With a population that recently topped the 1,000,000 mark, Calgary is a beautiful, vibrant city situated within sight of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta. Described as one of the fastest growing communities in all of North America,
Calgary, Alberta Properties are hot on the list for many families and young professionals. Its motto, so aptly fitting for the city’s present rate of growth is “Onward.” Popular nicknames for the city include Cowtown, The Stampede City, and the Heart of the New West.
The city is compact, with an ultra modern downtown center complete with tall, mirrored skyscrapers featured alongside the bright blue
Bow River.
Calgary, Alberta Properties are considerably attractive to those who have a fond appreciation for the great outdoors, with Nose Hill Park in the north, Fish Creek Provincial Park in the south end, and the parklands along the banks of the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Not to mention,
Downtown Calgary real estate is only one hour away from the scenic marvels of Banff and the Rocky Mountains.
The City of Calgary is notably the third largest municipality by population in all of Canada. The city’s population stands at around 1,019,942 according to the 2007 civic census, making Greater Calgary the fifth largest census metropolitan area in the country. The area is situated 298 kilometers due South of Edmonton, thereby leading statisticians to define the narrow populated region between Calgary and Edmonton as the “Calgary-Edmonton Corridor.” This represents the largest Canadian metropolitan area between the cities of Vancouver and Toronto.
A major reason for the surge in
Calgary, Alberta Estate Homes is the city’s several “bedroom communities” in close proximity, inviting those seeking the urban pleasures of Calgary with a small town coziness and quality of life. To the east of
Calgary, Alberta Properties are Lake Chestermere and Strathmore, to the South are Okotoks and High River, to the West are Bragg Creek and Cochrane, and to the north is Airdrie. The majority of Calgary’s suburbs are incorporated into the city proper. In addition to the “bedroom communities”, surrounding the city of Calgary proper are two municipal districts called Rocky View No. 44 to the north, west and east; and Foothills No. 31 to the south. These are predominantly rural areas but are very popular with people who want to live in the country on what is known as an acreage.
Notably, in spite of the importance of the oil industry to the city’s economic vitality, Calgary was ranked as the world’s cleanest city by Mercer Quality of Living in a survey published in a 2007 edition of Forbes magazine. Additionally, Downtown Calgary real estate ranked highly in quality of life surveys, with 25th place in the 2006 Mercer Quality of Living Survey, and the 10th best city to live in according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
Living, Working and Playing in Calgary
The largest city in the province,
Calgary, Alberta Properties are situated in the southern part of the region. The surrounding area is lush with foothills and high plains, with Downtown Calgary real estate located just 80 kilometers east of the front range of the Canadian Rockies. Residents who live in Calgary, Alberta properties are known as Calgarians.
Calgary’s weather largely consists of wide-open blue skies and often unpredictable temperatures. Thanks to the famed Chinook winds and proximity to the mountains, Calgary, Alberta properties are exposed to potential July type weather in January, with temperatures warming by 20 degrees Celsius in just a few hours; and even a sprinkle of snow in July. Calgary’s ski season commences in mid-November and lasts until the Victoria Day Weekend in May.
The city is a popular destination for winter sports and ecotourism with the large number of mountain resorts near the city and metropolitan area. While the primary economic activity in Calgary is largely centered on the petroleum industry, the industries of agriculture, tourism, and technology also play a significant role in the fast economic growth of the city and the surge of Calgary, Alberta relocation. More than 3.1 million people visit Calgary, Alberta properties on an annual basis. The visitors trek to the city’s several festivals and attractions, as well as the nearby towns of Banff, Lake Louise and Canmore, which boast beautiful mountain resorts.
The several annual festivals in Calgary include the Calgary Stampede, the Folk Music Festival, the Lilac Festival, One Yellow Rabbit High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, Wordfest: Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival, One World Festival, and the second largest Caribbean festival in Canada, Carifest.
Calgary was also the first Canadian city to host the Olympic Winter Games in 1988. It is also home to one of the fastest ice skating rinks in the world, located at the University of Calgary, where the winter games were held.
The Neighborhoods of Calgary
Downtown Calgary real estate consists of five charming and eclectic neighborhoods, which include Eau Claire, the Downtown West End, the Downtown Commercial Core, Chinatown, and the Downtown East Village. The city’s commercial center is also divided into multiple districts known as the Stephen Avenue Retail Core, the Entertainment District, the Arts District, and the Government District.
The densest neighborhood boasting
Calgary, Alberta Properties is known as the Beltline. The Beltline is home to several communities such as Connaught, Victoria Park, and a portion of Sunalta. Planned within the Beltline are rejuvenation initiatives by the municipal government, all of which are proposed to increase the density and liveliness of Calgary’s centre.
Next to Downtown Calgary real estate are several inner-city communities known as Crescent Heights, Briar Hill, Hillhurst, Sunnyside, Bridgeland, Renfrew, Mount Royal, Mission, Ramsay, Inglewood, and Albert Park, Radisson Heights. The neighborhoods within the inner city consist of Rosedale and Mount Pleasant to the north; Bowness, Parkdale and Glendale to the west; Park Hill, South Calgary, Bankview, Altadore and Killarney to the south; and Forest Lawn/International Avenue to the east.
The suburban communities, further contributing to the growth of
Calgary, Alberta relocation, are characterized as “commuter communities.” There are over 180 diverse neighborhoods within Calgary’s city limits.
With ample foreseeable growth ahead, the City of Calgary will surely continue to appeal to those seeking life in a beautiful, clean, thriving city complete with ample employment, educational and recreational opportunities.
For more valuable information about Calgary, Alberta properties and Downtown Calgary real estate, please contact expert Realtors
Ian and Jayne Wisdom at 403.995.4200 today.
