Just an hour-and-a-half south of Calgary and only 30 minutes from the town of Vulcan lies a little-known gem. The Little Bow Resort and its collection of 250 bare land condominium properties is located along the sandy shores of Travers Reservoir, a 17-kilometre-long lake with crystal clear waters fed by the Little Bow River.

"It really is beautifully clean, and it is a deep lake and quiet, so you can really enjoy boating and all of the sports that go along with it," said Calgary real estate professional and Little Bow property owner Bill MacDougall.

The Beltline is a community experiencing a period of major transition – from the reconstruction of 17th Avenue S.W. to the reimagining of Victoria Park.

Through it all, the beauty and vibrancy of this inner-city neighbourhood just seems to be getting stronger and stronger.

As part of downtown's humming riverfront, the community of Eau Claire possesses a rich and varied history. With beginnings in the 1880s as an industrial site, the land was originally owned and developed by the Prince family, which founded the Eau Claire Lumber Mill.

South Calgary just keeps getting better and better. It's an area charged with arts and culture, natural beauty, public art, funky coffee shops, and stellar restaurants. It's also home to beach volleyball courts and a public outdoor swimming pool, one of only a handful still operating in the city.

"The community has so much culture and vibrancy. It's so fun to just walk down 33rd Avenue and people watch," said South Calgary resident Jude Savoy, who has lived in the community for almost five years.

As one of Calgary's oldest communities, Sunnyside weaves together a poignant blend of architectural styles. Modern infills sit alongside century homes, while walk-up-style apartment buildings wink at neighbouring new-build, mid-rise condo towers.

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.