Calgary cycle track pilot seeing success in early days

For Calgarian Adrian Murphy, the opening of a second of four routes for the City's cycle track pilot is welcome news.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he said of the Fifth Street S.W. track, which opened June 12 and will allow him to cycle from his home in Mission to the 12th Avenue leg, which opened on June 4, and then to work.

Tips on how to get back in the black

According to Statistics Canada, household debt levels in the country have  risen to a record high of 163 per cent of Canadians' disposable income.

Yet that doesn't mean debt has to be a burden. In fact, it is far easier to get out of debt than most people think. You just need the right strategy.

While there are many ways to get out of debt, there is one that seems to work more
effectively than the rest: the modified snowball technique.

Calgarians drawn to more affordable alternative

After living in southwest communities of Midnapore and Evergreen for 27 years, transitioning to an apartment in Mission was an easy decision for Michelle Norman.

"Condo living was a very easy adjustment," she said. "I like the idea of being surrounded by a good mix of young and older residents as well as not having to worry about such things as yard work and snow removal."

Market sees rise in vacancies, rents

Calgarians looking to find rental housing have been treated to more selection in recent months.

According to a report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Calgary's vacancy rate in April stood at 3.2 per cent. The number is more than double the rate seen last April, when CMHC reported Calgary vacancies at just 1.2 per cent.
Across Alberta's urban centres, the rental apartment vacancy rate was 3.4 per cent in April 2015 compared to 1.8 per cent in April 2014, according to the report.

Calgarians and tourists will be able to cycle to Stephen Avenue Mall for lunch after a recommendation imposing time restrictions was struck down.

In council today, Coun. Sean Chu made a recommendation that "Council direct the traffic engineer to exercise his authority to not allow bicycle riding on the Stephen Avenue Mall between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays.

Coun. Druh Farrell argued there are already restrictions in place during Stampede week adding, "We're talking about a pilot here, let's try it out."

Acreages and rural living provide room for growth, sense of community

Alberta's come a long way from its historical roots of buffalo herds and settlers.

More than 600,000, or 17 per cent of, Albertans lived in rural populations in 2011, according to Statistics Canada. That's a far cry from 75 per cent who lived rural rather than urban in 1901.

Yet a pioneering spirit still remains throughout the province, said Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Verlyn Olson.

Short-term fixed re-emerging as alternative

Variable rates are back in fashion after the Bank of Canada lowered the overnight  lending rate in January, and economists expect another decrease in the near future.

Yet, even though variable rates make sense, most borrowers are still leaning toward fixed-rate mortgages for no reason other than certainty. Consumers like to know what their mortgage rate is going to be.

The good news is there are options for risk-averse borrowers who don't want to dive into the variable-rate waters, but still want the low rates that come with the floating products.

Study looks to update 40-year-old plan for roadway

The City of Calgary is conducting a study to look at the future of Crowchild Trail.

The study, which will examine the stretch running from 24th Avenue N.W. to 17th Avenue S.W., will identify short-, medium- and long-terms plans for the major transportation corridor to accommodate future growth and improve travel.

Throughout June and July, Calgarians are invited to provide their thoughts through workshops, study area tours and an online questionnaire. The City will also be at various community events to talk to people about Crowchild Trail.

Secondary suites, defined by the City as "a self-contained accessory living space consisting of a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen developed within or on the same property as a single family home," require a strict set of guidelines to be recognized as legal, safe and conforming.

Under current guidelines, the biggest obstacle for many homeowners seeking to add a secondary suite is zoning. With secondary suites in homes zoned R-1, R-C1 or R-C1L requiring the "lengthy process" of obtaining a Land Use Amendment (along with the proper development permits) to be recognized as legal, even those homes in zones which allow the suites still need to comply with several guideline to be deemed legal.