The Life-Sized City - Calgary - S04E03 - Full Episode

The Life‑Sized City journeys through global urban landscapes to explore how real people are reshaping the places they live. Hosted by Mikael Colville‑Andersen, each episode dives into the challenges and successes of cities striving for sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience. From grassroots movements to policy shifts, the series uncovers how urban life can be redesigned—on a human scale.

Episode Description — Calgary: Paradox and Potential
This week, Mikael returns to his roots in suburban Calgary, the childhood streets where he learned to ride a bike and scored imaginary Stanley Cup finales—a symbol of his personal ties to place. But his hometown, like Houston or Denver, bears the hallmark of unchecked suburban sprawl and a downtown that empties daily after office hours. Once tethered to oil prices, Calgary faces modern pressures—social, racial, and economic divides, alongside one of the world’s highest ecological footprints.

In an evolving metropolis, growth is no longer about more highways or drilling rigs. Calgary has diversified economically and culturally, now ranked among Canada's most diverse cities with two successive mayors of colour. Yet the struggle for urban transformation continues. Mikael meets the urban innovators: from geography professor Byron Miller advocating equitable, non‑market housing; to Lourdis and the "Leftovers" food‑rescue initiative that redistributes surplus meals via app; to Gabriella and the Calgary Community Fridge—a simple, trust‑based response to food insecurity. These grassroots efforts highlight how small-scale interventions spark real change.

He also joins indigenous youth on a land‑based journey with YMCA and USAY, reconnecting with ancestral identity through nature. At the Center for Newcomers, Mikael sees how newcomer integration is reshaping public spaces—like cricket pitches in the suburbs—and aiming to re‑energize the downtown. Under Mayor Jyoti Gondek, Calgary officially declared a #climateemergency and unveiled a net‑zero emissions plan by 2050. Mikael explores that vision through renewable energy, electric buses, and bold infrastructure.
Finally, he turns to Calgary's blue and green spaces: Dale Hodges Park, a unique #stormwater facility‑park hybrid designed by artists to highlight water cycles and #floodresilience ; and the city’s emerging wave‑surfing culture—river waves that could boost downtown vitality and mental well‑being.
This is #Calgary at a crossroads—ripe with paradox, yet brimming with potential. It’s not just Mikael’s hometown; it’s a city reimagining itself through community, nature, and civic ambition.

#TheLifeSizedCity #Calgary #Urbanism #Sustainability #FoodRescue #ClimateEmergency #PublicSpace #IndigenousRights #CityInnovation #urbanism #cities #urbandesign #urbandevelopment #urbanplanning #alberta #canada

0:00 Intro
1:47 Calgary’s DNA - Byron Miller
8:02 Tackling Food Insecurity
16:29 Indigenous Urban Youth
19:59 Welcoming Newcomers
26:01 Mayor Gonbek
30:49 Gary Burns on the Downtown Core
36:24 Public Transport
37:29 Living with Water
42:34 River Surfing
49:43 Tattoo!
50:28 Outro