I think it's important to de-couple the city's day-to-day decisions around architecture, planning, cultural activity from Stampede. Stampede is a festival - one that's themed Western. But that has very little to do with the day-to-day reality of Calgary as a modern city. Sure, we should western the hell out of ourselves during those two weeks, promote people to come to the city to experience that unique vibe - during stampede. But we shouldn't pretend that's what we are the rest of the year. If people are coming in May to Calgary to experience cowboy culture, they're going to be pretty disappointed - unless you can somehow make Stampede Park a true year round tourist attraction. You don't see Quebec City building their city as if Bonhomme was of cultural relevance year round.
Otherwise our architecture is going to all start looking like this:
Barnes' version of the St. Patick's Island Bridge:
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?p=3408708