new arena look? Survey launches to gather Calgarians' opinions

Now's your chance to have a say about Calgary's new taxpayer-supported NHL arena.

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has started collecting public feedback about the "event centre," as it's being called. The building will become an anchor for a planned entertainment district along the Stampede grounds, east of downtown, and a home for the Calgary Flames.

Wednesday marked the start of a two-month public consultation period, gathering ideas and opinions to help shape the Saddledome's replacement.

CMLC, the project manager, wants feedback specifically around how the building could look, what programming and retail stores it could offer, and how the building should fit in with the neighbourhood.

"We're really excited to hear from Calgarians and have them help us figure out the best way to integrate this project with the urban environment," CMLC president Kate Thompson said Wednesday.

Calgarians can submit their opinions through an online survey, at 24 upcoming events covering each city ward and through a series of roundtable discussions.

The consultation period ends March 27.

Coun. Jeff Davison, a strong supporter of the arena, said he hopes many Calgarians take the time to respond to the survey.

"This is about what are we going to build and what do you want to see there," he said. "I think this is Calgarians' opportunity to come and say, 'You know, this is what I'm looking for in my community, in my city. This is what I think will be great for me.'"

That feedback will be provided to a yet-to-be hired development manager to consider when planning the centre. The land corporation has issued a request for proposals this week. It is also seeking a design consultant, construction manager and other specialists to get the centre built. The goal is to select those contractors in March.

"I've worked on many projects. The quality of information in really affects the design you can output," Thompson said. "So the more information we can give to the designers and to the entire team, the better the results."

Taxpayers and the Calgary Flames are splitting the $550-million bill for construction. The city is also chipping in an extra $15 million to cover land transfer and Saddledome demolition costs. Construction is projected to begin in the summer of 2021, wrapping up in May 2024.