Bow Valley College is moving ahead with its plans for a new Health Care Centre of Excellence in downtown Calgary, following a $5 million grant for planning and development from the Government of Alberta.

The college is advancing negotiations with the City of Calgary to acquire Block 40, which includes the former W.R. Castell Central Library and the former Calgary Police Service arrest processing building.

The college plans to renovate the existing buildings rather than demolish them, creating about roughly 316,000 square feet of space for health care education, research and innovation. Adaptive reuse of the site will significantly speed up expansion and make efficient use of all resources.

“This is a major step toward training more of the health care professionals Alberta needs,” said Dr. Misheck Mwaba, president and CEO of Bow Valley College. “Giving these buildings a second life is the most responsible way to get there. It saves money, keeps a downtown landmark standing, and puts thousands more future nurses, health care aides, and pharmacy technicians in the heart of Calgary.”

The expansion will allow the college to serve about 11,000 full load equivalents in health care programs by the 2035-36 academic year, which is nearly 5,300 more than it could serve without the new space.

“Putting this landmark block back to work is the kind of practical result Calgarians expect,” says Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas. “Thousands more students downtown every day will bring life to our streets, and more health care graduates will make for a stronger city. We look forward to working with Bow Valley College on the next steps.”