 The explosive growth of Calgary, Canada in the early 20th century prompted a need to put some serious thought into long-term city planning. In 1912, British Landscape Architect Thomas Mawson was commissioned by the city to prepare a development plan to address the rapid growth of the city. Mawson s proposal was an ambitious plan on par with Haussmann s rebuilding of Paris during the reign of Napoleon III. He insisted on a grand scheme that was to reform the city, deal with increasing congestion, and accommodate the emerging automobile. After a century of successful growth, the Calgary of 2005 is a city of nearly a million inhabitants. As the city faces the challenges of the 21st century, Mawson s plan remains an enduring legacy to the ambitions of an early Canadian prairie town.