The creation of a new downtown community association, the first from the city's core in a decade, is a sign of the growth of a healthy city as it emerges from the pandemic, says the executive director of the Federation of Calgary Communities.

You can always go downtown. At least that's what the song says.

Much has been written about the current woes of Calgary's Downtown Commercial Core. Office vacancies are approaching 30 per cent and many businesses and commuters are conspicuous in their absence from the area.

However, there are a significant number of Calgarians who have no intention of going anywhere, even after the workaday crowd goes home.

Calgary communities that provide convenient access to desirable amenities and major roadways are leading the way in growth.

For anyone looking to buy an affordable condo in Calgary, now is the time, with a variety of both townhome- and apartment-style units available for $250,000 or less throughout much of the city.

While Calgary's Downtown West End has not seen much updating in the last three decades, plans for revitalization are underway.

Calgary's most walk- and transit-friendly communities

While Calgary is still viewed by many as a car-centric city, there are many other ways for Calgarians to get around – whether you choose to walk, bike or take transit. Just ask the residents of the following communities, the proud recipients of some of the city's highest walk and transit scores from www.walkscore.com.

Marina and Gavin Reeves returned to the core to recapture their inner-city lifestyle

Marina and Gavin Reeves are busy, young professionals – she's an engineer and he's an accountant. Four years ago, they sold their condo in Connaught and moved to the northeast area of Highland Park, where they purchased a larger home, but they soon realized it wasn't the lifestyle fit that they were looking for. The couple ended up coming full-circle, as their lifestyle epiphany spurred a search for a townhome in the city's core. They wanted a home with outdoor space for their two dogs that was also close to transit, coffee shops and the inner-city action. Plus, it had to be big enough to grow into, as the couple plans to start a family in the near future. They found what they were looking for at Grosvenor Americas' Avenue project, located in Calgary's Downtown West End.