09/17/2026
Together, CMLC, Werklund Centre and City of Calgary – Your Local Government are proud to celebrate another major milestone in the transformation of Calgary’s premier performing arts campus.
As construction on the Werklund Centre Transformation (WCT) Expansion continues to make dramatic progress, we are pleased to announce that the new 200-seat studio theatre will be named the McCann Family Studio Theatre, recognizing a generous $4 million contribution from Rodney (Rod) J. McCann, Karen McCann, and their immediate family
Building on the support of the Government of Alberta, The City of Calgary, Dave Werklund & Family, and many other philanthropic partners, the McCann Family Studio Theatre will provide a flexible, professionally equipped performance space for culturally diverse and community-based programming, emerging artists, arts education and experimental work.
Construction on the fully funded WCT Expansion and adjacent Olympic Plaza Transformation (OPT) continues to gain momentum, with more than 100 crew members on site daily. Since construction began on the Expansion in 2025, significant progress has been made on foundations, concrete installation, and the theatre box for the new 1,000-seat Osten-Victor Playhouse, with structural steel now taking shape across the site. On OPT, foundations for the new pavilion – which will contain public washrooms and food and beverage offerings – are nearly complete, with further infrastructure and utility work ongoing.
Together, the WCT Expansion, Olympic Plaza Transformation, and future modernization of the existing Werklund Centre represent a generational investment in Calgary’s cultural identity, creating new opportunities for artists, audiences, and community organizations while strengthening the city's downtown core.
Bringing projects of this scale to life takes an extraordinary team. Thank you to the Werklund Centre Transformation design team of KPMB Architects, Hindle Architects and Tawaw Architecture Collective; the Olympic Plaza Transformation design team of Gh3_Architecture, CCxA and Belleville Placemaking; project managers Colliers Project Leaders; and construction manager EllisDon Corporation.
The WCT Expansion and Olympic Plaza Transformation are on track for completion in 2028. Design on the project's third phase, the Modernization of the existing Werklund Centre facility - is complete. Efforts are underway to secure the remaining required funding to enable the start of construction in 2029.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4xvY19y
Photo by Eric Boldt