Quote:
Originally Posted by DizzyEdge
What's interesting about Airdrie of course is it doesn't *really* have a downtown. As late as the 1950s it was about about 3x6 blocks in size (the entire municipality, not the downtown) with a population 1000 people or less. Then in the 70s? or 80s it exploded, and rather than the tiny mainstreet of barely a block gradually expanding, instead they just built a shopping mall next door. Very curious to see if it gains proper downtown as it approaches 100,000 people.
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The city of Chestermere just to the east of Calgary will be the same way with no real downtown - these two locale's were just too small in the 40-60's to establish any sort of downtown and they grew expansively when downtowns were no longer what people or developers desired.
Even long time established smaller cities which used to have a thriving downtown now have very stagnant downtowns and it's questionable if they'll ever recover - Medicine Hat, Alberta is a perfect example of this.