Calgary Municipal Land Corporation

Stewarding a Safe, Clean and Awesome East Village

    · 5 min read

    For more than 18 years, CMLC has championed the revitalization of East Village into a dynamic, vibrant, connected downtown neighbourhood. We built new roads, underpasses, bridges and sidewalks that move people, and created parks, pathways and public spaces that bring people together. We seek out development partners to build the housing and commercial spaces for the thousands of residents and dozens of retailers who choose to call East Village home. We bring vibrancy and activation to the community year-round through investment in public art, creative placemaking and a robust programming and events schedule.

    In recent years, our mandate in East Village has included a heightened focus on safety and vitality. Downtowns across North America are grappling with the real and perceived challenges of safety, and Calgary’s downtown is no exception.

    As steward of the East Village Master Plan, the safety and well-being of the neighbourhood – and all those who live, work and play here – is a top priority for CMLC.

    Our Investment

    Through an annual investment of nearly $1M per year, CMLC invests heavily in partnerships, programs and initiatives that support the safety and well-being of all members of the East Village community, including:

    • The East Village Safe, Clean & Awesome app and dashboard: A suite of digital tools that allow us to identify, address and track safety and maintenance concerns in East Village. Learn more.
    • The East Village Safety Hub: Enables multi-agency teams to collaborate, share information and coordinate response to real and perceived social issues, including a weekly coordination meeting between all teams.
    • Security Patrols: Contracted daily security patrols in East Village and St. Patrick’s Island.
    • East Village HELP Team: Established in partnership with Alpha House, two dedicated teams help identify and effectively intervene in matters related to street-level addiction and public intoxication seven days a week.
    • Public Washroom Attendant Program at The Open: Two on-site attendants guests and provide on-the-spot maintenance to ensure the space remains safe, clean and well-maintained during operating hours.
    • East Village Safety & Vitality Committee: Led by CMLC, the committee of local business owners, condo representatives, community organizations and Calgary Police Services meets regularly to discuss neighbourhood safety concerns and develop strategies to improve community vitality.
    • Downtown Coordinated Safety & Security Program: Led by The City of Calgary, CMLC participates in a regular monthly meeting of downtown area partners to discuss issues, share information and collaborate on solutions to matters of safety and security in East Village and the broader downtown area.
    • Downtown Safety Leadership Table: As members of the Downtown Safety Leadership Table in 2023 and 2024, we were key contributor in the development of the table’s 28 recommendations to address safety and vibrancydowntown Calgary, many of which are already underway.
    • RSBC: An outcome of the Downtown Safety Leadership Table, CMLC sits on the Real Estate and Business Downtown Safety Collaborative, comprised of downtown-focused industry experts with extensive experience navigating complex issues to help support and inform strategic opportunities and advocacy.

    Our Progress

    Together with our partners, we are proud that our programs and initiatives have contributed positively to the sense of safety and vitality in East Village.

    1. 35,000 visitors to The Open in its first 10 months, with a 97% positive rating through our in-facility surveys.
    2. 424 EV Safe, Clean & Awesome App submissions since April 2025
    3. 1,104 hours of mobile security patrols between July and September 2025
    4. 99 powerwashing between January and September 2025
    5. 790 graffiti tags removed between July and September 2025
    6. 2,300 garbage cans emptied every month, on average
    7. 250 Safety Hub partner visits every month, on average
    8. 5,840 hours of EV Help Team community outreach

    Visit the new EV Safe, Clean & Awesome Dashboard for more by-the-numbers reporting on our safety and maintenance efforts.

    Our Commitment

    As master developer for East Village, CMLC’s commitment to the health and vibrancy of the community runs deep. We will continue to invest in our many safety and vitality programs and initiatives, and to work with our partners in community, government, social service and industry to advance our shared objectives for community well-being.

    Going into 2026, CMLC’s efforts will be guided be realizing the full delivery of the East Village Master Plan, with more mixed-use residential development in the pipeline and a full slate of programming and placemaking activations planned for the year ahead.

    Learn more about CMLC’s safety and vitality work in East Village at evexperience.com/safe-clean-awesome

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