Step 1 – What’s the Purpose of the Event? 

When you decide to throw an event, you have to know why you’re doing it. 

Do you plan to engage clients and build relationships? Or is it an exclusive work-only event to celebrate a successful year? 

By identifying your goals and expectations, you will lay the foundations for organizing the rest of your event, from the audience and number of attendees to the location and the activities, making it easier. 

Step 2 – Know Your Budget 

Crunch the numbers and determine if what the expected cost outlay will be for your corporate event. It will influence all aspects of your event, meaning you’ll have to balance out everything accordingly.

As a tip, it’s best to leave room in your budget. For example, if you have a budget of $10,000, aim to spend $8,000, so you have money if things pop up unexpectedly and won’t go over your threshold. 

Step 3 – Know the Details 

Knowing the finer details of your event will streamline the rest of the planning process. Make sure you consider the 5 W’s: who, what, when, where and why!

• Who is coming to the event? (this will help determine the number of people attending the event) 
• What should the guests expect or bring? (if anything is needed)
• When the event is (the date and time of the function) 
• Where is the event being held?
• Why are you throwing this event? 

Assessing these finer details can fine-tune your planning process, so you get everything on point and when you need it. 

Step 4 – Find a Venue 

Finding a corporate event venue in Calgary can be difficult, so make sure you consider the costs, logistics, size and what it offers. 

You’ll have to balance all this together, so research venues nice and early. It’s always good to find a place that offers various options so that it can streamline your search – like The INN on Officers’ Garden!  

We offer multiple spaces which can accommodate a range of corporate functions, with various areas, such as The Event Hall, The Historic Living Room, the Snake Pit and Vino Chat. You’ll also get food and beverages from some of the best producers in Alberta. Our historical and royal location is we’ll make the perfect venue for your corporate event in Calgary. 

“Celebrating something a little more special? Read our detailed article here on why The Inn is perfect as a wedding venue.” 

Step 5 – Schedule the Logistics 

Planning out everything on the day can ensure a streamlined event with minimal hassles. 

Know what time your guests are coming, what the plan is throughout the day or night (such as speeches or contests), and make sure that your staff is briefed on everything that happens.

The better you schedule the logistics of your corporate event, the better it will be. 

Step 6 – Send Out the Invitations & Enjoy!

Make sure you send out the invitations nice and early; two to three weeks prior is ideal if it is a minor event, and a month or more if it is a big event with plenty of people. This gives your guests enough time to schedule their lives. 

You should also let them know where to park, the dress code, and an agenda of what is happening throughout the event. Keep track of all RSVPs, so you know who is coming and if they require any special attention.

Now, just sit back and enjoy your event – it’s that simple! 

Enjoy the modern inn experience at The Inn on Officers Garden. Our historical building blends the past with today’s modern workmanship, making us the perfect everyday social hub and ideal venue for weddings, corporate events, family reunions and weekends away. Our boutique hotel in Calgary offers numerous event spaces, and with the Inn Suites, you’ll get thirteen beautiful rooms for wedding days, nights and those looking for a getaway. Whether as a corporate event or for a small wedding venue in Calgary, The Inn at Officers’ Garden offers everything you need. Book your spot today by contacting us at (587) 885-1995 or at info@theinncalgary.com. 

There is one aspect of your wedding planning that impacts the rest of your special day: the venue. 

Choose the wrong venue, and it will filter through the rest of your wedding, affecting the seating plan, the dance floor and all the pre-planning. Select the right one, and your dream wedding will come to life.

However, finding the perfect wedding venue isn’t easy, as there are plenty of options available. 

Luckily though, you already found the best one: The Inn on Officers’ Garden. 

What is The Inn on Officers’ Garden?

The Inn on Officers’ Garden is a stunning, historical location steeped in military might, royal significance and community care. With a history dating back to the 1930s, it is recognized as one of Calgary’s most significant places. 

From being a stronghold of support during the Depression and “largest establishment of the Canadian military in Alberta to date” to becoming part of the amazing Garrison Woods community, the Inn on Officers’ Garden now offers a wealth of beautiful dining and celebratory spots for everyday enjoyment and major events and celebrations.

Like weddings.

Why The Inn is Your Prime Choice for a Unique Wedding Venue 

The Inn in Calgary has only been open since October 2020 with the Officers’ Mess Hall offering weddings. And there’s a good reason why this is the case: we cater to every wedding style, offering a high level of care, comfort and luxury.

Exceptional Event Spaces

We have a wealth of amazing event spaces that can host between 10 to 120 people, with rooms for both casual and formal affairs. Choose from the likes of The Event Hall, the Snake Pit and Vino Chat.

Support from Our In-House Coordinator & Team 

It’s great to know that you got to support when you need it the most. From the initial concept to the celebration itself, our in-house coordinator and the team can help execute your plan. You can assistance from our in-house photographer/videographer, salon (perfect for preparing for your day), florist, and list of preferred vendors that can help you create the feel and look of your wedding.

Historical & Royal Location

You can’t surpass the Inn as the monument of Calgary’s story. Its royal history and unique architectural details make it one of the most amazing and regal locations to celebrate your special day. With it only being 10 minutes away from Downtown Calgary, this the perfect unique wedding venue for you. 

“If you are interested in learning more about the special history of the Inn on Officers’ Garden, read our detailed article here.” 

Stunning Food Selection

We source modern, regionally sourced food and beverages from some of the best producers in Alberta. 

From the exquisite meals of The Inn and banquet-style menus to the rounded list of local draughts and international wines, we can help cater to your guests, providing them with tasty, five-star meals that encapsulate the uniqueness of your wedding. 

We have sensitive dietary options available for every palette.

Amazing Boutique Hotel 

With 13 beautiful suites, why prepare for your wedding anywhere else? Our boutique hotel, the QE II, offers you the perfect start (or end) to your wedding. With marvelous sitting rooms, fireplaces, bedrooms, a luxurious bath and unique features, you can embrace the private space while appreciating luxury with a touch of history. 

Begin Planning Your Special Event at The Inn 

As you can see from these amazing advantages, hosting a wedding at The Inn on Officers’ Garden will truly be a special experience that will live long in the memory. Please enquire with us and experience the wedding you’ve always dreamed of at The Inn. 

Enjoy the modern inn experience at The Inn on Officers Garden. Our historical building blends the past with today’s modern workmanship, making us the perfect everyday social hub and ideal venue for weddings, corporate events, family reunions and weekends away. Our boutique hotel in Calgary offers numerous event spaces, and with the Inn Suites, you’ll get thirteen beautiful rooms for wedding days, nights and those looking for a getaway. Whether as a corporate event or for a small wedding venue in Calgary, The Inn at Officers’ Garden offers everything you need. Book your spot today by contacting us at (587) 885-1995 or at info@theinncalgary.com

Healthy Meals Prepared & Delivered. Flanders Fine Foods delicious meal plan packages delivered on Mondays & Thursdays. Or available for pick up at The Inn 7 days a week. The Chef made nutritious meals & soups are fresh, fully cooked and can be reheated in mere minutes in your microwave.

A special letter from a special person. 

My name is Mark. I am writing this BLOG in a large FONT for seniors like me.           

I have been retired for years, and I learned that so many of my fellow seniors living alone struggle to prepare a quality meal.

The dinner meal served at either 12 noon and 5:00 pm is important for us seniors, especially living alone and trying to cook and prepare a meal for one.

I saw an ad placed by The INN on Officers’ Garden seeking a driver to deliver their home-cooked meals.   

When I went for the interview, I was happy to learn that Flanders Fine Foods made their own quality food, so they differed from the food delivery people in Calgary who drop off pizzas and fast foods from restaurants around the city.

The good news is, I got the job!  

High-Quality Food For Seniors Like Me 

My specialty is delivering to seniors like me. 

The Flanders Fine Foods meals contain healthy proteins such as salmon or arctic char, or poultry and lean veal served with baby potatoes. Vegetables are in all servings, such as string green beans or asparagus tips (which helps with heart disease prevention because they contain homocysteine which cleans our blood vessels).

I love the mild sauces, and often I order the fresh tossed salads with tomatoes, chopped red onions and sesame seeds. Yummy!

What I enjoy most is dropping off our fresh and ready Heat & Eat meals to the many seniors who look forward to seeing me daily. We always share a laugh or two at the front door.

Help A Senior Today 

If you wish to help a senior friend, who is not doing well because of a poor diet, you get a meal delivered for only $36 for three separate days. You will receive a membership as a Senior Supper Angel.  

The Calgary Herald is anxious to do a story about Seniors Helping other Seniors to have nourishing foods daily.

You can email your order online at www.theinncalgary.com and click on The Food Order Button or call 587-231-0011 at Flanders Fine Foods.

I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Mark

Hello Alberta Government:

My fellow staff associates at The INN on OFFICERS’ GARDEN did not sleep last night, anticipating Premier Kenney’s announcement today (May 25th). We have waited so long to get to work and help our families and pay our bills.

Our manager at Flanders Fine Foods keeps telling us how patient we have been, even though we are vaccinated and operate the cleanest cuisine kitchen in Canada. It’s time that you consider our suggestions so that we can continue serving our beloved patrons.

Premier Kenney: PLEASE announce during your speech today that you have approved that we can serve our patrons delicious meals. 

We offer our patrons delicious soups and salads, as well as three-course meals for those who love our salmon and arctic char, and our lean veal. Our proteins enhance our patrons’ overall health and well-being.  

Furthermore, our chefs provide freshly cooked string green beans and parsley tips for heart disease prevention. These greens contain homocysteine to help cleans the vessels of our patrons. 

Premier Kenney: if you come to our community in your provincial riding of Currie Green, we will serve you your favourite rice noodles with our special chicken Pad-Thai, served with canola oil, green onions, red peppers and your favourite hot banana peppers.           

Bring members of the legislative assembly. We conduct an AHS screening with temperature recognition before we seat them. From there, they can enjoy their meals while overlooking the beautiful views of the Officers’ Garden. 

We can hardly wait to hear the good news that we are open and back to work again, this time for good! Hopefully, you’ll join us when you announce that things are back open. 

Thank you from all of us at Flanders Fine Foods at The INN on OFFICERS’ GARDEN.

When scheduling your visit, please book online at www.theinncalgary.com or call 587-231-0011.

Yours truly, 

Robert, Natoma, Venessa, Michele, Chef Michael, Manager Ron, and all of us. 

Originally constructed in the 1930s to protect the Canadian military and offer elegance and comfort for officers, The Inn on Officers’ Garden is recognized as one of Calgary’s most prominent and important locations. 

Not only is The Inn known for its vast array of event spaces and boutique hotel suites, but it has a fascinating and amazing history as part of the Currie Barracks.  

A story steeped deep in military might, royal significance and community support; we have some of the major milestones of The Inn in Calgary below: 

The History of The Inn 

The Early Days 

In the late 1800s, around 150 members of the North West Mounted Police (the name before it became the RCMP) established Fort Calgary before laying the groundwork for larger settlements, including the future land of the Currie Barracks. 

By 1911, the land where the Currie Barracks was built was designated to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as training grounds for the soldiers in the lead-up to World War One. The land is near the Sarcee Indian Reserve.

The Barracks are Named After a Renowned General  

The Currie Barracks is named after renowned General Sir Arthur William Currie, who was recognized for his rapid rise through the ranks, from a militia gunner to the first Canadian commander of the Canadian Corps. He was generally considered one of the most capable and finest commanders during World War One and Canadian military history. 

Over time, the Currie Barracks became known for having the “largest establishment of the Canadian military in Alberta to date.” 

Assisting During the Great Depression

As well as being central to Alberta’s Military, the Barracks proved significant during the Great Depression in the 1930s. 

Under the Canadian government’s Public Works Construction Act in 1934, the Barracks provided relief to many out-of-place workers, alleviating the devastating effects of the Great Depression. 

$1.2 million was set aside for the barracks and an aerodrome project, with an additional $400,000 being granted in 1935 to employ hundreds of out-of-work people while improving the military base. 

Use in World War Two 

The Barracks provided crucial support during the outbreak of World War Two. 

In February 1941, the No. A-16 Advanced Canadian Infantry Training Centre opened at the barracks, becoming a hub for units mobilized in southern Alberta, including the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. 

Furthermore, an airstrip is constructed for two British Commonwealth Air Training Plan stations on the base. The airstrip was stopped in 1964 and removed several years later. 

After The War

Following the Second War, the Currie Barracks became home to Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) and the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. 

Due to Canada’s transition to expanding its force during the Korean War and the Cold War, the Barracks became a major military centre due to its convenient access to the Canadian Pacific Railway’s transcontinental mainline to Vancouver. Over the decades that followed, the Barracks would be home to several units, including the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, the 1st Fort Garry Horse and the 1 Signal Squadron. 

In 1966, the formation of the Canadian Armed Forces (the combination of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force) resulted in the Currie Barracks becoming known as Canadian Forces Base Calgary (CFB Calgary). 

At the same time, external changes lead to a decrease in the presence and force of the base. 

In 1972, the Mount Royal College (now known as Mount Royal University) established a new permanent campus next to Currie Barracks, while the increasing growth of Calgary’s population (soaring to over 100,000) saw the need for housing and roadway expansion, including the Crowchild Trail growing to six lanes. 

Famous Visitors 

The Barracks remained a prominent spot for many famous visitors. 

Calgary’s mayor, Don MacKay, “organized a Stampede Chuckwagon & Bucking Broncos event for the Royal visit in October 1951, and the pair returned to the Officers’ Mess that evening“. That is now the Romantic QE II Royal Suite’ at The Inn overlooking Officers’ Garden.

In 1990, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh visited the Barracks, being presented to each officer at the Inn. It proved to be her last visit to the Barracks. 

Downsize, Expansion & Today’s Amazing Location 

In the mid-1990s, the reorganization and consolidation of the Canadian military resulted in many bases being downsized, merged or closed. On June 21st, 1997, it happened to the Currie Barracks, with the base being officially decommissioned and personnel being relocated to the CFB Edmonton. 

That didn’t spend the end of the base, though. 

In 1998, the Canada Lands Company purchased the land and buildings for future development. Over the next two decades, the land surrounding the barracks was used for homes, condominiums and a small shopping centre, with the area now known as Garrison Woods. 

During this period, the original buildings of the Barracks remained the same, with slow re-developments turning them into a variety of commercial and residential uses that you now see, including The Inn, The Event Hall, Flanders Fine Foods, The Historic Living Room and The Snake Pit. 

If you would like to know more about the history of The Inn in Calgary or the Currie Barracks, visit us or contact us for more information. We’re happy to shine a light on this amazing location. 

Enjoy the modern inn experience at The Inn on Officers Garden. Our historical building blends the past with today’s modern workmanship, making us the perfect everyday social hub and ideal venue for weddings, corporate events, family reunions and weekends away. Our boutique hotel in Calgary offers numerous event spaces, and with the Inn Suites, you’ll get thirteen beautiful rooms for wedding days, nights and those looking for a getaway. Whether as a corporate event or for a small wedding venue in Calgary, The Inn at Officers’ Garden offers everything you need. Book your spot today by contacting us at (587) 885-1995 or at info@theinncalgary.com.