For the past three years, Walden’s library has been a greenhouse.
Since 2023, residents of the southeast Calgary community have borrowed books from a 64-square-foot mini-greenhouse in a field. It runs on the honour system. You take a book and bring it back. There’s no checkout.
Now something much bigger is on the way.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the City of Calgary broke ground on the Walden Fire Station and Library at 969 Walden Drive S.E. It’s the first time Calgary has put a fire station and a public library in the same building.
“We’re creating something that will serve as a cornerstone of this community for generations to come,” Mayor Jeromy Farkas said.
What’s being built
The $34.2-million facility will include:
A permanent fire station, about 15,000 square feet, with two apparatus bays
A new Calgary Public Library branch, about 11,000 square feet
The library alone will be roughly 170 times the size of the greenhouse.
It will serve Walden, Legacy, Chaparral, Wolf Willow and the surrounding area, some of the fastest-growing communities in the city.
“By bringing these two services together in one location, we’re making very efficient use of public land and resources, while delivering lasting value for residents,” Farkas said.
Who’s paying for it
The project’s estimated cost is $34.2 million. The City says the Province of Alberta is contributing $4.1 million.
Ward 14 Coun. Landon Johnston said it’s the first new public civic building in Ward 14 since 1976.
“I’m hoping that this will be the start of a lot more projects like this in Calgary,” he said.
Why Walden has a temporary fire station
Walden grew faster than the City could build for it.
In 2019, the Calgary Fire Department flagged an urgent need for a station in the area. Instead of waiting years for a permanent building, the City put up a modular one, which has been running since 2020. Council later approved money for the permanent station.
The new building’s second bay gives the department room for another emergency vehicle. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth told CityNews it could hold something like a ladder truck or a specialized unit.
It’s coming during the busiest year the department has ever had.
“CFD is on track to see its greatest-ever number of incidents in 2026,” Dongworth said. “Over 94,000 calls for help are expected by the end of the year.”
Will the temporary station stay open?
Yes. The City says the temporary fire station will keep running the whole time.
The new building is going up right beside it, so crews keep responding to calls as usual. Once the permanent station opens, the modular building will be taken apart and the space turned into parking.
The modular building won’t be scrapped. It can be stored and reused wherever Calgary needs a temporary station next.
Why a fire station and a library together?
The fire department chooses station sites based on how fast crews can get out and reach calls. The Walden site worked for that, and it had room for a library too.
The two services already have a history. Dongworth said the fire department and Calgary Public Library have worked together for nearly a decade.
“It’s evolved from simple firefighter story times into a broader community safety and education partnership,” he said. “We’ve combined with a number of types of buildings over the years, but this is a first.”
What the new library will have
The Walden branch will be Ward 14’s first library. It’ll be about the same size as Quarry Park Library, and the City says it will offer what most branches do:
Books and other physical materials
Public computers, printing and internet
Meeting and study rooms
In-person programs
The greenhouse has done better than anyone might expect. Calgary Public Library CEO Sarah Meilleur said it circulates more than 200 books a week.
“While it’s been a hit with residents, we know this community deserves more,” she said. The library plans to keep the greenhouse open as long as it can during construction.
Until the new branch opens, the closest full libraries are in Shawnessy and Seton.
What residents can expect during construction
If you live nearby, the City says to expect:
Temporary fencing beside the current fire station
A short pathway closure on the west side of the Walden Common S.E. turnaround. The bike path stays open.
Noise, dust and heavy equipment while crews work
Questions or concerns can go to Walden@calgary.ca.
When will it open?
The City expects the facility to open in the first quarter of 2028, sometime between January and March. That’s an estimate and could shift as construction goes on.
| Stage | Timing |
|---|---|
| Rezoning and master planning | 2023 |
| Design | Late 2023 to mid-2026 |
| Construction | Late 2026 to early 2028 |
| Official opening | Early 2028 (anticipated) |
More libraries are coming
Walden is part of a bigger push to keep up with Calgary’s growth.
“Population growth is real,” Meilleur said. “Today marks the third groundbreaking for a new library in the last 18 months.”
The Calgary Public Library Foundation says four new branches are planned by 2030: Walden, Belmont, Symons Valley and Skyview. More than 20,000 people visit Calgary libraries every day, according to Meilleur, which adds up to about seven million visits a year.
For Walden, the change will be hard to miss. The neighbourhood is going from a book greenhouse in a field to an 11,000-square-foot library next to its own permanent fire station.
Sources
City of Calgary, Walden Fire Station and Library project page: https://www.calgary.ca/planning/projects/walden-fire-station-and-library.html
City of Calgary, newsroom: https://newsroom.calgary.ca/
City of Calgary, Walden engagement page: https://engage.calgary.ca/walden
Calgary Public Library, “Library launches a Micro Library pop-up in Walden,” Aug. 17, 2023: https://www.calgarylibrary.ca/library-news/library-launches-a-micro-library-pop-up-in-walden
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