Calgary Spots Guide

Red Walls (Suncor Building)(6 avenue southwest)

Security: Low/Medium

Red walls has so much to do, its easy to spend a few hours there. unfortunately the walls aren’t super grippy and its a little unfriendly to beginners, but with good shoes and some intermediate skills there is more than enough to do. large strides, multiple precisions and a couple cat leaps just to name a few of the things available here. Another good thing is security rarely kicks us out (and if they do were sure to be respectful, as should you (sorry if i’m being preachy(or using to many brackets))) This spot is one of my favorites and is definitely worth a visit.

This spot is good for:

Percisions
Cats
Strides

View photo in 3D here:

The Black Slant (333 Fifth Ave SW)

Security: Low

There really isn’t all that much to do here, but its a very good time penguin sliding across the bottom on your stomach. You can do rail vaults over a small gap to slide down the black slant (which is incredible fun) but that’s about it at this spot other than a small stair cases on each side. If your creative though, you can find lots of neat tricks to do here.

This spot is good for:

Vault to Hip Slide
Hip Slides
Creativity
Being a penguin

View photo in 3D here:

goo.gl/ST2xg

James Short Park (414 Center Street South)

Security: None - Medium

A nice little park not to far from the train. There’s not to much to this spot, but there are a few different lengths of precision’s to try (or flip precisions if your ballsy enough), and a grassy area for some flips or tricking. Also if you go deeper into the park there are some cool precisions over some water and a playground, although security is usually on you right away.

This spot is good for:

Precisions
Flips
Tricking

View photo in 3D here:

The Stair Way to Heaven (4 Street Southwest)

Unfortunately Google maps, doesn’t have a current enough image, so this spot is just a construction site :(

Security: High

The Stair Way to Heaven, although its a rather silly name, is actually an interesting spot, there a few stairs and some ledges, but that’s not where this spot really shines. There are two cat leaps, one intermediate and one advanced (or thats at least what I consider them). Its perfect for training your cat leaps. I really can’t think of a better outdoor progression for cats in the city.

This spot is good for:

Cat leaps

View photo in 3D here:

The Big Balls (121 8 Avenue Southwest)

Security: None

The Big Balls are very simple, just three concrete balls on one side of the road and two, with a little bit of a platform between them, on the other. This is another spot that requires some creativity, but they’re still tons of fun just to flip off, believe me, you get some sick height off of those things. Regardless of its simplicity, with a creative enough mind you could easily spend hours there.

This spot is good for:

Flips
Creativity

View photo in 3D here:

Holy Cross (Holy Mecca) (2272 2 Street Southwest)

Security: None

Although its a bit farther away from the cluster of spots that is downtown Calgary, its still an awesome spot to sesh. There’s lots of interesting ledges and some nice green grass for all of them flips. Lots of creativity is definitely welcome at this spot.

This spot is good for:

Precisions
Flips
Creativity

View photo in 3D here:

http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=26a285f6-d99d-41a9-806f-242a437f9281

The Planters on the Corner (602 12 Ave SW)

Security: Low

The Planters on the Corner are a nice spot to stop if your heading to Lougheed or Heroine Alley. There’s not to much to do there, but there are a lot of intermediate and advanced precisions .

This spot is good for:

Rail Precisions
Precisions

View photo in 3D here:

Little London (6 Avenue Southeast)

Security: Medium

Little London, named for its similar looks to London, is a cool little spot right across the way from Education Center 2. Its got really grippy, brick walls, a decently sized (but slightly sketchy) double kong, and if you venture up the stairs (this is usually when security gets us) there’s a roof you can climb onto with a small, but scary, cat leap.

This spot is good for:

Tack to Cats
Wall Runs
Cats

View photo in 3D here:

http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=563c2bcf-ee0f-44cf-8f3b-7eccf5047562

Education Center Stairs (5 Avenue Southeast / Macleod Trail Southeast)

Security: Low

Although this spot is technically part of Education Center 2, i’m going to make it its own, considering it would be worth stopping at even if it was somewhere else. This stair case has a bunch of wide ledges around it, all at different angles and such, making it a pretty cool spot. There’s a dirt patch off to the side for some soft landings and a really fun, but challenging, tack to cat.

This spot is good for:

Tack To cat’s
Precisions

View photo in 3D here:

The Busking Circle (200 Barclay Parade SW)

Security: None

Ah yes, The Busking Circle. This spot is PERFECT for the end of a jam. It’s grassy with a few rocks and steps and you usually get a bit of a crowd going. (you’d be lying if you said you didn’t like to show off from time to time). There’s plenty to do here to keep you entertained for how ever long you need and its usually pretty shady, so its awesome for resting and doing some lighter training at the end of a jam. Also if you walk over to the YMCA, you can fill up your water bottle, or stop at Eau Claire and gets some grub!

This spot is good for:

Precisions
Rail Vaults
Flips
Tricking

View photo in 3D here:

Heroine Alley (333 11 Avenue Southwest)

Security: None

Heroine Alley is one of The Wolf Packs favorite spots to jam. It’s a very good intermediate spot, with a couple cat leaps, some rail vaults to precisions, and a good wall run. This spot with its oddly shaped, waist height platform, calls for plenty of creativity. Just don’t fall in the space between the platform and the rail. You might pick up some unwanted diseases. As for the name, well, just look at picture three.

This spot is good for:

Cat leaps
Vault to Cat leaps
Vault to precisions
Wall runs

View photo in 3D here:

Education Center 2 (6 Avenue Southeast)

Security: Low

Just across the street from The Education Center (BowValley College), is the Education Center 2 (name subject to change). This spot is nice and out of the way with a bunch of interesting planters, benches, and weird stone slab things. This spot calls for some creativity, but is overall just a nice place to stop and chill in the shade.

This spot is good for:

Wall Runs
Vaults
Flips
Tricking
Precisions

View photo in 3D here:

Education Center (now BowValley college) (6 Avenue Southeast)

Security: High

Golly gee, this spot is great! The old education center, used to be relatively unused which was perfect for us, considering we could spend tons of time there. Its recently been bought by BowValley College, so there’s almost always security there :(. If you do get the chance though, stop by and try some precisions and vaults while you can. Who knows maybe you’ll get lucky and be able to stay for a while.

This spot is good for:

Vaults
Precisions
Flips
Cats/Hip Catches

View photo in 3D here:

The Henry Hays Ledge (1 Street Southeast, Henry Hays Building)

Security: Low

There isn’t much to this spot, BUT its your best bet if your wanting to train your flips outside without landing on concrete. The ledge here is perfect for taking off of and the landing is all grass. In fact this is where we tried a lot of our first flips outdoors.

This spot is good for:

Flips

View photo in 3D here:

http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=7d9d0e51-a9ee-4fa3-a1fd-4918662588c6

The Legendary Corner (3rd Avenue SW, 1st Street SW)

Security: Low

I have no idea why this place is called The Legendary Corner, but who gives a flying squirrel. This spot on the edge of china town is a good secluded place to train with hardly any foot traffic and rare security. The walls, despite being grooved, are very grippy and perfect for wall runs.

This spot is good for: