Shawnessy is a suburban residential neighbourhood in the southwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta. It is bounded by Shawnessy Boulevard to the north, Macleod Trail to the east, 162 Avenue S to the south and James McKevitt Road to the west. The community was established in 1981.
All Calgary community guides
Guide To Shawnessy
Parks And River
Fish Creek Provincial Park is a short distance away, with the nearest access points at Shannon Terrace and Votier’s Flats for pathways and picnic areas. The South Fish Creek complex at 333 Shawville Boulevard SE is home to the Shawnessy Library and the Shawnessy YMCA. The Barn sits on 17 acres of green space at Shawnessy Park.
Main Street
Shawnessy Towne Centre at 85 Shawville Boulevard SE is the main retail hub, with Walmart Supercentre, Calgary Co-op, Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart, Winners, Sport Chek and Staples, plus restaurants including Boston Pizza, Five Guys and Tim Hortons. More shops and services line Shawnessy Boulevard and 162 Avenue SW.
Community Resources
Shawnessy is bordered by Millrise to the north, Somerset to the east, Evergreen to the west, and Silverado to the south. The 2021 Census counted 9,055 residents in 3,255 dwellings, with a median household income of $105,000. About 81 percent of homes are single-detached houses and 82 percent are owner-occupied. Shawnessy has not appeared among the 30 Calgary communities with the highest crime rates in recent years, based on Calgary Police Service open data.
Use the City of Calgary’s community profile for official demographic information.
Schools
Janet Johnstone School (public elementary, K-4), Samuel W. Shaw School (public middle school, 5-9), Father Doucet School (Catholic elementary), and Bishop O’Byrne High School (Catholic, 10-12) serve the community. The Shawnessy Library branch opened in 2001 at 333 Shawville Boulevard SE.
Explore The Area
Shawnessy is served by its own CTrain station (Red Line) on the south line, and the Shawnessy Community Association operates out of The Barn at 224 Shawmeadows Road SW.
Public Transit
Public Transit (Calgary Transit) does serve the area, as well as cabs/taxis and Uber.
Is there a c-train station?: Yes, Shawnessy station (Red Line)
Main bus route: #11 / #12 Southwest Loop
Outreach/Support
There are some resources in Shawnessy but make sure you’ve reached out to the Calgary Food Bank first, as well as 211.
Things To Do
YMCA Calgary Stampede Breakfast
The Stampede breakfast on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 7:30 to 9:30 am at 333 Shawville Boulevard SE, hosted by YMCA Calgary at Shawnessy.
Shawnessy news and updates
City of Calgary newsroom: Shawnessy
Source: City of Calgary Newsroom
History Of Shawnessy
Shawnessy is named after Samuel William Shaw, a British settler who arrived from Kent, England with his family in 1883 and homesteaded near Fish Creek. In 1889 Shaw opened a woollen mill on the creek that Alberta Parks describes as the province's first industry, and his wife Helen sold its blankets and tweeds from a shop on Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary.
The Barn at 224 Shawmeadows Road SW is not a Shaw building at all. It is the McInnes Barn, raised in 1915 by farmer John McInnes, who served as a local justice of the peace for 25 years. The McInnes family farmed the land until about 1973. Developer Genstar converted the barn into the community centre in 1981, the same year the Shawnessy subdivision was built around it. The horses' names are still burned into the beams above what is now the kitchen.
WikipediaLocal Organizations
Shawnessy BIA
No Business Improvement Area or business association was found for Shawnessy.
Shawnessy Community Association
The Shawnessy Community Association runs sports, dance, and moms and tots programs from The Barn at 224 Shawmeadows Road SW. The facility has a main hall seating 115, meeting rooms, a kitchen, tennis courts and an outdoor skating rink, and is also rented for weddings and events. Reach them at (403) 254-1012.
Ward 13 Councillor
Dan McLean
Ward 13 Councillor
First elected October 18, 2021; re-elected 2025
Dan McLean represents Ward 13 on Calgary City Council, first elected October 18, 2021 and re-elected in 2025. He founded McLean Golf in 1998.