Calgary Historical Sites
Centre Street Bridge
When the Centre Street Bridge opened in 1916, it gave Calgary a solid link between downtown and the growing communities north of the river. It was built with two decks, which still sets it apart from other bridges in the city. The south end lands in Chinatown.
- Opened
- 1916
- Where
- Over the Bow River, from Chinatown
- Designation
- Municipal Historic Resource (1992)
- Today
- Road bridge with sidewalks
Who Made the Lions
The City's history says an alderman spotted a stone lion on the verandah of a north-hill home belonging to James L. Thomson, a City employee and former Scottish stonemason who sculpted in his spare time. Thomson made the bridge's four concrete lions, modelled on the bronze lions in Trafalgar Square, and they went up in 1917.
Where the Originals Are Now
The bridge and lions became a Municipal Historic Resource in 1992. When the bridge closed for renovations in 1999, the originals were too worn to go back up, so four replicas were cast from the restored southwest lion and installed in 2000. You can still see two originals: the restored one at the Municipal Building entrance, and the northeast lion in Rotary Park, conserved to show its cracks and age. The other two are in storage.
On Foot from the Bridge
- The Bow River pathway runs along both banks below
- Prince's Island Park is a short walk upstream
- Rotary Park and McHugh Bluff, on the north side, have views over the skyline
Neighbourhoods at Each End
- South end: Chinatown, next to Eau Claire
- North end: Crescent Heights, on the escarpment
- West along the river: Sunnyside
Centre Street Bridge in pictures
Photographed on the ground by Kelly Baker.
Communities around Centre Street Bridge
The residential communities closest to it.