Plus 15

The Plus 15 or +15 is a skyway network in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is the world's most extensive pedestrian skywalk system, with a total length of 16 kilometres (10 miles) and 86 bridges connecting 130 buildings, as of 2022.^[1]^[2] Calgary often has severe winters and the walkways allow people to get around the city's downtown more quickly and comfortably. The busiest parts of the network saw over 20,000 pedestrians per day in a 2018 count.^[3]

The system is so named because the skywalks are approximately 15 feet (approximately 4.5 metres) above street level. Some Plus 15 skywalks are multi-level, with higher levels being referred to as Plus 30s and Plus 45s.

History

Plus 15 under construction between Centennial Place and the Canterra Tower in 2009

The system was conceived and designed by architect Harold Hanen, who worked for the Calgary Planning Department from 1966 to 1969. This development earned him the 1970 Vincent Massey Award for Merit in Urban Planning.

Opening in 1970, the Plus 15 network has expanded to include 86 enclosed bridges connecting 130 downtown Calgary buildings. The central core of the system is a series of enclosed shopping centres, and the city's flagship department stores.

New developments were required to connect to the walkway system; in exchange for this, they were offered more floorspace (the "bonus density"). When not physically able to connect to nearby buildings, developers contribute to the "Plus 15 Fund", managed by the city, used to finance other missing connections.^[4]

Impact

Critics argue that the system has led to a decline in street life in the Downtown Commercial Core,^[5]^{[citation needed]} while proponents cite extensive use of the system, enhancing the flow of human traffic to businesses downtown, especially in the winter.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, the city began to re-evaluate the system.^[5] Part of the goal of these studies was reinvigorating decreased daytime street life on some downtown streets. The possibility of limiting expansion to encourage more pedestrian street traffic was raised. Critics continue to claim the system is detrimental to culture and economic activity at ground level, however proponents argue that its heavy use points to how useful and convenient it is in cold weather.^[6]^[2]

City planning by-laws now confer tax credits to owners who connect new buildings to the system.^{[citation needed]}

List of connected buildings

Facing north, the former three level skywalk at The Core Shopping Centre

Facing west, previous skywalk over the C-Train tracks linking the downtown Holt Renfrew department store to the 4th Street Southwest LRT station before its reconstruction