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Stories Tagged - Calgary
June 25, 2015 | CREBNow
Making it easier
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.
June 17, 2015 | CREBNow
Rise of the rentals
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.
June 16, 2015 | CREBNow
Stephen Avenue cycle restrictions voted 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."
June 10, 2015 | CREBNow
Calgary's suite life
Calgary is a city on the move. Energy sector uncertainty aside, cranes continue to dot the skyline and new communities continue to blossom along the outskirts.
However, despite years of debate, a familiar topic seems poised to remain as a burr under the saddle of the "Heart of the New West" – secondary suites.
Most recently, a council committee was tasked this week with determining whether to hold a plebiscite that would let the public decide whether suites should be allowed in neighbourhoods they're currently not zoned for. With an estimated price tag of $2 million, reports suggested city staff was fully opposed to the option.
June 03, 2015 | CREBNow
Construction connection
The sound of hammers has quieted in Calgary.
Following a record-breaking year for new home construction in the city, the pace has slowed considerably in 2015.
Through the first five months of year, the number of new homes starts in Calgary has numbered 3,954 – a 32.5 per cent drop from the same period in 2014.
The decline was even more dramatic in April, with just 777 homes breaking ground during the month compared to 1,952 during the same time last year – a decline of more than 50 per cent.
June 02, 2015 | CREBNow
A walk in the park
With an average of 2,396 hours of sun each year, Calgary holds the title of Canada's sunniest city. Not surprisingly, residents, in turn, tend to take full advantage, especially when it comes to the city's parks and greenspaces.
Calgary boasts almost 8,000 hectares of parkland – as well as Fish Creek Provincial Park and nearby Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. Connecting the city and its greenspaces are nearly 800 kilometres of pathways.
June 01, 2015 | CREBNow
Market moves towards balanced conditions
For the first time since December 2014, Calgary's residential unadjusted benchmark prices improved over the previous month. Within the city of Calgary, housing prices totaled $454,100 in May, a monthly and year-over-year increase of 0.55 and 0.96 per cent.
"For the third month in the row, new listings have eased compared to last year, helping push the market toward more balanced conditions, despite the current environment of slower sales activity," said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie. "This has helped prevent further declines in the unadjusted benchmark price."
May 26, 2015 | CREBNow
Putting your money where your feet are
As the old adage goes, "location, location, location" is one of the main factors in determining a home's value.
It can also help contribute to the overall health of a city, depending on how accessible it is to nearby amenities, said Robert Dalton with online sustainable city publication This Big City.
May 26, 2015 | CREBNow
What's art got to do with it?
The recently announced 23 metre tall "Bloom" for St. Patrick's Island, by Canadian artist Michel de Broin, has received both praise and ridicule from residents ranging from some who compare it to an "antenna array" and "expensive junk" to others who say it's "aesthetically pleasing" and a "graceful result."
Also new to the city's art scene is an interpretive public art exhibit by Alberta College of Art + Design (ACAD) students recently unveiled at Ralph Klein Park in the city's southeast.
The series of illustrations are intended to be visual reference and information pieces educating visitors on different living things in Ralph Klein Park.
"It's been a great privilege to be able to collaborate with the City of Calgary's Ralph Klein Park," said ACAD student Gladzy Kei. "My piece visually communicates the different types of birds; ranging from winter birds like the Snowy Owl, Raven, Black-billed Magpie, to birds that are active during the spring, summer, and then fall."
The ACAD piece adds to Calgary existing public art infrastructure, which has made headlines at several points throughout the last several years.
In February, city council voted 9-5 against a motion by Coun. Peter Demong that, in light of falling energy prices, would've frozen the city's public art budget.
The defeated motion came on the heels of the City making changes to its public art policy last May. Under the old policy, the city's "per cent per public art" was calculated at one per cent of the total capital project costs up to $4 million for City capital budget projects over $1 million. The new policy now sees the same spending level for projects under $50 million, but drops that ratio to 0.5 per cent on projects in excess of $50 million.
Outspoken art opponent Coun. Sean Chu proposed an even harsher cut at $25 million, but was defeated.
"I have often said that one of the key determinants of a successful city is our ability to focus in on the things that really impact peoples' quality of life, the things that make us smile every day," said Mayor Naheed Nenshi.
"It's important to invest in things like arts and culture and sports and recreation and great public spaces and even public transit – not just in and of themselves, but because they are key drivers to the economic and social success of the city."
Some public art pieces in the city have been more welcomed than others. The controversial Travelling Light "blue ring" on 96th Avenue N.E. cost $471,000 and drew the ire of many Calgarians, even prompting its sale on buy-and-sell site Kijiji.
The $370,000 Chinook Arc piece in Barb Scott Park, which changes colour depending on peoples' movement, has attracted less attention, as has the $3.12-million River Passage Park, intended to improve local habitat, wildlife movement corridors and recreation opportunities at Harvie Passage on the Bow River, which opened last fall.
One of Calgary's most expensive show pieces is the $25-million Peace Bridge over the Bow River. Despite drawing the ire of Chu, who has been dubious of cycle counts on the bridge, the structure is one of the most widely utilized and photographed landmarks in the city.
The bridge has won Canadian Architect's 2014 for best steel design and the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction's 2013 Engineering Award.
May 20, 2015 | CREBNow
The 'best backyard'
P.J Lavergne has called the Beltline home for the last 10 years.
"It's so close to everything," he said. "I don't drive, so it makes life easy. I'm, at most, a 10-minute walk from anything I could ever need."
Lavergne, who heads local rock 'n roll band Napalmpom, added the area's relaxed atmosphere comes through in the attitude of its residents.
