Making yards beautiful while making space for the birds and the bees

* Part one of a three part YYC Grows series

Rob Avis is used to building things that last. With a background in mechanical engineering, the Calgary resident has always had a focus on what makes things tic.

These days, however, he's focused on building a sustainable future. Rob and wife Michelle are cofounders of Verge Permaculture, a Calgary-based company that incorporates the principals of permaculture into landscape design – a trend that`s becoming increasingly prominent throughout Calgary in recent years.

A look back at Calgary's June floods and forward into the future

June 20 started out like any other day in Calgary. With showers in the forecast, parents saw their children off to school with umbrellas in hand and rain boots on their feet, then began their own daily commute along Calgary's soon-to be rain-soaked streets.

Little did they know that by the end of weekend, much of their city would be left underwater during what's since been dubbed the "100-Year Flood."

Trend in total housing starts in Calgary declines in May

In a release from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), housing starts in the Calgary Census Metropolitan Area were trending at 15,776 units in May compared to 17,239 in April. The trend is a six month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) of total housing starts.

Alberta Premier Dave Hancock and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi addressed media today concerning flood erosion, recovery and mitigation projects completed or underway in the city.

Here are some quotes from the scrum:

One of Calgary's oldest homes is headed to a new home on Sunday.

Built in 1896, and located at 110 18th Ave., McHugh House, is one of the 10 oldest homes in the city. Donated to the City by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary, the home is being moved to Humpy Hollow Park at the corner of 17th Avenue and Centre Street.

Bowness resident pushing for former Gas Plus site to become public greenspace

While the province has stepped in to remediate a former gas station site in Bowness, one resident is looking to take the site's future one step further – as a public greenspace.

Morgan Maher, a resident of Bowness for several years, first became aware of the Gas Plus site – located on Bowness Road and 63rd Street N.W. – when 9,000 litres of gasoline spread into surrounding soil from an underground tank. The spill was so bad, three homes near the site were declared uninhabitable by Alberta Health Services due to gasoline vapours.

Residential sales for last month, highest ever recorded in Calgary

Calgary's residential housing market continued its upward surge last month with a record-setting May that saw a 16 per cent increase in sales.

A combined 2,948 single- and multi-family homes switched hands last month, compared with 2,535 in May 2013. This year's total represents the most sales in May in Calgary's history.

Contrasting secondary suite acceptance in Alberta's two major centres

* Part three of a three part series on secondary suites in Calgary 

Once restricted to hockey rinks and football fields, the Battle of Alberta is now playing out on the streets of the province's two major cities.

While the final score is not in yet, Edmonton has jumped out as the early leader in its acceptance of legal secondary suites.

May sales activity highest ever recorded for Calgary

There were 2,948 sales in Calgary in May, a 16 per cent increase compared to the same time last year.

The numbers are the highest recorded in Calgary for that month, ever.

"Strong sales activity is a reflection of improving fundamental conditions such as a growing population, favourable lending rates and rising wages," said Ann-Marie Lurie, CREB's chief economist. "Leading up to May, resale market sales were somewhat restricted by a lack of choice. However, recent price gains have encouraged growth in new listings, helping meet some of the housing demand."