Wednesday, September 30, 2026
With the completion of the Sunnyside Flood Barrier, Calgary has achieved a significant milestone in building a more flood-resilient city.
Now operational, the barrier provides critical protection for the communities of Sunnyside and Hillhurst, reducing flood risk to homes, businesses, and essential infrastructure. As a key component of Calgary’s Flood Resilience Plan, the project reflects years of planning, collaboration and investment to strengthen resilience, connectivity and public spaces in Sunnyside and Hillhurst.
“The completion of the Sunnyside Flood Barrier is a major achievement for Calgary and a significant step forward in our efforts to build a more flood-resilient city,” said Mayor Jeromy Farkas. “This project strengthens our ability to withstand future flood events while creating lasting community spaces that Sunnyside residents and visitors can enjoy for generations to come.”
The flood barrier provides the communities of Sunnyside and Hillhurst with protection from a one-in-100-year flood event, meaning a flood with a one per cent chance of occurring in any given year. The project represents a total investment of $73 million over a decade, from initial planning through to completion, delivering a significant step forward in reducing flood risk and strengthening Calgary’s long-term resilience.
Spanning 2.4 kilometres, the barrier combines permanent flood walls, sheet pile walls, demountable flood walls and deployable flood protection systems to reduce flood risk while maintaining community access, strengthening connections to the Bow River and preserving the character of the surrounding area.
“Building a flood barrier Calgarians can rely on means preparing in advance for extreme events and reducing their impacts when they occur. The Sunnyside Flood Barrier is an important example of how long-term planning and investment help protect people, homes and businesses from river flooding,” said Michael Thompson, Chief Operating Officer – Water Utility.
Community input played a significant role in shaping the project and the public spaces surrounding the barrier. Through planning and design, Sunnyside and Hillhurst residents and The City of Calgary Council emphasized the importance of preserving connections to the Bow River, enhancing public spaces and honouring the community’s history.
As a result, the project includes nine new seating areas, two food truck pads, improved pathways and public spaces along the river for people walking, wheeling and cycling, along with approximately 200 new trees, including 68 Memorial poplar clone trees, and additional landscaping enhancements. Four key public spaces were also enhanced throughout the project, which include the Calgary Soldiers’ Memorial, Peace Bridge North Shore, 7 Street N.W. lookout and Prince’s Island Pedestrian Bridge & Bow River access.
“What began as a vision on paper has now become a lasting investment in Calgary’s future,” said Martin Pritchard, Manager of Linear Infrastructure Delivery. “Guided by community input and brought to life through the collective expertise of multiple project teams, the Sunnyside Flood Barrier delivers critical flood protection while enhancing public spaces and celebrating the unique history and character of the community.”
Featured image: (City of Calgary)
