CALGARY, AB – (October 4, 2011) – Avenue magazine’s Big Idea 2011 issue is now available on stands across Calgary.

Each year in its October issue, Avenue tackles a provocative subject of prevailing interest in our city and produces a thought-provoking and forward-thinking edition dedicated to that topic. For 2011, the Big Idea that Avenue examines is “the current perception of Calgary.”

Among the questions Avenue’s journalists investigate this month: Why does a negative and stereotypical perception of Calgary persist and how can we shake it? How smart is Calgary Economic Development’s bid to drop Calgary’s “Heart of the New West” tagline in favour of “Be Part of the Energy”? And what are nine immediate remedies that Calgarians can turn to to reinvent outsiders’ view of their city?

"The perception that we hear about Calgary in the national media was so different than what we were seeing in the Calgary that we cover in Avenue magazine that we thought the perception of the city itself needed to be our focus for the Big Idea.” says Avenue’s editor Käthe Lemon. “And indeed, it seems to be a question that comes up over and over — when the Economist Intelligence Unit named Calgary the fifth best city in the world we heard surprise from other Canadian cities, and when Mayor Nenshi was recently in Toronto spreading the word about what Calgary has to offer there was surprise as well. But the incredible dining options, not to mention arts and culture, the friendliness of the people, the innovation and willingness to allow good ideas to be enacted no matter who they come from are all hallmarks of this rapidly growing city. I think Calgary has always struggled with the image that the Stampede is all we have to offer, but more so than ever, that's not the case. The Big Idea 2011 examines this perception gap and what Calgarians can do to change their own perception and those of others."

Avenue magazine is Calgary’s premier city lifestyle magazine. With a unique blend of journalistic excellence and inspirational esthetics, Avenue provides readers with the city’s most reliable information on Calgary’s personalities, arts, fashion, home décor, dining, travel and leisure. Since 1994, Avenue readers have come to trust and look forward to the magazine’s award-winning, intelligent, provocative and cutting-edge perspective on the people, culture and lifestyles that define Calgary.

Avenue magazine is published 12 times a year by RedPoint Media Group Inc.

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