A new public washroom and pickleball court are coming to Calgary’s East Village community. The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) announced that it has broken ground on the two projects, which will be located across from the playground, community gardens, and off-leash dog park at Crossroads, near the intersection of 7th Avenue and 6th Street Southeast. The CMLC selected Public City, a firm from Winnipeg, to design the projects due to their safe, efficient, imaginative, and architecturally unique design. The 3,000-square-foot facility will feature four universally accessible stalls, a shared handwashing space, a hand-drying station, and a fenced-in pickleball court.
The washroom and pickleball court are expected to bring vibrancy to the community while prioritizing safety. Both facilities will be open seven days a week year-round and will be managed by the CMLC, which will also oversee programming and security. Claire LePan, the CMLC’s vice-president of communications and partnerships, expressed excitement about introducing a concept that combines the community’s need for a permanent public washroom with a desired sports amenity. The new facilities aim to cater to the needs of the 4,000 residents and 80,000 annual visitors in East Village and address the challenges faced by the previous washrooms, which were closed in 2022 due to maintenance expenses and social issues.
The new washrooms will replace the existing ones that were installed in 2012. The design of the new structure was inspired by the liveliness and inclusiveness of East Village, with a focus on creating a functional facility that also serves as a valuable community asset. Peter Sampson, principal and founding director of Public City, explained that the goal was to enhance the vibrant and livable urban neighborhood by combining a public washroom with the popular sport of pickleball. He emphasized that public spaces have evolved into gathering places where people can actively engage or simply observe.
The collaboration between CMLC and Public City aims to create a facility that meets the changing needs of public spaces, providing both practical amenities and opportunities for social interaction. The facility is expected to be completed in the late fall, offering residents and visitors in East Village a modern and inclusive space to enjoy. The projects reflect a commitment to enhancing community infrastructure and creating spaces that cater to a diverse range of individuals. Overall, the new public washroom and pickleball court represent a significant investment in the development and livability of Calgary’s East Village community.
