The summer sun rises eagerly in the early morning sky, casting a glittering cascade of twinkling light on the surface of the Bow River. Joggers and dog walkers scoot along the river pathway, enjoying the public art and the perfection of nature against the city's skyline. The smell of freshly roasted coffee and savoury bready morsels wafts from the Simmon's Building, its glass-sheathed doors flung open in anticipation of the day. Just steps away, store owners set out their wares in the newly launched pop-up retail park, as brightly coloured shipping containers frame the backdrop and the East Village hums to life.

"The East Village is all about connecting people and the new pop-up retail park – East Village Junction – is one of the major place-making initiatives happening this summer," said Jessa Morrison, senior manager of marketing and communications for Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, the developer behind the East Village, a 49-acre revitalization project on the east side of Calgary's downtown.

In a city renowned for its freeways and sprawling suburbs, more residents are choosing to live closer to its centre — and even forgoing hopping behind the wheel altogether

Who needs to own a car? Not Jennifer Lee.

The 21-year-old moved to Calgary two years ago to study and work in the city's burgeoning IT sector. And like a growing number of millennials, she doesn't own a car and has no plans to own one soon.

While that may not sound altogether revolutionary, Lee represents a wave of change in a city renowned for its multi-lane freeways, suburban sprawl and increasingly congested roadways.

Calgary city council votes unanimously for East Village development

In a rare move, all 13 members of Calgary's city council agreed to approve a once-controversial "carless" condo development in the East Village.

Located directly east of the old St. Louis Hotel, N3 is set to include 167 units that developer Knightsbridge Homes says are priced $70,000 less than comparable developments because of the lack of a parkade.

N3 buyers will get a furnished unit, as well as a free bicycle and $500 Car2Go credit.

"Everybody thought we were nuts," Knightsbridge president Joe Starkman said about the carless development. "There is a market out there for young people; the car just isn't a priority."