Save The Ship!
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
February 10, 2026
RE: Proposed Development at 534 17 AV SW (Ship & Anchor Pub)
Dear Development Authority,
On behalf of the Music Mile Society, I am writing to formally oppose the proposed placement of residential dwelling units directly above the Ship & Anchor Pub as part of Development Permit DP2025-06592.
While the subject site lies outside the Music Mile’s formal geographic boundaries, the Ship & Anchor is a pillar of Calgary’s cultural community and a venue of city-wide significance. It is a long-established gathering place that attracts patrons from across the city and has played a vital role in supporting live music, arts, and social connection for decades. The Ship & Anchor is also a long-standing employer and a meaningful contributor to Calgary’s cultural fabric. The Ship & Anchor's significant contributions to the city are well-established and pre-date the proposed residential development.
Given the recent closure and displacement of key live music venues in Calgary like Mikey’s Juke Joint and the Blues Can, the City cannot afford to place another cultural venue at risk. Small and mid-sized venues are already under significant pressure. The Canadian Live Music Association’s Hear and Now report (2025) identifies a critical shortage of small and medium-sized live music venues across Canada. Allowing new residential development directly above an existing venue significantly increases the likelihood of noise-related complaints and land-use conflict, even where the venue is operating responsibly and within its approvals.
Experience in Calgary and other Canadian cities demonstrates that introducing residential uses in close proximity to long-established music and hospitality venues frequently leads to escalating noise complaints, operational constraints, and, in some cases, venue closure. These impacts are often unintended at the development approval stage, yet they can irreversibly undermine culturally significant spaces that pre-date nearby residential development. The 2024 closure of La Tulipe in Montreal, a historic music venue forced to cease operations following prolonged noise-related conflict with adjacent residential uses, underscores the real and immediate risks of land-use incompatibility. In this context, permitting residential development directly above the Ship & Anchor represents an unacceptable and foreseeable risk to an existing cultural asset of city-wide importance.
International best practices provide clear guidance on this issue. The Agent of Change principle, adopted in Australia, the UK, and other jurisdictions, places responsibility on new development to ensure compatibility with existing cultural uses. Similarly, the Assets of Community Value framework in England recognizes the importance of protecting long-standing community spaces from displacement pressures. Applying these principles here supports the conclusion that residential units should not be located directly above the Ship & Anchor.
The Music Mile Society strongly urges the City to require revisions to the proposal that remove residential units from directly above the pub. If the development is to proceed, the area above and immediately adjacent to the Ship & Anchor should be limited to non-residential uses such as office space or internal amenity areas, combined with meaningful setbacks, landscape buffers, and robust acoustic design measures. These changes are necessary to reduce conflict and protect the long-term viability of the venue.
Calgary’s cultural venues are not easily replaced. Once lost, they are rarely recovered. Protecting existing cultural infrastructure must be treated as a core planning consideration, not an afterthought. We respectfully request that the City not approve residential development directly above the Ship & Anchor and instead require a design that meaningfully prioritizes compatibility with this long-standing cultural institution.
We appreciate the City’s consideration and would welcome further discussion.
Phil Grace
President, Music Mile Society
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