Restoring the Historic YWCA directly supports several City priorities, including:
- Strengthening social wellbeing and access to services
- Supporting economic resilience of nonprofits
- Advancing downtown revitalization
- Preserving Calgary’s heritage assets
- Reducing long-term costs through timely repair
Did you know the Historic YWCA (aka The Old Y) supported:
✔ Housing support services
✔ Counselling & mental health supports
✔ Newcomer & youth programming
✔ Gender-based violence prevention
✔ Affordable event and community space
Leaving this building didn’t just displace nonprofits—it disrupted access to vital supports for vulnerable Calgarians.
Cultural Heritage: The Old Y is a designated Provincial Historical Resource — and one of Calgary’s few surviving early social service buildings.
Community Impact: From youth groups, to human rights justice, the Old Y supports organizations doing life-changing work.
Affordable Space: In a city where rents keep climbing, the Old Y remains one of the last truly affordable homes and venue rentals for grassroots organizations.
Incubator for Change: Many well-known Calgary non-profits got their start at the Old Y. It’s more than a building — it’s a launching pad.
The building is the oldest purpose-built, social service facility in Calgary. Since 1911, the building has been a little bit of everything to Calgarians. Originally a hostel, it offered services including language classes and assistance for immigrants, and recreational opportunities for women. The building became the “Old Y” in 1971 after the YWCA vacated the premises. Since that time, the Old Y building has housed dozens of diverse community-serving, grass-roots and non-profit agencies as affordable office space in sectors ranging from arts and culture, immigrant community associations, youth agencies, LGBTQ community resources, environmental groups, social justice advocacy and more.
In 1979 the City of Calgary first threatened to redevelop the site due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining the aging building. In response, the groups renting offices united to form a tenants association called the Old Y Action Groups.
“…the Old Y …remains a vital community hub space for queer and other organizations.”
City of Calgary Beltline Redevelopment plan
