Communities of Bowness, Montgomery retain small town charm, big city amenities

Nestled along the Bow River in the city's northwest, the communities of Bowness and Montgomery each enjoy storied histories dating back to the turn of the 20th century.

Even today, their modern-day transformations from towns to neighbourhoods are far from complete, with ongoing development redefining expectations of life in Calgary.
Before the First World War, Bowness was a "suburb perfect" vision of Englishman John Hextall, the visionary behind Bowness Park.

Determining it may not be as simple as you think

Some would think a rate sheet would make mortgage-shopping process  easy. All you have to do is scroll through the list and find the company  with the lowest rate, right? After all, pretty much every mortgage is the same? All you need to do is find the best rate?

It's not quite that easy. Not all mortgages are created equal. Behind each of those rates is a set of terms and conditions that affect the price of the mortgage, quite often more than the interest rate itself.

Mary Moran has taken over the reins as president and chief executive of Calgary Economic Development (CED).

Moran, who has been with CED since 2010, took some time to chat with CREBNow about Calgary's economic resiliency and what she thinks is the city's best-kept secret.

A look at Calgary's development and off-site levies

Hopping in the shower or flushing the toilet is going to take its toll on Calgarians' wallets in coming years.

Calgary's current model for development levies is set to recover 50 per cent of the cost of water drained from your tap or toilet. Storm water is 100 per cent covered by developers.

Yet that's not sustainable for utilities coming to the city down the line – in the form of a $14-million shortfall for new water and sewage infrastructure this year.

Calgary's fledgling communities have plenty to offer

Calgary's growing list of new communities is providing a haven for buyers looking for a little bit of everything.

According to last year's civic census, nine of the city's fastest-growing communities are located in new areas, led by Saddleridge in the northeast, which saw 2,373 residents move within its borders in 2014.

It was followed by Auburn Bay (2,242), Cranston (1,858), Skyview Ranch (1,759), Evanston (1,704) and Panorama Hills (1,384).

Grow your own fruit from the comfort of your patio

If you had a chance to get sweet fruit right off your patio instead of a California truck, would you go for it?

What if fruit from home was also a chance to use recycled materials and have a lot of fun?

Sold.

In late May, money manager Rob Gray asked me to do a hands-on planting session with his clients. He wanted a chance to laugh and chat with clients and staff in an informal setting. We had worked together before, so he knew I was a closet urban farmer and keen food advocate.

Simmons Building now open to public

Calgarians had their first opportunity to break bread at East Village's long-anticipated Simmons Building last week.

The grand opening celebrated three local food and beverage brands – Charbar, Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters and Sidewalk Citizen Bakery – and furthered the completion of what's being dubbed Calgary's "oldest, newest community."

Five reasons to buy rentals in the city

It appears as though Calgary real estate will continue to be a great  investment for investors looking to become landlords.

This week the Alberta government quelled fears of impending rent controls, signaling the market will continue to support investment real estate as a method of wealth accumulation.

New report shows energy uncertainty creating options for buyers

For Calgarians looking for a new home, the financial cloud hovering over the province's oil patch may have a silver lining.

According to RBC's latest Housing Trends and Affordability Report, homes in the city became more affordable during the first quarter of 2015.

The bank's index, which measures the percentage of household income required to service the price of owning a home, showed costs in Calgary fell across all housing types in 2015.

The Town of Cochrane has released it's schedule for the 2015 Streets Improvement Project.

Work is scheduled for:

• Glenbow Dr. from Fifth Ave. to Highway 22


• Railway St. from Nan Boothby Library to Charlesworth Ave.


• Fifth Ave. from Griffin Rd. to CPR tracks


• Benchlands Dr. and Benchlands Pl.


• Powell St. between Ross and Pope Ave.