City looking at ways to keep Calgarians engaged

When Dave McCarrel moved to the northwest community of Valley Ridge, he became involved in the local community association to meet people.

That was 20 years ago, and McCarrel has been active ever since.

He helped lead efforts in 2008 to build an outdoor ice rink now recognized as one of the best in the city, and also a recent project to construct an outdoor fitness park equipped with a variety of exercise stations that opened in September.

Former CREB® president Bob Jablonski recalls 2012 as the year it started to turn around

Bob Jablonski doesn't have to look back too far to remember the last time Calgary's economy was booming.

During his year as CREB® president in 2012, the city was running at a full sprint due to good fortunes in the oil patch. Completion of the new West LRT, The Bow and Peace Bridge were just three of the many major initiatives that came to fruition in Calgary that year, noted Jablonski, who remembered, "the city was getting big and busy."

For many, particularly those in the real estate sector, the good news was overdue. Calgary's housing market had slumped since the 2008 financial crisis, not recovering at the same pace as other Canadian cities.

Former CREB® president Kent Lyle remembers impacts of National Energy Program like it was yesterday

It's perhaps the most contentious three words in Alberta's history: National Energy Program.

The early 1980s in the province are synonymous with the controversial federal initiative, which redistributed Alberta's oil wealth and, in turn, lead to a regional recession that few have since forgotten.

Ramsay seniors take next steps following demolition of historic hub

Four years after a hailstorm heavily damaged the building, the Ramsay Welcome Centre is coming down as residents begin to discuss what might replace it as part of their community hub.

The local seniors' centre has been located on Eighth Street S.E. since the 1970s. Before that, the building was actually located in West Hillhurst before being moved across the city, explains Denver Brust, vice-president internal with the Ramsay Community Association, adding the current community hall was built next door in the 1980s.

New southwest community by Mattamy to house up to 12,000 people

Come spring, the landscape of Calgary's deep southwest will be undergoing another change, this one being sculpted by Mattamy Homes.

With the snow gone, grading and storm pond construction is expected to get started on the new community of Yorkville, located over more than 190 hectares along the southern boundary of Silverado and moving further south and west.

New bulbs add technology at the flip of a switch

The light bulb is a symbol of a bright idea — and the latest generation of bulbs lives up to that symbolism in a big way.

In lighting systems like Philips Hue, GE Link, Belkin's WeMo and several others, the light bulb itself is smart. These bulbs talk to each other via the short-range, low-powered communication standard called ZigBee, allowing wireless control of a lighting system as big or as small as you want — up to 50 lights on one network, in most cases.

Two historic parcels of Okotoks land to be redeveloped for future generations

Once homesteading land for the D'Arcy and Wedderburn families, two historically significant properties in north Okotoks are to be redeveloped for a new generation of families.

United Communities has purchased approximately 178 hectares of farmland on both sides of Northridge Drive as sites for a pair of mixed use communities — simply to be called D'Arcy and Wedderburn.

Industry spokesperson says construction fund largely going unused

Players in one of the city's most active multi-family construction areas have made limited use of a cash-for-density fund established by the City of Calgary, says a spokesperson for the industry.

While a number of projects have been brought forward related to the Beltline Community Investment Fund (BCIF), the CHBA-UDI Calgary Region Association, the umbrella organization for the builders and developers in and around Calgary, is scratching its head about why the fund hasn't been used more.

How to get the sell and still be festive

With the holidays hot on their heels, homeowners will have plenty of opportunities over the next couple of months to indulge in outdoor decorations that range from the gruesome and garish to the feel-good and festive.

Yet housing experts still urge homeowners to keep curb appeal in mind when it comes to going over-the-top this Halloween and Christmas.

CREB® points to mortgage rule changes as motivator

For the first time in two years, resale residential housing sales activity in October resembled normal levels, according to a new report.

City-wide sales totaled 1,644 units, which is an increase of nearly 16 per cent over last year, reported CREB® in its monthly housing summary.

"The shift in sales activity this month is likely related to the new mortgage rule changes, inventory gains in the lower price ranges and further price adjustments," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.