Golf Communities Feature
CALGARY’S BEST-KEPT SECRETS A14
A8 – A9
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real estate news from industry experts
PARKING PERCEPTION KELSEY HIPKIN, Reporter/Photographer
Driving only one option for Calgarians to access the downtown core
$553,451
$562,382
$520,686
$527,764
$516,447
$516,244
$512,359
$517,234
$524,900
$527,162
$521,887
$518,392
$510,834
$496,579
$496,636
$488,311
$492,777 $468,360
$475,272
JUL12 AUG12 SEP12 OCT12 NOV12 DEC12 JAN13 FEB13 MAR13 APR13 MAY13 JUN13 JUL13 AUG13 SEP13 OCT13 NOV13 DEC13 JAN14 FEB14 MAR14 APR14 MAY14 JUN14 JUL14
$478,528
$518,452
$550,312
SINGLE FAMILY
MLS® AVERAGE PRICE* JUL ‘12 – JUL ‘14 $554,652
F
or Calgarian Eric Westrum, cycling to work downtown is a no-brainer. While he now lives in close proximity to work, Westrum used to live in the northwest, meaning a 30-minute twowheeled commute. “I like my bike because I can get to where I need to go quickly and effort-
$547,871
reporter/photographer
lessly, especially downtown, and not have to worry about parking,” he said. “The downtown core and parts of the Beltline are probably worst for this problem and I find I can get to most places as quickly if not faster than if I were to drive.” In a 2012 report by Colliers International, Calgary’s monthly parking rates were ranked the third highest in North America – placed only behind New York’s midtown and downtown – averaging $439.93 a month.
$556,402
KELSEY HIPKIN
Canadian cities following in Calgary’s pricey parking footsteps – at median unreserved monthly rates – were Montreal ($331), Toronto ($295) and Vancouver ($278). “I drive downtown everyday,” said Alison Allen, who commutes from the southwest community of Silverado. “I actually have reasonably priced parking right now, $350 per month, however I do think the price of parking downtown Calgary is absolutely ridiculous. “There is an Impark lot right next to our building that costs $44 per day, to park your car. Outside. Not covered.” Chris Blaschuk, manager of the Transportation Strategy Division with the City of Calgary, said there are about 47,000 parking spaces in Calgary’s
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity.
downtown and the price of parking is determined by the market, as the City doesn’t have a policy for the matter. Of those 47,000 spots, 6,573 onstreet and 8,094 stalls, about 18 per cent of all paid stalls in the city are managed by the Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) while others are managed privately. There are those who still choose to rebel against paid parking. Within the CPA alone there were 57,490 tickets issued between Jan. 1 and June 30 – not including handwritten tickets related to safety issues or people illegally parked in handicapped zones. The CPA did note, the compliance rate for those who pay for their parking misdeeds is between 87 and 88 per cent. In its annual 16-hour Central
For Eric Westrum, cycling downtown takes away potential parking woes.
Business District cordon count, the City found car travel to and from downtown decreased by six per cent between 1996 and 2013. Despite the decrease, there are some concerns some of those 47,000 parking spots will be in danger with the approval of a cycle track network pilot project in the downtown core.
PARKING A3
REPORT: CONDO CONTENTS AFFORDABILITY NEWS BRIEFS INDUSTRY IN CALGARY EVENT LISTING ‘EXCELLENT’ CREA
CREB® STAFF
C
algary is party to “excellent” condo affordability, according to a report from Genworth Canada. Condo prices in the city are attributed to “healthy” average household income – the highest reported out of the cities covered: Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria. The report forecasted median condo prices for Calgary at $271,463 with an expected increase to $280,975 in 2015.
CONDOS A3
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MORTGAGE RATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A10 POP THE QUESTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A11 Darren Kwiatkowski, Shape Properties
COMMERCIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A13 Quarry Park
COMMERCIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A13 INDUSTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A15 First-time buyers
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