Wednesday, July 30, 2025
The City of Calgary announced the completion of the Gladstone Connect Community Drainage Improvement (CDI) Project, a key infrastructure initiative designed to enhance stormwater management, reduce flood risk and strengthen neighbourhood resilience in Hillhurst/Kensington and Sunnyside.
This project is part of The City’s broader initiative to modernize inner-city stormwater infrastructure, with additional improvements underway through the Northwest Inner-City Community Drainage Improvements program. They’re investing in upgrades to water infrastructure in the inner-city northwest communities to enhance the safety of residents and protect vulnerable areas from the damages caused by stormwater flooding.
Much of the stormwater infrastructure in the area was built to the standard of the time but is now outdated and was upgraded to significantly increase the capacity in these neighbourhoods and reduce flooding caused by intense rainfall.
The Gladstone Connect project involved connecting the upgraded drainage network in the Hillhurst/Kensington community to the existing 7 Street Trunk in Sunnyside. The new design includes advanced flow-control points that manage stormwater during both high and low river levels.
These enhancements bolster local drainage capacity, significantly reducing the risk of surface flooding—protecting homes, garages and commercial spaces.
Construction of the project is now complete, and landscaping is underway along with storm duct cleaning along 7 Street N.W. There are minor activities still to be completed, but these will not require any detours or road closures.
“Gladstone Connect isn’t just about pipes and valves—it’s about safeguarding the communities from future stormwater flooding,” says Darren Finney, Leader Wastewater and Stormwater, The City of Calgary. “By integrating new flow-control gates and linking upstream drainage to the Sunnyside trunk, we’ve made Hillhurst/Kensington and Sunnyside more flood-resilient today and for future generations.”
During construction, residents and businesses were kept informed of impacts including water service adjustments, detours and utility disruptions. Temporary water service setups and clear signage ensured minimal inconvenience while prioritizing safety.
While they were upgrading the storm service and disturbing an older inner-city community we took the opportunity to upgrade the existing watermain for improved fire flow protection. As well, they replaced the aging sanitary service line to better serve the community. They would like to thank the residents and business in the communities for their understanding and patience while we completed this important project. Gladstone Connect will help protect Hillhurst/Kensington and Sunnyside from future stormwater flooding for years to come.
