Longtime Acadia resident Diane Darragh has been nurturing a colourful perennial garden in the backyard of her home for more than 20 years, adding plants, carving new beds and enjoying sunny days spent under shady flowing branches of Willow trees.

"I really love this neighbourhood," she said, especially the mature trees and the sense of community. "It's just so connected here."

It could be said that until recently, this southeast community was flying under the radar. But Avenue Calgary put it on the charts in 2015, when the community ranked third overall on the magazine's list of Calgary's top neighbourhoods – it dropped one spot to fourth overall in the 2016 rankings. The area is peppered with 1960s bungalows, most of them original. Tall, mature trees line the quiet and scenic streets. And with an abundance of schools within its boundaries, including Lord Beaverbrook High School, plus a variety of pubs and restaurants, the area holds appeal for both families and singles alike.

The community of Acadia sits in southeast Calgary, nestled between Carburn Park and the Bow River to the east and Macleod Trail to the west. Established in 1960, the community is home to nine schools from the public and separate boards – including the city's largest high school, Lord Beaverbrook – as well as a charter school and bilingual schools.

Raised in Acadia, the neighbourhood where he learned to love the game, Tim Hunter admits he still has fond memories and an affinity for Calgary's southeast.

Leaders in middle-ring suburbs grapple with current challenges, while looking to the future

Calgary is a city that is continuing to grow and expand, with new suburbs and surrounding areas showing marked growth this year, yielding new infrastructure and amenities for residents. However, while Calgary's newer communities expand, older communities are experiencing unique challenges.

Middle-ring neighbourhoods offer perfect balance of suburban charm and inner-city convenience

Between the inner city and the burgeoning suburbs lie Calgary's so-called "middle-ring neighbourhoods," a concept explored in a 2010 study by the University of Calgary's faculty of environmental design.

As the study describes, Calgary's 80 middle-ring neighbourhoods – which include communities like Acadia, Glamorgan and Huntington Hills – are those developed between the 1950s and 1970s and "poised to undergo redevelopment."

Canyon Meadows, established in 1963, is one such community. When Gurmit Bhachu, the current president of the Canyon Meadows Community Association, moved to Calgary in 2004, he and his wife looked for a home.

A crash course in Calgary bridges

Most Calgarians probably don't stop to think about the city's bridges every time they cross over them by car, by bike or on foot. However, many of these important structures have interesting backstories or architectural designs that make them special.