The answer to what the new northwest community of Carrington will have when complete is an easy one: pretty much everything.

The neighbourhood, launched as part of the massive Keystone Hills area plan, will include its own high-density housing; an employment and commercial centre built around a planned Green Line CTrain station; direct access to Stoney Trail and downtown; new schools, as well as proximity to existing ones; and acres of parks, wetlands and pathways. It also sits in a high-demand area that is suffering from a shortage of housing supply.

Sitting just south of Silverado between 194th Avenue and 210th Avenue S.W., the new Calgary community of Belmont is touted as a quiet refuge on the edge of the city and a place for new beginnings.

"It's a bright, modern community with a broad appeal for those looking for affordable quality in south Calgary," said Steve LePan, development manager with Anthem United. "As the first new community in the area, it's focused on affordable quality for first-time buyers or those new to Canada."

Nearly ten years into the East Village Master Plan, which was developed in 2009, the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has invested close to $400-million into its delivery.

"That has attracted nearly $3 billion in private investment, including RioCan's urban retail centre, now under construction, and various condo developments," said Clare LePan, CMLC's director of marketing and communications.

By the end of this year, Calgary's full secondary suite policies will put into play a "gentle density" housing market.
After consulting with community associations and collecting online public feedback, city administrators will send design guidelines for backyard suites to committee and city council for approval.

Lisa Kahn, the City of Calgary's legislation and land-use bylaws co-ordinator, says the new rules will govern how backyard suites look and interact with their communities.

Fifteen years ago, Kari Strutt and her husband, Ken Bagan, came across the southeast community of Willow Park while on a weekend shopping excursion to Southcentre Mall.

"We headed home by way of Willingdon Boulevard and there was a rather homely house for sale," said Strutt. "It was a stucco affair with a partial flat roof, but at 1,300 square feet it felt palatial and affordable. So we bought it."

Perched at the junction of Highways 8 and 22X with a beautiful mountain backdrop, the townsite of Redwood Meadows is attracting young families who want to get away from it all, while staying close enough to the city for a quick commute.

Full of vibrancy and life, Richmond is a community in the throes of change.

With boundaries that stretch from 33rd Avenue S.W. north to 17th Avenue S.W., the community contains an eclectic mix of homes, from wartime bungalows to multi-million dollar infills. On the western edge, the community boundary jogs across Crowchild Trail, bumping up against Killarney and Currie Barracks, while the eastern perimeter extends to 19th Street S.W.

One of the most spectacular aspects of the northwest community of Mount Pleasant is the trees. "We live right by the park and it is just beautiful," said community resident Simone Carr-Smith. "We are surrounded by trees and at night, when the wind blows, you can hear the leaves rustling. It is just so calming."

Brimming with families, many of whom have been in the community for decades, Applewood Park extends to the north from International Avenue near Elliston Park in Calgary's southeast. Big houses, double-car garages perfect for home workshops, and large yards are a few of the defining characteristics of this community developed in the early 1980s.

Ask anyone who lives in the community of Scarboro what makes it so special and you will get a variety of answers.

"It's hard to put a pin in it," said resident Kate Morisset. "There is just this real sense of connectivity."