The Open, a new permanent washroom and adjoining pickleball court in downtown Calgary’s east end, has officially opened.

This modest piece of public infrastructure has a social placemaking element that is intended to serve a multi-generational demographic in Calgary’s burgeoning East Village.

“As development in East Village progresses and we prepare to welcome hundreds more residents to the community in the coming years, CMLC remains committed delivering public amenities and placemaking activations that foster community and create vibrancy,” said Clare LePan, CMLC’s vice president of communications & strategic partnerships. “Strategically located at the intersection of 7 Avenue and 6 Street S.E., The Open sits adjacent to East Village’s off-leash dog park, playground, and community garden, and is a short distance from Jack & Jean Leslie RiverWalk, serving the 4,000 residents of the community as well as the 80,000 visitors who frequent the community’s diverse retail offerings, dynamic programming and public spaces every year.”

The Open is the winning submission of a national public design competition that attracted 11 submissions. 

The design by Winnipeg-based Public City was chosen for its imaginative, functional, and distinctive design. The hybrid architecture and landscape architecture facility marries sport with utility, aiming to transform a functional program into a meaningful urban place. Construction of the facility was managed by Delnor Construction.

The 3,000-square-foot building features four universally accessible all gender bathroom stalls—one wheelchair accessible with grab bars – and a shared handwashing space. The adjoining pickleball court features a living green roof of natural grasses and a tiered spectator seating area.

The facility is wrapped with a teal metal screen, and the court is painted with vibrant colours and court lines. A sedum-planted, wedge-shaped roof nods to the nearby Rocky Mountains.

“CMLC’s ongoing transformation of East Village into one of Calgary’s most dynamic and inviting urban neighbourhoods shines through in projects like The Open,” said Councillor Terry Wong. “This thoughtfully designed space exemplifies how vibrant projects can transform the well-being of those who live, work, and visit the area, creating an inclusive atmosphere that enhances quality of life for residents and warmly welcomes the thousands of visitors who come to enjoy everything East Village has to offer every year.”

CMLC collaborated with the Calgary Police Service, social outreach organizations, and safety experts to integrate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles in the facility’s design, which includes clear sightlines facilitated by glass walls on the washroom’s exterior and mesh sports court fencing, all well-lit inside and out.

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