Calgary as Squares

Again an interesting concept/perspective... As for your inability to find "proof of life" on the street - that's actually a very wise observation.

Courtesy of the multi-decade "Age of Unenlightenment" that has characterized (and still populates) the Alberta provincial government, a rich legacy of heritage buildings has been destroyed in favour of mirrored triangles and squares. So instead of those facades, we have these mirrored monoliths. Inviting, huh?

The only saving grace (and it is miniscule) is that they settled on a 80s/90s architectural style (mirrored cubes and triangles) versus the Stalinist/Eisenhower 50s ultra-bland style that cursed other cities (like Edmonton).

Sorry for waxing poetic... The other reason there are fewer people on the street is that Calgary is in an Alpine desert (something I laugh at as I watch citizens try to grow grass here) and has, for most of the year, very iffy weather. Right now (January), we are choking on the dust from having no rain/snow for at least 3 weeks. Lovely....