Avenue
April 2004
Calgary’s newest communities came to life at the turn of the century. That means they share some common elements—lakes and ponds are popular. But developers have tried to make these new areas unique. If you’re looking for a cowboy theme or an 80-foot-tall castle tower, they’ve got just the thing
By Karen Rudolph Durrie
If you live in a newer community in Calgary, it’s a fair bet you’ll hear “where’s that?” when you mention the name of your neighbourhood.
Even longtime Calgary residents have difficulty keeping tabs on the city’s new communities.
And it’s no wonder. Calgary’s residential area is growing at a nearly unprecedented rate, with an estimated 8,526 new single-family houses forecast this year, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. There have been more than 50 new developments (either brand-new neighbourhoods or new subdivisions added to existing communities) built in the last four years. Growth is happening in all quadrants of the city, with a good concentration of new communities cropping up on the city’s west and northwest sides.
Since the turn of the new century, housing starts have reached historic highs with records set over the last three years for single family homes. Multifamily homes (duplexes, townhomes, rowhouses and apartments) set a 22-year high in 2003. “We’re characterized by the hottest housing market in the country,” says Richard Corriveau, an economist with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, an agency which tracks our housing market.
Keturah, Kincora, Creekside—oh my! The list of new communities goes on and on. Alberta’s strong economy has resulted in an influx of new residents, says Judy Ferguson, executive director of the Urban Development Institute, which represents the development industry in Calgary.
Calgary developers and builders are simply responding to market demand, which is strong for affordable and mid-priced housing, as well as executive and estate-sized homes. Because of the tremendous growth of new communities, both city administration and developers have been criticized for creating urban sprawl.
But Ferguson says industry insiders are used to hearing about development in a negative context. “One important point that everyone keeps missing in this debate is that the development industry is simply responding to the needs of the home-buying market,” Ferguson says, “a market that is created by the economic success created by the business community in Calgary.” Thus, if new people come to town, you have to build.
Troubles aside, Ferguson believes Calgary has some of the best-planned new communities in North America, built to a higher standard, and with plenty of innovation.
New communities are becoming a package deal, says Marion Murray, director of sales and marketing for Hopewell Residential Communities, a firm whose community roster includes Copperfield, Elbow Valley, Creekside and Tanglewood Estates. Developers today are selling buyers on a lifestyle, not just a house. That can mean providing attractive green spaces, pathways and recreational facilities within walking distance. “We take a holistic approach and try and gauge what all the future needs will be,” Murray says.
Hopewell adds storm ponds as aesthetic features, along with plenty of green space, pathways, parks, and sites for sports activities and a future school.
Developers must also pay for amenities, such as extending bus service to a new community if the city feels the population doesn’t merit another route. Developers are also responsible for everything from clearing and grading a site for a new community to putting in underground services, landscaping, and building roads, sidewalks, curbs and gutters.
One issue most new communities face is a lack of schools, which means that children are bused to schools outside the neighbourhood. So moving into a new community close to an existing school, or one where a new school is slated for construction, is critical for many young couples and families.
One thing is certain: there are plenty of first-time homeowners, young couples, families and empty nesters staking claims in these new communities, almost from the moment a development breaks ground.
And to cut down on the “where’s that?” factor, here’s a compilation of some of the newly minted neighbourhoods in our city…
Creekside in Evanston
The working name of this neighbourhood when it was in the approval phase was Symons Valley. Located near the historic Symons Valley Ranch, this one will be huge. When fully developed, it will see approximately 40,000 residents living in five separately named communities.
Several developers are co-operating on the development of the area, including Hopewell Residential Communities, Apex Land Corporation, Genesis Land Developments and Qualico Developments.
Qualico’s portion of 653 hectares is called Evanston, and will eventually include Evanston Towne Centre: two shopping centres in the vein of Westhills and Signal Hill. Meanwhile, Hopewell’s Creekside consists of 480 lots on west Nose Creek with homes built in the spirit of Alberta’s ranching heritage. South-facing walkouts perch on a ridge overlooking Nose Creek. Nearby amenities are in Beddington and Country Hills.
Retrieved September 18, 2004 from
http://www.avenuemagazine.ca/april2004/cover_feature.html