Live Up - Fall 2016

Building the New North in Livingston

PLUS Vivo’s Cynthia Watson gets people moving; Get your home ready for winter; Sparq Productions brings Bollywood to the Stampede

WHAT’S IN A NAME New subdivision of Livingston draws on a pioneering spirit as it looks toward the future

COME TOGETHER Homeowner associations make a big difference in creating tight-knit neighbourhoods PM#40020055

Raman Kapoor’s connections in north Calgary have helped her make big strides for heart health

FALL 2016

defining experience. defining homebuilding.

For more than 35 years, the Cedarglen name has defined the art and science of new home building for thousands of Calgarians. Our priority isn’t just to build beautiful homes, but to enrich the communities that we build in as well. This commitment to quality and craftsmanship has earned Cedarglen Homes designations such as Master Home Builder and The PHBI’s New Homebuyers’ Choice Award.

COMING SOON TO THE COMMUNITY OF LIVINGSTON WITH PRICES STARTING IN THE MID $400,000’S.

403.255.2000 www.cedarglenhomes.com This is a marketing document and subject to change. In the event of a dispute between this document and a contract, the contract will prevail. E&OE. Revised and effective 08/2016

CONTENTS FALL 2016

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Special pull-out map

24 A COMMUNITY IN EVERY SENSE Developers hope Livingston brings people together through authentic connections

Columns 4 WELCOME TO LIVE UP

32 GREAT COMMUNITY

By Trent Edwards, Chief Operating Officer, Brookfield Residential Alberta

CONNECTIONS

A sense of togetherness helps Raman Kapoor make big heart health strides

5 LEXICON

38 DAY IN THE LIFE:

6 VIEWPOINT 8 NORTH

Notre Dame High School is more than a place of education

DEVIN DYLER

32 18 HOW TO

14 IN THE KNOW

Homeowner associations make a huge difference in building communities

KAREN YOUNG

United Way CEO is changing Calgary for the better

30 PORTFOLIO

Sparq Productions brings a little bit of Indian spice to Calgary

12 GOOD THINGS

Check out everything Telus Spark has to offer science enthusiasts young and old

40 DAY IN THE LIFE:

Kathy Hamilton helps you get your home ready for winter

10 Q&A with Jim Stevenson

Ward 3 councillor talks about the potential of North Calgary

Brookfield’s design manager has a passion for building spaces for people

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42 DAY IN THE LIFE:

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Features 20 ANCHORED IN THE PAST,

FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE

North Calgary’s newest subdivision is being built with a pioneering spirit

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This fast-casual restaurant serves up a slice of Italy

44 DAY IN THE LIFE:

CYNTHIA WATSON

Vivo’s Chief Evolution Officer is making Calgary a healthier place

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Welcome to

THE NEW NORTH

TRENT EDWARDS

Chief Operating Officer, Brookfield Residential Alberta

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S I LOOK BACK ON HOW far we have come, I am so proud of our team to see where we are today. This is our inaugural issue of Live Up magazine. This is a magazine that will celebrate Calgary’s North – its lifestyle, its residents, its businesses and its community.

We created this publication in partnership with Venture Publishing to celebrate life in the North sector of Calgary.

Brookfield Residential has come back to the North. With our first master-planned community since Tuscany in 1994, Livingston is a new community that will launch in the early part of 2017.

This magazine will focus on

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what Livingston is and how it will encapsulate Calgary’s New North.

Livingston is a master-planned community of more than 1,200 acres just north of Stoney Trail and bordering both sides of Centre Street. It will be home to nearly 30,000 Calgarians living in 11,000 homes.

Livingston will be a community that brings people together. From the initial stages of planning, this community was all about connections. It’s about ensuring that people would have the opportunity to meet and have fun with their family, friends, and neighbours.

It’s about having choices when it comes to transportation and getting around their community and their city. It’s about a central community hub that provides a place for people to gather, have fun, recreate, learn, splash, get involved and enjoy all of life’s most prized moments. It’s about a community that goes to great lengths to provide a safe place for families.

Through the creation of this magazine, we have had the opportunity to talk to many different influencers in North Calgary. We have experienced the art community, the not-for-profit community, people who live in North Calgary, and people who have dedicated their livelihood to businesses in North Calgary. We had the opportunity to speak with political and educational leaders in the North. Through our conversations

with these people, we have started to see how truly unique and passionate this sector of the city is and how it truly is the New North.

Our hope is that this magazine will bring you information that you may not have known about Calgary’s North and the new community of Livingston. We hope it shows you the vibrancy and energy of the New North.

We plan to share this magazine with over 30,000 North Calgary residents twice a year.

We hope that it starts to tell your story, and we invite you to learn more about ours. Brookfield Residential has been developing communities in Calgary since 1958. We have introduced more than 60 communities to Calgary; in fact, Livingston will be community number 63. Brookfield now builds nearly 1,000 homes a year in Alberta; since acquiring Albi Homes, we now are able to provide homes to everyone, from those buying their very first home to someone looking for their forever home. We pride ourselves on creating the best places to call home. We put the customer first and dedicate our business to providing an exceptional customer experience and developing communities and homes that provide the best quality of life.

I hope you enjoy reading through our inaugural Live Up magazine and we will talk you again soon.

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

PUBLISHED FOR Brookfield Residential HEAD OFFICE: 4906 Richard Road SW Calgary, Alberta T3E 6L1 Tel: 403.231.8900 Toll Free: 855.234.8362 Email: info@brookfieldrp.com PUBLISHED BY Venture Publishing Inc. 10259 – 105 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1E3 Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 Phone: (780) 990-0839 Fax: (780) 425-4921 www.venturepublishing.ca PUBLISHER Ruth Kelly BROOKFIELD EDITOR Jessie Seymour EDITOR Glenn Cook ART DIRECTOR Charles Burke GRAPHIC DESIGNER Andrew Wedman PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Betty Feniak PRODUCTION TECHNICIANS Brent Felzien, Brandon Hoover CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jessica Barratt, Robin Brunet, Julie-Anne Cleyn, Glenn Cook, Martin Dover, Chelsea Grainger, Melanie Rutten, Kim Tannas CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS Bookstrucker, Francis Marte, Don Molyneaux, Darryl Propp Contents © 2016 by Brookfield Residential.

No part of this publication should be reproduced without written permission.

Undeliverable mail should be returned to Brookfield Homes Corporate Office 4906 Richard Rd. SW Calgary, AB, T3E 6L1

Printed in Canada by Transcontinental LGM. Publications Agreement #40020055

[noun] 1. The feeling of comfort proceeding from a close and harmonious bond or association with others, esp. friends or family; fellowship, camaraderie.

2. The condition of being together.*

TOGETHERNESS IS MORE than just comfort, though – it’s laughing on the ice skating rink or splashing in the lake. It’s chatting with your neighbours and watching your kids play together. Togetherness is about connections, about forming bonds. Connections can be

physical, like pathways that lead to parks, or social, like taking part in an art class or weekend soccer game, but they all come together to form that sense of togetherness that makes a community vibrant, healthy and a great place to call home.

*Source: Oxford Canadian Dictionary, 2001

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

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HEAD OF

THE CLASS

BY GLENN COOK • PHOTOGRAPHED BY BOOKSTRUCKER

Notre Dame High School is more than a place of education – it’s a big part of the north Calgary community

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ITH NEARLY 1,700 STUDENTS PASSING THROUGH ITS doors each day, Notre Dame High School in north Calgary has a bigger population than some towns in Alberta. But that’s fitting, considering just how much of a community feel the school has created in its corner of the city.

Notre Dame High School, located in Country Hills Village, is the home of the Pride – the sports teams are named not only for school spirit but also a pack of lions – and opened its doors for the first time in 2005. Since then, the school has been active within the community, giving students the chance to make the community around them a better place to live and giving north Calgary residents a place to get together.

“The school is a hub and creates a place where people can congregate not only for learning but also for celebrating,” says Karen Ryhorchuk, senior communications specialist with the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD). “When you have things like drama productions, they’re open to the community, and it brings a vibrancy to the community.”

Students at Notre Dame have done so much to help out in the greater Calgary community, including summer school students filling backpacks with school supplies to be distributed through the Staples Foundation; the PAWS Social Justice Club delivering sheets and towels to the Calgary Humane Society; and students collecting items for Christmas hampers to be distributed through the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Students even raised money in May 2016 to help victims of the Fort McMurray wildfires through a spaghettieating contest and a gift basket raffle. These efforts were made all the more poignant when several evacuated students joined them in their classrooms that same week.

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But Notre Dame has also formed connections closer to home, especially with Vivo for healthier generations, a recreation centre, and the Country Hills branch of the Calgary Public Library, which are located pretty much next door.

“City [of Calgary] planners do a pretty good job of placing high schools in community hubs, to become part of that hub,” Ryhorchuk says. “With places like Vivo and the Calgary Public Library very, very close, they enhance student learning because students can access those facilities.”

Vivo, in particular, gets a lot of use from Notre Dame students who are athletically inclined thanks to its swimming pool and other indoor and outdoor sports facilities. “I know our athletics department partners with Vivo to be able to use those spaces for our kids,” Ryhorchuk says.

Meanwhile, she adds, the library is a “great resource” to have next to the high school, as it supplements the learning commons within the school and allows students to access different books and media they might not otherwise be able to easily get their hands on.

Partnerships like these can lead to some pretty cool programs to help students learn and prepare for a career. Notre Dame offers students lots of opportunities to earn post-secondary credits while still in high school, including a popular pre-engineering program, where interested students can take courses to get a head start on a career in engineering, and a mechanics program.

Notre Dame also offers a culinary arts program, where students work with an accredited Red Seal chef to cook lunches for their fellow students. “I think I’ve been there and they had duck confit available!” Ryhorchuk says with a laugh. “There are some pretty

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

amazing things that they do in the kitchen.” Students in the culinary program may simply want to enhance their home cooking skills, or may be looking at a career as a chef once they graduate.

For athletes, Notre Dame also offers a Hockey Canada Skills Academy, which balances elite-level training both on and off the ice with academic studies. As well, the school offers Advanced Placement courses and fine arts and music programs.

“It’s a really well-rounded school in terms of the programs it offers,” Ryhorchuk says. “There are a ton of different programs that kids have access to so they can pursue their interests.”

With new families regularly coming to north Calgary, the student population at Notre Dame is becoming more and more diverse. But Ryhorchuk says that’s true across all CCSD schools, and the district is there to serve students and ensure they succeed.

“Success takes on a different form for each individual student,” she says. “It’s not about a certain group within the student population; every child learns differently. It’s about success for all students.”

Still, with north Calgary growing rapidly and Notre Dame already housing 1,700 students, the CCSD is ready to deal with growing pains through defined boundaries.

“Those boundaries play a key role in being able to manage student populations going forward,” Ryhorchuk says, adding that, by its very nature, a high school can accommodate more students than an elementary or junior high school. “We want to ensure good teaching and learning is taking place, that there isn’t overcrowding or a lack of space.”

The CCSD is currently building kindergarten-to-Grade 9 schools in the neighbourhoods of Skyview Ranch and Sherwood, scheduled to open in 2017 and 2018 respectively, and just opened Our Lady of Grace, a K-9 school in Evanston, this past September. The district’s 2016-2019 Capital Plan also identifies the need for another kindergarten-to-Grade 6 school in Evanston, a K-6 school in Redstone and a K-9 school in Nolan Hill.

All in all, though, Ryhorchuk says it’s an exciting time for the district in north Calgary, and she’s looking forward to seeing the results of its students’ hard work in the years to come.

“It’s an exciting time for all our students,” Ryhorchuk says.

“There are so many options available for students to be able to take in schools, to be able to pursue their interests in a variety of different ways. That opens the door to career choices in the future, but it also creates student success.”

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INTERESTING TIMES Ward 3 councillor Jim Stevenson is ready to see the northern part of Calgary come into its own

BY MARTIN DOVER

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IM STEVENSON HAS A SECRET, BUT HE’S MORE THAN willing to share. The councillor for Calgary’s Ward 3 has been living in the north end of the city for nearly 40 years now, but is delighted to see more and more new residential subdivisions popping up in the area.

“It’s an exciting time to live in the north-central and the northeast.

Everybody’s going to want to live there,” he says.

Of course, that growth won’t come without its challenges, but Stevenson thinks those are outweighed by the benefits. Live Up caught up with the councillor to talk about what the future holds for the area.

LIVE UP: What is it about living in the north that you like so much?

JIM STEVENSON: It’s really diverse; in some of the schools in my ward, there are over 70 languages spoken. The new Canadians, they want opportunities – they want opportunities to congregate and to integrate. In order to do that, we have to think different than we’ve thought in the past. We have to think outside the box. These new communities are really being well-planned with pathways and green space and wetlands. Communities like Skyview Ranch, Redstone, Savanna, Cityscape, Cornerstone, Carrington and Livingston, they’re all new communities that are developing like crazy, and we’re looking at new ideas. The city policy we have now is that we’ll have no more single-use public sites. We’ve decided that we’re going to make more efficient use of public lands. Fire halls will likely be built with affordable housing on the same lot or commercial on the same lot. We’re also looking at ways of bringing the community associations and the residents’ associations together for more collaboration, and working with the new developers to facilitate better services for the communities through the joint use, in some cases, of the residents’ associations and the community associations.

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

LU: How do you think that contributes to an overall vision for the city as a whole?

JS: People want to live in areas where they can live, work and play. That’s the goal – to create communities where people can live close to where they recreate and live close to where they work. In order to do that, you have to have proper transportation. … We’ve also brought the LRT into the northeast, and we’re working on the LRT up into the north-central, into Livingston and Carrington and all the Northern Hills. That’s what people want – they want to be able to get around and get to recreation facilities. We’ve got the Genesis Centre built, which is an amazing centre for recreation, and people from all over the north use that centre. And we’ve also got Vivo, and we’re working very hard to get Vivo’s money for their expansion, because we need more room at that centre. That’s what people want – they want to be able to get to those recreation facilities.

LU: What are some of the biggest challenges the area is facing?

JS: One of the biggest challenges we’ve got right now is getting more essential services – social services, more schools, medical services – we’re missing those, especially in the north-central part. Genesis brought the opportunity to put a lot of social services and medical services into that centre, but Northern Hills is really lacking in these services. We’re hoping with the Vivo expansion and other projects, we can relieve some of that pressure. There are a lot of people that are going to be moving into Livingston and Carrington, and they’re going to need these services. Now, there’s a possibility of a new hospital in the area where Livingston is going to be built. That’s going to be a number of years down the road, but if that goes ahead, it would help all the north to have additional medical services.

LU: What else do you think is important to include?

JS: I think we need to include the community more in discussions.

Because I have such a background in community associations and I work at the community level, it’s always important to me to bring the community to the table, to get them into discussions. That’s happening right now with the Harvest Hills golf course; there’s a lot of community involvement with that. We don’t know what’s going to happen with that, but there’s a proposition to redevelop it, and the community has been very involved and the neighbours have been very involved. And that’s something that’s really important to me.

JIM STEVENSON City councillor for Ward 3 • First elected to Calgary city council in 2007 • Currently serves as vice-president of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association • Received Alberta’s Centennial Medal, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for community service • Served as president of Coral Springs Residents’ Association • Served as president of Northeast Calgary District for the Conservative Party of Canada (2000-2007) • Served on several City of Calgary committees including: Subdivision Appeal Board; land use planning and roadway development; Peter Lougheed hospital expansion; northeast LRT expansion

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THINKING

OUTSIDE THE BOX Science and fun collide at Calgary’s Telus Spark

BY MELANIE RUTTEN • PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEPHANIE LEBLOND INC. With so much to do and see in north Calgary, the choices can be overwhelming. But Live Up is here to help by focusing on family activities at one particular local facility…

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AVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT A COCKTAIL DOES TO your body? Ever wanted to try and solve real-world problems? At Telus Spark, everyone can be an engineer for a day! From exploring how things work to coming up with solutions for all kinds of challenges, Telus Spark is a place for the curious, the creative and the courageous. The innovative science centre, located on St. George’s Drive N.E. (north of the Calgary Zoo), is a place for kids and adults alike to hone their critical thinking and problem-solving skills and knowledge. These are some of the many “things” you can look forward to at Telus Spark: CREATIVE MAKER TABLES Younger visitors can head over to the Creative Kids Museum to jumpstart

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their exploration of the world. They will find a variety of building materials and tools at the tables in the back corner, where building and having fun will develop fine motor skills, spatial reasoning and imagination skills. They will also be working on their visual communication, which helps them develop their ideas and share them effectively with others.

TAKE FLIGHT IN THE OPEN STUDIO If you look up long enough, you’re sure to spot an airplane.

Commonplace today, it’s easy to forget that flight is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. From kites of ancient China to Montgolfier’s balloons, you can help trace the development of human flight.

Using an array of materials from wood to fabric and plastic, you can build wings, sails, fins and structures strong enough to fly. Explore the concepts of lift, thrust, airflow and the engineering that makes things stay up in the air.

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

ADULTS ONLY NIGHTS: The second Thursday evening of every month is set apart for anyone 18 and older. You will have free reign in the galleries, a fully licensed bar, some fun dance music and a bit of risky science. With no kids around, the challenges are harder and the fun geared towards adults.

Some upcoming themes include: • Blood: Get a little messy exploring the red, sticky stuff that runs through our veins.

• Cocktail Science: Explore the art and science behind a great cocktail while learning how the alcohol affects your body.

• Greatest Hits: A variety of some of the best Adults Only Night events in one evening.

MAKERS’ NIGHT OUT: Another evening event reserved just for adults, workshops run on the second Thursday of every month and advance registration is required.

You can also purchase a combo ticket for admission to Adults Only Night plus Makers’ Night Out. Some upcoming programs include: • Molecular Gastronomy: Make ice cream with liquid nitrogen and explore the best tricks science has to offer your culinary adventures.

• Maker Apothecary: From lip balms to shaving soap, become a cosmetic chemist for an evening and whip up some of your own personal care products.

MONSTER MASH-UP: This is the perfect family-friendly event to kick off your Halloween celebrations. Activities and a live science demonstration will get the whole family in on the Halloween spirit. Come dressed up in your best costume – it’s sure to be a frightfully fun time on October 29 and 30.

Some things to look forward to at the Mash-Up: • Toy Mash-Up: Create your own toy mash-up by combining and sewing old toys together to design a brand new one. Think of the scary neighbour kid in Toy Story.

• Pumpkin Decorating: Make something extraordinary out of the ordinary! You will take an ordinary pumpkin and create a customized costume for it, like the costume designer you were meant to be.

• Mad Science Hall: Behind the doors of the Mad Science Hall, you will find an eerie world glowing with black light and sinister science. Become a scientist conducting weird and wonderful experiments of your own.

• Photo Booth: Keep a memory of your Halloween fun with you when you step into the tricked-out Halloween photo booth.

THE DOME THEATER: Enter a universe of far-flung planets or discover the mysteries of the world of bugs when you visit The Dome Theater. Immerse yourself in a movie or a live planetarium show – a narrated story with a full Dome Theatre visual experience.

Telus Spark 220 St. George’s Dr. NE

403-817-6800

www.sparkscience.ca

Hours: Monday to Sunday 10 a.m.-5p.m. *2nd and 3rd Thursday of every month: 18+ only 6-10 p.m. for Adults Only Night (closed 4-6 p.m. for setup) Admission: • Adult (18-64) $19.95 • Senior (65+) $17.95 • Youth (13-17) $15.95 • Child (3-12) $12.95 • Admission for children under 3 is free • Annual memberships also available, ranging from $48 to $250 per year; visit sparkscience.ca for more details

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Social Media: facebook.com/telusspark Twitter: @TELUS_Spark Instagram: @telus_spark YouTube: TELUSWorldofScience

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Homeowner associations give residential neighbourhoods a boost through activities and facilities

BY CHELSEA GRAINGER • PHOTOGRAPHED BY DON MOLYNEAUX

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OMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONS BRING NEIGHBOURHOODS together. That’s why homeowner associations, also known as HOAs or resident associations (RAs), are a key component to Brookfield Residential’s mandate of creating the best places to call home.

These associations are essentially resident-run organizations, created by the developer, that enhance the neighbourhood. At the helm of the HOAs are boards of elected residents that steer the way the associations are run. The boards host monthly meetings and annual general meetings for all commuity members to attend.

But beyond being simply a governing body, Brookfield’s HOAs transform what would be plain-Jane neighbourhoods into tight-knit communities, equipped with a plethora of recreational and social opportunities which enhance the overall quality of life.

Many of Brookfield’s neighbourhoods feature HOAs, housed in their own localized facilities ranging from 7,000 to 22,000 square feet. “The facilities include some pretty great amenities,” says Karen Shopland, Manager of Resident Associations with Brookfield.

Some of those amenities include a 43-acre lake, tennis and volleyball courts in the Calgary community of Auburn Bay and a toboggan run, splash park and various banquet rooms available to host events in Cranston. Parks, office space and gyms are also common to see in the associations.

Brookfield’s HOAs, which broke into the housing scene in 1989, even include amenities meant to make life easier on residents, such as the daycare offered in Cranston. “These are things that really help

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people get on with their lives,” says Shopland.

HOAs originally started in lake communities, but have spread to diverse neighbourhoods across both Edmonton and Calgary.

The newest homeowner association to top Brookfield’s impressive list is one that will be established in the organization’s newest community of Livingston.

The under-construction community located along Centre Street, west of Deerfoot Trail will boast 11,000 homes. With room for approximately 30,000 people to move in, the community is going to need a top-notch HOA to bring residents together. And Brookfield has that covered.

The HOA facility in the works spans 30,000 square feet and will include amenities such as a tennis court, a spray park, walking paths and a skating rink. The facility will be constructed in phases, with an expected opening date of 2020.

“There are unique things coming,” says Shopland.

HOAs – including the one planned for Livingston – are not simply just constructed and then left alone. The associations play host to numerous family-friendly activities and programs throughout the year.

“Homeowner associations are a great opportunity to bring residents together and really enhance that community spirit,” says Bob Clark, Senior Vice-President of Business Development at Brookfield Residential. “It’s really taken to the next level with the events and programming.”

Some of that programming includes hockey tournaments and

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

summer camps for youngsters. In Auburn Bay alone, there have “All members of the community are members of the association; been laser tag events, movies in the park, Christmas light contests everyone ends up participating,” says Clark. “The associations end and beach parties. This year, Brookfield partnered with Alberta up being owned by the community itself.”

Ballet to bring its Let’s Dance program to the Auburn Bay and And those who do participate – especially on the board – seem to Cranston Residents Associations. Some of Brookfield’s HOAs also enjoy the experience, with some members spending up to 10 years host teen drop-in nights, which Shopland describes as “extremely on the board. popular.”

In addition to board members, each HOA hires several full-time “These events enhance the qualstaff members, one of which is a recity of life of the people living in the reation co-ordinator, to amp up the Homeowner associations are community,” she says. entire experience of the HOA and ena great opportunity to bring Each HOA is customized to its sure everything is run professionally. residents together and really community to ensure residents get Clark says HOAs, although differthe amenities that suit their needs. ent, are not meant to replace commuenhance that community spirit.

“Each homeowner association is nity associations. Rather, HOAs are It’s really taken to the next level so unique to that specific neighbourmeant to work with community assowith the events and programming. hood,” says Shopland. “They’re all ciations to provide an experience ev– Bob Clark, Senior Vice-President of Business Development, pretty incredible to the community.” ery resident will be grateful to have.

Brookfield Residential For Brookfield, HOAs are not a Although they provide a similar new concept, but one it is proud to model to community associations – provide. According to Shopland, the HOAs help people come towhich also host neighbourhood events – homeowner associations gether and truly get to know their neighbours: “There’s so many are vastly different due to their ownership standards. Every resident in a Brookfield Residential community is part of the homeowner asso- stories of people meeting their new best friends in the communities through the homeowner associations.” ciation, even though they may not be a part of the board. Their stake Clark agrees: “The association gives everyone an opportunity to in the association is bought for a nominal fee that covers the costs of running each HOA when they purchase their new home. Every HOA is meet each other in a social and relaxed atmosphere,” he says, noting the associations provide a fresh way for residents to get out of the non-profit, which means those fees residents pay are used to run and house and break up their daily routines. improve the facilities, as well as host events.

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

PREPARE YOUR HOME

FOR THE WINTER

BY MARTIN DOVER

Kathy Hamilton provides some pointers on getting ready for colder weather

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S SUMMER TURNS TO FALL, IT’S A GOOD TIME TO start prepping your home for the long winter months ahead.

Kathy Hamilton knows a thing or two about keeping your home in good repair. She has been teaching a course called “Home Maintenance for Women” through Chinook Learning Services for more than 20 years. Live Up spoke to her about what you can do to make sure your home is safe and ready for the upcoming winter season.

CHECK FOR CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION. Do a walkaround of your home’s exterior, checking for any cracks in the basement walls, says Hamilton. If there is a crack, you’ll want to get an expert in to have a look. Depending on how serious it is, the crack may need to be repaired. Leaving it over the winter months may make it worse, leading to costly repairs. While you’re out there, check for damage to your siding and shingles or anything else that’s in disrepair. Roofs are particularly vulnerable to water infiltration.

Check for cracked, curled or missing shingles, which are signs that the roof may need replacing.

CLEAN YOUR EAVESTROUGHS. You should clean your eavestroughs twice a year – “once in the spring and once in the fall,” says Hamilton. Water needs to flow away from your house and away from your foundation, and eavestroughs play an important role in making that happen. If they’re blocked, they won’t be doing their job properly. Hamilton also recommends getting a downspout strainer or downspout screen, which prevents leaves and debris from clogging your downspout.

TURN OFF YOUR OUTSIDE WATER TAP. It’s important to turn off the tap not only from the outside but also to shut off the indoor valve if your home has one. It would likely be located directly opposite of where your outside tap is, says Hamilton. If the indoor valve is not shut off, water can collect in the pipe and freeze, which could potentially lead to a burst pipe.

CHANGE YOUR FURNACE FILTER. Your furnace will be working hard over the next few months, so it’s a good time to change the filter. This should be done regularly – anywhere from every two to four months, depending on what kind of filter you have. It should say right on the package, and it’s a good idea to set up a reminder for yourself when you’re due to change it next.

Failing to replace filters regularly can cause your furnace to work overtime and can compromise your indoor air quality.

FLIP YOUR MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER ON AND OFF. It’s a good idea to test that you can switch your main circuit breaker off. “Electrical panels can collect a lot of dust … and sometimes it can clog the main switch. So if a power surge happens in your neighbourhood and your circuit breaker can’t shut off, then it can be an issue,” explains Hamilton. A good time to do this would be when you’re changing the clocks for Daylight Savings Time. While you’re at it, that’s also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. They’re simple measures, but a bit of effort now can ensure your home is in good condition for the season ahead.

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PHOTOS: GLENBOW MUSEUM ARCHIVES

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

New Calgary subdivision of Livingston looks to honour its pioneer namesake through innovation and community building

BY GLENN COOK

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S BROOKFIELD RESIDENTIAL EMBARKS ON

building Livingston, its newest Calgary subdivision located in the city’s north end, it does so with a pioneering spirit. The subdivision is being built on 519 hectares of land on both sides of Centre Street and north of Stoney Trail and the existing neighbourhoods of Panorama Hills and Coventry Hills, and perhaps it’s only fitting that the subdivision bears the name of one of Calgary’s most important pioneers: Sam Livingston.

Jessie Seymour, Senior Manager of Strategic Marketing for Brookfield Residential, says the company looked at a number of Calgary pioneers when trying to decide on a name for the new subdivision, but Livingston had a great feel to it right off the bat.

The name made even more sense once they looked into his story.

“We looked into who Sam Livingston was, and his past was exciting: from being one of the first settlers of the Calgary region to his family life – he was the father of 14 children – his innovative farming techniques, his unique kerchief necktie that he was known for, and the school that he opened to educate children in the area,” Seymour says. “All in all, he seemed to possess a wonderful spirit of Calgary and we felt privileged to be able to recognize his past with a community named in his honour. Livingston was positioned to be a community that would pioneer the ‘New North,’ would be innovative in its home designs, and be a community that brought people together.”

These are qualities that Brookfield felt aligned closely with the WHEN CALGARY CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE things Sam Livingston was able to achieve. He too was a pioneer, Livingston subdivision in February 2015, Mayor Naheed Nenshi one of the first people to settle in the Elbow River valley, near voted in favour. Nenshi clearly appreciates what Sam Livingston what would eventually become Calgary. He brought new agridid for Calgary, as he posted a photo on his Twitter account cultural technologies, such as mechanized farm equipment, with around the time of the subdivision’s approval of a woodcut him to the area, along with new crops and livestock breeds. An depicting the pioneer that hangs in his office at City Hall. interesting fact is that Sam was once contracted to supply fresh “Once we recognized what was going to set this community meat to the North West Mounted apart in the Calgary marketplace – Police stationed at Fort Calgary. that this community was going He worked hard to build comto redefine the New North in Livingston was positioned munity in Calgary – he was a Calgary – honouring a pioneering to be a community that would founding member of the Alberta spirit become more important,” pioneer the ‘New North.’

Settlers’ Rights Association, Seymour says. “Sam Livingston and he and his wife Jane Howse and his historic place in Calgary –Jessie Seymour, Senior Manager founded a school on their farm, was a perfect fit to embody what of Strategic Marketing Glenmore School. He was inLivingston would be.” for Brookfield Residential stantly recognizable in the area As well, descendants of Sam with his bright kerchief, beard Livingston have come forward and fringed buckskin jacket. He since the name was announced, passed away in 1897. telling Calgary media outlets that they are proud to have a new Heritage Park Historical Village in Calgary occupies some of community bearing the family name. what used to be Sam Livingston’s farmstead, and his house and barn are still on display at the park today. The barn was built NAMING A NEW SUBDIVISION IS NOT A DECISION around 1878 as a cabin, and the family lived there for a few years Brookfield takes lightly, Seymour says; it has to embody the vision until they outgrew it. A new two-storey home was built around they have for the land. Many factors are taken into consideration, 1883, and the cabin became a granary, bunk house, barn and gaincluding the natural features, like plant and animal species, rivrage. Livingston’s land was purchased by the City of Calgary in ers, lakes and mountain vistas. Then they check how their poten1930, and the house and barn were donated to Heritage Park in tial names stack up against others already in existence or planned 1964. They were restored in 1968. Another part of the original for the city, and if any City of Calgary naming policies might afhomestead is now the location of the Glenmore Reservoir. fect them. “The rest is magic,” she says. “We work with wonderful

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

SAM LIVINGSTON

people to come up with names – some of them honouring the past and some of them looking towards the future.”

The design of the subdivision itself is also geared toward both honouring the past and looking to the future, says Grace Lui, Senior Manager of Strategic Services with Brookfield. “Rather than strictly being backwards-looking, the intent is to create a place that’s got life to it. It’s not just imagining the stuff you’re going to build on it; it’s imagining the people who are going to live there. I think that’s why the name resonated so well with all of us.”

Lui was brought on at Brookfield eight years ago, and part of her job description was specifically to look after what would eventually become Livingston. Seeing ground being broken in the neighbourhood and her hard work becoming a reality is a great feeling.

“It’s tremendously exciting to see that happen,” she says, “particularly because the planning stages of communities take so long, and I don’t think most people are aware of the number of years that actually go into planning communities and the engagement that goes in between developers and the City to establish the vision.”

Lui also worked closely with officials from the City of Calgary to provide comment on the city’s Municipal Development Plan.

While she was working at that time on Livingston and other Brookfield developments on the go, she says the visions aligned quite organically. “We were already working on Livingston when the MDP process started, so we had to assess our working principles against what the City wanted in its new MDP at that time.

When we looked at those principles [for Livingston], we were pleased to see they were very similar to what the City said it wanted as part of its City vision. We knew right from the outset that

there was really good alignment on it that just naurally occurred.”

Part of that is a good mix of residential and commercial services. Lui says that should make for a more urban feel than potential buyers might find in other suburban neighbourhoods, but it’s something she says Brookfield felt was an essential element.

“We’ve talked about being able to place different types of land uses together – employment, retail, commercial and residential, as well as different residential forms that we’re excited to see in that area,” she says. “Because it has a major activity centre and has an urban corridor, we welcome those unique land use topologies on our land, and we knew that meant we’d get to do something more urban.”

While Seymour hopes that people recognize the Livingston name on the new subdivision and the deep roots it has in the Calgary community – perhaps inspiring them to dig a little deeper into the local history – she is also hoping that it has plenty of appeal for people looking to move there from out of town.

“Others may not know the tie to Livingston; they may be new to Calgary and not know the history. They may see the name as a name that possesses a lot of energy and vibrancy with the beginnings of the name tied to ‘live,’ which conveys a community full of life!” she says.

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Developers hope Livingston brings people together through authentic connections

BY ROBIN BRUNET

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MAGINE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WALKING ALONG

a beautiful main street: it’s brand new, but it has a wonderful lived-in feel primarily due to the people. They cluster in coffee shops, exchange pleasantries in grocery stores, and call out to each other as they walk to work or with their children to a nearby park.

This is exactly the sort of atmosphere that Brookfield Residential is hoping to create in Livingston, its new master-planned community in north Calgary that recently broke ground and will be developed over the next 15 to 20 years.

That main street is Centre Street, the central spine of Livingston. It has been designed for people, not vehicles. There, residents will be able to easily access a ton of amenities; just a short walk away will be beautiful trails, parks, schools and other places of public gathering.

Intermingled with these elements will be a huge array of homes, different styles and sizes located in close proximity to one another. Here, human interaction is also encouraged by the homes’ unique arrangement and placement. In short, Livingston is designed to truly be a community in every sense of the word, one that embodies the desired but elusive concept of “live, work and play.”

Over 55 years in business, Brookfield has worked hard to establish visions for its neighbourhoods long before it breaks Livingston’s moniker of ‘Life Coming Together,’” says Seymour. ground, setting out how communities will enhance the natuPositioned after Auburn Bay, Cranston, New Brighton, and ral landscape and fulfill residents’ needs not just in the short Symons Gate, the 1,200-acre Livingston subdivision will see term, but for many decades to come. The company’s overrid6,500 single-family and 4,500 multi-family homes constructing goal is to make communities a place of connection and toed over the course of the next 15 to 20 years. About 20 per cent getherness and, when Livingston of the community is committed is completed, it will be a dramatic to open space and it will include We spent a lot of time expression of that goal. “We spent a 12 parks and six schools for its lot of time and effort determining 30,000 residents. The homeand effort determining what what comprises strong community owners association Seymour comprises strong community spirit and realized that interaction mentions will be housed in a sixspirit and realized that of residents is the foundation,” says acre, 30,000-square-foot facility.

Jessie Seymour, Senior Marketing Livingston will be close to interaction of residents Manager for Brookfield. transit routes and major thoris the foundation.

Promoting interaction is easier oughfares. However, the strateJessie Seymour, Senior Manager, Strategic Marketing, said than done, though, especially gic integration of retail shops, Brookfield Residential at a time when technologies like restaurants, health care fasmartphones and tablets are cilities and other commercial causing people to be less physically interactive than ever. “The developments could provide more than 7,000 jobs in the neighway a community is laid out helps determine if people will bourhood alone, further promoting the “live, work and play” mingle or not, as anyone who has lived in a place where peoobjective.

All these details compelled Ward 3 city councillor Jim ple walk out the door straight into their cars can attest,” says Stevenson to tell reporters during the community’s launch in Seymour. “What we did with Livingston is lay it out in an urearly 2016: “It’s basically a new city, north of the ring road, ban grid fashion so that you have people coming out of differthat’s a result of some amazing innovation, especially workent doors and crossing paths.

“Interaction opportunities will be further enhanced with ing between the administration of the City of Calgary and plenty of bike trails and, of course, Centre Street.”

Brookfield Residential.

Most significantly, Livingston’s homeowner association will “The co-operation that has taken place in order for this to be a hub for events, festivities, educational classes and many happen is, I think, unprecedented.” other communal activities. “Our association will live up to That spirit of co-operation is the real driver of Livingston,

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

PHOTO: MIHAI-BOGDAN LAZAR

and it could be argued that, had Brookfield and other developtownhomes, while Homes by Avi will offer street towns – allers not worked overtime to help the City of Calgary amend its inclusive townhomes where buyers own both the home and the Municipal Development Plan, the community could have been land, meaning no condominium boards, condo fees or suranother cosmetically attractive, empty suburb in which people prise special assessments – and Avi Urban will construct apartwould live but hardly thrive. ment-style condos. From farmhouse to contemporary, there will Devin Dyler, Brookfield’s Design Manager, explains: “What be a residence to please virtually every demographic, from baby [the development industry] did boomer to millennial. The best was take down the roadblocks communities are characterized Fortunately, the City of Calgary facing residential architects and by a distinct hub or thoroughwas equally committed to creating fare, and Livingston will live builders, with regards to orientaup to this tradition with Centre tion, height, parking and variaa framework that would facilitate Street running directly through tion. In other words, we addressed truly creative, responsible the middle of the community: an the root causes. It wasn’t easy: the residential development urban spine of mixed-use develprocess took five years of intensive opment, shops and amenities. consultation. But fortunately, the in the 21st century.

Of course, working with the City of Calgary was equally comDevin Dyler, Design Manager, Brookfield Residential City was just one of the many mitted to creating a framework strategies Brookfield undertook that would facilitate truly crein laying the groundwork for Livingston. Extensive market reative, responsible residential development in the 21st century.” search played a major role too. “Brookfield has always providLivingston is the first master-planned community to be ed homes with great value, and we wanted to ensure that this approved through the city’s new Municipal Development would be a hallmark of Livingston too,” says Seymour. “While Plan; freed from the “roadblocks,” Brookfield worked to creour diversity of product is a reflection of what the buying public ate a neighbourhood that is engaging, creative, and unique. wants, affordability is the unifying factor.

Thus, the first phase of construction will include six build“We consider Livingston to be a true landmark, both archiers – Brookfield Residential, Homes by Avi, Avi Urban, Jayman tecturally and in terms of achieving a social objective.”

Built, Cedarglen Homes and Morrison Homes – with sales expected to start in late 2016 or early 2017.

Brookfield Chief Operating Officer Trent Edwards adds: “To Jayman, Cedarglen and Morrison will construct front drive me, it’s going to be the new benchmark of how master-planning garage homes. Morrison and Brookfield will build laned sincommunities need to be planned out and how they need to be gle-family homes, Brookfield will offer duplex homes as well as built.”

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MAVERICK AT LIVINGSTON Innovative designs and modern aesthetic set Avi Urban’s townhome development apart

T “It has been a long time since a vibrant new community has launched in north central Calgary.”

– Charron Ungar, president, Avi Urban

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ake a tour through any of its show-homes and it’s easy to see why Avi Urban has once again been named Multi-Family Builder of the Year. Since inception in 2000, the company has maintained a vision for innovative design and a modern aesthetic, combined with the knowledge and commitment to quality inherent at Homes by Avi. A continued commitment to deliver the most innovative, functional and beautiful townhomes and apartments on the market differentiates Avi Urban from other builders.

In Livingston, Avi Urban is in the development stage of a vibrant apartment condominium community, which will house 170 new homes spread over three boutique, four-storey buildings. Modern prairie-inspired elevations mesh perfectly with an entirely new stable of unit layouts catering to today’s contemporary and sophisticated condominium buyer. Maverick at Livingston, Avi Urban’s newest development, is something truly spectacular and sets a new bar in apartment condominium living in North Calgary’s newest masterplanned community.

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Future Livingston residents will be nothing short of impressed when they experience Maverick at Livingston. The product line brings architectural diversity and affordability to the product mix in this highly sought-after community, all while maintaining an unparalleled standard of quality. Avi Urban sets itself apart by providing an inclusive community lifestyle that pays homage to the natural prairie elements in the surrounding landscape. No details were overlooked in the preparation of this development. From the use of modern building materials to the unassumingly simplistic forms, the project exudes contemporary style. Punch-out balconies with metal cladding and metal-framed balconies with tempered glass add an additional level of sophistication to each of the three structures.

“It has been a long time since a vibrant new community has launched in north

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central Calgary,” says Charron Ungar, president of Avi Urban. “With Livingston, the community approach is fresh and the planning concepts are a testament to the needs and values of our growing city. What really attracts me to Livingston, however, are both the diversity of product available for homebuyers and the distinct architectural character of the neighbourhood that will be presented.”

Upon completion, Maverick will be home to a variety of one- and two-bedroom units, ranging from 500 to 1,000 square feet.

Homeowners will have the option to choose between courtyard and street-adjacent units, and underground or at-grade parking stalls.

Building amenities, such as an underground car wash and underground dog wash, along with building-specific fitness and recreation rooms, encourage connectivity among residents and reflect the vision of Livingston in its entirety.

Having the opportunity to become a part of the legacy that will be Livingston is something Avi Urban prides itself on. From the beginning, the goal of Avi Urban has been to offer homeowners the ultimate in comfort and function, while building innovative, thoughtful townhome and apartment developments that bring urban inspirations to a livable product. By redefining multi-family development, Avi Urban has earned its place as an innovative market leader and the 2015 Multi-Family Builder of the Year. Avi Urban’s broad range of communities includes highly modern live/work developments in the inner city, street-oriented row housing and largescale, multi-phase townhome developments.

Homeowners at Maverick will gain 24hour access to Avi Urban’s unique resource website, MyHome, which provides resources pertaining to home ownership. Information resources range from general disclosure documents, homeowner guides and warranty

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information to exclusive offers from locally owned and operated businesses. This means owners can anticipate a hassle-free process when they buy with Avi Urban.

Livingston is in close proximity to amenities already in place, including quick access to the Calgary International Airport, and to Deerfoot and Stoney Trails. The four core values of Livingston include collaboration, connection, togetherness and destination, which carry throughout the community and into the inclusive lifestyle of Maverick at Livingston.

Discover a coveted urban lifestyle at the heart of a community inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of Calgary.

For more information, visit www.aviurban.com LIVE UP

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

EAST Meets WEST Sparq Productions brings Bollywood dance to the masses in Calgary

BY GLENN COOK • PHOTOGRAPHED BY SOHAIL KASHIF OF SK CLICKS

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VERY YEAR, THE CALGARY STAMPEDE SEES PLENTY of line dancing and country music. So when Bollywood moves and music break out, people take note.

Tania Lemos Malpuria and Vishal Malpuria are the owners of Sparq Productions in Calgary and the masterminds behind the yearly Bollywood flash mob on Stephen Avenue on the last Saturday of the Stampede. It mixes Sparq’s professional dancers with enthusiastic amateurs to bring a bit of Indian culture to Calgary.

“Everybody has a ball!” Tania says. “We had almost 100 dancers this year, and we’re hoping to fill up a few blocks of Stephen Avenue in the coming years.”

Tania and Vishal both grew up in India, and are both professional dancers and choreographers. They have performed all over the world. But when they decided to settle down and start a family, they chose north Calgary.

“We moved here, to the north, in 2007, and it has just been fantastic,” Tania says.

Of course, settling down doesn’t mean slowing down – Tania and Vishal have been busier than ever lately, producing shows and branching out into film and television, in addition to looking after two children, Syesha and Shayan, aged six and nine.

But Tania hopes her company can keep growing and help dancers live their dreams.

“Apart from being on the verge of opening an all-genre dance school, we’d like to take the dancers who excel here in Bollywood to Mumbai one day, and maybe give them a chance to be a backup dancer in a movie,” she says.

Contact Tel: 403-246-5739 / 403-708-9900 Email: contact@sparqproductions.com

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BY JESSICA BARRATT • PHOTOGRAPHED BY BOOKSTRUCKER

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

A sense of togetherness in north Calgary has helped Raman Kapoor make big strides for heart health

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S SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED IN NORTH CALGARY

almost her whole life, Raman Kapoor understands that one of the most important things a person can do for his or her own happiness in a big city is to open themselves up to connections. “I think it’s really important to know your neighbours – they’re what make your experience of a city,” she remarks.

From her early days of elementary school to now raising her own family, Kapoor has made connections in – and can easily navigate the twisting suburbs of – Ranchlands, Hawkwood, Hamptons and, finally, Panorama Hills, where she has lived for the past six years. Kapoor did take an adventurous 12-year hiatus to explore the prairies and go to school, but, as she says, “I always came home.”

While she attributes a lot of her love for the area to familiarity – not to mention the splendid mountain views that lay to the west – most of Kapoor’s affection comes from her region’s community mentality. “The community atmosphere here is a strong one,” she says proudly, “and there are a number of common meeting places that help to bind us all together, such as the Vivo recreation centre, or the Panorama Hills E-Community Centre.”

As Kapoor sees it, living in an area where community comes first carries the potential to impact every aspect of a resident’s

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day-to-day life. Not only will the community feel safer and more close-knit, but the connections made can have a huge impact on a city- or province-wide scale. As a strong-minded woman who has founded an organization that directly benefits from a thriving community base, Kapoor has seen first-hand how building a strong interpersonal network can breed meaningful success.

See, Kapoor was born with a hole in her heart, for which she underwent surgery in 2000. The operation was a success, though Kapoor feels her grandest achievement was realized post-surgery: “I never let my heart condition be a weakness; rather, it became my strength – to try harder, to never quit, and to understand the importance of women’s health and prevention.”

With that, Kapoor leveraged her 20 years of experience as a registered dietitian, her capability as a mother of two, and her lifetime as a heart patient to help establish the DIL Walk Foundation, an organization dedicated to increasing the awareness of heart disease in Canada’s South Asian population by encouraging individuals to be proactive about heart health. “I wanted to be a role model to my children and, as an RD, I had the knowledge to help make a difference,” she explains. “Being able to speak English and Punjabi was definitely an asset.”

With the help of her husband, co-founder Dr. Anmol Kapoor,

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

DIL Walk started up in 2011, and then became an official charity in 2013. Since then, the foundation has partnered with many organizations in and around Calgary, including the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Nursing, where the Kapoors helped spur on the creation of the Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Heart) Research Chair, a position currently held by Kathryn King-Sheir, a cardiovascular nurse scientist.

On September 17 of this year, Kapoor also co-ordinated a successful effort to educate Calgarians of all ages and ethnicities about heart wellness. “We trained 500 people in CPR, simultaneously. Every participant received an ‘Anytime Kit,’ with the idea that they could take the kit home to teach their family, friends and neighbours something of what they learned.”

What’s more, on October 15, the DIL Walk Foundation held a fundraising gala called Flow. During the event at Ferrari Maserati of Alberta – which featured an Italian piazza theme – Kapoor and her team were able to raise funds toward improving heart research in Canada, as well as for the diligent nursing staff at the Congestive Heart Failure outpatient clinic in Calgary – the only clinic of its kind in Alberta designed to improve quality of life for those who are awaiting further treatment.

As Kapoor puts it, “DIL Walk is more than just a walk. It’s an After dropping the kids off at school, Kapoor sets off in a acronym for wellness, access, linkages and knowledge.” She goes whirlwind. “I have several meetings booked all throughout the on: “We use a bottom-up approach because we want to involve all city, and tend to work a lot on the go.” As many of us would, aspects of the community. It’s about building a community caKapoor admits that her cellphone is her saving grace, and that pacity, as well as the strength of each individual member of that she will utilize almost any space available for work, whether it be community.” her car, a coffee shop, the park or her home office.

In the same way that an individual might take his or her first As a result, after her kids are home from school, Kapoor step in creating new and eye-opening connections, Kapoor – as makes sure the family’s evenings are full of relaxed activities. acting president of the founda“We bake, try new recipes, make tion – acknowledges the unique crafts and try to make the time I think it’s really important effect north Calgary’s communimeaningful, but at a leisurety-minded outlook has had on her ly pace.” And of course, on the to know your neighbours – achievements. “We have had great weekends, Kapoor and her family they’re what make your support from many organizations try to enjoy other parts of Calgary experience of a city. around the community. Without and the different activities going their help, DIL Walk would not be on throughout the city.

–Raman Kapoor as successful.” She smiles before Admittedly, living in north thanking all of her advocates, doCalgary offers Kapoor a lot of flexnors, and partners: “You all make us proud!” ibility that might not be available should she relocate downtown.

Kapoor’s public presence is inarguably strong, but she tries not Although she enjoys both suburban and inner-city living, and to let it affect the way she feels about creating “community” in feels they both have unique qualities to offer, Kapoor really loves the private sphere. In fact, her fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants work- how her area mimics the serenity of small-town living, while still days are usually grounded by the family time she sets aside for providing her with quick access to Calgary’s exciting downtown. herself in the evenings and on the weekends.

“I love being in the northwest. It has everything I need at my fin“It depends on the day, but generally I am a very early riser,” gertips – it’s my own little city!” she says. And who wouldn’t be, with an opportunity to stand outIn short, north Calgary is an area where every resident has an side holding a steaming mug of tea and watch the sun rise over opportunity to integrate themselves into an existing network of the mountains? “The morning is when I get the most done,” she extraordinary people like Kapoor and her family. “Make those continues. “I tend to work out, pre-make supper, and organize connections,” says Kapoor. “They can truly change your percepthe day all before the rest of the family is even awake.” tion about your community.”

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BROOKFIELD RESIDENTIAL BRINGS QUALITY HOMES TO LIVINGSTON Award-winning homebuilder excited to bring fresh designs, functional living and affordable homes to city’s newest northwest community

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mid great anticipation from eager new homebuyers, Brookfield Residential, a highly awarded local homebuilder and developer, will be bringing an astounding showhome lineup to Calgary’s new 519-hectare master-planned community, Livingston.

Brookfield Residential has been building homes for nearly 30 years, taking home more customer choice awards than any other builder, with 33 awards over the last 20 years.

“Livingston will change the face of north Calgary,” says Kelly Halliday, Business

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Development Manager with Brookfield Residential, noting the company has been a leading land developer for over 60 years.

“Homes in the community have been designed to harmonize with the landscape and we’re excited to bring some of our award-winning models to this market.”

Expected to add about 6,500 single-family homes and 4,500 multi-family units to the local housing market, Livingston will be one of the largest developments approved by the City of Calgary.

Brookfield Residential is among five

Celebrating Calgary’s New North

builders expected to build homes in the new community. Recipient of the Professional Home Builders Institute’s (PHBI) New Homebuyers’ Choice Award, Brookfield is expected to break ground on four new showhomes in fall 2016 with an anticipated opening date of spring 2017. There will be two single-family and two semi-detached showhome models.

“We will be bringing our best home models to Livingston, including the Belvedere, the Linden and, of course, some fresh new home designs,” Halliday explains.

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The Belvedere, with its elegant curved staircase, modern layout, expansive island and open-to-below areas, has been one of Brookfield’s best-selling single-family floor plans for several years.

“It’s a model that appeals to all age groups and lifestyles,” Halliday says. “The source of its appeal is its jewel box design. It’s a phenomenal home that’s about quality and function.”

A total of 10 models will be offered by Brookfield, ranging from 1,300 to 1,800 square feet. Among them is the Carlisle, with its charming appeal and open concept main floor.

“As a homebuyer, the Carlisle has everything you want – a spacious and contemporary kitchen, an oversized great

QUICK FACTS: What you need to know about the features of Calgary’s newest northwest community: • Number of school sites in the community: 6 • Number of recreational amenities upon completion: 20 • Distance to downtown Calgary: 15 kilometers • Distance to Stoney Trail: 1.5 kilometers • Distance to Deerfoot Trail: 5 kilometers • Access to the future Green line LRT, which will run from Seton to Livingston

room, a flex room, a bonus room and a master bedroom with an ensuite,” she describes.

But the amazing model lineup doesn’t end there. Two more models of what Brookfield calls “jewel box homes” will be offered to homebuyers, including the award-winning semi-detached Linden model and a new home model that will be revealed in spring 2017.

This new model, according to Halliday, was designed with convenience in mind, with its oversized living space, dedicated tech hub, bonus room and upper floor laundry.

“We want to bring designs that would meet the needs of families at every stage of their life, but we also wanted home models that would complement and reflect the beauty of the community,” she notes, adding that Livingston was designed on the foundation of enhanced livability, wellness and convenience.

In addition to four new showhomes, Brookfield will also be launching its first multifamily project in Livingston, which will offer customers an additional four or five floor plans in a maintenance-free townhome-built form.

While prices have not been formalized, affordability remains one of the developer’s top priorities. “We remain focused on providing quality homes with affordability in mind,” Halliday says. “We are always listening to our customers’ feedback and know that Livingston

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will provide Calgarians with a place where they can stay, grow with their families and move from home to home within the community.”

The community will offer a range of housing, including townhomes, semidetached laned homes, single-family homes and apartment-style condos.

From Brookfield’s incredible showhome lineup to Livingston’s noteworthy appeal, homebuyers will be flocking to check out what’s been pegged as the new uptown for north Calgary.

“Livingston will boast a quality of life that is second to none by offering residents a wide spectrum of housing options and connecting them to local neighborhood retail and significant services, including six schools, a 30,000-square-foot homeowner association facility, 250 acres of dedicated open space and more,” Halliday explains.

The first of three phases of Livingston will include almost 400 homes that include fellow builder partners Cedarglen Homes, Jayman Built, Morrison Homes, Homes by Avi and Avi Urban.

A 15-year construction timeline is expected for the new community. The community launch for Livingston is expected for mid-2017.

QUICK FACTS: Brookfield Residential, Calgary Homes Winner of 33 customer awards over 20 years, including: • PHBI (Professional Home Builders Institute) New Homebuyers’ Choice Award • 150+ Possessions Multi-Family, Calgary & Area, 2016, 2015 • 150+ Possessions Multi-Family, Alberta, 2015, 2014 • 150+ Possessions, Best in Class Multi-Family, Calgary & Area, 2014 • Avid Benchmark Award Alberta (Multi-Family) for Customer Satisfaction, 2016 • Avid Home Quality Award, 2015, 2016

For more information, visit alberta.brookfieldresidential.com/calgary/livingston LIVE UP

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Devin Dyler

BY ROBIN BRUNET • PHOTOGRAPHED BY BOOKSTRUCKER

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HE NEXT TIME YOU SEE YOUR KIDS BUILDING

houses out of Lego, take note: they may grow up to help change the way communities are developed.

That is precisely the case with Devin Dyler, who spent much of his childhood making homes out of toy bricks. Today, he is the Design Manager for Brookfield Residential, and is helping to bring the company’s communities and subdivisions to life.

Dyler, 35, spends each day presiding over two design and production teams in two different Calgary offices, heavily involving himself in the progression of everything from model work to permitting.

While Dyler frequently insists that he is only one of an army of people responsible for breathing life into communities, it’s with unmistakable pride that he admits to bringing all the experience and resources of his 15 years in the residential industry to bear on projects.

“I wanted to design and build homes at the age of five,” he says. “I’ve always had a passion for putting things together and, to me, buildings are the biggest puzzles you can work on.”

Born and raised in Calgary, Dyler credits his parents and high school counsellors for encouraging him to follow his ambitions.

He attended Mount Royal University to study engineering and then SAIT to obtain an architectural technologies degree.

But, instead of going straight into design, Dyler spent years designing and engineering structures for homes, and working alongside tradesmen gave him a well-rounded knowledge that has proven to be invaluable to Brookfield.

“I wouldn’t have been able to design at the extremely high level that Livingston requires had I not learned first-hand all the processes that go into home building,” he explains, referring to Brookfield’s newest community in north Calgary. “This is something I constantly drum into my staff, to the point where it’s almost mandatory for them to go out and spend time on job sites.”

As with all Brookfield staff, he listens closely to what customers have to say, and given that such input has been instrumental in shaping Livingston, he is excited by the diverse blend of home styles that will comprise the new neighbourhood. “Each style has been reinvented in order to be special to the community,” he says.

“For example, our reinvented craftsman-style home has modern

elements like offset windows and unique materials. Similar elements – meaning, not necessarily endemic to the style to which they are applied – will be evident in our prairie- and farm-style offerings, and this approach to design is so that the different styles of homes along with our contemporary style homes will be in harmony when mixed together – without appearing ‘the same.’”

Although it will take a more than a decade for Livingston to be fully completed, Dyler already imagines himself walking along the community’s spine of Centre Street. “People taking the journey will experience a succession of difference ambiances, and these transitions will be matched by appropriate mixed-use, retail, and recreation amenities to form an urban core, with the community becoming more residential as you travel further into either side of Centre Street.”

As a married man with two children, Dyler keenly appreciates that young families more than ever are seeking affordable housing – which is why he was attracted to Brookfield’s different approach to community building. “Brookfield’s mandate is to provide the best possible value to homebuyers. But in order to achieve this at Livingston, we had to do a lot more than just design great homes.”

By that, Dyler is referring to consultations Brookfield and other developers held with planners at the City of Calgary in the development of a new Municipal Development Plan. These consultations resulted in changes to housing zones and houseto-green-space ratios, as well as parking and building height requirements.

Now that construction on Livingston is underway, Dyler is committed to seeing the project through to its ultimate completion. “I’ll be a middle aged man by then,” he jokes.

But it may very well be that, in his middle age, Dyler will see at least one of his children take the necessary steps towards being a homebuilder too. “My infant daughter Ayla loves coming to work with me and tells everyone she wants to grow up doing what Daddy does,” he says. “Plus, she’s constantly drawing, which is not unlike me as a kid playing with my Lego.”

As for Livingston, Dyler says, “My dream has always been to provide the WOW factor in residential development, and Livingston does that. I honestly think it represents the next era of what Calgary’s neighbourhoods will look like.”

“I’ve always had a passion for putting things together and, to me, buildings are the biggest puzzles you can work on.”

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Karen Young

BY JULIE-ANNE CLEYN

W

HEN THE BOW AND ELBOW RIVERS overflowed their banks and flooded parts of Calgary in 2013, the City of Calgary asked Karen Young – then its director of community and neighbourhood services – to oversee Emergency Social Services. “Knowing that Calgary was my home and where my daughter was raised kept me working tirelessly to ensure that the community was safe from harm and that recovery was quick,” says Young, who also heard stories of Calgarians looking out for their neighbours by helping them clear their basements or offering them a place to stay, which only “deepened” her love for the people of the city.

That experience was a game-changer for Young, one that led her to later accept the position of Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President of United Way Calgary and Area.

“I find it rewarding to bring people together to look at creative opportunities and solutions to make a difference in people’s lives, and to be able to share the story of the impact,” says Young.

“Hearing the success stories of people accessing [our] programs makes me smile every day.”

United Way supports over 300 programs, initiatives and services in the Calgary area, which address the root causes of critical social issues. Poverty impacts one in 10 Calgarians – in 2015, United Way helped over 177,000 individuals. That’s almost 500 people a day.

Young – who has been living in Calgary since she was 13 – had various management positions in the City of Calgary’s recreation department before she became director of community and neighbourhood services. Now, at United Way, she works with grassroots organizations, corporations, philanthropists and different levels of government to build long-term sustainable change for the city. In a typical day, she may meet with the strategic planning committee in the morning, meet with a student who needs help accessing education over lunch, and visit one of the charity’s agencies in the afternoon.

While United Way supports Calgarians across the city, services have often become more frequently offered in areas that directly benefit from them. “Poverty is more prevalent in pockets of the city, some of which are located in the north communities,” says Young.

For example, in the northeast, where the population is especially vibrant and includes many newcomers, immigrants and refugees, services often help them integrate and engage with their community. A service called 1,000 Voices, for instance, provides services, supports and resources to men, women and youth of all backgrounds, ages, cultures and faiths at the Genesis Centre on

Falconridge Boulevard. The Bowness Boys and Girls Club offers a safe, supportive place for children and youth to experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop skills for life. The Bridge Foundation supports immigrant and refugee youths and their families. The Alex Youth Health Centre provides a variety of free services to young people.

United Way also offers initiatives throughout Calgary that have chapters in the northeast and northwest. For example, All In for Youth is an initiative offered in 21 high schools across the city, including a number in north Calgary. A component of All In for Youth is the Success Coach program, which teams Success Coaches with vulnerable Calgary students to help them complete high school and become positive and healthy adults.

In addition, United Way plans to open Community Hubs in six neighbourhoods across the city, three of which are in the north.

Located in existing facilities that would be repurposed, these Community Hubs stem from the knowledge that certain Calgary neighbourhoods require a unique offering of services, resources and supports that are determined by residents and are communityfocused. Often, these communities have a higher rate of poverty than other Calgary communities.

Because research shows that living in neighbourhoods with high levels of poverty can negatively impact life expectancy, physical and mental health, early childhood development and overall quality of life, there is a need for embedding these types of supports into the communities. “[The Hub] would be a vehicle for mobilizing community residents to build on their strengths and take responsibility for the future of their community,” says Young. “Think of a Hub as a constellation that connects and co-ordinates all the services and opportunities that are available to residents.”

In the north, the Hubs would be located in Bowness, Vista Heights and North of McKnight Communities.

A staff member once asked Young why she left her prominent career at the City of Calgary. “The answer came easily to me,” she says. “All my life, no matter what job I had, I always knew I wanted to change the world for the better. United Way Calgary and Area gave me the chance I needed to bring together my belief in doing better for our city, our country and our world with my years of leadership experience.”

The Board of Directors recently asked Young to be the new president and chief executive officer in January 2017 when Dr. Lucy Miller, the current president and CEO, retires.

“I am so thrilled,” says Young.

“All my life, no matter what job I had, I always knew I wanted to change the world for the better.”

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Via Cibo

BY JULIE-ANNE CLEYN • PHOTOGRAPHED BY BOOKSTRUCKER

A

T VIA CIBO, TIRAMISU FRENCH TOAST IS ON THE brunch menu. It’s no wonder Chris Herron, the general manager of Via Cibo Coventry, calls the menu “progressive.”

Calgary’s north-central location of the fast-casual Italian restaurant opened in February 2015 on Country Village Road N.E. “There’s been some great reception from the neighbourhood,” says Herron.

Via Cibo is a Toronto-based restaurant chain devoted to preparing food with authentic ingredients, just the way they do in Italy. But what’s unique about Via Cibo is its affordable, fastcasual model. Customers order at the front counter from the menu board and take a number. Staff members bring their meals to their table in seven to eight minutes. The result is fast, but doesn’t compromise on quality.

Take the restaurant’s signature dish, the ossobuco sandwich – slow-braised veal shank, provolone cheese and caramelized onions in a softer version of a Calabrese bun – which sells for $12. “[In Italy,] it doesn’t matter if it’s a high-end place or on the street. People expect good food,” said Alex Rechichi – the president, CEO and co-founder of Crave It Restaurant Group, the company behind Via Cibo – in a Toronto Star article when the restaurant opened its first location.

Via Cibo opened in Coventry Hills because the community is up-and-coming, active, family-oriented and dense, says Rechichi.

“We thought that good, authentic, affordable Italian food was really under-represented in [that] marketplace,” he says. Crave It worked with its Calgary partners at the city’s first Via Cibo location, in Deerfoot Meadows, to select the real estate for Coventry.

Interest in franchising continued to grow at the Deerfoot Meadows location, but from a customer.

The customer was Claude LaMonaca, owner at Schanks International. “Claude and his group were very interested in opening an Italian concept. They came across Via Cibo, really liked it, and decided: Why reinvent the wheel when we were doing something that was very unique?” says Rechichi. So, LaMonaca became the franchisee of Via Cibo Coventry. Herron, the general manager, previously worked at Schanks as general manager. The partners at Deerfoot Meadows instead opened a location at 14 Street and 15 Avenue S.W. Herron says that another menu staple is the piadina, a flatbread that’s a well-known street food item in Italy and

originates from the Emilia-Romagna region. For centuries, Italians have made the piadina from simple, fresh, healthful ingredients. The dough is made up of 100 per cent artisan durum wheat flour, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, Mediterranean Sea salt and spring water. In Italy, it’s kneaded and baked right in front of you, and packed with local, authentic ingredients. At Via Cibo, the piadina is handmade right in front of you as well.

You can choose from a wide variety of nutritious ingredients to add in, including grilled meats, Italian sausage, fish or roasted vegetables. The concept brings meaning to via cibo, which translates to “street food.”

Cooking speedy street food, however, initially presented a challenge for meals made from scratch when Rechichi opened his first location. But Via Cibo hasn’t compromised. For example, the staff members prepare the ossobuco a few times weekly in a slow cooker. After the veal has cooked overnight and cooled, they pull it off in the morning, and simmer it until serving.

On that note, the ossobuco can be served with penne or linguine pasta as an alternative to in a sandwich. Also on the menu is Italianstyle poutine called Via Poutine – shredded ossobuco, Tuscan fries, provolone cheese, and ossobuco ragu. Other items include traditional Neapolitan pizza, prepared using Caputo “00” flour (enthusiasts call it the world’s best), as well as sausages and meatballs.

For dessert, there’s gelato from Calgary-based Fiasco Gelato.

Julia Hay, the front of house manager at Via Cibo Coventry, says kids – who get one scoop with their meals – like to peer over the gelato display and pick their flavour while their parents pay. Via Cibo’s Toronto location is a fan too – the gelato is shipped all the way over there.

As for the Coventry Hills location, last summer, it introduced a lunch special that allowed people to try a two-course meal – an appetizer and an entrée – that was “well received,” says Rechichi. “[Customers can] keep looking forward to seeing those specials,” he says. “We’ve always been very focused from a culinary standpoint on developing those specials.” They’re usually inspired by a seasonal vegetable; the team picks three or four menu categories – such as pasta, pizza, sandwiches or appetizers – and uses the vegetable in each of those categories.

The Coventry team also plans to install a patio next summer – perhaps the final element to establishing authentic Italian street food and bringing it to the people of north Calgary.

The concept brings meaning to via cibo, which translates to “street food.”

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North

Cynthia Watson

BY CHELSEA GRAINGER • PHOTOGRAPHED BY BOOKSTRUCKER

C

YNTHIA WATSON IS ALL ABOUT ENHANCING

community health. As Chief Evolution Officer with Vivo for healthier generations – a non-for-profit organization and recreation facility located in Calgary’s northwest community of Panorama Hills – Watson spends her days looking for ways to enhance the health of residents in the community.

It’s a position and a career for which she has a lot of passion.

“What’s not to love about it?” she says. “How we make the world a better place is really exciting work.”

Health has always been at the forefront of Watson’s life. As a premed student in Victoria, B.C., Watson worked in a nursing home as a music therapy assistant. Eventually, she made the move to Calgary and took on a role working with veterans in the Alberta health care system, and eventually made the leap to working with Olympic and aspiring athletes at the Talisman Centre.

Both of those opportunities shifted Watson’s career focus.

“I had the realization that being a physician wouldn’t be as fulfilling,” she says. “All of these opportunities just kept coming up, and I kept following them, and they’ve brought me to this amazing place.”

Watson’s passion isn’t lost on her colleagues. Dr. Dwayne Sheehan, a physical educator at Mount Royal University with whom Watson has worked closely, says she does great work.

“Cynthia is a highly supportive leader that encourages creativity and collaboration. We’ve travelled down many rabbit holes in an effort to discover the great work that others are doing in an effort to advance the Vivo Gen H movement,” Sheehan says. “She has the amazing ability to encourage those around her to take risks outside their comfort zone and learn from the successes and failures of those efforts.”

Watson came on board with Vivo, then named Cardel Place, in 2011 as a director of research and began to work with Mount Royal University faculty, students and specialists to research the health of the community. The results revealed local youth seemed to be less active than required to live a healthy lifestyle.

“We found out that the kids in our area may be a little bit more active than the national average, but not by much. Youth should be getting about 60 minutes of activity each day, and they’ve been getting less than that,” says Watson.

“We thought about what we could do about it, and what our role in the community would be.”

By 2014, Watson and her team decided to rebrand and created Vivo

for healthier generations – a fresh take on healthy community living.

“We want people to know that we’re more than a recreation centre,” says Watson, who adds that the organization wants to “co-create” with the community. “At Vivo, we believe recreation has a big role to play in terms of being part of the public health system.”

Together with and a number of multi-sector partners – including sports organizations, cultural groups, special interest groups, recreation centres, funders, public and Catholic school boards and post-secondary schools – Vivo is working towards creating a new generation in Calgary’s north: Generation Healthy, also known as Gen H. Equipped with the Gen H initiative, Vivo is a complete overhaul of the traditional recreation facilities seen in most communities. “The world doesn’t need another program.

It’s a system change that will make a difference,” says Watson. She adds that Gen H, which focuses on making healthy decisions every day, doesn’t only apply to youth. “Gen H is all about how you can choose to be part of your own generation, not just the one you are born into.”

Now that the idea of Gen H has been established, Watson works with teams of researchers and Vivo staff to find out the best way to make the initiative come to fruition.

“One of the things that we are trying to do is figure out how to look at not only individual health, but also the support systems that they have and how their environments touch them in their 24-hour day – at home, at work, at school or at play,” she says.

Alongside traditional programs including aquatics, basketball, climbing, dance and fitness, Vivo is all about giving the community a say on their own health. “We want to get the community involved in what they think a healthy community is,” says Watson. “Our team is switching its focus to be better educators and teach people how healthy living can be an everyday habit and help individuals get more active everywhere.”

Vivo is continually evolving as the team discovers new ways to bring a healthy lifestyle to the community, and Watson is at the forefront of those changes. She spends the majority of her day meeting with stakeholders, which include Mount Royal researchers and staff, and Vivo’s board of directors to test and tinker new ideas and initiatives to better serve the community. She also oversees a team of managers that leads more than 200 employees.

“Everybody at Vivo is super passionate,” says Watson. “We know that, if we work better together, we can make a difference.”

“How we make the world a better place is really exciting work.”

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Celebrating Calgary’s New North