Communications Becoming New Industry of Inglewood

The Inglewood of today is the remnant of an industrial past. With its proximity to the Ogden train yards and confluence of the Elbow & Bow River, Inglewood’s continued habitation was owed largely to the blue collar workers, and the industries that supported them. Indeed, Inglewood is perhaps Calgary’s most genuine remaining reflection of the industries that built 20th century Canada. Massive train yards, warehousing and industrial-production infrastructure is all around us, and heavy industry is still very much alive in this end of the city.

Over the past few years, a less visible but no less impactful industry has increasingly begun to setup shop in some of the post-industrial remnants of Inglewood &Ramsay. As Dave Marshall’s ICA history clearly shows, the fact that anyone can still live or do business here at all, is the result of generations of people who resisted “sub-urbanization” and saw community value in a transitional residential/industrial zone. As the city has grown, the economy has diversified. The downtown core and belt-line district is increasingly being scrubbed clean to accommodate the slick veneer of the Oil & Gas Financial Management Sector.Communications-era industry brings what is collectively referred to as the “Creative Professional” to work in Inglewood on a daily basis. This group includes graphic designers, photographers, website developers, advertisers, interior designers, landscape architects and video producers, to name but only a few.

Inglewood, through sheer determination and a little luck, has begun to take on that highly valued and slightly precarious patina of “character”. It is to this character that “Applied” or “Commercial” Arts businesses are attracted. During the 1990s the belt-line district attracted much of this business, but as the bricks of 11 th Ave. fall to glass and steel, it is loosing its appeal to the creative professional and the companies they work for. More often than not, these companies are looking to the East Village, Ramsay and Inglewood to set up operations.

Thanks in large part to the Alberta College of Art & Design, this city boasts a vibrant and talented applied communications industry. Several locally owned companies, including Fulcrum Communications, Impello Integrated Design, Saw Communications and Zoom Communications have come to call Inglewood home during the past several years. Many new smaller companies or independent professionals are also increasingly setting up operations on or near the 9th Ave. strip, as the revitalization of light industrial areas shifts the focus of central Inglewood. These companies all create everything from advertising, brochures and logos, to websites and corporate videos. The clientele served by this community ranges from small start-ups to some of the largest corporations in North America.

A little known corner of Inglewood is about to see a relatively big change that will further attract more creative pros to the area. What was formerly known as the “Woodstone Studios” on the corner of 17th Ave. and 13th St. SE, has recently been purchased by local businessman Bruce Livingston. With this purchase will come the relocation of iStockPhoto.com head offices to Inglewood, as well as Evolvs Design and Webcore Labs Inc. - bringing more than 60 new workers to the area.

While West Canadian Digital Imaging has made re-development news as of late, the effect of this company moving to Inglewood goes well beyond basic construction. Orange Door Communications is an advertising operation owned by West Canadian, and that company will also be moving here when the new building is complete. This move alone will bring nearly 170 new people to work in Inglewood every day.

So, local cafés, vintage clothing stores and lunchtime restaurants be warned! Inglewood is about to be overrun by creative professionals − the time to invest in that extra cappuccino machine is  upon you!