Life in Calgary 2014

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living, working & playing in one of the world’s most dynamic cities

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Your guide to

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A SMASH UP OF ART, SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

SEPTEMBER 10 - 14, 2014 CALGARY, ALBERTA

Photo: Neil Zeller

Let go.

upfront

get to know calgary A Welcome from mayor naheed nenshi: I was just a few months old when my parents made the decision to settle in Calgary. In the early 1970s it was difficult to imagine that Calgary would grow into the global city it is today.

Over the past few years, Calgary has been named by several publications as one of the best places in the world to live.

It doesn’t take long to see why.

Most people know Calgary as the centre of Canada’s energy industry, as the closest metropolitan centre to the Rocky Mountains and as the home of the world-renowned Calgary Stampede. Calgary is definitely all of those things, but it’s also so much more.

We have a young, dynamic population bursting with creativity. Calgarians bring their innovative ideas to all areas of industry, from the arts to technology to investment to energy. We have a spirit that fosters entrepreneurship — where people aren’t afraid to try new things. In Calgary, “energy” refers to more than oil and gas or wind and solar; it is an attitude that permeates every quadrant of our city.

As those of us who are fortunate enough to live here know, Calgary offers a lifestyle like no other.

We have access to hundreds of recreational opportunities, and we make a point of taking advantage of them. It’s not hard to leave work early to go skiing or kayaking when there are hills and rivers and cross-country trails within city limits. We have an extensive pathway system, and a visit to any of our urban parks will show you just how much Calgarians enjoy the outdoors.

Our support for the arts has helped grow Calgary’s cultural offerings into some of the best you will see anywhere in Canada. If you consider yourself a “foodie,” prepare to be impressed with the quality of our restaurants and our thriving year-round farmers’ markets.

Our retail sector continues to grow, and we have hundreds of local shops and boutiques.

But what really sets us apart is our community spirit. We readily give our time and money to our fellow citizens in need. We take care of each other, not because we’re asked to, but because we know that it’s the right thing to do.

Life in Calgary puts a spotlight on just a few of the many things that make our city among the best in the world. Come. Be part of the energy.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi

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arriving

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Transportation and maps to schools, health and government — here’s what you’ll want to know before your feet hit the ground in Calgary.

31 food and dining Calgary has become a global “food city,” with top international chefs practising their craft alongside local producers.

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neighbourhoods

75 culture and sports

There’s so much to do and see in our growing, active, cosmopolitan city, from art and music to professional and participation sports and recreation.

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shopping From one-of-a-kind boutiques to fashion-forward international retailers, our city is a shopper’s dream come true.

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Looking for inner-city living with character, or a gleaming new suburban home? A big yard, a garage, a quiet tree-lined street near to parks and shopping? It’s all here.

outdoor life

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Get up to speed on what’s hip and happening in Calgary — visit avenuecalgary.com, the website of Avenue magazine, and subscribe to Avenue’s weekly Food & Drink, Style and Weekender e-newsletters. You’ll get inside information on dining, trends and events in our city.

a lot to love Exploring some of the many things and places that Calgarians love about their city.

Rivers, mountains, hills and prairies: Calgary and the surrounding area are a visually stunning paradise for anyone who appreciates nature and outdoor activities.

inside calgary

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lifeincalgary

COVER PHOTO

A publication of RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions, in partnership with Calgary Economic Development.

REDPOINT MEDIA & marketing solutions Director, DIGITAL & MARKETING SOLUTIONS Anders Knudsen MANAGING EDITOR Miles Durrie

CALGARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 731 1st Street S.E., Calgary, Alberta T2G 2G9 Phone: 403-221-7831 calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com info@calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com @calgaryeconomic | Facebook: calgaryeconomic

DESIGN Director Steve Collins AssisTant MANAGING EDITOR Julia Williams WRITER Carla Ciccone Staff Photographer Jared Sych ACCOUNT MANAGER Mark Hogan Account Executives Jasmine Croteau, Jocelyn Erhardt, Caren Mendyk, Rebecca Molina, Lindy Neustaedter, Matthew Wilson SALES RESOURCE MANAGER Stacy Haakonson Production manager Mike Matovich Production Coordinator Jamie Buechler DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Rob Kelly PRINTER, U.K. PrintFlow PRinter, canada Transcontinental Printing

RedPoint Media Group Inc. 100, 1900 11th Street S.E., Calgary, Alberta, T2G 3G2 Phone: 403-240-9055 | info@redpointmedia. redpointmedia.ca | @redpointmedia Facebook: RedPoint Media & Marketing Solutions

Art Director Steve Collins Photographer Jared Sych Styling Kara Chomistek Makeup Lucy Morris Hair Shawna Ellenton Models supplied by Sophia Models International: Erik Ness, Carmen Ng, Kim Noseworthy, Zach Wintonyk Additional models Matt Olah, Lexie Purdy, Shenali Weera Snowboard gear courtesy Mission Snow & Skate missionsnowandskate.com Clothing, from left: Kim coat/shirt, Banana Republic; jeans, Mavi; shoes, Old Navy | Carmen skirt/blouse, Zara; shoes, Aldo | Shenali jacket, Oak + Fort; blouse, Equipment, available at Holt Renfrew; pants, Helmut Lang, available at Holt Renfrew; purse, Prada, available at Holt Renfrew | Zach shirt, H&M; tie, Topshop | Eric suit, Paul Smith, available at Holt Renfrew; tie, Etro, available at Holt Renfrew; shirt, Boss by Hugo Boss, available at Holt Renfrew; shoes, Aldo | Deer courtesy Bruin Taxidermy | Lexie jacket, shirt, skirt, tights, shoes, Gap Kids.

Thanks to Calgary Transit for generously providing the CTrain car used as the location for this photo.

Chairman Don Graves PRESIDENT Pete Graves director, Marketing Kathy Randle DIRECTOR, EDITORIAL Käthe Lemon CONTROLLER Mark Leduc office MANAGER Anna Russo

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RedPoint Media Group Inc., 100, 1900 11th Street S.E. Calgary, AB T2G 3G2 | info@redpointmedia.ca

THIS CHANGES INDUSTRY. Our commitment to research, innovation and technology set in motion 10 years ago has made SAIT Polytechnic Canada’s number one research college today.

SAIT is setting new standards in applied research and innovation using the knowledge and expertise of our instructors and students. Take, for example, the laser induced breakdown spectrometer, LIBS. One of the frst in Canada, this technology precisely blasts a tiny piece of solid material to provide instant composition analysis.

For our industry partners LIBS means access to new approaches that boost productivity and proft.

For our students this means leading-edge learning opportunities.

Find out how SAIT can make a difference for you.

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. SAIT.ca

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We understand the importance of art and the impact it has on our communities.

Dance, visual arts, theatre, music and cultural events inspire us, challenge us and bring us together. Through our arts and culture investments, we’re committed to supporting the arts because they enrich lives and help create vibrant, thriving communities today and in the future.

Enbridge delivers more than the energy you count on. We deliver on our promise to help make communities better places to live. It’s part of the reason we were named one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.

Find Out MOre enbridge.com/inYourCommunity

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WELCOME

TO Calgary

photo calgary transit

Calgary. There’s an energy here that exhilarates, invigorates and motivates.

A city of almost 1.3 million — the largest in the province of Alberta, Canada — Calgary is a place of big skies, big ideas and welcoming, friendly people.

This city is an economic powerhouse and a place that loves new people with new talents. There’s a vitality here that unleashes the bold, can-do spirit of entrepreneurs and innovators, artists and athletes. Our vi-

brancy and spirit come alive in areas from commerce and creativity to culture and sport. The liveability of our city is second to none, with clean air and water, high incomes and employment, a low crime rate,

excellent education and superb health care. Our lifestyle is active; our perspective is global. Who you are is more important than who you know or where you’re from.

We’d love you to come and see for yourself.

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it’s a small

world calgary london

vancouver seattle

MINNEAPOLIS CHICAGO TORONTO DENVER

san francisco

paris

OTTAWA

yyc is Canada’s

new york

los angeles

Fastest growing

DALLAS HOUSTON

airport

mexico city

(2013)

fort mcmurray

rio DE JANEIRO

ROCKY MOUNTAINS jasper

edmonton

lake louise

calgary

golden whistler vancouver

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banff kelowna

fernie

arriving in calgary

Calgary International Airport, or YYC, serves Calgary and the surrounding region. Located about 17 km (11 mi) northeast of downtown Calgary, the airport offers scheduled non-stop flights to major cities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and East Asia.

yyc sees

14.3

moscow

million passengers annually

frankfurt

(2013)

rome

beijing tokyo

cairo

shanghai agra

dubai

flight times from calgary

cape town

vancouver 1 HR 30 MINS TORONTo 4 HRS 0 MINS ottawa 4 HRS 10 MINS seattle 1 HR 45 MINS DENVER 2 HRS 25 MINS SAN FRANcISCO 2 HRS 45 MINS MINNEAPOLIS 3 HRS 0 MINS LOS ANGELES 3 HRS 5 MINS

HOUSTON 4 HRS 5 MINS new york 5 HRS 5 MINS mexico city 7 HRS 30 MINS london 9 HRS 15 MINS frankfurt 9 HRS 45 MINS TOKYO 13 HRS 50 MINS shanghai 15 HRS 30 MINS sydney 19 HRS 0 MINS

sydney

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PEACE BRIDGE

5 ST SW

downtown calgary

EAU CLAIRE AVE SW RIVERWALK PATHWAY

2ND AVE SW

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BR ID GE 4TH AVE SW MCDOUGALL CENTRE

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6TH AVE SW

7TH AVE SW 5 ST SW

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

MILLENNIUM PARK

8TH AVE SW GLOBE CINEMA

7 ST SW

9 ST SW

10 ST SW

11 ST SW

CENTURY GARDENS

9TH AVE SW

DESIGN DISTRICT 10TH AVE SW

getting around transportation options

Driving in C a lgary

Public t r a nsportati o n

In a city of more than 848 square kilometres (327 square miles), Calgarians are fortunate to have a wide range of ways to get around. There’s a network of roads and highways, a ring road around most of the city, an extensive pathway system, and efficient public transportation that includes buses and light-rail trains.

The city is divided into quadrants: northwest, northeast, southeast and southwest. Road names include their quadrant’s initials.

Whether or not to own a vehicle in Calgary is a decision based on where you choose to live in relation to where you work and spend your leisure time. Many people who live in the inner city opt not to own a car, but a driver’s licence is still recommended. (After all, the Rocky Mountains are only an hour away by car.) All vehicles in Calgary must be registered and insured.

Insurance is provided by private companies.

With a fleet of buses, community shuttles and light-rail trains, Calgary Transit reaches every corner and neighbourhood of the city. Adult fares are $3 per trip anywhere in the city. Monthly passes and student fares are also available.

Children under six ride free. At the heart of the public transit network is the CTrain, Calgary’s light rail system. It has 47 stations and 194 railcars, and is powered by windgenerated electricity.

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Pa t h wa y s a r o u nd the cit y Calgary has the most extensive urban and suburban pathway and bikeway system in North America — 960 kilometres in total. Any time of year, winter or summer, walkers, runners and bikers can be found commuting or just getting some outdoor exercise and enjoying the Calgary sunshine.

8TH A PL

ES IT SU N AT O ER SH

1 ST SW

4 ST SW

arriving in calgary

CENTRE ST BRIDGE

RIVERFRONT AVE

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CALGARY TELUS CONVENTION CENTRE

EPCOR CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

GLENBOW MUSEUM

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THE BAY SAIT CULINARY CAMPIUS

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3 ST SE

1 ST SW

4 ST SW

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MARLBOROUGH

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MARTINDALE

FRANKLIN

the plus-15 Calgary’s Plus-15 Skywalk is an indoor public walkway system that links buildings in the downtown core, letting pedestrians get around without going outdoors.

These weather-protected walkways are about 15 feet above street level — hence the name “Plus-15.”

On a cold winter day, the network creates an opportunity for people to shed their winter coats and move around Calgary’s urban centre, making it possible to get to several meetings in a day without ever stepping outside. See a map here: calgaryplus15.com

SOMERSET - BRIDLEWOOD

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city of calgary TO AIRDRIE, RED DEER AND EDMONTON

NW

STONEY TRAIL

COUNTRY HILLS BVD

STONEY TRAIL

DIN G

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NOSE HILL PARK

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CALGARY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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TO BANFF AND THE MOUNTAINS

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TO STRATHMORE AND MEDICINE HAT

MEMORIAL DRIVE

SW

DOWNTOWN

TRAIL BLACKFOOT

TRAIL

ELBOW PARK

MACLE OD

CROWCHILD TRAIL

17 AVE S.E

GLENMORE TRAIL

canada olympic park

passengers board the ctrain daily

STONEY TRAIL

BED

259,000

INDUSTRIAL AREA

GLENMORE PARK AND RESERVOIR

SARCEE INDIAN RESERVE NO.145

14 ST S.W

GLENMORE TRAIL

RAIL EOD T MACL

Calgary has more than

1,500 taxis

DEERFOOT TRAIL

ANDERSON RD

MARQUIS OF LOME TRAIL

2

SE

SPRUCE MEADOWS EQUESTRIAN CENTRE

2A

spruce meadows

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TO OKOTOKS AND HIGH RIVER

arriving in calgary

multiculturalism

A Global City

The face of Calgary is changing. Walk through any neighbourhood and you’ll meet people who have moved here from all over the world.

getting a

driver’s licence

Alberta has seven classes of driver’s licence, depending on the vehicle you plan to drive. Most people carry a Class 5, allowing them to drive cars, light trucks, motorhomes and mopeds.

If you have a valid driver’s licence from another part of Canada (or Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States), you can exchange it for an Alberta licence without having to take a test.

All other new residents are required to pass a written test and a driving exam.

To qualify for a licence, you must be a legal resident of Alberta who is 16 or older with no medical or vision issues that would impair your driving. You need to provide proof that you are lawfully entitled to live in Canada and that you currently live in Alberta, as well as photo identification such as a passport or other driver’s licence.

Proof that you are lawfully entitled to be in Canada would include a visa or resident card, while proof that you are an Alberta resident would include a residential lease agreement or a letter from an Alberta-based employer.

If you are new to the province, you must apply for your Alberta driver’s licence within 90 days of moving here.

If you are visiting Alberta from outside Canada and using an international driving permit, or IDP, you may drive in Alberta for up to 12 months using the IDP. Driver’s licences can be applied for at Alberta registry offices. There are about 30 of these located all over Calgary. servicealberta.ca

C

algary is truly an international city, and global influences can been seen everywhere — the festivals, the food and the people who create the energy in our city.

Behind only Vancouver and Toronto, Calgary is the third most ethnically diverse city in Canada.

In fact, the first language of one in five Calgarians — more than 304,000 people — is neither English nor French, Canada’s two official languages.

New Calgarians find a city that is warm and welcoming. Calgary has dozens of active cultural and ethnic community groups. No matter where you’re from, you’ll find others who share your background and experiences.

Many of the cultural organizations in Calgary also celebrate with festivals throughout the year. These events range from community block parties to citywide parades, fairs and festivals of food, art and music.

Calgary has more than 75 immigrant-serving agencies that help newcomers integrate into the community both before and after they arrive. These organizations are focused on helping new Calgarians get settled, often offering their programs and services in a number of languages.

26%

of Calgarians are immigrants Religious organizations Anglican Apostolic Church Baptist Buddhist Catholic Christian and Missionary Alliance Christian Reformed Christian Science Church of Christ Church of God Latter Day Saints Evangelical Gospel Gurdwara Hindu Islam Jehovah’s Witness Jewish Lutheran Mennonite Moravian Nazarene Non-Denominational Orthodox Pentecostal Presbyterian Seventh Day Adventist Spiritualist United Victory

>140 Although English is the primary language used in Calgary, nearly 140 languages are spoken by Calgarians.

28% are visible

minorities Immigrant-serving agencies Calgary Catholic Immigration Society ccis-calgary.com Immigrant Services Calgary immigrantservicescalgary.ca Newcomers Calgary centrefornewcomers.ca Calgary Regional Immigrant Employer Council criec.ca

Active social clubs Antigua and Barbuda Association of Calgary Austrian Canadian Society Calgary Chinese Cultural Society Calgary Italian Club Calgary Japanese Community Association Calgary Multicultural Centre Croatian Canadian Cultural Centre Danish Canadian Club of Calgary Dutch Canadian Club of Calgary Francalta German Canadian Club of Calgary Hungarian Canadian Cultural Centre India Canada Association of Calgary Irish Cultural Society of Calgary Pakistan Canada Association Philippine Cultural Centre Foundation of Calgary Polish Canadian Association of Calgary Portuguese Community Centre Trinidad and Tobago Social Activities Ukrainian Cultural Centre Venezuelan Canadian Association of Calgary l i f e i n C A L G A R y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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HEALTH

How The

photo ced

System Works

A safe and healthy community Calgary is ranked among the world’s cleanest, healthiest and safest cities in numerous international studies, and is a global leader for overall quality of life.

W

ith a metropolitan population of almost 1.3 million, Calgary is one of the safest and healthiest big cities in the world. Its high altitude (1,045 metres above sea level) and close proximity to the Rocky Mountains contribute to the city’s clean air and lack of pollution.

Visitors and newcomers are often struck by the cleanliness of Calgary’s public spaces. The City of Calgary keeps roads, communities and sidewalks free of debris, and most citizens take pride in keeping litter to a minimum.

The city also maintains high standards in public safety, security and protective services, including police, fire, bylaw and emergency medical services.

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Health care for everyone Medical care in Alberta is free to all residents, and if you’re new to town and need a family physician, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has a search tool on its website (cpsa.ab.ca) to help you find the right doctor.

Neighbourhood walk-in clinics are also available to everyone, whether or not you have a regular family doctor.

There are five major hospitals in Calgary, operated by Alberta Health Services: the South Health Campus, Foothills Hospital, Rockyview Hospital, Peter Lougheed Centre and the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Each of these hospitals provides 24-hour emergency care, and all act as trauma

centres when needed for southern Alberta, southeast British Columbia and southwest Saskatchewan.

Calgary also has several specialized health centres, including the South Calgary Health Centre and the downtown Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre, which provide urgent care, diagnostic imaging, community health, mental health and laboratory services; and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, a leading cancer treatment, prevention and research facility.

There are also dozens of dental clinics, optometrists, pharmacies, medical laboratories, care centres, community and continuing care sites, assisted living homes and nursing homes throughout the city and in nearby communities in southern Alberta.

Universal health care in Canada means that citizens of this country receive the medical care they need regardless of their ability to pay. The federal government funds the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan to cover medical services for all Albertans. In some provinces, residents pay monthly premiums to cover a portion of the costs of universal health care, but Alberta did away with those fees in 2009, meaning medical care here is free.

The services covered by Alberta Health Care include care provided by hospitals, physicians and osteopaths. The plan also provides limited coverage for dental surgery, as well as chiropractic, podiatry and optometric services.

To help pay for supplementary health services that aren’t covered by Alberta Health Care, most employers in Calgary provide private insurance to their employees and families. Alberta Blue Cross, an independent insurance organization, is also available to those who don’t have private insurance.

In either case, the premiums that members pay through their employers or to Blue Cross ensure full or partial coverage for at least the following: • Prescription drugs • Vision care • Semi-private and private hospital rooms • Short- and long-term disability • Dentistry • Ambulance • Home-care nursing Most plans also offer life and disability insurance, to ensure families are cared for financially should anything happen to an income earner.

arriving in calgary

IT’S WHERE LIFE HAPPENS

Brookfield Residential offers the best places for all of life’s moments. From our thoughtfully designed communities featuring remarkable amenities and green spaces to our functional and stylish homes — we take pride in crafting every detail. For more information and to experience our award-winning customer service, explore our communities and homes today.

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BrookfieldYYC LIFE IN C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

17

127cm

Snowfall per year

321mm

Rainfall per year (12.6 inches)

rainiest month: june

(50 inches)

-1.4°C

snowiest month: march

29.5°F average high temperature (dec - feb)

-13.5°C

7.7°F Average low temperature (dec - feb)

21.9°C

71.4°F average high temperature (jun - AUG)

8.4°C

47.1°F Average low temperature (Jun - aug)

Business #1

Global Annual Property Index of 60 cities

IPD- Investment Property Databank, 2012

#23

Global Financial Index of 79 financial centres

Z/Yen Group, March 2013

#2

Top 10 Large North American Cities of the Future - Business Friendliness

FDI Magazine, 2013

#2

26%

of population of Calgary are immigrants (2011 NHS)

Top 10 Large North American Cities of the Future - Overall

FDI Magazine, 2013

#2

OVERALL RANKING OUT OF 24 GLOBAL METROPOLITAN CITIES

Toronto Region Board of Trade, Toronto as a Global City: Scorecard on Prosperity – 2014

#1

Top 10 Canadian Cities in which to Invest

Real Estate Investment Network, 2012

#4

labour attractiveness OUT OF 24 GLOBAL METROPOLITAN CITIES

Toronto Region Board of Trade, Toronto as a Global City: Scorecard on Prosperity – 2014

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6,000 restaurants, theatres & patios

arriving in calgary

c a l g a ry b y n u m b e r s Layering your clothing is the key to comfort; our weather changes often.

Lifestyle #3

Best canadian city for New Immigrants

MoneySense, 2013

#1

Best canadian city to Raise Kids

332

MoneySense, 2013

#1

Overall Best large canadian city to Live

average sunny days every year

MoneySense, 2013

#7

1 from hour the

2014 Quality of Life Index of 95 global cities

Numbeo, 2014

#5

Rocky Mountains and Banff National Park

most livable city in the world

Economist Intelligence Unit, 2013 2013/2012/2011/2010

3,000

The median age of Calgarians, with 48.8% between 25 and 54 years old

parks & green spaces around the city 1,500,000

36 (CMA, 2012)

metropolitan calgary’s population growth since 1980 2014

1,000,000 2005

900,000 1990

800,000 700,000 600,000

1985

2010

2000

1995

1980

500,000 l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

19

downtown calgary’s vibrant streetscape

weather 3 seasons in 1 day

Statutory holidays In Alberta, a three-day break from work or school is never far away.

We can count on a long weekend or a midweek holiday just about every month.

New Year’s Day January 1

Heritage Day First Monday in August

Alberta Family Day Third Monday in February

Labour Day First Monday in September

Good Friday Friday before Easter Sunday

Thanksgiving Second Monday in October

Easter Monday (optional) Monday after Easter Sunday

Remembrance Day (optional) November 11

Victoria Day Monday before May 25

Christmas Day December 25

Canada Day July 1

Boxing Day December 26

2 0 l i f e i n c A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

C

algary is just east of the Rocky Mountains, at 1,050 metres (3,445 feet) above sea level.

Because of this altitude, the climate is semi-arid. Temperatures are mild compared to much of Canada, and even when it’s cold, it’s usually sunny.

In fact, the sun shines an average of 332 days per year (that’s about 2,300 hours), making Calgary the sunniest major city in the country.

But Calgary weather definitely varies. In the summer, the skies are generally blue and temperatures can soar above 30°C (86°F). It usually cools off comfortably at night. From late May through the summer, days are long and nights are short; the sun rises by 6 a.m. and darkness doesn’t settle in until 10 p.m. or later. Golfers love it — there’s time for 18 holes after work.

Autumn can be long and magnificent; spring is a celebration, and winter is usually pleasant

by Canadian standards, with temperatures staying in the deep freeze for only a few weeks.

The most distinctive characteristic of a Calgary winter is the chinook: a warm, moist wind from the Pacific Ocean that can raise the temperature by as much as 15°C (60°F) in a few hours. When the grey chinook arch appears in the western sky, the warm wind is about to blow in. Don’t be surprised to see Calgarians breaking out their summer wear during a chinook, which can last anywhere from several hours to a week or more.

be prepared Calgarians are prepared for anything — we joke that you can see three seasons in a day.

To stay comfortable, it’s all about layering. If you drive, you’ll find yourself using your car heater in the morning and your air conditioning in the afternoon, especially during late winter and early spring. the toque The toque (pronounced “touk”) is a staple of the Canadian wardrobe. Known elsewhere as a beanie, knitted winter hat or watch cap. the bunny hug The hoodie, or “bunny hug” if you’re from Saskatchewan, as many Calgarians are, is a multi-weather staple. Great for a cool summer evening, essential for under the winter coat during outdoor activities — and Calgarians do get outside no matter the weather, so a hoodie is an all-season wardrobe must-have.

photo calgary economic development

alberta

Calgary is an entrepreneurial, energetic, fast-growing young city.

And East Village is the best place to live in its dynamic downtown.

Downtown Calgary East Village

East Village is a new master planned riverfront neighbourhood that offers a new way to live in downtown Calgary. East Village was designed to put all the pleasures of city life on your doorstep, and residents will walk to work downtown, to entertainment, shopping, cultural and sports venues, and to award-winning pathways, parks and squares.

C-Train transit, free in the downtown core, is moments away from East Village.

In 2015, owners and renters will move into new riverfront condominiums served by nearby retail and dining options.

Some $1.7 billion of planned development is coming to East Village. Plan to invest a few minutes visiting East Village at evexperience.com/movehere

City of Calgary

east villageÂŽ is a trademark owned by Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.

arriving in calgary

Move Closer to the Flow

3 Things

M ayo r N e n s h i ’ s

for Calgary It’s a challenge to all Calgarians.

Calgary is our workplace, our play place and our home.

Every action that happens in our city, whether it comes from City Hall or the local community hall, affects our streets, our neighbourhoods and our Calgary.

So doesn’t it make sense that we should take action ourselves to make our city better? The truth is: when we get more involved in our communities, our communities are better.

So here’s the challenge Mayor Naheed Nenshi has given to Calgarians:

1 Think about the community and city issues that are important to you.

2 Decide on three actions you can take to make your street, neighbourhood or city better.

3 Do those three things!

Tell others about what you did... and then do some more!

2 2 LIFE IN C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

government

who runs things a political primer

Getting to know how we’re governed: representatives, levels of government, elections and voter eligibility in Calgary, Alberta and Canada.

You are eligible to vote in Canadian elections if you are: a at least 18 years old b a Canadian citizen c registered to vote For municipal and provincial elections, you must meet the above requirements and also be a resident of Calgary and Alberta respectively.

Canada is a democratic country, meaning it is run by representatives we elect to do the governing for us. This makes Canada a representative democracy.

M u n i c i pa l Government The municipal government, or city council, is made up of people from the city elected by Calgarians. The role of city council is to develop policies, and resolutions based on these policies, and ensure that they are carried out. The Mayor is the head of the council. The Mayor and council get together at regularly scheduled meetings to make decisions. These meetings are almost always open to the public.

A general election is held on the third Monday in October, every four years. Calgary’s civic government is based on a ward system; the city is divided into 14 wards, with each represented by a Councillor. In October 2013, Calgarians elected Mayor Naheed Nenshi for his second term, along with the following members of city council:

Ward 1 Councillor Ward Sutherland Ward 2 Councillor Joe Magliocca Ward 3 Councillor Jim Stevenson Ward 4 Councillor Sean Chu Ward 5 Councillor Ray Jones Ward 6 Councillor Richard Pootmans Ward 7 Councillor Druh Farrell Ward 8 Councillor Evan Woolley Ward 9 Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra Ward 10 Councillor Andre Chabot Ward 11 Councillor Brian Pincott Ward 12 Councillor Shane Keating Ward 13 Councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart Ward 14 Councillor​ Peter Demong

arriving in calgary

Tara Nelson Previous home London, England

The Prime Minister of Canada and Mayor of Calgary are both Calgarians.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mayor Naheed Nenshi both attended the University of Calgary.

photo paul saulnier

How long have you lived in Calgary?

Just over three years.

What is your occupation?

CTV Calgary 6 p.m. News Anchor and Executive Editor.

What is your favourite thing about Calgary?

The energy. Calgary has a pulse and an optimism that is not just refreshing, but inspiring. There is an attitude in the city, based on the knowledge that it’s such a driving force in the country’s economy and success. I love that confidence.

What surprised you most about our city?

The generosity. I don’t know that I’ve ever lived in a city with so many financially successful business people who are so willing to give it away. There seems to be a culture of generosity. I am constantly touched by the honest desire to extend a hand up to those who need it most.

What do you wish you had known more about before you came to Calgary?

The weather! I grew up outside Edmonton, where once it’s winter, it’s winter for six months. (Maybe seven.

Sometimes eight.) There aren’t any chinooks, there’s no melting, there are no mild days. I had no idea the weather was so different just three hours away. What a treat!

What’s your best tip for settling into life in Calgary?

Explore. Poke around Inglewood, enjoy the restaurants on 17th Avenue, have coffee in Marda Loop. Go to the zoo and the farmer’s markets. Walk, run or ride the fantastic path system.

For us, exploring the parks with our dog was a great way to see the city and meet people. And enjoy the mountains! We feel so lucky to live this close to Banff and Canmore.

Provincial Government

Federal Government

The provincial government, based in the Alberta capital city of Edmonton, consists of people from within the province. Each representative, called a Member of the Legislative Assembly, or MLA, usually comes from a political party — a group sharing the same political ideas — and represents a geographical area called a riding.

After people have voted, the political party that elects the most MLAs will form the provincial government. Its leader becomes the Premier, who is the head of the government. MLAs can be contacted by e-mail or telephone, or at public meetings.

The current provincial government is made up of members of four parties: the Progressive Conservative, Liberal, Wild Rose and New Democratic parties. The Progressive Conservatives have held the majority of seats since 1971, and currently form the government.

The next provincial election is scheduled for the spring of 2016.

The federal government has power over many areas of life in Canada, including international trade, taxation, national defence, shipping, currency, banking, citizenship, immigration and criminal law. The federal government is made up of people from all over Canada. The 308 representatives who are elected to the federal government are known as Members of Parliament (or MPs), and meet at the House of Commons in Ottawa, Ontario, where the national Parliament Buildings are located. The political party that elects the most MPs forms the federal government. Its leader becomes our Prime Minister.

There are three primary political parties in Canada: the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party. The Conservative Party currently holds a majority of seats in Parliament. Its leader, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, became Canada’s 22nd prime minister in 2006. The next federal general election will be held Oct. 19, 2015. l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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#17 – New York Times Top 52 Places To Go In 2014 #1 – MoneySense Best Place To Live In Canada 2013

This is the moment you realize Calgary is your connection to everything.

Somewhere between the alpine playground of the Rocky Mountains and the wide-open spaces of the Canadian prairies, it’ll hit you: Calgary is where it all comes together. From unforgettable weekend getaways to finding the perfect new place to call home, Calgary’s vibrant economy, big-city advantages, amazing attractions and all-natural outdoor adventures will show you that it’s time to be part of the energy — right here in Calgary.

Learn more at bepartoftheenergy.ca

EDUCATION

THE LEARNING CURVE Calgarians have a wealth of choices in the city and nearby when it comes to post-secondary education and training.

W I T H I N CA L G A RY UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY One of Canada’s top universities and Calgary’s premier postsecondary and research institute, the University of Calgary was founded in 1966. Prior to that, it had operated since 1945 as a branch of the University of Alberta. It includes 14 faculties and more than 85 research centres.

The U of C offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, and awards bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.

More than 25,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students are currently enrolled. The university’s 155,000-plus alumni include Prime Minister Stephen Harper and astronaut Robert Thirsk.

The U of C is a member of the U15, or the 15 most researchintensive universities in Canada.

The sponsored research revenue at the school is $352 million, one of the highest in the country.

Since Calgary has Canada’s highest concentration of engineers and geoscientists, the Faculty of Science, Department of Geosciences and Schulich School of Engineering maintain ties to the booming petroleum and geoscience industry.

Other faculties include Arts, Continuing Education, Education, Environmental Design, Graduate Studies, Haskayne School of Business, Kinesiology, Law, Medicine, Nursing (Calgary), 2 6 C A L G A R Y L I F E B E PA R T O F T H E E N E R G Y 2 0 1 4

Nursing (Qatar), Science, Social Work, and Veterinary Medicine. ucalgary.ca MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY A two-year diploma-granting college from 1911 to 2009, Mount Royal University is today a fullfledged undergraduate university.

It serves about 16,000 students with programs and courses including bachelor’s degrees, applied degrees, university transfer courses, diplomas and certificates.

Mount Royal is known for small class sizes and high-quality teaching. The school prepares students for life after graduation with current and practical information, work placements, practicums and co-op education. mtroyal.ca SAIT POLYTECHNIC One of Canada’s leading polytechnic schools, SAIT Polytechnic (formerly the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) offers applicable, skill-oriented education to more than 71,000 students each year.

There are 77 certificate, diploma, apprenticeship, and applied degree programs to choose from, as well as more than 30 apprenticeship trades, two baccalaureate degrees and more than 1,600 continuing education and corporate training courses.

The institution boasts a graduate employment rate of 94 per cent. sait.ca

SAIT POLYTECHNIC ALBERTA COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN Founded in 1926, the Alberta College of Art & Design (ACAD) is one of only four accredited public art and design colleges in Canada, and the only post-secondary institution in the Prairie provinces devoted exclusively to visual culture and design.

ACAD has 1,300-plus full and part-time students in areas including fine arts, design, media arts and digital technologies.

The school produces innovative thinkers, problem solvers and visually talented creatives. acad.ca BOW VALLEY COLLEGE Founded in 1965 as the Alberta Vocational Centre, Bow Valley College today offers more than 50 highly respected career-focused programs in business, health care, adult upgrading, English as a second language, justice, human services and more. bowvalleycollege.ca ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY Athabasca University specializes in distance education delivered via the Internet. It gives professionals the opportunity to finish undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs through firstrate online learning. athabascau.ca

ALSO ACCESSIBLE The following are post-secondary options in nearby towns and cities.

LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE About two hours’ drive south of Calgary in Lethbridge, LCC offers credit courses, career-training programs, applied degrees and apprenticeships. lethbridgecollege.ca

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE Also in Lethbridge, with campuses in Calgary and Edmonton as well, the U of L is a comprehensive academic and research university which was rated third in Canada in the Primarily Undergraduate category of the 2013 Maclean’s University Rankings. uleth.ca OLDS COLLEGE About an hour north of Calgary, Olds College offers certificate, diploma and degree programs related to animal sciences, business, fashion, horticulture, land and the environment, plus trades and university transfer programs. oldscollege.ca

RED DEER COLLEGE Red Deer College, 90 minutes north of Calgary in the city of Red Deer, offers university transfer and degree completion programs. rdc.ab.ca

C

algary is Canada’s most enterprising city, a destination for people with ambitious dreams. With the country’s youngest and most educated citizens — not to mention

one of the strongest economies in North America — it is a city that attracts ‘up-and-comers’ from all over the world.

The University of Calgary flourishes in this high-energy space. Ranked the #1 university under the age of 50* in Canada for three years running (#2 in North America, #13 worldwide), we are becoming known internationally for our vibrant campus community and exceptional teaching and research.

You’d love it here.

* QS Top 50 Under 50 World University Rankings, 2014, 2013, 2012

Learn more: ucalgary.ca

Photo by Tom Arban

Be part of something bold

WHAT SPEAKS 98 LANGUAGES, OFFERS ACCESS TO 70+ PROGRAMS AND 900+ COURSES, AND IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN CALGARY? Calgary and region’s only comprehensive community college.

bowvalleycollege.ca

arriving in calgary

Melissa and Ryan Klasen Previous home Ottawa, Ont. How long have you lived in Calgary?

Ryan moved here in 2007, Melissa in 2008.

What are your occupations?

Ryan is an elementary school teacher with the Calgary Board of Education; Melissa is a senior interior designer with Sizeland Evans Interior Design Inc. What is your favourite thing about Calgary, and why?

We absolutely love the opportunities available here. We both had immediate success, and have never looked back. Amazingly, we have now doubled what we were earning in Ontario, salary-wise.

What surprised you most about our city?

The biggest surprise was how young and progressive the city is. There’s an energetic, youthful vibe in the city, and the innovation is all around us.

Ryan has discovered that the Calgary Board of Education is known as one of the top school systems in North America.

What do you wish you had known more about before you came to Calgary?

We had heard Calgary was an expensive place to live. We found it to be the exact opposite. Things are a lot more affordable than we thought.

Since moving here, we have been able to purchase our first house.

live and learn Calgary’s education system offers an enriching range of world-class options to suit students of all ages.

Child care and education are formally structured in Calgary and all of Canada. Daycare centres are licensed and accredited; preschool is optional and geared for three- to five-year-olds. Elementary schools serve students from kindergarten to either Grade 4 or Grade 6; middle schools span grades 5 through 9.

Junior high schools offer grades 7 to 9, with senior high schools running from Grade 10 to Grade 12.

E a r ly Ed u c a t i o n The province of Alberta sets standards for child care. Kindergarten starts as young as age four, and there are daycare options for younger children.

Subsidies are available for eligible low- and middle-income parents through Children and Youth Services to cover the costs of licensed preschools or child-care facilities.

The government has a search tool at child.alberta.ca/home/ ChildCareLookup.cfm to help you find daycare, preschools, family day homes, out-of-school care or group family child care.

photo thinkstock

Grade S c h o o l Calgary has public and Catholic school systems, as well as charter and private schools. Each offers programs tailored toward specific learning needs and goals.

Public Schools Calgary’s first public school was opened in 1884. The Calgary Board of Education (CBE), the city’s public school system, today has more than 105,000 students from kindergarten to Grade 12, in traditional classrooms and online. The school board offers more than 50 alternative programs, from learning in Mandarin, French, German or Spanish to home-schooling support and sports-enhanced learning opportunities. cbe.ab.ca

Catho l i c S c hools There are currently more than 47,000 students enrolled in the Calgary Catholic School District’s 105 schools. Founded in 1885, the Catholic school board’s mission is to “empower students to reach their full potential, to meet the challenges of life, to serve their community and to journey in faith with God.” The school district offers programming from kindergarten to Grade 12, plus numerous alternatives including language-based programs, international baccalaureate, self-directed learning and single-sex environments. cssd.ab.ca

Charter S c h o ols A charter school is a public school operated independently

under a performance contract approved by either a local board of education or by the Minister of Education. Charter schools are funded by the province, and must teach the mandated provincial curriculum as a baseline, but each school’s charter is a unique and specific contract.

Alberta was the first province in Canada to establish charter schools, and Calgary currently has six: Almadina School, Calgary Arts Academy, Calgary Girls’ School, Calgary Science School, Foundations for the Future Charter Academy and Westmount Charter School.

private S c h o ols Private, or independent, schools receive some provincial funding and also charge tuition. These schools often have a specific focus, whether academic, cultural or religious. Several concentrate on high achievement, and consistently place near the top of provincial test rankings. Others maintain a faith-based learning environment or support a specific language or culture, or concentrate on a specialized educational philosophy.

For more information about private schools in Calgary and Alberta, visit the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta website: aisca.ab.ca L i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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Private SchoolS in calgary

WIC Grades 7 - 12

West Island College Junior and Senior High School

Learn Play Grow Belong | Connecting Passion to Purpose

www.westislandcollege.ab.ca

model milk, 17th aveNUE S.W.

a world of

Food …it’s all here

PHOTO JARED SYCH

For a city that’s just over a century old, Calgary has an exceptionally mature, vibrant food culture. The thriving food scene is a product of multiple forces converging: passionate chefs, local producers, and a food-curious, multicultural population.

Our city has evolved into a culinary centre that demands variety, quality and creativity.

Dining options range from fine cuisine to casual bistros and hole-in-the-wall eateries, with several Calgary restaurants appearing on international “best of” lists. Rouge restaurant

was named to the S. Pellegrino World’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2010; Carino Japanese Bistro was recognized as one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants by enRoute in 2013; and Charcut Roast House, River Café, Cassis Bistro, Ox & Angela and Model Milk were featured on

Maclean’s 2012 50 Best Restaurants in Canada list. Local eateries have been featured on TV’s You Gotta Eat Here and Eat St., and Calgary chefs including Pierre Lamielle, Connie DeSousa, Xavier Lacaze, Nicole Gomes and Chris Shaften have appeared on Top Chef Canada.

l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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Explore our city’s

dining Districts

W h e r e t o E at

Brasserie Kensington

1131 Kensington Road N.W., 403-457-4148, brasseriekensington.com This bistro’s deliciously meaty and decadent menu features French classics like bouillabaisse alongside foie gras poutine, crispy chicken skin and duck fat potato chips.

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Chicken on the Way 1443 Kensington Road N.W., 403-283-5545, chickenonthewaycalgary.ca This reliably salty, crispy fried chicken has been filling Calgary bellies for almost 60 years, and hasn’t budged from the corner of Kensington Road and 14 Street since 1965. This local favourite now has five locations in the city.

Flipp’n Burgers 103, 330 10th Street N.W., 403-474-9365, flippnburgers.ca Charbroiled hamburgers made from ethically raised, Canadian beef distinguish this burger joint from fast food fare, and there are veggie, vegan and falafel burgers for those who don’t eat meat.

Kensington Pub 207 10A Street N.W., 403-270-4505, kensingtonpub.com This neighbourhood gathering place — affectionately known as the “KP” — is a favourite with British expats for its friendly atmosphere, large beer selection and hearty pub fare.

Peppino 101 1240 Kensington Road N.W., 403-283-5350, peppinogourmet.com A popular lunch spot offering authentic Italian subs with homemade dressings, Peppino also sells imported Italian foods, sauces and pasta.

Vendome CafÉ 940 2 Avenue N.W., 403-453-1140, vendomecafe.com A couple of blocks off the main strip, this licensed European-style café pours excellent espresso and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try the salted caramel French toast.

Crave Cookies and Cupcakes 1107 Kensington Road N.W., 403-209-4903, cravecupcakes.ca The buttercream-slathered cupcakes at this bakery are made fresh every day, and are based on recipes sisters Carolyne and Jodi picked up from their mother while growing up near High River.

PHOTOgraphy neil zeller

Kensington

This shopping and entertainment district occupies the L-shaped stretch of Kensington Road and 10th Street N.W., where the communities of West Hillhurst and Sunnyside meet. Equal parts urban chic and earthy granola, the area is home to boutiques, coffee shops, the historic Plaza Theatre and many, many restaurants.

food culture

17 Avenue S.W Branded RED (Retail and Entertainment District), the stretch of 17 Avenue S.W. between 1 Street and 14 Street is a diverse collection of shops, bars, walk-up apartments and offices, and dining opportunities from poutine and Vietnamese soups to awardwinning restaurants focusing on local foods.

W h e r e t o E at Analog 740 17th Avenue S.W., 403-265-2112, fratellocoffee.com Not only does Analog have a Slayer espresso machine, it offers pour-over and cold-brewed coffee options as well. The café is owned and operated by Fratello Coffee Roasters.There’s an Analog café in the Calgary Farmers’ Market too.

PHOTOgraphy JARED SYCH

National

550 17th Avenue S.W., 403-229-0226, ntnl.ca This contemporary spin on the traditional beer hall is big and friendly, with an oyster and mussel bar and a massive beer and wine menu. National has two other locations: one on 10th Avenue S.W. and one in the Westhills shopping centre.

Brava Bistro 723 17th Avenue S.W., 403-228-1854, bravabistro.com Well into its second decade, Brava is a public and critical favourite for its blend of modern fusion style and traditional Mediterranean cuisine. It also has a particularly good wine cellar.

Cibo 1012 17th Avenue S.W., 403-984-4755, cibocalgary.com Cibo serves wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas and freshly made Italian dishes in its multilevel dining room. Guests pay $5 per pie during Pizza Happy Hour, 3 p.m to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Janice Beaton Fine Cheese 1017 16th Avenue S.W., 403-229-0900, jbfinecheese.com This specialty cheese and charcuterie shop opened its doors in 2000, and now offers cheese-related products, classes and an all-day grilled-cheese bar.

Jelly Modern Doughnuts 100, 1414 8th Street S.W., 403-453-2053, jellymoderndoughnuts.com A bakery café, Jelly Modern is gourmet experience and pure treat combined. Popular flavours include maple bacon and crème brûlée, and a salted caramel doughnut named for Mayor Naheed Nenshi. The shop is a couple of blocks north of the 17th Avenue strip on 8th Street S.W. Market 718 17th Avenue S.W., 403-474-4414, marketcalgary.ca Committed to locally sourced, made-in-house dishes, Market has gained an avid following for creative menu items like duck tacos and a pork belly and scallop sharing plate.

Rustic Sourdough Bakery 1305 17th Avenue S.W., 403-245-2113, rusticsourdoughbakery.com Part bakery, part European deli, the Rustic is run by Swiss master baker and pastry chef Jos Rehli. Build your own sandwich or buy fresh bread, strudel and Linzer cookies. l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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golden inn 107 2nd Avenue S.E., 403-269-2211 In the heart of Chinatown, Golden Inn is known for delicious Cantonese-style food for takeout or dining in. Try the salt-and-pepper squid.

Chinatown

W h e r e t o E at Pho Hoai 132 3rd Avenue S.E., 403-264-8174 A Chinatown institution offering Vietnamese food that tastes awesome for a great price.

People who work in the area say the taste and selection of pho, or Vietnamese noodle soup, here is among the best in the city. And that’s saying something, since Calgary is home to a delicious multitude of excellent Vietnamese restaurants.

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Dragon City Mall 328 Centre Street S.E. Stop into the Pearl House Café for a bubble tea or grab some genuine Chinese candy from the Qalala Candy Store to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Silver Dragon 106 3rd Avenue S.E., 403-264-5326, silverdragoncalgary.ca With 15 Hong Kong-trained chefs and more than 200 items to choose from, even the pickiest of tastes are surely to find something to enjoy.

U & Me Restaurant 201, 233 Centre Street S.W., 403-264-5988, uandmerestaurant.ca This popular spot serves dim sum until 4 a.m. so, after a long night, it’s always a great option.

Kingfisher Seafood In Dragon City Mall, 328 Centre Street S.E., 403-294-1800 Plentiful fresh seafood. Try the prawns and scallops in hot sauce or deep-fried calamari.

PHOTOgraphy george webber, calgary economic development

Calgary’s Chinatown, along Centre Street and the Bow River, is a thriving cultural hub with more than 150 shops and businesses. Hipster youth, seniors and business people all pop into the community for lunch or to peruse the specialty shops. In August, more than 50,000 people take in the Chinatown Street Festival, and each Chinese New Year brings multi-day parties and galas.

food culture

In 1901, the stretch of land now known as International Avenue was swampy prairie populated by half a dozen farming families.

Today, the 35-block strip of 17th Avenue S.E. between 26th and 61st streets has grown into the most culturally diverse stretch in the city.

From its German sausage shops to its Filipino restaurants, its mix of brand-new businesses and decades-old pillars of the community reflect the richness of 100 years of immigration.

International Avenue

W h e r e t o E at Gong Kee BBQ Noodle House 5, 4527 8th Avenue S.E., 403-235-1993 Its decor leaves much to be desired, but locals swear this gem, just a few blocks off International Avenue’s main drag, has the freshest, fastest and finest Cantonese and Peking cuisine in the city. Dine in on a whole fresh lobster in cream sauce, or take home a barbecue duck.

Green Grato Restaurant 3229 17th Avenue S.E., 403-272-2988, greengrato.ca Feel the warmth only a Jamaican grandmother could bestow here, where you’ll find homestyle jerk chicken, curried goat roti and some of the best braised oxtail north of the Caribbean.

Hong Kong International Food Market 3215 17th Avenue S.E., 403-387-7798, hongkongfoodmarket.ca This market isn’t just good for those hard-to-find Asian ingredients; it’s also one of the few supermarkets you can pick up a barbecue duck to go with your daily bread.

Illichmann’s Sausage Shop 1840 36th Street S.E., 403-272-1673, illichmannsausage.com This family-owned community staple has been smoking the hundreds of different kinds of deli meat, sausage and bacon from its Forest Lawn locale for more than 40 years now.

La Tiendona Market 1836 36 Street S.E., 403-272-4054 Stock up on all those Latino delights from pinto beans to Valentina hot sauce and Jarritos’ pina soda at this friendly tienda. l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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B

A few Calgary districts deserve mention as up-and-coming food destinations, with a mix of fine and casual dining and a reputation for quality and diversity.

Bowness Retaining a small-town character despite being 10 minutes from downtown, this northwest neighbourhood is known for its community spirit and vintage vibe. Locals pick up burgers from Angel’s Drive-In (8603 47th Avenue N.W.), breakfast at Cadence Coffee (6407 Bowness Road N.W.), sandwiches and sweets from Panino Bakery (7943 43rd Avenue N.W.), classic Mexican fare from Salt & Pepper (6515 Bowness Road N.W.) and enjoy innovative fine dining at renowned chef Michael Noble’s signature restaurant NOtaBLE (4611 Bowness Road N.W.).

Inglewood/Ramsay

destinations

M

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Marda Loop Loosely encompassing the stretch of 33rd Avenue S.W. between Crowchild Trail and 16th Street, this bustling area offers a variety of dining opportunities. Avenue Deli (3, 2008 33rd Avenue S.W.) slices Montreal smoked meat sandwiches, while across the street Globefish Sushi & Izakaya (1, 2009 33rd Avenue S.W.) serves sashimi, Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters (2043 33rd Avenue S.W.) pulls perfect espresso shots and The Loop (2015 33rd Avenue S.W.) offers all-day breakfast. Find pub fare at Union Station Taphouse & Grill (2116 33rd Avenue S.W.), Original Joe’s (2047 34th Avenue S.W.) and Fergus & Bix (2018 33rd Avenue S.W.), enjoy Vietnamese food at Nho Saigon (2111 33rd Avenue S.W.), Thai fare at De Thai Cuisine (2215 33rd Avenue S.W.), or Italian at San Remo (3574 Garrison Gate S.W.).

I PHOTOgraphy jared sych, erin brooke burns

more dining

These historic inner-city neighbourhoods at the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers are packed with restaurants and eateries. Hungry Calgarians can find groceries and meals at Bite Groceteria & Café (1023 9th Avenue S.E.), an internationally renowned menu at Rouge (1240 8th Avenue S.E.), thin-crust pizza at Without Papers (1216 9th Avenue S.E.), custom-created chocolates at Choklat (1327A 9th Avenue S.E.), breakfast at The Fine Diner (4, 1420 9th Avenue S.E.), sandwiches from Spolumbo’s (1308 9th Avenue S.E.), pints at the Hose & Hound (1030 9th Avenue. S.E.) and coffee at Gravity (909 10 Street S.E.) or Café Rosso (15, 803 24 Avenue S.E.).

food culture

street eats Calgary’s food truck phenomenon

PHOTOgraphy jared sych

Alley Burger Once served in the alley behind Charcut, the infamous alley burgers have now hit the city streets. The Spragg Farms pork and roasted garlic sausage patty burger, topped with squeaky cheese curds and a thick layer of kicky piri piri aioli, is juicy and flavourful, with just the right amount of spice. alleyburger.ca Naaco Truck A culinary marriage between Mexico and India has brought a tasty result to Calgary streets.

Naan bread is wrapped, taco-like, around ingredients like spiced chickpea fritters, butter chicken and spicy beef vindaloo, topped with fresh chutneys and veggie. It’s a modern take on Indian cuisine. thenaacotruck.com Cheezy Bizness Grilled cheese gets a local, sustainable and flavourful update on the Cheezy Bizness truck.

Three years ago, there were no food trucks in Calgary. Now, there are more than 40 road-worthy restaurants serving the city, and that number is likely to grow. The first food trucks hit the streets in 2011, part of a City of Calgary pilot project to determine the viability of food trucks and the regulatory system necessary to sustain them.

Calgarians responded in droves, lining up for street food, following the trucks on social media and booking them for private events.

Food trucks have come to stay.

Here are some highlights.

Owner Nicole Fewell has some unusual additions, like her homemade kimchi, pulled pork and pineapple and, when we’re lucky, mac ’n’ cheese, for her sandwiches, making them good gourmet on the go. cheezybizness.com Red Wagon Diner It’s smoked meat on the go, but more than just basic sandwiches. The special, with its addition of tomatoes and grilled onions, has a fresh taste, while the smoked meat hash topped with soft basted eggs has us grateful breakfast isn’t just for mornings anymore. redwagondiner.com Waffles ’n’ Chix With the classic pairing of southern-fried chicken and warm Belgian waffles, this truck offers the perfect combination of sweet and savoury, crispy and chewy. Topped with white gravy and maple syrup, it’s a satisfying, sticky handful. wafflesandchix.com l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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more flavours l e b a n e s e * pa r i s i a n

12

chinese * vietnamese

1

2

3

from Alberta King of Subs Alberta King of Subs serves smoked meat direct from Montreal, as well as authentic poutine, creton (pork pâté) and other Quebecois specialties. The poutine is topped with real curds, and if you opt for it, gravy made using the cooking juices from the meat.

7196 Temple Dr. N.E., 403-293-5809, albertakingofsubs.com

from White Gold Cheese Factory Cheesemakers Paolo Campanella and Frank Fiorini launched White Gold Cheese Factory in 2011. Now, three times a week, the Roman cousins turn whole, non-modified cow’s milk into fresh, hand-stretched mozzarella that can be picked up at cheese shops, farmers’ markets, delis and on restaurant menus across Calgary.

6, 1319 45th Avenue N.E., 403-402-2031, fiordilatte.ca

from Kaffir Lime Kingsland Farmers’ Market Prepared by an Indonesian chef using organic beef, the Rendang Daging (beef simmered in coconut milk with galangal, cayenne, cinnamon and spices) is melt-in-your-mouth tender and flavourful. It’s exotic home cooking to go.

Kingsland Farmers’ Market, 7711 Macleod Trail S.E., 403-852-7491, kfmcalgary.com

8

Cheese Sticks

9

from Sidewalk Citizen Bakery Among the most popular items in the display case are the enormous, delicious twisted cheese sticks made with from-scratch croissant dough twisted with cheese and scattered with sesame and black nigella seeds. They’re so long, they have to be folded in half to tuck into a paper bag.

5524 1A Street S.W., 403-457-2245, sidewalkcitizenbakery.com

from Lit tle Lebanon The cheese pocket is a favourite here, stuffed with a combination of akawie, halloom and nabulsi cheeses that melt all creamy, salty and flavourful inside the pizza-like, slightly charred crust. The fresh yeast dough is rolled out when you order it, then filled, crimped closed and put through a hot oven to bake.

3515 17th Avenue S.W., 403-217-0500, littlelebanonpita.com

Montreal Smoked Meat Poutine

a l ca garcy classi

Fior de Latte

Rendang Daging

7

Ginger Beef from Silver Inn Restaurant Not only does Silver Inn serve what is widely acknowledged as the best ginger beef in Calgary, the restaurant’s original chef, George Wong, is sometimes credited with having invented the dish in the 1970s.

Strips of beef are breaded, deep fried and coated in a sweet sauce with ginger, garlic and hot peppers, and it’s delicious.

2702 Centre Street N., 403-276-6711, silverinnrestaurant.com 3 8 l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

Cheese Pockets

food culture

In a city bursting with food options, it would be easy never to eat the same dish twice, but a few dishes and products are go-to favourites, luring us back again and again. Here are just a few of these treats.

4

big on flavour

Beef Satay Soup from Basil Ultimate Pho and Fine Vietnamese Cuisine

Calgary is home to many excellent Vietnamese restaurants, but Basil stands out for its spacious, modern interior and Mekong-style beef soup: creamy, complex and enormous.

10, 2770 32nd Avenue N.E., 403-457-0808

5

6

from Lina’s Italian market Prepared in true Italian culinary tradition, this pork leg is stuffed with fresh rosemary, garlic and other top-secret ingredients, then roasted for five hours, resulting in moist, flavourful meat in a thick layer of crackling. You’ll find it in the deli section alongside an excellent selection of cured meats.

2202 Centre Street N.E., 403-277-9166, linasmarket.com

from La Boulangerie There’s no shortage of delicious pain au chocolat in Calgary, but few are as rich and buttery as the rolls of golden, flaky pastry wrapped around chunks of dark chocolate at La Boulangerie. The Parisian-style croissants are light but hefty; unlike some pains au chocolat, they aren’t all air.

Porchetta

Pain au Chocolat

2435 4th Street S.W., 403-984-9294

sunday morning heaven

10

Lamb Kebabs

from Koob Koob is a kebab takeout joint where ground lamb (or ground beef chuck, chicken or a vegetarian option) is cooked over an open fire, wrapped in a pita or tossed on a salad, then dolled up with toppings and sauces including house-made hummus, sumac or pickled onions and spicy pomegranate sauce.

5, 2015 4th Street S.W., 403-926-5662, koob.ca

11

Tuesday Tacos from Tubby Dog Every Tuesday at 8 p.m., Tubby Dog transforms into the Tubby Taqueria, serving up some of the best made-from-scratch tacos and tostadas this side of L.A. Soft corn tacos and crisp tostadas are stuffed or piled high with your choice of chicken, pork, beef, bean and queso fresco or slow-cooked lengua (beef tongue) and traditional toppings.

1022 17th Avenue S.W., 403-244-0694, tubbydog.com

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tasty bacon Traditional Hut terite Bacon The Clear Lake Colony produces natural, thick-sliced traditional bacon that begins with Clear Lake Durocs — a heritage breed of hog — and ends with classic breakfast-style bacon that’s low in sodium (for bacon) but has incredible flavour thanks to a long smoking process.

Calgary Co-op locations, Edelweiss Imports, 1921 20th Avenue N.W., and through spud.ca, traditionalhutterite.ca l i f e i n C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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finding A

photography calgary economic development

home in our city

Finding a home and securing a job are immediate concerns when arriving in a new city. Travelling between that home and job is an ongoing, daily task, and one well worth considering when making those initial choices.

The past two decades have seen a dramatic change in the development of residential real estate in Calgary. Formerly, Calgary was largely a “single-family home” town.

According to the federal Canada Mortgage

and Housing Corp. (CMHC), in 1995 less than 25 per cent of the housing under construction was for more than one family.

By 2006, though, fewer than 60 per cent of Calgary homes were single-family houses

— almost 10 per cent were townhouses and more than a quarter were apartments. It’s a significant shift, and one that offers greater choice for anyone moving to Calgary and looking for a home.

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C yclists on the peace bridge

Commuting Calgary covers a large area, and while a 2011 Statistics Canada study showed the average time from door to door in Calgary is 27 minutes, a strategic commuter can shrink that time commitment considerably.

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On average, people in Calgary commute 27 minutes from home to work.

By c a r 2 5 min u tes

By T r a n s i t 4 1 min u tes Wa l k i n g 1 6 min u tes B i c yc l e 2 4 min u tes

photography tom day/alberta tourism, adrain shellard tourism calgary

While the majority of Calgarians commute in personal vehicles, the city offers several alternatives including the bus and CTrain network, carpooling, car share programs such as Car2Go, and a far-reaching bike path system (much of which is plowed during winter). — Statistics Canada National Household Survey, 2011

27

50

About 50 per cent of all trips into the downtown core are made via Calgary Transit.

700+

kilometres of pathways run along the Bow and Elbow Rivers, with another 260 km of on-street bikeways, making Calgary’s urban pathway and bikeway system the longest in North America.

neighbourhoods

Calgary

commuters

by the number

1.2%

Commuters cycling to work

4.9%

Commuters walking to work

15.9%

Cycling in Calgary Bike Calgary is a non-profit society that works to improve conditions for Calgarians who ride bicycles. In response to burgeoning local interest in cycling, both from commuters and recreational riders, the organization offers the Urban Cycling Skills course for adults, modelled on the Can-Bike commuter cycling skills course and taught by accredited Can-Bike instructors.

The course begins by assessing students’ basic abilities, such as riding in a straight line and shoulder-checking without swerving. Students then learn safety skills, communication, manoeuvring and braking. The courses are designed to give cyclists more confidence on the city’s streets, whether residential or in the urban core.

Commuters taking public transit to work

76.7%

Commuters taking a personal vehicle to work as driver or passenger

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New Communities Classic Features

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Auburn Bay in the southeast is a quaint community built around a 17.5-hectare (43-acre) freshwater lake perfect for the family that loves to spend its spare time outside. Residents can scuba dive, row, canoe, pedal-boat, kayak or fish on the lake. On shore, there are beaches, tennis courts, picnic shelters, pathways and a spray park. It’s all anchored by Auburn House, a 16,000-square-foot residents’ association centre.

Historical touches Named in honour of Canada’s first full general, Sir Arthur William Currie, the community of Currie Barracks transformed a former military staging point into a home for army families.

When the military moved out in 1998, the Canada Lands Co. moved in. The land on the west side of Crowchild Trail in the city’s southwest is being transformed into an urban community with pedestrian networks, trafficcalmed streets and sustainable landscaping.

Calgary’s newest neighbourhoods incorporate amenities that are long-standing favourites with home-seekers.

Here are some of the best features of Calgary’s newer suburbs.

Fences optional In Evanston, kids are encouraged to run from yard to yard while parents crack open a cold one with neighbours on the veranda. Designed around gathering places including gazebos, playgrounds and green spaces, Evanston takes the concept of community seriously. This northwest neighbourhood’s exterior finishes include Foursquare architecture with its porches, wide staircases and woodwork. All that togetherness is made even better in Evanston Square, where townhomes and condo buildings wrap around a central park.

Pa r k l i f e The southeast community of Mahogany has not only the largest man-made freshwater lake and beachfront in Calgary, but also a 5.3-hectare (13acre) central park. The park will be bookended on one side by an urban village that will give residents a hip place to grab a java or window shop, and the lake on the other. Homes in Mahogany range from townhouses to exclusive estates on residential islands, with private lake access from all sides.

illustrations toru fukuda

A l i t t l e C e lt i c i n Ca l g a ry Rolling green hills and acres of green grass are what have sent many a Calgarian out to two of the city’s most northwest communities, Nolan Hill and Sage Hill. The area’s Celtic-flavoured style puts the focus on naturally inspired architecture in rich, jewel-tone shades. l i f e i n c a L G A R Y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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neighbourhoods

Lake living

Growing Communities Calgary’s population is growing, but where are Calgarians choosing to put down roots?

Here are some statistics from the 2013 Civic Census.

1 Redesigning the r o a d pa t t e r n s Saddlestone is one of the first communities in Canada to adopt the fused-grid system for its roads.

The system combines the grid system, where all of the streets and intersections are identical, with our more common suburban system that has loops, cul-de-sacs and some streets that are more important than others. There are major connectors, minor connectors and quieter residential streets. One-way twinned roads increase traffic flow and make it easier for pedestrians to cross streets. Shorter blocks, pathways and bike lanes in this northeast neighbourhood mean walkability can be added without sacrificing usability for cars.

residents don’t have to worry about future developments marring their views

A city within a city The newly opened South Calgary Health Campus is the centre point for the new community of Seton. Focused on providing easy access to everything, including work, shopping, health facilities, entertainment and schools, Seton is not meant for downtown commuters. It aims to be a modern, urban environment in the city’s far south for people to live, work and play — all in one location.

Future residents (120,000 by 2030) will mostly live in multi-family residences instead of single-family homes. It’s being billed as a district, not just a community.

N at u r e , n at u r e and more n at u r e

E s tat e l i v i n g , prairie-style

The community of Sage Meadows has reserved 60 per cent of its land for parks and green space.

Created around six ponds and two natural wetlands, a large number of the single-family homes and townhomes are being built with walkouts onto the natural environment. Residents living to the east side of the development have the pleasure of West Nose Creek flowing through their backyards. Sage Meadows borders an environmental reserve, so

Inspired by the elegance of the western landscape and the historical significance of the neighbouring Spruce Meadows equestrian facility, Silverado plays up its equine connection. The community has starter, mid-level homes in its Sequoia area, but it’s the executive acreages in Dressage that conjure the luxury homesteads of great ranches. Large lots cater to custom homes on private cul-desacs backing onto 32 hectares (80 acres) of natural reserve.

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2

3 4 5

Overall Community Growth The five communities that saw the biggest population growth are all in developing areas.

Evanston +1,680 Auburn Bay +1,632 Cranston +1,578 Skyview Ranch +1,519 Panorama Hills +1,358

Growth in Developed Communities Coventry Hills saw the biggest population growth of Calgary’s developed areas.

Bridlewood and Beltline were second and third in terms of population growth, followed by the downtown commercial core and Martindale.

Coventry Hills +611 Bridlewood +518 Beltline +513 Downtown Commercial Core +411 Martindale +410

Calgary’s Biggest Community Panorama Hills is still Calgary’s most populous community. This community is home to 23,605 people.

Population Growth in Calgary The April 1, 2013, Civic Census shows Calgary grew by 29,327 people in the preceding 12 months, up 2.62 per cent from 2012, and 36 per cent above the past decade’s annual average.

More people, more Homes The number of dwelling units in Calgary increased by 9,019, or 1.96 per cent, for a total of 468,358 units.

neighbours Communities with

roots

Calgary is barely a century old, and we have a reputation for loving the new. But when it comes to communities, older ones are prized for their character-steeped streets and established amenities. Older neighbourhoods tend to be closer to the core, convenient for transit and lined with towering trees. Here are a few of the most sought-after.

H ay s b o r o

photography calgaryplaygroundrevue.com

Haysboro’s mature, leafy suburban streets in Calgary’s southwest are charming, but it’s the accessibility of nearby Heritage Park, Glenmore Reservoir and Chinook Centre that draws homebuyers. It’s home to young families who use the bustling community centre, play shinny on the outdoor ice rinks and spend summer at the tennis courts, and veterans who congregate at the Royal Canadian Legion.

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Diversity is key in Crescent Heights, with high-end infills overlooking the Bow River from the northwest, alongside older bungalows, apartments and rental properties.

The community is fed by pedestrian paths that make commuting downtown a traffic-free pleasure, and it’s handy for Edmonton Trail’s range of dining options.

neighbourhoods

Crescent Heights

Herb Rackliff PREVIOUS HOME Cincinnati, Ohio How long have you lived in Calgary?

Three years.

What is your occupation?

General Manager at the Hyatt Regency Calgary hotel.

What is your favourite thing about Calgary and why?

The quality of life; Calgary is a very safe place for my family to live. The mountains are one of the most beautiful backdrops in all of North America, with an endless array of outdoor activities.

What surprised you most about our city?

For a city of almost 1.3 million people to have such a low crime rate is astounding compared to many other cities in North America of similar size.

What do you wish you had known before you came to Calgary?

A better understanding of the real estate market. I should have purchased a home when I first arrived.

S t. A n d r e w s H e i g h t s Large, multi-storey structures, post-war bungalows, a major medical centre next door and a CTrain down the hill, St. Andrews Heights is convenient for almost everything. This northwest community boasts parks and quick access Crowchild Trail and 16th Avenue N.W. St. Andrews Heights also boasts one of the most beloved sledding hills in the city.

A community of heritage homes, quiet parks and boutique shopping and dining in nearby Mission, Elbow Park is a draw for Calgary’s wellheeled. Residents of this southwest community are close to everything the city’s buzzing Beltline and business districts have to offer, while retaining a sense of cottage-like coziness and tranquility.

photography rob byron

El b o w Pa r k

elbow park

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moving

people

photography www.einsteincalgary.com

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi sees good public transit is a civic necessity.

“When it works well, it’s just a part of living in a city for everyone — rich and poor, young and old see it as a desirable choice. For that to work, it has to be convenient, affordable, welcoming, clean, safe, and pleasant.” To that end, in 2013 city council developed RouteAhead, a strategic 30-year plan for transit in Calgary.

The city is also home to TransitCamp YYC, a civic action group dedicated to executing citizen solutions for Calgary’s transit challenges. The group’s founder, Jeremy Barretto, believes Calgary’s transit system should be for communities as well as commuters. “Calgary Transit does a relatively good job at getting commuters downtown at peak times.

We need to focus on making transit the most convenient way to get to everyday places such as the mall, rec centres and schools.” As Mayor Nenshi says, “Transit should be the preferred choice.”

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neighbourhoods

TOP SPOTS

Chart Topping Communities Everyone is different. That’s why perfect neighbourhoods exist only in theory — favourite features and amenities are a matter of taste. Common preferences do exist: most people will choose a safer community over the alternative, for example, and most don’t want to see their property lose value.

So, which of Calgary’s neighbourhoods is most likely to deliver on a given characteristic? Statistics and public data have helped create several top five lists for the city.

Transit access The Calgary neighbourhoods with the best access to the CTrain and major bus routes are: 1 Bridgeland/Riverside 2 Southwood 3 Beltline 4 Haysboro 5 Hounsfield Heights/Briar Hill

Safety Based on Calgary Police Services crime statistics from January to November 2013, Calgary’s safest neighbourhoods are: 1 HAMPTONS 2 ROYAL OAK 3 WEST SPRINGS 4 Coach Hill 5 tUSCANY l i f e i n c a L G A R Y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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(arbour lake)

Getting groceries In a 2013 survey by Calgary city lifestyle magazine Avenue, Calgarians rated these neighbourhoods as the city’s most handy for grocery shopping.

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photography jared sych

1 Beltline 2 ACADIA 3 Arbour Lake 4 FOREST LAWN 5 SHAWNESSY

neighbourhoods

Pa r k s a n d r e c r e at i o n

Avenue, Calgary’s city lifestyle magazine, tallied every hockey arena, tennis court, curling club, outdoor pool, aquatic centre, leisure centre and soccer field in Calgary, and in 2013 found these to be the five neighbourhoods with the best access to recreation facilities.

1 Brentwood 2 Acadia 3 Hillhurst 4 Huntington Hills 5 Lake Bonavista

brentwood

(acadia) (lake bonavista)

Aine McCarthy PREVIOUS HOME dublin, ireland How long have you lived in Calgary?

Seven months What is your occupation?

Communications Adviser at Cenovus Energy.

What’s your favourite thing about Calgary?

I knew people in Toronto and Vancouver, but chose Calgary because of the work opportunities. I feel like I’m fast-tracking my career here.

Settling in was easy – people go out of their way to make you feel at home.

And Calgary has a good work-life balance.

What surprised you most about our city?

People think the Irish are friendly – Calgarians are way friendlier.

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mission

Wa l k a b i l i t y These are five of Calgary’s most pedestrianfriendly residential neighbourhoods in 2014, according to Walk Score, an American company that scores communities out of 100 based on their proximity to amenities.

1 Cliff Bungalow 2 EAU CLAIRE 3 BELTLINe 4 LOWER MOUNT ROYAL 5 HILLHURST

(sunnyside) (sunnyside)

bowness park

hillhurst

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Calgary already has one of the best pathway systems in North America, but there’s an increasing understanding that walkability is about more than just pretty paths. It’s about mixed use — being able to walk to school, work, shopping, restaurants and parks on real sidewalks, past buildings built close to the street and without traversing parking lots.

New Calgary neighbourhoods such as Saddlestone and Seton put walkability at a premium, developing selfsustaining areas where people can work, play and shop with little need to leave the area on a daily basis, alleviating the strain on major roads.

Living in a walkable area can also mean your house is worth more. Data from the Real Estate Investment Network shows proximity to amenities boosts the value of your house. People are willing to pay a premium for walkability. While the majority of Calgarians drive cars, the importance of walkability to most of us is becoming apparent as the city grows.

photography paul saulnier, robert byron

Step by step

neighbourhoods

(elboya) P r o p e r t y va l u e In a comparison of 2013 to 2014 property values, more than 150 neighbourhoods showed increases in value. These five were at the top.

+12.8% BAYVIEW

+12.3% THORNCLIFFE

+11.4% MONTGOMERY

+11.4% BONAVISTA DOWNS

+10.9% huntington hills

ramsay

Friendliness

photography jared sych

In a 2013 survey by Calgary city lifestyle magazine Avenue, Calgarians rated these neighbourhoods as the city’s friendliest.

1 Kelvin Grove 2 Rosedale 3 Wildwood 4 Roxboro 5 Rideau Park

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Aesthetics A neighbourhood should look great, but not just for the sake of beauty. Attractive neighbourhoods, with elements like green spaces, trees and front porches, create a sense of place, improve walkability and feel safer.

“The places people seem to have the strongest sense of attachment to are ones where they’re interacting with their environment on a direct level,” said Bev Sandalack, professor and associate dean in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary. “Places where there are opportunities for walking, meeting neighbours and doing some of your shopping.”

Bela Syal, a senior partner at the planning company Brown and Associates, says “community legibility” is important.

“If you’re seeing the same type of houses, it creates monotony along the street. If there is a degree of uniformity, but with enough detail within that harmony, then it’s creating a streetscape that is pleasing to the eye,” says Syal.

“One of the things that neighbourhoods like Mahogany and Currie Barracks have is memorable landmarks, so when you are moving though a community, you know where you are.”

housing The aesthetics of a neighbourhood also impact sustainability. People in a beautiful community will become attached to their neighbourhood and will be more likely to want to stay in it.

Businesses and services will also be attracted, resulting in a higher density of work opportunities and making the neighbourhood more of a complete community where people can live, work and play.

S u s ta i n a b i l i t y To be sustainable, neighbourhoods need to be able to take care of themselves and continue to be vibrant and thrive over decades.

Mixed-use communities that attract a diverse population are more sustainable because they have the opportunity to develop over time and to continue to be practical for people at all stages of their lives.

Providing a range of housing types, including seniors’ housing, builds resilience into a community.

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Building

Better Communities

In mid-2013, 22 new neighbourhoods were in various stages of development across Calgary. But what elements of Calgary’s neighbourhoods (both inner-city and suburb) make them great places to live? The city’s developers, contractors, city planners and overall experts in the field of development and sustainability weighed in on their must-have lists to build a better suburb.

neighbourhoods

of the compact urban form, an idea that again ties back to sustainability — trying to make cities use resources more efficiently.

“If you have compact urban form, you can build commercial businesses because there is enough population to sustain them,” says Syal. “The same goes for recreation amenities and schools.”

The success of neighbourhoods such as the newly planned, amenity-rich Seton in the deep southeast corner of Calgary shows that people desire areas where they don’t need to leave their immediate communities for daily or even weekly needs.

“Neighbourhood shopping is evolving, and I think it’s becoming a much more important hub of the community,” says David Allen, president of Brookfield Residential in Calgary, the developers behind the Seton community.

“We’re really looking at neighbourhood centres as hubs and bringing more transit into these areas so they are no longer on the periphery of the community like they used to be.”

Aff o r d a b i l i t y

If there is a mix of housing — including starter homes, condos, townhouses, rental units, single-family homes and senior housing — then people can potentially stay in their neighbourhoods most of their lives. They can rent their first post-university condo on Main Street, buy a starter townhouse on the next street over, move to a larger, single-family home two blocks away and finally downsize to seniors’ housing back near Main Street, all while staying in the neighbourhood and continuing to use the existing amenities and infrastructure.

illustration totto renna

Amenities Neighbourhoods where people can work, play and live are already sprouting up around Calgary and are being explored further by planners, developers and the City. Walkability and amenities go hand-in-hand because, as Sandalack

points out, in order to achieve walkability, you need places to walk to.

Quarry Park in southeast Calgary is a shining example of a complete community in the throes of surging development.

Rising from the site of a former gravel pit, Quarry Park provides a variety of housing, retail, restaurants, office space and even a live-theatre venue. Several companies have built new office facilities in Quarry Park, enabling employees to live and work in the same neighbourhood.

“As the city grows, we need to look for other opportunities for employment to occur,” says Kevin Froese, coordinator of new community planning at the City of Calgary.

“We need to bring jobs closer to where people are living, recognizing that the downtown will eventually reach its capacity.”

Having a number of amenities within walking distance of housing is a key part of the concept

Affordable means different things to homeowners, developers and the City, but in all cases, it’s about watching the bottom line.

Increasing the density in an area seems to be at the centre of affordability from the municipality’s point of view. A dispersed population creates economic challenges for the City, because infrastructure money is spread thin trying to keep up with the demands for roads, pipes and transit.

For homeowners and businesses, building a variety of mixed-use housing, including storefront businesses with housing above, can make neighbourhoods more affordable.

“Mixed-use buildings add density and often create units that are affordable,” says Sandalack.

“You can make smaller units above the store.”

Entry-level and subsidized housing is also vital to affordability and sustainability. Programs like Attainable Homes Calgary provide entrylevel homes to middle-income buyers who otherwise may not be in a position to buy.

An added benefit is that moving former renters into their own homes also opens up rental housing, creating some welcome relief for Calgary’s tight rental market.

— Adapted from Avenue magazine’s 2013 “Calgary’s Best Neighbourhoods” issue LIFE IN CAL G A R Y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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URBAN LIVING

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neighbourhoods

Calgary’s love for high-density urban living is a recent development — and a counterpoint to our longtime fascination with new single-family homes.

D

uring the early 1990s, Calgary’s residential picture began to change. The city saw a surge in high-rise condo development.

This went hand-in-hand with an increasing interest in the principles of “new urbanism,” a planning philosophy emphasizing pedestrian-friendly, higher-density suburban development.

In the inner city, meanwhile, Calgary property developer Apex Land Corp. bought the old Canada Safeway headquarters and warehouse building at the corner of 5th Street and 10th Avenue S.W. and converted into condos: the Hudson Lofts (it was originally a Hudson’s Bay Co. warehouse). Similar conversions followed, including the Lewis Lofts on 11th Avenue S.W., the Manhattan Lofts on 1st Street S.W., and the Imperial Lofts, built in the former premises of the Imperial Tobacco company.

hudson lofts

photography calgary photos

redevelopment Loft conversions including the Hudson Lofts, Lewis Lofts and Imperial Lofts, as well as conventional high-rise condos, led to a flurry of development in the Beltline. The revitalized area now has a population of more than 20,000, almost all of whom live in condos.

Redevelopment was also taking place in what was once the outskirts but is now considered an inner-city community — Marda Loop.

When the federal government announced plans to close CFB Calgary and Currie Barracks in 1995, the Canada Lands Co., a Crown corporation, bought the land from the federal government.

The master plan for the community of Garrison Woods called for the integration of numerous existing and brand-new elements, including the Museum of the Regiments (now the Military Museums), twin hockey arenas, two schools, numerous parks, playgrounds and plazas, 6,500 square metres of street retail space and a new Safeway, as well as 1,600 new residential units.

Sixty per cent of the homes in Garrison Woods are townhouses and apartment-style spaces (including two seniors’ and assistedliving complexes), and 400 of the homes are refurbished military housing. The project went from planning to completion in just seven years — most projects of this size take 10 to 15

years to complete. The project showed that Calgary was ready for modern urban living.

The mix of housing types included condos, and it gave those who wanted detached homes the advantages of a walkable neighbourhood and a short commute.

Some liked living in condos above the street retail that surrounded private courtyards; some loved the look of homes with garages at the rear and porches at the front; others liked the charming row housing; still others enjoyed homes that front onto parks.

new urbanism Garrison Woods wasn’t the only 1990s development pushing the new urbanist philosophy of walkable neighbourhoods with a variety of housing types and nearby amenities and work opportunities. McKenzie Towne, in Calgary’s southeast, began development in 1994.

Building in the first phase was launched in 1995, incorporating classic elements once restricted to older, inner-city neighbourhoods. Homes with front porches were built closer to the sidewalks, creating pedestrianfriendly streets.

Cars were banished to rear garages, eliminating front driveways and facades dominated by front garages, and allowing for tree-lined boulevards.

The plan also brought together a mix of shops, offices, apartments and housing styles, attracting people of all ages and income levels.

It was built to look like a small town with its own shops and a town square in the centre, all within walking distance of homes.

The Urban Land Institute, an international non-profit research and education group for developers, lauded McKenzie Towne in its book Great Planned Communities, showcasing it as one of 26 innovative master-planned communities around the world.

These developments have set the stage for future innovation. Transit-oriented development around LRT stations, the rise of the East Village, further redevelopment of the Currie Barracks and the mixed-use Quarry Park development in the southeast promise to keep Calgary at the leading edge of urban development in Canada.

— Adapted from “15 Years of Growth in Calgary” by Richard White, Avenue magazine. l i f e i n CAL G A R Y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e rgy 2 0 1 4

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Things We

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The Design District Our Design District runs along 11th Avenue S.W. from approximately 4th Street to 14th Street, and is peppered with art galleries, au courant architecture firms and cafes. It’s rich with high-end furniture and decor retailers catering to design-savvy clientele. The shops along the avenue run the spectrum of tastes from contemporary to French country, and provide everything from flooring to lighting. Whether you’re seeking inspiration or looking for the perfect table, couch or fixture, this strip is a must.

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Calgary When people around the world talk about Calgary, they usually focus on the financial and economic strength of the city. Yes, Calgary offers a wealth of opportunities, but its riches go far beyond dollars and cents. Here, in no particular order, are some of the many things we love about Calgary.

3 stephen avenue A stroll on Stephen Avenue on a sunny day is the stuff of urban perfection. Even in winter, this historic pedestrian street is alive with shoppers, buskers, office workers and diners. Street vendors, cafes, restaurants, shops and bars add to the mix.

Throw in the Epcor Centre and Olympic Plaza, and you have everything to love about a city.

Our Mayor His Worship Mayor Naheed Nenshi is as close to a one-man embodiment of modern Calgary as you’ll find. He’s young — he turned 42 in February. He’s smart — he has a degree from Harvard, on top of one from the University of Calgary.

But he’s also a populist who is genuinely caring and interested in people. The first Muslim mayor of a major North American city, Nenshi was elected in 2010, partly on the strength of a groundbreaking social-media campaign. He’s changed much about the way our city operates, and has ruffled a few feathers along the way, but was re-elected last fall in a landslide.

Soon after, national newsmagazine Maclean’s rated Nenshi as the second most important person in Canada, behind only Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Here’s the thing: he’s not a career politician, he’s just a smart guy and a great communicator who has a vision for our city. We’re proud of him.

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YYC Food Trucks Street food culture has gained a firm foothold in Calgary. Food trucks — rolling takeout restaurants serving everything from perogies to ice cream — have a short history in our city, but judging from how we’ve embraced them, they’re here to stay. Led by the ever-popular Perogy Boyz truck, the fleet first hit the streets in earnest in 2011, and has grown since then to about two dozen trucks. Their fans follow @yycfoodtrucks on Twitter to find out where they’re going to be each day. yycfoodtrucks.com

photography tourism calgary, travel alberta, folkfest, DOUG CALLOW

Floating down the Elbow River If you want to take a mini vacation in the city, rafting down the Elbow River is the perfect choice. It’s cheap, easy to organize, full of pleasant surprises and safer than floating down the Bow. If you already have an inflatable raft, the only expenses left are snacks and beverages for the twoto four-hour float.

You’ll need two vehicles for this nautical journey: one to leave at the docking location (most commonly Stanley Park or the Talisman Centre) and another to get you to your launch site. The most popular starting point is Sandy Beach Park at the bottom of 50th Avenue S.W. Spending an afternoon drifting leisurely and cooling off with sprinkles of river water is a summer activity that’s hard to beat. Just remember, life-jackets are mandatory and alcohol is prohibited.

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love about

we love calgary

6 Peace Bridge

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Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Peace Bridge spans the Bow River, carrying pedestrians and cyclists from Memorial Drive into the downtown core. Controversial during its construction, the bridge opened in 2012 and has quickly become an icon. Its arresting appearance is accentuated by nighttime lighting, and at 130 metres (428 feet) long, it crosses the river in one stretch with no supports, piers or footings in the water, letting the Bow flow as nature intended.

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Old Trout Puppet Workshop When people talk about Calgary’s exports, little wooden people on strings don’t leap to mind. But nestled in an unassuming city workshop is one of the world’s foremost puppetry troupes: the Old Trout Puppet Workshop. The Trouts got their start in 1999, incubating for six months in a ranch near Calgary and emerging with a marionette masterpiece: The Unlikely Birth of Istvan. Since then, they’ve cavorted through theatres in North America and Europe, most recently with Ignorance, a “puppet documentary” about the evolution of bliss, all the while proving again and again that puppets aren’t just for kids. theoldtrouts.org

patio s

1 Bonterra Trattoria 1016 8th Street S.W. A lushly planted, intimate courtyard patio, with grapevines and two fireplaces. bonterra.ca 2 CIBO 1012 17th Avenue S.W. Casual Italian restaurant with a large west-facing patio full of flowers and an herb garden. cibocalgary.com 3 alloy 220 42nd Avenue S.E. Contemporary, chic and comfortable, with a rock garden and water features. alloydining.com

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Our Ambassadors Our city is lucky to count many accomplished people as Calgarians — people who show the world what a remarkable place this is. Canada’s prime minister, Stephen Harper, is a Calgarian through and through (we’ve forgiven him for spending his early years in Toronto).

International music stars Feist, Tegan & Sara and Jann Arden, supermodel Heather Marks, Java computer programming language creator James Gosling and the first Canadian to summit Mount Everest, Laurie Skreslet, are all from here. Astronaut Robert Thirsk was educated in Calgary, and the city has also produced countless elite Olympic and professional athletes, including German and English league football (soccer) player and commentator Owen Hargreaves, major league baseball pitcher Chris Reitsma, Olympic gold medallists including Kyle Shewfelt (gymnastics), Mark Tewksbury (swimming) and Jamie Salé (figure skating) — and of course, many top professional hockey players.

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ACAD Show and Sale

Imagine having the chance to purchase a canvas from a soon-tobe-famous artist who is still a student at the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD). It could happen; Joni Mitchell studied there, as did numerous other successful artists and designers. For the past 20-plus years, ACAD’s Students’ Association has been presenting the highly popular student Show and Sale twice each year. The event gives Calgary art lovers a chance to get their hands on affordable work by tomorrow’s world-renowned artists.

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The Parties

You’ve just got to love a city that knows how to party like Calgary does. We make the party an art form during the 10 days in July that are the Calgary Stampede. Beyond the boots and buckles, Calgary’s party scene is chockablock with activity all year. Many of Calgary’s biggest social events raise money and awareness for worthy institutions. Just about everything has an artistic twist, from performances to visual art, live music and creative food presentation.

photography tourism calgary

The summer outdoor dining season can be short, but it’s gloriously sweet. Add in the fact that the winter is punctuated by chinook-driven patio days, and you’ve got an experience that is quintessentially Calgarian. Just about every restaurant and bar in the city offers some sort of outdoor seating option, from glassed-in rooftop seating to street-side people-watching platforms. The inner city alone boasts well over 100 restaurant patios. Here are a few to consider:

we love calgary

Calgary Zoo

Established in 1929, the zoo is habitat, sweet habitat, for penguins, lions, tigers, giraffes and gorillas, along with more location-appropriate species such as caribou, mountain sheep and wolves. At 30 hectares, it’s also Western Canada’s largest and most-visited. A stroll through the zoo is like a trip around the world. The animals are grouped by geographic region, with climates and flora to match. The zoo is currently undergoing a major building and renewal project and preparing for two giant pandas arriving in 2018. calgaryzoo.com

photography tourism calgary

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International Avenue

The International Avenue Business Revitalization Zone slogan is “where you can go around the world in 35 blocks,” and it’s an apt description of 17th Avenue S.E. from 26th Street to 61st Street.

Whether you’re looking for a sari, Vietnamese food or an acupuncturist, you can find it here. internationalavenue.ca

14 Chinooks Just when we need it most during a cold Calgary winter, the chinook wind rises like a phoenix to moderate the chill. The chinook comes from the Pacific Ocean, and its signature arch of clouds is caused by air rising over the mountains and warming. As this warm wind blows in, it melts ice and snow. Temperatures rise anywhere from five to 20 degrees Celsius. The break from winter they provide often settles in for several days. That’s when Calgarians can be found wearing shorts, and even riding motorcycles, in what the calendar says is the dead of a Canadian winter.

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Drivers Who Stop For Pedestrians How can you tell that a driver is from Western Canada? If he or she stops to let pedestrians cross. It’s a characteristic that defines our city. If you don’t stop, we’ll judge you. If you’re the pedestrian, make sure drivers see you and have come to a stop before you step out.

The Glenbow Museum With more than a million artifacts and 31,000 artworks, the Glenbow Museum is one of the largest in the country. In addtion to its own collection, the Glenbow’s exhibitions in recent years have included the works of M.C. Escher, Emily Carr, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Auguste Rodin, the Group of Seven, Yousuf Karsh and many, many more. glenbow.org

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Calaway Park Western Canada’s largest outdoor family amusement park, Calaway Park (the name was arrived at by combining “Calgary” and “away”) is 10 km west of the city. The park, open from spring through fall, features high-energy entertainment and 32 rides ranging from tame to thrilling. Your gate admission includes access to all the rides — you’ll just need cash for snacks and souvenirs. The atmosphere is sheer fun. Those with young children might want to consider investing in season’s passes. calawaypark.com

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Vietnamese Subs

Don’t get us wrong — colonialism is bad.

But Vietnamese subs?

Good. The toasted French baguettes, with ingredients like fresh cilantro, pickled carrots, chili peppers and various meats, seem simple enough, but the flavours are complex.

With Calgary’s many Vietnamese food spots, you’re never far from one of these spicy delights.

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Year-Round Sunshine Calgary has the highest annual number of sunny days of 100 major Canadian cities. We average 332 days — 2,405 hours — of sunshine each year, most of it in the winter (we have the sunniest winters and second sunniest autumns). Perhaps it’s the sunshine, rather than the healthy economy, that’s making us so gleeful.

Our Heritage Buildings Older buildings add a unique texture to the fabric of our city.

Our heritage buildings offer a glimpse of our past and inspiration for the future. We recognize the significance of our older buildings — they help define the personality of our city, and clearly, we’re a city with real soul.

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Memorial Park Library The oldest of the Calgary Public Library’s 18 branches, the Memorial Park Library is a historic gem. The sandstone building is rich in classical architectural details. The branch opened in 1912 as Alberta’s first public library. Calgarians love their libraries — across North America, only New York, Los Angeles and Toronto have busier library systems. calgarypubliclibrary.com

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Cheese shops Cheese lovers in Calgary need never worry about being faced with a lack of choice. Not with Janice Beaton Fine Cheese (jbfinecheese.com) and Springbank Cheese (springbankcheese.ca) shops here to save us from the supermarket cheese cooler. Aficionados will also want to try the offerings of Red Deer-based Sylvan Star Cheese. (sylvanstarcheesefarm.ca).

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Shaw Millennium Park North America’s largest free outdoor skate park, Shaw Millennium Park has 75,000 square feet of undulating concrete, ramps and pipes that attract skateboarders, inline skaters and bike riders from all over the city. The park also has a stage and amphitheatre, and is the venue for outdoor concerts and festivals all summer long.

mountain beauty

For many visitors, Banff and Canmore are synonymous with Calgary. The 60- to 90-minute scenic drive to these famous mountain destinations is like having our cake and eating it too, and it’s with joy that we boast of easy access to Rocky Mountain wonders. On summer Fridays and weekends we golf at scenic courses in Canmore. Come winter, we ski and snowboard at worldclass resorts.

photography travel alberta

If you ski or hike, proximity to the mountains has some clear upsides. But even if you are a stay-at-home couch potato, those snow-peaked sentries to the west are a beautiful addition to the scenery.

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proximity to banff and canmore

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PHIL & SEBASTIAN’S IN MARDA LOOP

25 If it’s coffee you want, we’ve got it. From huge international chains (Starbucks) and Canadian favourites (Second Cup and the iconic Tim Hortons) to local independents (Good Earth Café, Purple Perk, Waves, the Roasterie, Caffe Beano, Kawa, Phil & Sebastian and many more), you’re never far from a great brew or espresso. Free Wi-Fi is almost universal in these shops, so you can work or surf while you sip.

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Reader Rock Garden

William Roland Reader was Calgary’s parks superintendent from 1913 to 1942. During that time, he built an impressive private garden as a test site for plants. Long neglected, the garden was restored and reopened to the public in 2006.

Near Union Cemetery at Macleod and 25th Avenue S.E., it’s proof positive we can garden here.

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27 Recordland, Hot Wax and The Inner Sleeve For those who have taken a technological step backward and re-embraced the analog glory of the turntable, stores like Recordland, The Inner Sleeve and Hot Wax offer up thousands of vinyl records — and CDs and tapes, too.

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Our Urban Parks In 1979, a developer’s proposal for rezoning Nose Hill moved 5,000 Calgarians to sign a petition to stop the plan; a group then marched down John Laurie Boulevard to oppose the idea. So began the first Nose Hill Park Master Plan, which preserves more than 1,100 hectares of the hill as parkland. It’s hard to imagine Calgarians ever allowing Nose Hill to be tampered with. Home to about 136 species of birds and 27 types of mammals, it’s a favourite with hikers, cyclists, families, dog owners and nature-lovers. Fish Creek Provincial Park is another jewel. Established in 1975, it’s one of the largest urban parks in North America. Our urban parks and the ways we use them contradict the image that Calgarians only care about working and money. Our parks are loved, protected and well-used.

Alberta Beef

Before there was oil, there was ranching. The verdant natural grasslands of our province have long made it the ideal place for producing the world’s healthiest — and tastiest — beef cattle. Alberta produces almost half of Canada’s beef — and the meat is known around the world for its mouthwatering flavour. Alberta ranchers take pride in their land and their herds. They raise their cattle right, giving them a low-stress lifestyle, with room to roam and graze on prairie grasses. Then the animals are finished on Alberta-grown grain, not corn. It adds up to a superior eating experience.

photography jared sych

coffee culture

banff centre

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Easy Navigation Calgary’s street system is divided into quadrants. This means you need to pay attention to whether an address is in the northwest (N.W.), northeast (N.E.), southwest (S.W.) or southeast (S.E.) With that in mind, it’s nearly impossible to get lost.

Streets run north-south, avenues east-west. When this system started in 1904, streets that had names were changed to numbers.

(Street signs in some inner-city neighbourhoods carry both a number and the street’s historic name.) Newer neighbourhoods have reverted to names rather than numbers for residential streets; the names relate to the community in which they’re located, usually via the same first letter or first syllable.

In some cases, themes are followed.

The drive from Bragg Creek to Longview on Highway 22 The Prairies roll across this province like a great grass sea until they run into the eastern embankment of the Rockies. Highway 22, the Cowboy Trail, winds its way through this terrain. It’s a place where wildlife abounds, clouds cast massive shadows and the foothills rise up, breaking though the grasslands like the spine of the world. Pure Alberta.

photography donald lee, the banff centre

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Hot springs, wildlife, ski resorts: Banff is already such a paradise that it’s almost unfair to other vacation hotspots to mention that it’s also an international hub for artistic creation. The Banff Centre for the Arts is an idyllic Rocky Mountain oasis where artists can let inspiration flow uninterrupted — and it’s just 90 minutes from Calgary. The facility bulges with theatre spaces, media studios, music huts, playwright colonies and even a world-class recreation centre, all designed to let artists work at their peak without the pesky distractions of urban life. banffcentre.ca

33 Day Trips to Nanton Just south of us on Highway 2A, the town of Nanton is a go-to destination for antique hunters. Whether you come home empty-handed or towing a trailer full of new-to-you furniture and knick-knacks, scouring the overwhelming number of antique shops in the town “where history lives,” with a mandatory stop at The Candy Store, makes for a wonderful day trip.

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Chinatown

The sights, sounds and delicious smells of Calgary’s Chinatown offer an authentic cultural experience.

From bustling restaurants to Chinese pharmacies stocked with traditional medicines, Chinatown is a city within a city. At its heart is the Chinese Cultural Centre, which houses the Dr. Henry Fok Cultural Hall with its spectacular 21.5-metrehigh ceiling. Nearly 1,600 people make their homes in Calgary’s Chinatown, the fourth largest in Canada.

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of the best markets

Public and Farmers’ Markets Calgary has embraced market culture in recent years. From the Calgary Farmers’ Market just off Blackfoot Trail and the Kingsland Farmers’ Market on Macleod Trail to the Crossroads Market in Ramsay or the Bearspaw and HillhurstSunnyside markets, these alternative shopping spots let us buy fresh fruit, free-range meats, organic vegetables and homemade fare, often directly from the producers.

The Calgary Farmers’ Market operates year-round. With its hip, festive vibe, food court and glass atrium, the 55,000-squarefoot market is more like a destination than just a place to shop. Organic products and an amazing array of fruits and vegetables sit next to chocolate, cheese, tea, toys, pet treats and other specialty goods.

The Crossroads Market, also open all year, has been a fixture in Calgary for more than 25 years. With more than 150 vendors, the 100,000-squarefoot space sees more than a million visitors annually.

Calgary and the surrounding area also abound with seasonal farmers’ markets.

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the best of the f e s t I VA L S Film Festivals Calgary’s film-festival scene has become a highlight. The first Calgary International Film Festival was held in 2000. Today one of Canada’s largest film festivals, it screens more than 200 movies and has been rated highly by MovieMaker magazine. During the September event, filmgoers line the streets, and the parties are glamorous yet unpretentious.

An addendum to the festival is Doc Soup, a series of the world’s top documentary films. The Calgary Underground Film Festival, meanwhile, has been bringing local and international independent cinema to the city each spring since 2003. In the fall, the Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival showcases films that focus on climbing, mountain expeditions, remote cultures and wild places. calgaryfilm.com; calgaryundergroundfilm.org; banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival

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GlobalFest Our civic pride makes us want to blow stuff up. (We’re talking about fireworks here, just to be clear.) The annual GlobalFest international fireworks competition and exhibition is a chance each August to see fireworks on a grand scale in a beautiful park setting.

More than 100,000 visitors attended the competition in its first year, 2003, a record that’s been broken several times since. The fireworks are visible from a distance, but you’ll see much more by paying to enter the venue. globalfest.ca

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WordFest This celebration of books and writing began in 1996, and has become a premier literary event. It’s a festival that has gained a reputation as a “must-attend” for writers and readers from across Canada. Every October, poets, speakers, singers, essayists and novelists both famous and obscure get their chance to reign supreme, while bookworms and word-lovers indulge for a week straight.

Good writing knows no bounds.

And obviously, neither does WordFest. wordfest.com

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35 CALGARY FOLK music FESTival

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fed and unanimously addicted to good music. The 1,650-plus volunteers required to make the annual festival happen are always eager to pitch in and be part of the event.

The festival pushes the definition of folk music, featuring everyone from Elvis Costello, Ani DiFranco, Billy Bragg and Feist to Lucinda Williams and Alison Krauss.

A musical, feel-good haven from everyday corporate life, it’s delightfully appropriate that the Folk Fest takes place so near to the city’s heart. calgaryfolkfest.com

photography DOUG CALLOW, Calgary folk music festival

The only thing better than a sunny day at Prince’s Island Park, sheltered from downtown’s bustle by trees, birds and rushing water, is if that day is spent in late July, lounging on a tarp as your favourite band rocks the main stage 20 feet away.

When the Calgary Folk Music Festival first touched down on Prince’s Island in 1980, it launched three decades (and counting) of sarongs, homespun wares, vegetarian delicacies and acoustic guitars.

At the festival, the world is as it should be for four days: people are happy, friendly, well-

Street Festivals When the first hint of warm weather arrives, it’s time to take to the streets at one of Calgary’s many festivals. In May, the Lilac Festival gets it started, as vendors and performers celebrate and ply their wares on 4th Street S.W. Festivals continue through the summer, from Inglewood’s Sunfest, Kensington’s Sun and Salsa Festival and Marda Gras in Marda Loop to the Chinatown Street Festival, the Calgary International Children’s Festival, the Calgary Greek Festival, Carifest, Afrikadey!, ReggaeFest and Expo Latino. The season wraps up on the Labour Day weekend with a 20-year Calgary tradition, Barbecue on the Bow, where the cooking is slow, smoky and Southern-style.

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Beakerhead Science, technology and the arts merge each September in Beakerhead, a city-wide, hands-on spectacle of engineered creativity (and creative engineering). Created to stimulate ingenuity, Beakerhead transforms Calgary into a massive laboratory for workshops, performances, community competitions and installations.

Highlights have included a catapult competition and a thereminbuilding workshop. beakerhead.org

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Shawarma, Donair and Falafel

Mediterranean cuisine has become part of Calgary’s food fabric. It’s a delightful dilemma having to choose between various delicious options when the craving for tabouleh or shawarma hits. There are a few chains, but the many independent places are the way to go for the authentic taste of the Middle East.

MAKE YOUR FIRST VIEW

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Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad to encourage people to take the train into the Rockies, the Banff Springs Hotel opened in 1888. Today, the hotel is practically synonymous with tourism in the Rockies. Now owned by the Fairmont group of international hotels and resorts, the Banff Springs was declared a Canadian historic site in 1992. fairmont.com/banffsprings

CALGARY’S BEST VIEW

43Young City Our city boasts a median age of 36, younger than the average for the province and for Canada as a whole. That means that while other cities might be youth-obsessed, we’re actually young.

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Great Labour Market

Calgary has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, worldclass education and opportunities across hundreds of careers and industries, from high-tech and the energy sector to retail and hospitality. As Bruce Graham, president and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, says, “It’s an employee’s market.” With employers trying hard to attract and retain workers, employees get perks like flexible hours and fun work environments. We provide fertile ground for entrepreneurs, too.

It’s good to be here. calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com

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Cupcakes With the arrival of Crave Cookies and Cupcakes in Kensington in the fall of 2004, a trip to the bakery took on a whole new level of sophistication. Today with four locations in Calgary and outlets in Edmonton and Saskatoon, Crave remains the boutique bakery that reinvented the cupcake. A number of other bakeries have followed suit, each putting its own spin on the cupcake phenomenon.

Buttercream Bake Shoppe, with three locations, Bliss & Co. Cupcakes and Desserts — also with three outlets — and the Little Cupcake Shoppe in McKenzie Towne are among the worthy proponents of this sweet science.

HOURS July - August

September - June

9:00 AM - 10:00 PM 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM

GENERAL ADMISSION (CAD)

Adult (18-64) Senior (65+) Youth (13-17) Child (4-12)

3 and under

$16.00 $14.00 $11.00 $7.00 complimentary

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seven 46 diners

At one time there were just a few new-generation diners in Calgary. Places like Diner Deluxe and the Galaxie served up hearty breakfast fare — omelettes, eggs Benedict, sausage, bacon, pancakes, French toast, hash browns, etc. — in a retro-modern atmosphere. Today, they’re everywhere. From classic truck stops to brand-new shiny buildings, from one-off independents to small chains, the traditional diner menu is enjoying a resurgence.

1 Diner Deluxe 804 Edmonton Tr. N.E. dinerdeluxe.com 2 Galaxie diner 1413 11th St. S.W. galaxiediner.com 3 fine diner 1420 9th Ave. S.E. finedinercalgary.com 4 dominion diner & Deli 908 12th Ave. S.W. dominiondiner.ca 5 CORA Three locations in Calgary chezcora.com 6 red’s diner Two locations in Calgary redsdiner.com 7 blackfoot truck stop 1840 9th Ave. S.E.

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Kalamata Grocery Store

It’s an idea that’s familiar in some parts of the world — a service that lets you swipe a card, take a car, drive wherever you need to go, then leave the car there.

When car2go, which operates in 25 cities worldwide, was introduced to Calgary in July 2012, a surprising number of people flocked to sign up: 15,000 in the first two months. After a year, there were 35,000 car2go members in Calgary, more than any other city in North America. car2go.com/en/calgary

Gus and George Kokos, owners of this packedto-the-rafters shop, often give regulars a sweet deal on some of the finest exotic wares in the city. Kalamata is the cornerstone of this 11th Street S.W. strip. The baklava, and the personalities, are among the finest in town. 1421 11 St. S.W.

48 Heritage Park A visit to Heritage Park truly is a journey back in time.

The 51-hectare (127-acre) park, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, features a historical village with buildings and artifacts dating back to the 1860s. An antique midway, a restored steam train, an old-fashioned bakery, restaurants, farm animals and a huge collections of antique automobiles and gas-station memorabilia let visitors experience first-hand “how the west was once.”

The Bow Building

It is huge. And despite some initial misgivings about it dominating our skyline, we’ve fallen hopelessly in love with this gorgeous, towering arc of glass and steel since it was completed in 2012. The tallest office building in Canada outside Toronto, the Bow has a unique airfoil shape designed to work with the prevailing winds. It’s 236 metres (774 feet) tall, with 58 floors and 1.7 million square feet of office space. And the public art installations at its base — Wonderland and Alberta’s Dream, both by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa — are attractions in themselves.

Livingstone & Cavell Extraordinary Toys Though a large toy store chain has claimed in its ads to be a place for kids who don’t want to grow up, it’s Livingstone & Cavell Extraordinary Toys in Kensington that tickles the imaginations of Calgary’s Peter Pan types.

From extravagant playthings like airplanes big enough for toddlers to drive around in and kid-sized grand pianos, to the most simple, timeless classics — consider the wind-up metal toy cars or the little tin sparking space gun — imaginations soar and cash flows in this playful temple to enduring kidhood.

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photography calgary economic development

fa bu lou s

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car2go

Discover Explore Experience Make a splash at Calaway Park!

Calaway Park invites your family to enjoy endless fun at Western Canada’s Largest Outdoor Family Amusement Park!

Open May 17th - October 13th, 2014! calawaypark.com

Rhinos and Komodos are Coming We are excited to announce the arrival of rhinos and Komodo dragons this summer.

Many exciting, new things are happening all year long so don’t wait to visit the zoo! calgaryzoo.com

A New Kind of Art Museum

Glenbow showcases renowned travelling and permanent exhibitions, boasts the largest art collection in Western Canada and houses over a million artifacts from around the world. glenbow.org

Escape Today at Heritage Park Celebrating our 50th anniversary with a season full of festivals, feasts, parties, our own western rodeo and more.

For the exciting details visit HeritagePark.ca

Visit Today

Ignite your passion for discovery as you explore the extraordinary at Calgary’s Science Centre. Discover the new Outdoor Park, +130 exhibits, Live Demonstrations and more!

SparkScience.ca

VisitCalgary.com

51 The Flames If there’s one sport this city gets behind, it’s hockey. And with a fierce civic rivalry with that team to the north which shall not be mentioned by name, cheering for our National Hockey League team has never been more enjoyable. calgaryflames.com

52 great beer Local brewers, including Big Rock, Wild Rose, Brew Brothers, Tool Shed and Village Brewery, give us fine craft-brewed beers.

From the sparkle of a Grasshopper to the nut-brown of a Traditional, the hazy gold of a Velvet Fog or the dark beauty of a Blacksmith — cheers to our beers!

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Cross-country skiing at Shaganappi golf course

Cross-country ski trails are maintained at several golf courses and parks, and Shaganappi Point golf course (1200 26 St. S.W) is one of the best. A list of trails can be found at calgary.ca.

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54 The Calgary Soccer Centre The first facility of its kind in Canada, the Calgary Soccer Centre was the largest indoor soccer complex in North America when it was completed. It’s currently undergoing expansion and reconstruction to make it even more impressive for the fall 2014 indoor soccer season.

The Grand Theatre Shakespeare wrote “all the world’s a stage.” But at the 102-year-old Grand, the stage becomes a world in itself, filled with theatre, dance, music and visual arts. The space — with its exposed bricks and non-fixed stage — is as intimate and expansive as each production calls for and can be arranged in nine different configurations to accommodate concerts, plays and parties. So whether you’re watching Theatre Junction’s resident company of artists perform or a rock band play, the Grand Theatre is truly an experience to relish. theatrejunction.com

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must-rip

Movie Theatres

The conversation Calgary takes pride in its public art, and few pieces of our citywide “gallery without walls” are more beloved than The Conversation. Created by Canadian sculptor William Hodd McElcheran (1927-1999), the life-size bronze depicting two old-school businessmen negotiating a deal was installed on Stephen Avenue in 1981. The Conversation was donated to the city by Norcen Energy Resources, and its personality, humour and dynamism capture our business history perfectly.

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Recreation Centres Calgary boasts several huge indoor facilities with swimming pools, ice rinks, soccer pitches, gyms, public libraries, climbing walls and more. From Cardel Place and Genesis Centre to Village Square Leisure Centre, Trico Centre, Westside Recreation Centre, Shawnessy YMCA, the list goes on.

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Going out to the movies is alive and well in Calgary, whether you’re looking for the latest Hollywood blockbuster or eclectic cinephile fare.

Our city boasts more than 120 screens in a range of movie-theatre facilities, from funky, historic single-screen cinemas to huge hightech megaplexes. To find out what’s on, visit calgarymovies.com.

we love calgary

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bike trails

59 Being Elevated

If your strength-o-meter channels limp noodle rather than iron man, forget steroids and head to Calgary. The moment you step onto our above-sea-level soil (1,050 metres, to be exact), you’re rejuvenated — at least in all matters where an object is hit or thrown a great distance.

Whether it’s baseball, football or golf, balls travel farther in this city than in areas closer to sea level. Understanding the science is easy: the higher the elevation, the lower the air pressure.

Lower air pressure means fewer air molecules to create drag on the ball, allowing it to fly farther.

So this is the place for personal bests.

60 Loose Moose Theatre For more than 35 years, the Loose Moose Theatre Company has brought improv theatre to Calgary and the world. Loose Moose is internationally renowned for its innovation, and as one of the birthplaces of theatre sports. The company also presents new works, including theatre for kids. loosemoose.com

Mountain Biking Our area is well-known for skiing, but Calgary is also on the edge of some of the world’s best downhill and cross-country mountain biking territory. Canada Olympic Park, right in the city, offers liftaccessed downhill riding each summer, and within day-trip or long-weekend distances are the mountain-bike meccas of Canmore, Banff and, in next-door British Columbia, Fernie and Panorama. Further afield are Kamloops, Vernon and Whistler.

Gear up, skill up and rip it up.

Some top gravity-fuelled trails: 1 Canada Olympic park

photography calgary economic devlopment, tourism calgary, travel alberta

Safari Planet

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Skating at the Olympic Oval and Plaza

The Olympic Oval was the first covered speed-skating facility in North America and is home to the world’s fastest ice. While it attracts international athletes, it’s often open to the public too. Or, for an Olympic-flavoured outdoor skate, head to the Olympic Plaza in the heart of the city.

A riotous two-minute blast that’s everyone’s favourite COP trail.

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Reclaimer A scary technical start morphs into cushy curves.

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Star Wars/Return of the Jedi A fun ride down and a challenging pedal back up.

4 Fernie Alpine resort

Top Gun Variety and plenty of flow.

5 moose mountain

SHAFT Stands for “Super Happy Awesome Fun Trail.” Enough said.

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The Jack Singer Concert Hall

If you want to really hear music, try this acoustically acclaimed home of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Two features are an acoustical canopy that can be raised or lowered, and the magnificent Carthy Organ. The hall is within the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts. epcorcentre.org

High Performance Rodeo Sure, the Stampede’s great — but it only lasts 10 days.

If you want another kind of rodeo, with thrills and spills of its own, save your cowboy boots for January. For more than 25 years, the One Yellow Rabbit theatre company has presented the High Performance Rodeo, a month-long festival of theatrical brilliance unmatched anywhere in the country.

It’s all about theatre, dance, music, visual art, film — and sometimes, a bizarre combination of them all. hprodeo.ca

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Fresh Air

Southern Alberta is a windy place, which is why you’ll see so many wind turbines south of the city, especially near Pincher Creek. The breezes keep our air fresh, and the electricity cranked out by these high-tech windmills decreases our reliance on less environmentally friendly power generation — reducing pollution, leaving us with still more fresh air.

Fair’s Fair A Calgary institution for 25 years, used book dealer Fair’s Fair For Book Lovers is a bibliophile’s delight. With five stores across the city, finds old and new abound — from the latest best sellers to classics and rare volumes. Fair’s Fair also buys books for cash or credit, and will search its massive database to help you find what you’re looking for. fairsfair.com

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calgary’s Neighbourhoods Visitors driving into Calgary can get the wrong idea: the shiny new suburbs on the outskirts don’t even hint at our diverse neighbourhoods.

Calgary’s oldest community, Inglewood, originated with the 1875 construction of Fort Calgary. After a stroll along its streets, hit everyone’s favourite firehall-turned-pub, the Hose & Hound, for a burger under the watchful eye of the ceramic Dalmatian.

There are many inner-city communities to enjoy, but one neighbourhood sticks out as an intersection of urban living, small-town convenience and style — 17th Avenue S.W. Whether you’re looking for spa treatments, hardto-find books, specialty music, dining, coffee, or just a unique ambience, it’s there.

And Calgary is expanding, giving us neighbourhood revitalizations and new communities to discover every day. Swerve off 17th for a stroll down 4th Street S.W. Take in Marda Loop and the Beltline, and keep an eye on the East Village.

photography calgary economic devlopment

Fly Fishing on the Bow Is there another major centre in the world where you can fish for trophy-sized wild trout without leaving the inner city? If so, we’ve never heard of it. Since fly fishing usually conjures images of pristine and unpopulated wilderness, it might surprise people that the Bow River offers top-quality fishing, smack dab in the middle of the city.

The Bow’s fish are big, but they’re not stupid — as far as fish go. It takes a skilled angler to match wits with these cagey trout.

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we love calgary

Sami Ahmed Previous home Ethiopia How long have you lived in Calgary?

Eight years.

What is your occupation?

Event Services Lead Hand at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre.

What’s your favourite thing about Calgary?

I love the Stampede each summer.

What surprised you most about our city?

The diversity of culture and opinions, and the friendliness of people.

What do you wish you had known more about before you came here?

Everything! Life in Calgary is completely different compared to what I grew up with.

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the stampede The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede draws visitors from around the world for 10 days each July, and the spirit it has spread in the city since it began in 1912 is infectious. And rightly so — it’s a lot of fun. There are the rides on the midway, performances by some of the world’s top pop and country musicians. Stampede food is an event in itself, from pancake breakfasts to mini doughnuts, corn dogs and all things delicious and deepfried. And at the heart of the Stampede are the thrills of the rodeo and chuckwagon races.

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69 calgary ’s olympic legacy More than 25 years have passed since Calgary stepped onto the world stage as host of the XV Olympic Winter Games.

But popular landmarks like the Scotiabank Saddledome, Olympic Plaza, the Olympic Oval and Canada Olympic Park serve as daily reminders of the success and stories of those 16 days in February 1988. An old souvenir like a Share the Flame torch relay wine glass, a pastel-coloured Sun Ice

jacket or an Olympic pin can stir up nostalgic memories of Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards, the Jamaican bobsled team or Elizabeth Manley’s figure skating silver medal. The Calgary Olympics marked the beginning of Canada’s rise to become a winter-games powerhouse, and Calgary is at the centre of that success, with world-class training facilities at Canada Olympic Park, the University of Calgary and elsewhere.

72 71 Clean Water

River Pathways From Bowness Park in the northwest, the Bow River Pathway travels through parks alongside the eclectic neighbourhoods of Inglewood and Bridgeland, past industrial Calgary and into the heart of nature at Fish Creek Provincial Park in the south. The Elbow River Pathway starts in Inglewood, continues past Stampede Park to Mission, and then climbs from Sandy Beach to River Park. The mix of nature and urban vibe is a constant along the pathways. Hilltop views of the majestic Rockies and Calgary’s downtown core are frequent.

In winter, snow is cleared from much of the pathways, making a peaceful, beautiful winter walk or run an inviting possibility.

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All our wastewater undergoes multistage treatment that includes filtration and ultraviolet disinfection at the city’s three water-treatment plants. Our drinking water, meanwhile, comes from our two rivers, the Bow and the Elbow, and originates high in the Rocky Mountains.

Despite the image of Calgary as a prairie city, we’re actually located at the edge of the Rocky Mountain foothills.

There are plenty of high spots from which Calgary’s sights and lights can be taken in.

One of these is Nose Hill Park, where the view toward downtown is matched when you turn 180 degrees and look west to the iconic skijump towers of Canada Olympic Park and the mountains beyond.

Scotsman’s Hill and Crescent Road also offer stunning cityscapes and great views of the nightly fireworks during the Calgary Stampede.

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Douglas Fir Trail The Douglas Fir Trail in Edworthy Park is an amazing close-to-home getaway.

You won’t believe you’re still in the city as you hike through this stand of trees, some almost 400 years old. While a relatively short hike, it is strenuous. Note that the trail is closed in the winter and early spring months, as the freeze-thaw cycle leaves parts of it ice-covered.

photography calgary economic devlopment

Views of the city

culture

of Calgary

“the winner” bronze, john seward johnson jr.

photography jared sych

Culture means something different to each of us, and Calgary’s got it covered.

From the high culture of classical music and fine art to the pop culture of movies, professional sports and rock ’n’ roll — and everything between — it’s all here.

Calgary has a vibrant and eclectic arts scene that includes public galleries, working studios, artist-run centres, collectives and artisans’ shops. There’s also a public art program that incorporates works by lo-

cal, national and international artists into the cityscape. Calgary supports its artists through InvestYYC, a donation website that allows people to donate time or money to local artists and non-profit arts organizations.

The city also boasts museums dedicated to everything from sports to aeronautics and space. And there are dinosaurs (or at least their fossilized skeletons) just a short drive away.

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art and museums

on show

Here are some of the museums and galleries in and around Calgary that are worth planning a day around.

Contemporary Calgary Formed in 2013 in a merger of three leading contemporary arts organizations, Contemporary Calgary holds exhibitions in two inner-city galleries. contemporarycalgary.com Nickle galleries Located on the University of Calgary campus, the Nickle has three areas of concentration: modern and contemporary art, with a focus on Western Canada; numismatics, concentrating on ancient coins and modern paper money; and decorative arts, with an impressive collection of Asian rugs and textiles. library.ucalgary.ca/nickle Stride Gallery Stride is a non-profit, artist-run centre that provides gallery exhibition spaces and presentation opportunities for diverse artists and their projects. stride.ab.ca The New Gallery A non-commercial, artist-run centre that presents and promotes contemporary art in Calgary. thenewgallery.org

Royal Tyrrell Museum About 140 km northeast of Calgary in Drumheller, the Royal Tyrrell is Canada’s only museum of palaeontology, with one of the world’s largest dinosaur displays. tyrrellmuseum.com

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The Aero Space Museum A museum on the history of flight. Exhibits include a Lancaster bomber, a Sikorski Dragonfly helicopter and a replica Sopwith Triplane. asmac.ab.ca

The Tsuu T’ina Culture Museum This museum contains the history and artifacts of the Sarcee tribe, and preserves and supports the heritage of the Tsuu T’ina First Nation. tsuutina.ca

Truck This downtown gallery is a nonprofit artist-run centre dedicated to the development and public presentation of contemporary art. truck.ca The Military Museums These eight distinct spaces enable visitors to experience the victories and sacrifices of the Canadian Forces. The museums run many programs for families and youths. themilitarymuseums.ca esker foundation This non-commercial, privately funded gallery, opened in 2012, is dedicated to connecting the

public with contemporary art. It is home to diverse and innovative contemporary art exhibitions and projects. eskerfoundation.com Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is 40,000 square feet dedicated to preserving and celebrating Canada’s inspiring sport history. sportshall.ca SpacePort Located at the Calgary International Airport, SpacePort is an education and entertainment facility focusing on space and aeronautics.

YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre shows the role of police and encourages young people to make positive choices. youthlinkcalgary.com The Glenbow Museum One of Canada’s largest museums, the Glenbow combines a museum, an art gallery, a library and an archive. It houses more than a million artifacts and 28,000 works of art. glenbow.org

culture

Live Music

turning it up

Just a few of the many venues to see a live show in the city.

National Music Centre With a brand new facility under construction in the East Village, the NMC is a place for musicians and music lovers to gather. The centre houses a vast collection of old, new and rare instruments from beautiful to bizarre, and a library of albums, posters and other music memorabilia.

The NMC is also an acclaimed music school and a venue for live performances. nmc.ca

Broken City This downtown pub welcomes rock, punk, metal and hip-hop acts each week, with a great mix of local, national and international artists. brokencity.ca The Republik Musical genres converge at The Republik. Hip hop, indie, altcountry, punk and rock acts have all performed here, to the delight of the very hip people in the audience. therepublik.ca Flames Central A live music venue named for the local NHL team, Flames Central is a glittery showcase for rock and hiphop artists. flamescentral.com The HiFi Club This club is a mecca for DJs and the cool kids who party to the tunes they spin. There’s also live music on a regular basis. hificlub.ca Ironwood Stage and Grill With superb acoustics and an equally impressive sound system,

the Ironwood regularly welcomes roots, blues, country and folk artists both local and global to its stage. The Ironwood’s Wednesday evening open stage is a must for any would-be performer. ironwoodstage.ca Jack Singer Concert Hall Home to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jack Singer is one of the most acoustically acclaimed venues in North America. It seats 1,800 people and hosts a variety of touring musicians. epcorcentre.org MacEwan Centre Located in the University of Calgary, “Mac Hall” is a regular stop for touring bands popular with the university crowd. macewancentre.com The Palomino Smokehouse Calgary’s only honkytonk BBQ bar, the Palomino regularly welcomes rock, folk and country performers. thepalomino.ca Scotiabank Saddledome Think big. If an arena rock act is in

town, it’ll play the Saddledome.

It’s where hockey’s Flames take centre ice, and it’s also Calgary’s biggest indoor music venue. scotiabanksaddledome.com Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Home to Alberta Ballet, Calgary Opera and touring theatre companies and musicians, the “Jube” is one of Calgary’s premiere venues. jubileeauditorium.com Wine-Ohs Hear jazz, folk and experimental music every night of the week at this sultry venue. wine-ohs.com The Blues Can The Blues Can regularly hosts live blues music and serves up Cajuninspired cuisine. thebluescan.com Mikey’s Juke Joint & Eatery Welcoming local and touring blues and roots artists, Mikey’s has a New Orleans vibe and serves up delicious southwestern fare. mikeysjukejoint.com l i f e i n c a l g a r y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e r g y 2 0 1 4

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Festivals and Events

a big day out Calgary is a city of festivals and celebrations.

Whether it’s about food, film, literature, music, culture or sports, there’s always an event underway or coming up.

The “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” the Calgary Stampede takes place during 10 days in early July, as it has done since 1912.

The Stampede’s centrepiece is the world’s richest tournament-style rodeo, with more than $2 million in prize money. The event has grown up around the rodeo to be a full-scale fair, exhibition and citywide celebration that attracts more than a million visitors each year.

They come for the amusement park rides, the food, the concerts and parties as well as the professional rodeo competitions, which include chuckwagon races, calf roping, bull riding, barrel racing and steer wrestling.

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are served up in various locations throughout Calgary, and businesses throw parties for staff and clients. Much of the city sports Stampedethemed decorations, from street banners to painted shop windows. Hay bales, wagon wheels, rusty farm equipment and weathered wooden fences suddenly crop up where you least expect them, reminding us of our city’s history.

A huge downtown parade kicks off the Stampede festivities, and each day is closed by the epic Grandstand Show and a stunning fireworks display.

It’s definitely Calgary’s biggest cultural event, and a rollicking salute to our Wild West past. calgarystampede.com

photography chris bolin, calgary stampede

The Calgary Stampede

Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival (1) This annual event celebrates mountain-themed film and literature. banffcentre.ca/mountainfestival Banff Summer Arts Festival This festival features an eclectic array of dance, theatre, opera, visual arts and more. banffcentre.ca Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo This major expo showcases the best in sci-fi, fantasy, anime, gaming, animation and horror with exhibitors, celebrity guests and panel discussions. calgaryexpo.com Calgary International Film Festival CIFF celebrates local and world cinema every fall. See page 68 for more. calgaryfilm.com Calgary International Children’s Festival (2) With productions that are tailored to kids of all ages, this is the thirdlargest children’s festival in Canada. calgarykidsfest.ca

photography (1) Heaven’s Gate by kristian schmidt, Ken mann

High Performance Rodeo The High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, is the largest of its kind in Western Canada. Experimental theatre, music, comedy, visual art and more. hprodeo.ca International Festival of Animated Objects Occurring every two years, this 10-day event showcases the art of puppetry and animation

culture

Cultural Festivals Calgary is a very culturally diverse city. More than 26 per cent of Calgarians are foreign-born, and there are about 140 languages spoken in the city. It’s no wonder the city is the scene of so many cultural festivals.

with performances, workshops and screenings around town. animatedobjects.ca International Native Arts Festival Celebrating First Nations heritage and art each July after Stampede.

Banff Wordfest The third-largest literary festival in Canada honours the written and spoken word. wordfest.com Afrikadey! (3) Afrikadey! is a celebration of African culture, from cuisine to music and dancing. afrikadey.com BBQ on the Bow A glorious day for meat lovers, BBQ on the Bow is a barbecue competition at Eau Claire Market. bbqonthebow.com Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival (4) Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition, alive and well in Calgary. The Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival welcomes at least 1,250 competitors and more than 2,500 spectators each year.. chinatowncalgary.com/dragonboat

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Carifest A celebration of Caribbean life, arts and culture, this August festival is always a party. carifestcalgary.com Lilac Festival Every spring, Calgarians celebrate the arrival of Mission’s lilacs with a jammed street party that includes many vendors and performers.

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The Calgary Fringe Festival An annual uncensored, non-juried theatre festival that focuses on creativity, performance, expression and pushing boundaries. calgaryfringe.ca l i f e i n c a l g a r y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e r g y 2 0 1 4

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Marda Gras The New Orleans-themed Marda Gras Street Festival is held every August in the Marda Loop district. It embraces the culture and cuisine of the Big Easy.

Once Upon a Christmas Heritage Park Historical Village’s annual Christmas Event lasts for a month each year and features charming old-fashioned Christmas customs and traditions.

There are wagon rides, carolling, gingerbread cookie decorating, children’s winter games, snow painting, Santa’s Christmas Critters petting zoo, a Christmas train display and more. heritagepark.ca

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Sun and Salsa Festival (5) Each July, this unique festival in Kensington pays tribute to summer with an assortment of entertainment, food and shopping. visitkensington.com/sun-and-salsa

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Sunfest Occurring every August, Sunfest is Inglewood’s block party. It includes live entertainment, a pie-eating contest and a kids’ zone. inglewoodsunfest.com Taste of Calgary Foodies love this annual event, and every August, people head down to Eau Claire to sample the cuisine of Calgary’s best restaurants. tasteofcalgary.com Winefest (7) Winefest happens every February, allowing patrons to sample a

variety of wines within a casually refined atmosphere while learning about what they’re drinking from local experts. celebratewinefest.com Music festivals Calgary’s music festivals range from underground edgy to black-tie prestige.

Calgary Folk Music Festival (6) The ever-popular Folkfest takes place every July at Prince’s Island Park and features four days packed full of world-class music. calgaryfolkfest.com Calgary International Blues Festival Every summer, international blues artists descend on Shaw Millennium Park for a four-day festival starting in late July. calgarybluesfest.com Calgary International Reggae Festival Every August at Shaw Millennium Park, ReggaeFest welcomes the world’s top reggae musicians.

ReggaeFest celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2014. reggaefest.ca Honens International Piano Competition Celebrating the world’s best young concert pianists, this event takes place every three years, with the next one in 2015. honens.com Calgary Kiwanis Festival The Kiwanis Festival lets amateur performing artists share their skills and compete for scholarships. calgarykiwanisfestival.ca

Sled Island Music and Arts Festival (8) A mecca for alt-rock and indie music fans and musicians, Sled Island is held in 30-plus downtown venues every June. sledisland.com 8 2 l i f e i n c a l g a r y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e r g y 2 0 1 4

photography folk fest, pysh posh photography, julie vincent, sun and salsa festival

GlobalFest This multicultural international festival of fireworks happens every August. Spanning two weeks, the event also includes an arts and culture festival and a human rights forum, along with the world’s top fireworks artists competing for honours. globalfest.ca

culture

sports

Taking action

From baseball to bowling, there are many leagues in Calgary that allow “civilians” to get in on their own sporting activities.

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photography courtesy of calgary and district league, sport calgary

1 Calgary Minor Soccer The city’s youth soccer program is for boys and girls, and includes indoor and outdoor leagues. Some communities have house-league programs for three and four year olds, while others start at age five or six. calgaryminorsoccer.com

2 Hockey Calgary The city’s organized hockey association for youth is for both boys and girls. Age divisions range from as young as three or four up to teenagers. hockeycalgary.ca

4 KidSport This society helps children in need participate in team sports by assisting with registration fees and equipment. kidsport.ab.ca

3 Sport Calgary / Calgary Sport Council Information on about 500 sport organizations is available through the Council’s searchable online database. sportcalgary.ca

5 Calgary & district cricket league Founded in 1908, this league boasts divisions for all ages and is the largest cricket organization between Vancouver and Toronto. cricketcalgary.com

More information The “Sports & Clubs” section on the calgaryarea.com website provides an inclusive index of all the leagues and organizations in the city for both kids and adults, including baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer. Recreational leagues are also run by local community associations. calgaryarea.com

6 Calgary Sport and Social Club This club organizes co-ed social sports leagues. There are leagues for everything from badminton to slowpitch. Those new to the city can sign up as individuals for placement on teams where they’re needed. calgarysportsclub.com

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calgary stampeders

ones to watch Calgarians love their hockey, and our excitement is heightened when our teams perform well. The city also supports its lacrosse and Canadian football clubs with enthusiasm.

Calgary Flames The city’s National Hockey League (NHL) team, the Flames have been a Calgary institution for almost 35 years. They play home games in the 19,289-seat Scotiabank Saddledome, named for its unique saddle-shaped roofline. Save for those with pre-existing hometown allegiances, most everyone cheers for the Flames. The NHL’s regular season runs from October to April, and if the team makes the Stanley Cup playoffs, games can continue for another couple of months. calgaryflames.com Calgary Hitmen This Western Hockey League junior hockey team is chock full of future NHLers aged 16 to 20. The Hitmen also play at the Saddledome, and have some of the most loyal fans in major junior hockey. Their regular season runs from September to March. hitmenhockey.com 8 4 l i f e i n c a l g a r y b e pa r t o f t h e e n e r g y 2 0 1 4

Calgary Stampeders The city’s Canadian Football League (CFL) club is Calgary’s oldest professional team, founded in 1945. The “Stamps” play at McMahon Stadium in northwest Calgary, with the first game usually scheduled around Stampede time in early July.

Canadian football is very similar to American gridiron football, but there are some differences in rules, and the style of play. stampeders.com

Calgary Inferno The Inferno is a professional women’s hockey team that joined the Canadian Women’s Hockey League for the 2011–12 season. The team’s uniforms mirror those of the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames, with which the team has a marketing partnership. The Inferno plays home games in Joan Snyder Arena at Canada Olympic Park. calgary.cwhl.ca Calgary Roughnecks The city’s pro lacrosse team plays at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Box lacrosse is a Canadian sport played between teams of six players. Each player uses a long-handled stick with a webbed pouch on one end to catch, carry, pass and shoot a solid rubber ball. It’s a lot like hockey played in midair, or jai alai with smaller teams. The Roughnecks’ season runs from January to April or May. calgaryroughnecks.com

Premier League Football Sports bars are popular in Calgary, and during hockey season you can be pretty sure that all establishments will have the puck sport on their TV screens. But many pub owners also know the English Premier League has a strong following in our city. Whether you call it footie, fútbol or soccer, you can view games in many bars around the city. Here are a few: Bottlescrew Bill’s 140 10th Avenue S.W. Drum & Monkey Pub 1201 1st Street S.W. Joyce On 4th 506 24th Avenue S.W. Limericks Pub 7304 Macleod Trail S. Peanuts Sports Pub 9030 Macleod Trail S. Schanks Athletic Club 9627 Macleod Trail S. Schanks Athletic Club 103 Crowfoot Terrace N.W. Ship & Anchor Pub 534 17th Avenue S.W. The Darby Arms 380 Midpark Way S.E. The Dog & Duck Pub 5340 2nd Street S.W.

THE CORE SHOPPING CENTRE

shop the world

in Calgary

Over the past couple of decades, Calgary has grown from a small city with limited shopping options into a booming retail paradise, with designer shops, boutiques and department stores to delight every taste and budget.

This is the city to which retailers from all over the world turn when moving into the Canadian market. The desirability of

Calgary’s higher-than-average household income, wide range of cultures, youthful population and cosmopolitan attitude

means a favourable climate for business operators. And that adds up to sophisticated selection and variety for shoppers.

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photography neil zeller, paul saulnier

stephen avenue

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shopping

retail therapy

There are many reasons to love shopping in Calgary, from the lack of provincial sales tax to the great variety of unique stores, chains and luxury retailers. Here, we look at some of the best and most interesting places to shop around the city.

DOWNTOWN’S HISTORIC HUDSON’S BAY CO. STORE

Malls the Core Located downtown along historic and pedestrian-friendly Stephen Avenue (8th Avenue S.W.), the Core is made up of the TD Square mall and Holt Renfrew, a high-end Canadian fashion retailer. The Core is four storeys high, with 160-plus shops and services, as well as a large food court. Also within the space are the Devonian Gardens, a lovely indoor tropical oasis. And thanks to the Plus-15 system of enclosed walkways, winter-weary shoppers at the Core need never step outside. coreshopping.ca

Deerfoot Mall Located in northeast Calgary at 901 64th Avenue N.E., Deerfoot Mall has a good selection of about 70 stores, restaurants and services. The mall, which opened in 1981, is currently undergoing a major renovation and expansion. deerfootmall.com Market Mall Market Mall, the hub of shopping in Calgary’s northwest quadrant at 3625 Shaganappi Trail N.W., has a wide-open, airy interior, more 200 retailers and the wonderful “Monkey Around Playground” for children. marketmall.ca

CrossIron Mills Alberta’s newest shopping centre is also the largest enclosed single-level shopping centre in the province, with approximately 1.2 millionsquare feet of retail and entertainment space. It’s located just north of the city in Balzac, at 261055 CrossIron Boulevard. crossironmills.com

Marlborough Mall With more than 150 stores and services, Marlborough Mall is a popular northeast shopping centre at 433 Marlborough Way N.E. marlboroughmall.com North Hill Centre When it opened in 1958, North Hill Centre was Western Canada’s largest shopping mall. With 100-plus shops and services., it’s right beside the Trans-Canada Highway at 1632 14th Avenue N.W. northhillcentre.com Northland Village Mall Northland Village, 5111 Northland Drive N.W., has 80-plus retail shops and services, a pleasant food court and a relaxed atmosphere. northlandvillagemall.ca Southcentre Fashion-forward Southcentre at 100 Anderson Road S.E. has more than 180 stores and services, including a style concierge service. southcentremall.com l i f e i n CALGARY b e pa r t o f t h e e n e r g y 2 0 1 4

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Where To

Save, Where to Splurge

Holt Renfrew Spanning three floors and designed by worldrenowned New York architects Janson Goldstein, Calgary’s Holts is 151,000 square feet of luxury fashion goodness. holtrenfrew.com

Some inside info on fashion deals, and some choice places to indulge.

save Topshop & Topman Topshop and Topman are great additions to Calgary’s affordable fashion scene. The British brands offer a great mix of runway-inspired pieces without runway price tags. thebay.com/topshop A Vintage Affair A vintage concept store that carries both men’s and women’s vintage clothing, jewellery and accessories, along with collectibles, furniture and decor pieces from the Victorian era to the 1970s. avintageaffair.ca Prett y Little Things Located in Inglewood, this sweet and stylish boutique features high-end vintage apparel, furniture and antiques. prettylittlethings.ca

splurge Gravit y Pope With a store on trendy 17th Avenue, Gravity Pope sells men’s, women’s and children’s footwear and has an extensive collection of designer shoes. gravitypope.com Rubaiyat Also on 17th Avenue is Rubaiyat, a beautiful store that sells the work of top international artisans. The shop has North America’s largest blown glass collection, and a range of jewellery. rubaiyatcalgary.com Holt Renfrew This high-end Canadian chain specializes in luxury and designer brands of women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, shoes and beauty products. holtrenfrew.com

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Sunridge Mall With more than 150 stores and services, Sunridge is northeast Calgary’s largest mall. It’s located at 2525 36th Street N.E., in the heart of a plentiful shopping area with a number of detached “bigbox” outlets, a large movie-theatre complex and restaurants nearby. sunridgemall.com Nordstrom The first Canadian Nordstrom will open its doors to excited customers at Calgary’s Chinook Centre in September of 2014.

With luxury product lines, a reputation for superb customer service and a gorgeous layout, this store is bound to be a hit with

Calgarians and will bring some healthy competition to the luxury department-store game in the city. nordstrom.ca Hudson’s Bay Company The Chinook Centre location of this historic Canadian department store chain includes “stores within a store” Topshop and Topman.

With a variety of trend pieces and services, British brands Topshop and Topman are great additions to the Bay, helping the venerable retailer continue to serve styleconscious consumers. The Bay has four stores in Calgary, including one in the downtown core. thebay.com

marda loop

Chinook Centre This huge “destination” mall at the intersection of Macleod Trail and Glenmore Trail boasts 250 stores, including Anthropologie, Michael Kors, Tiffany, Burberry and J. Crew. Canada’s first Nordstrom department store will also be housed here. Chinook Centre also has a movie-theatre complex on its south side. chinookcentre.com

shopping

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cowboy

(or ’Girl)

Kensington Centred on Kensington Road N.W., Kensington has an eclectic collection of hip clothing and specialty stores and restaurants. visitkensington.com

I n n e r - c i t y C a l g a ry The urban centre contains several shopping zones, including:

17th Avenue S.W. The stretch of 17th Avenue between Macleod Trail and 14th Street S.W. is a haven for specialty fashion boutiques. From the hip Purr and the refined Ooh La La to the exquisite items at Primitive, there’s a lot for everyone — and plenty of eclectic restaurants and coffee shops, too. 17thave.ca

photography neil zeller

Fourth Street Located in beautiful Mission, Fourth Street S.W. is home to several home decor and fashion stores, as well as some the city’s tastiest eateries. 4streetcalgary.com Inglewood A historic community centred on Ninth Avenue S.E. with boutiques, design stores and antique shops. calgary-inglewood.com

Kensington Centred on Kensington Road N.W., Kensington has an eclectic collection of hip clothing and specialty stores and restaurants. visitkensington.com Marda Loop Named for a streetcar turnaround point that was once located in the area, Marda Loop encompasses 33rd and 34th avenues between Crowchild Trail and 19th Street S.W. It’s a charming, pedestrian-friendly district that’s become a popular outdoor shopping area, with more than 130 businesses and services. mardaloopbrz.ca Victoria park South of downtown, the Victoria Park area is in the midst of revitalization, and is set to become a prime shopping destination.

Residential buildings have been followed by boutiques, markets and specialty stores. victoriapark.org

Calgarians love a good party — and they’re always ready to get into the spirit during the Calgary Stampede. The city goes full-on western for 10 days each July to celebrate the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, and this is reflected in everything from their entertainment tastes (howdy, country music!) to their wardrobe choices (hello, cowboy boots!).

It can be really fun to dress up like you ride horses for a living, but to do so without looking like a reject from the set of a western movie is an art unto itself.

Calgary stylist Leah Van Loon has some advice for all aspiring cow-folk on how to inject the right amount of giddy-up into their wardrobes.

Van Loon suggests either committing fully to the essentials of western gear, or simply adding accents to complement a casual but polished blue denim look.

Those with lifelong Clint Eastwood spaghetti-western fantasies get a chance to shine during Stampede. “A friend who is a creative director at an ad agency calls Stampede time ‘Cowboy Halloween’ and treats it like that,” Van Loon says. He achieves the look with spurs, vintage cowboy shirts and, of course, the requisite cowboy boots and hat.

Full-on cowgirl style can be tough to pull off, but those who commit to it can look the part. Incorporate statement items such as a fringed jacket, clothing with eyelets and turquoise. “Go a little more southwest than Wild West,” Van Loon suggests, for a more sophisticated Stampede look.

“Accessories are a really simple way to get in the spirit of it,” she says. “Try Western belt buckles and bolo ties.”

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also try these...

Calgarians relish their cosmopolitan shopping options — but they also love to support local entrepreneurs. It’s no wonder, Calgary’s farmers’ markets are so popular.

1 Millarville Farmers’ Market

With more 170 vendors, this market gets the title of Southern Alberta’s largest outdoor summer market. It’s located just south of Calgary in the town of Millarville. millarvilleracetrack.com

from June to October and carries an abundance of local offerings. bearspawlions.com

3 Calgary Swap Meet Farmers’ Market

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The Calgary Swap Meet Farmers’ Market at 5600 11th Street S.E. is the longest-running market in Calgary. Along with produce, it also carries antiques, books and crafts.

Bearspaw Lions Farmers’ Market

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Bearspaw Farmers’ Market, located just west of the city, operates every Sunday

Crossroads Market

This is the city’s largest yearround indoor-outdoor public

market. It’s housed at 1235 26th Avenue S.E. within a large, rambling 1920s heritage building. crossroadsmarket.ca

5 Calgary Farmers’ Market

Likely the city’s most popular market, the Calgary Farmers’ Market, at 510 77 Avenue S.E. just off Blackfoot Trail, is a year-round affair that offers an abundance of local produce, meat, seafood, dairy products, prepared foods, crafts and other items. calgaryfarmersmarket.ca

Alberta Beef It doesn’t take much — blue skies, clean water, endless pasture, and a diet of grass and grain — to create Alberta beef. That’s the secret to Alberta’s prized meat. Instead of confined pens, our cattle roam free and are finished on high-quality prairie grain. As long as our cattle are happy, we carnivores are, too.

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Year-round Kingsland Farmers’ Market Thursday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 7711 Macleod Trail S. kfmcalgary.com

Rocky Ridge Ranch Farmers’ Market June to September, Thursdays 3:30 to 7 p.m. 10709 Rocky Ridge Boulevard N.W. rrrha.ca

Parkdale Community Association Farmers’ Market Wednesdays 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Parkdale Community Centre, 3512 5th Avenue N.W. parkdalecommunity.com

South Fish Creek Recreation Association Farmers’ Market June to September, Fridays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. 100, 333 Shawville Boulevard S.E. sfcra.com

Symons Valley Ranch Market Fridays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 14555 Symons Valley Road N.W. symonsvalleyranch.com

Triwood Summer Market June to September, Thursdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 224 Chicoutimi Drive N.W. triwoodcommunity.com

Seasonal (Calgary) Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmers’ Market End of May to beginning of October, Wednesdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre, 1320 5th Avenue N.W. farmersmarket. hillhurstsunnyside.org

Seasonal (region) Airdrie Farmers’ Market June to October, Wednesdays 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Airdrie Plainsmen Arena, 320 Centre Avenue E. airdriefarmersmarket.com Okotoks Farmers’ Market Beginning of July to the beginning of October, Fridays 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 1 km north of Keith GM on 15th Street E. Service Road, facing Highway 2A.

it’s great outdoors

photo travel alberta

If you come to Calgary for the friendly people, good salaries and low rates of crime, unemployment and taxation, it may just be the abundant outdoor recreation opportunities that convince you to stay.

The city has one of the sunniest climates in Canada, low annual rainfall, and warm chinook winds that blow through frequently during the cold winter months, making all-

season outdoor activities not only possible, but enjoyable. Within and around Calgary are rivers, valleys, hills, forests, prairies and mountains. From unspoiled wilderness to

well-manicured parks and pathways, and everything in between, activities ranging from a relaxed stroll to a strenuous hike, bike ride or ski run are never far away.

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we love to get

outside

Large and small, our parks are places to get in touch with nature and have fun.

A River Runs Through It The Elbow and Bow rivers run through the city, giving Calgarians access to abundant riverside parkland. On the banks of the Bow is Fish Creek Provincial Park, which extends more than 20 kilometres from east to west and is one of the largest urban parks in North America — a protected, natural respite in the middle of the city.

Calgary has more than 80 square kilometres of parks and public green spaces, as well as the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America. Nearly 1,000 kilometres of pathways, including

260 kilometres of dedicated onstreet bicycle lanes, connect our neighbourhoods, workplaces and commercial centres. Much of the pathway network parallels the rivers and runs through parks and natural areas. If that’s not enough, Calgary’s pathway system continues to expand, with more connections and routes added on an ongoing basis.

Some of the city’s most popular green spaces: Fish Creek Provincial Park One of Canada’s largest urban parks, Fish Creek Park covers 13.5 square kilometres of wilderness, former ranchland, riverbanks

and islands, and includes 80 kilometres of trails for walking and biking, an interpretive centre, a café, the gourmet Bow Valley Ranche restaurant and the manmade Sikome Lake, a popular spot on hot summer days.

Prince’s Island Park A beautiful and unique 20-hectare island green space on the Bow River in the heart of downtown that’s the site of many of the city’s largest summer festivals.

Edworthy Park Located in northwest Calgary on the Bow River, Edworthy Park is 1.69 square kilometres of forests,

photo ced

Dog Parks Dogs and their owners love Calgary for its abundance of dedicated dog parks. The city has 150 public off-leash areas totalling in excess of 12.5 square kilometres — more than any other city in North America.

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meadows, playing fields and picnic areas.

Nose Hill Park One of the largest municipal parks on the continent, Nose Hill is 11.3 square kilometres of elevated prairie grasslands in the north central area of the city, with great views of downtown and Canada Olympic Park.

Stanley Park A lovely 21-hectare park on the Elbow River, and a favourite summer picnic spot for Calgarians.

outdoors

Playgrounds Calgary is a youthful city, and this is reflected in the many community parks and playgrounds in its communities.

The City of Calgary is constantly upgrading and renewing playgrounds to keep up with the ever-expanding population and new communities. The City recently rebuilt a number of older playgrounds, ensuring that children are playing on the safest and newest equipment.

Here are a few standout playgrounds in Calgary: Helicopter Playground, Parkdale/West HilLhurst This playground at 5th Avenue and 27th Street N.W. includes

plenty of space to run around and will delight imaginations with its helicopter theme.

with interesting and ageappropriate equipment for older children.

Prestwick Playground, McKenzie Towne A treat for kids and adults alike, this playground at 1 Prestwick Manor S.E. has one play structure shaped like a pirate ship and another like a castle.

Nellie Breen Park, Inglewood A space for the community to come together, Nellie Breen Park and its playground, at 14th Street and St. Monica Avenue S.E., were designed for use by people of all ages and ability levels.

Valleyview Park, Dover This lovely park at 26th Street and 30th Avenue S.E. has two playgrounds in it. One is a spray park, which is perfect for the kids to cool down on those hot summer days, and the other is a large playground

Springborough Playground With a special accessible surface and a large easy-to-turn spinner, this playground at Springborough Boulevard and 26th Avenue S.W. is fun for kids of every age.

Sledding Hills Downhill tobogganing and sledding in Calgary parks are allowed on designated toboggan hills only. Luckily, there are 17 large, safe hills to choose from.

Northwest Confederation Park 2800 10th Street N.W. (north side of park immediately west of Rosemont Community Centre) Royal Oak 50 Royal Birkdale Drive N.W. (north side of hill) St. Andrew’s Heights 2504 13th Avenue N.W. Northeast Big Marlborough Park dry pond 6021 Madigan Drive N.E. Deerfoot Athletic Park 4th Avenue and 16A Street N.E. Marlborough Community Association 636 Marlborough Way N.E. Monterey Park Catalina Boulevard and California Boulevard N.E. (northeast corner) Prairie Winds Park 223 Castleridge Boulevard N.E. (north side hill) Rundle Dry Pond 4120 Rundlethorn Drive N.E. (behind Rundle Elementary School) Southwest & Southeast Glendale Park 25th Avenue and 45th Street S.W. (west side).

Kingsland dry pond Heritage Drive S.W. (behind Rose Cohn-Jimmy Condon Arenas) Maple Ridge dry pond Mapleglade Close S.E. Richmond Green 33rd Avenue and 25th Street S.W. Sacramento dry pond Sacramento Drive and 104th Avenue S.W. Scarboro 15th Avenue and 16th Street S.W. Signal Hill Sirocco Drive and Signal Hill Heights S.W. Stanley Park 4011 1A Street S.W. L I F E I N C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e energy 2 0 1 4

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the rocky One of the greatest aspects of life in Calgary is the city’s close proximity to the majestic Rocky Mountains. Whether you’re a ski or snowboard fanatic, a nature-lover or a sightseer, it’s worth making the drive out to the mountains as often as possible.

Skiing & Snowboarding There are several downhill resorts within a two-hour drive of Calgary, and even more if you want to venture a little farther. Our nearby mountains see anywhere from 250 to 925 centimetres of fresh snow each season. Along with alpine skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular at many facilities.

Canada Olympic Park Located inside city limits, Canada Olympic Park is familiar to anyone who remembers the 1988 Olympic Winter Games. This is where a number of events including ski jumping, luge and bobsleigh took place. COP has a ski hill and a lesson program 9 4 L I F E I N C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e energy 2 0 1 4

that make it ideal for beginners, and its close-by location makes it an easy stop for any skier who wants to take a few runs after work.

And COP isn’t just for beginners. Park-style skiers can hit the superpipe and moguls, and there are also more than two kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails.

Also at COP is a huge new athletic training complex with four hockey rinks, an indoor bobsleigh and luge practice track, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and a high-tech gym for elite athletes. Most of Canada’s winter Olympians train here.

In summer, the park it’s home to about 25 kilometres of mountain-biking trails, a thrilling zipline that starts atop the iconic ski-jump tower, the paved Skyline Luge ride, summer bobsleigh rides, an outdoor climbing wall and mini-golf. winsport.ca

Kananaskis Country and Canmore Called “Alberta’s Mountain Playground,” the Kananaskis region sprawls across 4,000 square kilometres of mountain parks and foothills wilderness. Located west and southwest of Calgary, Kananaskis Country includes five provincial parks, four wildland provincial parks, an ecological reserve, several public recreation areas and a wide range of vehicle-accessible and backcountry camping opportunities. It’s also home to the world-class cross-country ski facility at the Canmore Nordic Centre, and to Nakiska Mountain Resort, an alpine ski area.

Both were built for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, during which they took the world stage. canmorenordiccentre.org; skinakiska.com

outdoors

Canadian Rockies

Hot Springs There’s no denying that winter in Alberta can be cold, but these natural hot mineral springs are a perfect way to get warm.

There are untouched natural springs out there, but the following mineral pools offer modern amenities and are surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery, all within driving distance of Calgary.

Banff Upper Hot Springs Banff National Park (open year round) Miette Hot Springs Jasper National Park (open mid May to mid October) Radium Hot Springs Kootenay National Park (open year round) All three locations feature modern facilities, eateries, gift shops, and interpretive displays, as well as swimsuit, towel and locker rentals.

Day spa services are also available to those in need of some extra pampering at the Banff and Radium locations.

Bow Valley Provincial Park

photography travel alberta

East of the Rockies in the Bow Valley, this park is one of many within the Kananaskis Country system.

The park is surrounded by mountain scenery, and is prime for outdoor activities including bird-watching, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, camping, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, rafting and windsurfing. albertaparks.ca Banff In the heart of the Rocky Mountains 90 minutes west of Calgary, Banff National Park features untouched wilderness and modern facilities. In the park are the town of Banff and the hamlet of Lake Louise. The park encompasses 6,640 square

kilometres of tree-lined valleys, mountains, clear lakes and rivers, wildflowers and wildlife. pc.gc.ca There are three ski resorts in Banff National Park: Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise.

Mount Norquay Mount Norquay is a mountain and ski resort that lies directly northwest of the Town of Banff. banffnorquay.com Sunshine Village Sunshine’s slogan is “Canada’s Best Snow.” The resort sees more than nine metres of snow every year and has some of the best runs in the world. skibanff.com Lake Louise Ski Resort Louise, with its legendary runs and renowned terrain, is simply spectacular. skilouise.com

The Banff Gondola Located at the base of Sulphur Mountain in the town of Banff, a fully enclosed, four-passenger gondola cabin takes visitors all the way to the top.

The ride lasts eight minutes and takes visitors 698 metres to the Summit Upper Terminal, which sits at an elevation of 2,281 metres. At the summit are viewing decks and observation points for panoramic views of six mountain ranges. At the top are also two restaurants, a gift shop and an interactive giant compass.

Banff Skywalk, an interpretive boardwalk, reveals some of the area’s fascinating history, and you can also walk the summit ridge to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site of Canada and the historic Sanson’s Peak Meteorological Station.

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Water sports Calgary might be landlocked, but there are plenty of ways to play in the water here: Canoeing and Kayaking You don’t have to go far to find places to kayak and canoe. Both can be done on Glenmore Reservoir, the Elbow River and the Bow River. If you’re looking for a day-trip adventure, head west of the city to Bragg Creek, Banff National Park or Kananaskis where the wonderful canoe and kayak conditions are complemented by majestic mountain views.

The Calgary Canoe Club’s boathouse is on the north shore of the Glenmore Reservoir, Calgary’s most visible body of water.

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fishing and fun on the

Water The Bow River is known for great trout fishing. But there’s a lot more to do on the water than matching wits with our finned friends.

Rowing Also on the north shore of the Glenmore Reservoir, the Calgary Rowing Club offers a range of rowing opportunities, from recreational to competitive.

Rafting On hot summer days, a large number of rafters can be spotted floating down the Bow and Elbow rivers. It’s a fun and relaxing activity, but remember life-jackets for everyone on board — they’re required by law.

Sailing Sail away with the City of Calgary, which operates the Glenmore Sailing School on the Glenmore Reservoir.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Yacht Club is located in suburban Chestermere on the east side of Chestermere Lake, and offers affordable timeshare leasing of boats.

Swimming Calgary has eight outdoor pools open from mid-June until the Labour Day long weekend in early September, and 12 indoor pools open year round. Pools offer public swim times, lane swimming and a variety of water-based activities such as water aerobics.

photography calgary economic development

T

he Bow River is world famous for trout fishing. In fact, former U.S. President George Bush Sr. fished there when he was in town. But there are also many other fishing streams and rivers that stretch south to Montana and west to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Sport fishing in Alberta requires a licence, costing from about $26 for Alberta residents to just over $70 for non-residents. Licences are available where camping and fishing gear is sold.

outdoors

The Badlands David Keogh Previous home Dublin, Ireland How long have you lived in Calgary?

Six months What is your occupation?

Contracts Analyst within the Supply Chain Management department at Cenovus Energy.

What’s your favourite thing about Calgary?

The fact that the city is so “outdoors.”

You have the Rockies right on your doorstep, with great slopes to go skiing or snowboarding in the winter.

During the summer, there are so many trails to go hiking and biking on.

What surprised you most about our city?

How open, friendly and welcoming Calgarians have been to myself and my girlfriend. They really want to help you when you arrive first to get set up.

The people are so enthusiastic about new people coming to the city to start a new life, they will go out of their way to help you.

What do you wish you had known more about before you came to Calgary?

Before I came to Calgary I was a bit apprehensive about having nothing set up for a job when I arrived.

Although the first few days and weeks can be stressful, there was no need for me to fear. There are so many opportunities in this city, the right one will always come your way.

O

ne of the most fascinating destinations for a day trip in the Calgary area is the unusual topography of the Canadian Badlands of Alberta. Start by heading toward Drumheller, about 140 kilometres northeast of Calgary.

Along the drive, stop at Horseshoe Canyon and prepare to be amazed, as the landscape shifts from prairie fields to what looks like the stratified surface of an alien planet. This is the Badlands, where the forces of nature have removed topsoil, clay and softer rock, leaving steep slopes, pinnacles and odd top-heavy formations called hoodoos.

The millions of years of deposition and erosion that created the Alberta Badlands make the area a

mecca for palaeontologists seeking the fossilized remains of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Many significant dinosaur discoveries have happened here — hence the location of the Royal Tyrrell Museum in the heart of the Badlands just outside Drumheller. The Tyrrell is one of the world’s leading dinosaur museums and research centres. tyrrellmuseum.com North of Drumheller, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park is named for the site where Cree hunters would drive herds of bison over the cliffs hundreds of years ago. The park is home to the world’s biggest Albertosaurus bone-bed.

To the south lies Dinosaur Provincial Park, a stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site in the valley of the Red Deer River northeast of the town of Brooks.

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fitness

get moving

Calgary is a young, vibrant and fit city, boasting superb recreation facilities, pools, ice rinks, golf courses, soccer fields and private gyms.

Golf courses Calgary and the surrounding area are home to about 50 golf courses. Within Calgary city limits are eight municipal courses, along with a number of private and semi-private facilities. Golf is a key part of doing business in Calgary, with much deal-making taking place on the links. Bonus: our long summer days make it possible to get in 18 holes after work.

Recreation Facilities Calgary boasts a wealth of recreation opportunities — athletic parks, baseball diamonds, golf courses and sports fields, as well as leisure and fitness centres with pools, ice rinks, weight rooms, gymnasiums, climbing walls and more.

Genesis Centre The Genesis Centre for Community Wellness offers sport, recreation, wellness and cultural services to residents of northeast Calgary.

The centre houses branches of the Calgary Public Library and YMCA Calgary, a human and social services centre, indoor and outdoor soccer fields and gathering places. genesis-centre.ca Glenmore Athletic Park This outdoor facility in Calgary’s southwest includes baseball diamonds, soccer and football fields, tennis courts, a velodrome, a running track, shot-put and javelin areas, a long-jump pit and the Glenmore Aquatic Centre, which offers indoor fitness, day camps and a swimming pool. calgary.ca/recreation Southland Leisure Centre Offering a water park complete with wave pool and fun slides, two skating and hockey rinks, a fitness facility, a gymnastics room, a climbing wall, racquetball and squash courts and a weight room, Southland Leisure Centre is fun for all ages. calgary.ca/recreation Talisman Centre Talisman Centre is a world-class facility just south of the downtown core. The centre boasts a number of trainers on staff, a wealth of equipment and professional 9 8 L I F E I N C A L G A R Y b e par t o f t h e energy 2 0 1 4

dance studio, a playschool and birthday party rooms. calgary.ca/recreation Westside Recreation Centre This centre is in Calgary’s southwest and has ice-skating, a full-sized arena, an enormous fitness area, an aquatic centre, a gymnasium, a 500-metre track and a climbing wall, as well as a skateboard park and basketball courts outside. westsiderec.com facilities. These include five fullsized gymnasiums, basketball courts, more than 700 pieces of cardio and weight-training equipment, two Olympic-sized pools, an Olympic-calibre dive tank, a steam room, a 200-metre running track, a physiotherapy and sports medicine clinic and the Cardiac Wellness Institute of Calgary. talismancentre.com Village Square Leisure centre Village Square Leisure Centre is the northeast’s major water park and all-purpose fitness facility.

Included at the centre are a large wave pool with waterslides, a dive tank, a children’s pool, a hot tub, a steam room, a skating and hockey rink, a gymnasium, a fitness and

Olympic Oval Located at the University of Calgary, the Olympic Oval is a world-class multi-sport training and competition facility built around a longtrack speed-skating oval where world records are set. There’s also a 400-metre running track, two international-sized hockey ice surfaces, a sprint track and more. oval.ucalgary.ca

YMCA and YWCA YMCA Calgary offers five stateof-the-art fitness and recreation facilities, along with a range of respected camps and programs that support the development of healthy kids, families and communities. YMCA has been in operation in the city since 1902. ymcacalgary.org The YWCA of Calgary also dates its history back to the early part of the 20th century. It works to strengthen community by supporting women and children in need and working to end domestic violence, homelessness and poverty, as well as promoting health and wellness.

The YWCA’s co-ed fitness facility offers top-flight equipment and a pool. ywcaofcalgary.com

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Investing resources to save resources.

In 2012, Encana invested more than $11 million in projects that helped the natural gas sector improve its environmental performance by developing and using innovative technology.

Learn more about Encana’s Environmental Innovation Fund and other responsible development programs at: encana.com/environment