Construction of the new Werklund Centre in downtown Calgary, adjacent to the Olympic Plaza transformation has moved into a new phase.
Kate Thompson, president & CEO, of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) said in a statement on Friday the centre has entered the first phase of vertical construction on the 170,000 sq. ft. expansion of Calgary’s newest performing arts centre.
“CMLC and our partners are thrilled by the progress happening on-site, behind the hoarding, on the WCT Expansion” said Thompson.
“Since construction began in January 2025, the project team has completed critical foundational work, including site excavation, secant wall construction, building foundations, and elevator shafts."
"With the 1,000-seat theatre box rising to ground level, Calgarians can begin to see the physical form of a project that will have a lasting impact on our downtown and city’s cultural landscape.”
Two new theatres are planned for the centre; the 1,000-seat Osten-Victor Playhouse and a 200-seat studio theatre, each being built using specialized building techniques unique to performance spaces, with thicker walls, acoustic separation, and vibration isolation systems to support live performances.
According to the CMLC release, the structures are designed as a “box-within-a-box,” engineered to limit noise and structural movement, providing the best acoustic conditions while remaining independent from the rest of the building and protected from the activity of downtown and adjacent CTrain.
With the foundations of the 1,000-seat theatre box complete and vertical construction underway, the project is transitioning from highly critical underground work to specialized structural construction, said Alex Sarian, president and CEO of Werklund Centre.
"The state-of-the-art experience Calgarians will have inside the Osten-Victor Playhouse is made possible by the careful construction of its exterior shell, designed to shield the theatre from the noise and vibration of the bustling city that surrounds it,” said Sarian.
“The late Al Osten and Buddy Victor believed in the power of the arts to bring people together and make our communities more loving and compassionate. To witness their legacy, take shape in downtown Calgary is increasingly meaningful and moving.”
Osten and Victor were members of The Rover Boys, an all-male singing group in the 1950s credited with discovering Paul Anka.
The two-phase Werklund Centre is described by Thom Mahler, as a “vital component of its Downtown Strategy, designed to support increased vibrancy, economic activity, and cultural investment in the city’s core.
“Downtown is the economic and cultural heart of our city,” said Mahler, director of the city’s Downtown Strategy.
“Calgary needs a strong core to grow sustainably, and the Werklund Centre and Olympic Plaza Transformation projects are a catalyst in creating a vibrant and active city centre.”
“This milestone demonstrates how we can deliver complex municipal projects through strategic planning and collaboration to support downtown’s revitalization and Calgary’s broader cultural ecosystem.”
The first phase of Werklund Centre is scheduled for completion in 2028, with the construction of the Olympic Plaza Transformation beginning this year and also scheduled for completion in 2028.
The Werklund Centre and Olympic Plaza Transformation projects are funded by the Government of Alberta, The City of Calgary and Dave Werklund and Family.
More information on the Werklund Centre Transformation Expansion and construction progress, is at calgarymlc.ca/WCT
