Article – The temporary structure collapse at yesterday’s Nigerian-style market downtown sent six people to hospital, marking another setback for the city’s efforts to revitalize our core with cultural events.
I arrived at the scene about twenty minutes after emergency crews, witnessing the aftermath as firefighters and paramedics tended to the injured. The white canopy tent, which had been set up near City Hall as part of a weekend cultural market, had completely buckled under what witnesses described as sudden, powerful wind gusts.
“We were just browsing the crafts when I heard this loud crack,” said Mariam Adeyemi, one of the vendors. “Everything happened so fast. The whole structure just seemed to fold in on itself.”
According to Calgary Fire Department spokesperson Carol Henke, three people suffered serious injuries requiring hospitalization, while three others were treated for minor injuries. As of this morning, two remain in hospital in stable condition.
“The integrity of temporary structures can be compromised in our unpredictable weather,” Henke explained when I spoke with her this morning. “We’re investigating whether proper anchoring protocols were followed during setup.”
This isn’t the first time Calgary’s notorious wind has created problems for outdoor events. Last summer, two similar incidents occurred at festival sites in Prince’s Island Park, though fortunately without injuries.
The market, organized by the Nigerian Canadian Association of Calgary, was part of the city’s multicultural summer series aimed at increasing foot traffic downtown. These events have become increasingly important to the city’s economic development strategy as office vacancy rates remain stubbornly high at 32.9% according to the latest figures from commercial real estate firm CBRE.
Ward 7 Councillor Terry Wong, who I reached by phone, expressed concern about the incident while emphasizing the importance of continuing cultural programming.
“Safety must always come first,” Wong said. “But we also need to recognize how vital these community gatherings are to our downtown revitalization efforts. We’ll be reviewing all permits and safety protocols for temporary structures.”
The market had received permits just two weeks ago after organizers worked closely with city officials on layout and safety measures. Ironically, I had interviewed market coordinator Emmanuel Osagie just last month about the growing importance of cultural markets in building community connections.
“We’ll absolutely be back,” Osagie told me when I called him this morning. “This was an unfortunate accident, but the outpouring of support from Calgarians has been overwhelming. We’re already planning how to safely reschedule.”
As someone who’s covered downtown development for nearly a decade, I’ve watched our city struggle with the emptying of office towers and the persistent challenge of creating vibrant street life. These markets represent one of the few success stories in that effort.
The incident raises important questions about our city’s event permitting process. A review of public records shows that temporary structure regulations were last updated in 2018, before the post-pandemic push for more outdoor gatherings.
Calgary Emergency Management Agency will be conducting a full investigation, with findings expected within two weeks. In the meantime, city officials confirmed that all similar permits are under review, potentially affecting several upcoming weekend markets.
For those of us who live and work downtown, these markets have become essential gathering places in a core that desperately needs human activity. As I walked through the area this morning, the empty space where yesterday’s vibrant market had stood was a stark reminder of both the incident’s human cost and the fragility of our downtown revival efforts.
The Nigerian Canadian Association has established a support fund for affected vendors who lost merchandise in the collapse. Donations can be made through their website.
