NE Calgary: A community for new beginnings

The signs of growth are everywhere in northeast Calgary. Someone who hasn’t been in the area over the last 10 years might even find it unrecognizable with all the new commercial and residential developments. And more are underway.

What was once a lonely stretch of prairie country road, Country Hills Boulevard– one of the main thoroughfares in the area – has become emblematic of the explosive growth of what has been termed Calgary’s “New North.”

Indeed, the appellation works. The northeast has ever been the area for new beginnings, as it has been favoured by new immigrants to the city for its affordable housing options. And it’s not just immigrants, but anyone who wants to become a homeowner – especially first-time-buyers - will find something within their budget in the myriad of new communities that have fuelled the sector’s growth.

Not a decade ago, rolling grass plains straddled Country Hills Boulevard east of Deerfoot Trail. Now, these have been replaced by a bustling commercial area filled with new offices, hotels, car dealerships, restaurants, and shops. New residential communities now line this vital roadway, including Cornerstone and Cornerbrook, Skyview Ranch and Redstone, and further east is the new community of Homestead.

The expansion of the Calgary International Airport a few years ago has led the boom in infrastructure growth too, and now Airport Trail and its attendant roads is a straight shot east from Deerfoot Trail to the residential communities of SaddleRidge and beyond. This provides unprecedented accessibility to the airport, that is one of the major employment hubs in the area.

Lilian and Jerry Quincina have been residing in the northeast for the better half of two decades and they have seen its rapid growth first-hand. When they first moved here, they remember still seeing cows and other farm animals grazing along the farmlands that dotted the SaddleRidge area. But they found a home and a community here that suited their lifestyle.

“It’s a great community to raise our kids, our home is just walking distance to our kids’ school, there are plenty of amenities that makes life easy,” Lilian says.

She should know, Lilian is a realtor with Urban Realty and her husband, Jerry, is a mortgage broker at Axiom, and bulk of their new homeowner business is in the northeast. “There are plenty of affordable homeowning opportunities here, and they are not limited to the new communities either,” Lilian tells Calgary New Home + Condo Guide.

Newcomers to the city have indeed found a home here. Recent census data reveal that Wards 5 and 10, both in the northeast, had the highest proportion of people who identify as visible minorities compared to the overall population of each region. More than 80 per cent of those in Ward 5, encompassing areas such as Falconridge, Martindale and SaddleRidge, identify as a visible minority. In Ward 10, which includes Abbeydale, Marlborough, Mayland Heights and Rundle, it is at 58 per cent of the population.

The most common ethnicities are South Asian, Chinese and Filipino. One doesn’t even need those stats to know this truth. One can tell simply by noticing all the supermarkets and restaurants that serve those particular segments of the demographic doing brisk business in the area.

The venerable T&T supermarket on 36 St. NE gets crowded every Chinese New Year; Basha International Foods along Barlow Tr. is the go-to spot for fresh ingredients for South Asian dishes; and, the most recent addition, Seafood City just off Sunridge Blvd. draws Filipino shoppers from as far away as Saskatchewan.

Forbidden City, Cinnamon and Max’s Fried Chicken are some of the best Chinese, Indian and Filipino restaurants (respectively) in the northeast, maybe in all of Calgary.

The newly renovated Sunridge Mall continues to be the commercial mecca of the northeast and the new Daily Fresh Produce area combines the traditional shopping mall with a farmer’s market offering local produce.

Families love the northeast as it offers several inexpensive ways to engage young children. The Prairie Winds Park along Castleridge Drive, just east of 52nd Street NE, has become a lovely four-season outdoor playground for residents living in the surrounding communities. The city-run Village Square recreation centre is a great option, as well.

Then there is the magical Genesis Centre, a 225,000 square foot multi-purpose complex dedicated to enriching the health, wellness, and unity of northeast Calgary. It has two indoor filed houses, a community gymnasium. The Saddletowne YMCA and the Calgary Public Library are at its wings.

With all those amenities – not to mention the plentiful schools and places of worship– it is no wonder that the northeast is known as a very welcoming place. Then there are the family-friendly new communities that abound.

Redstone by Qualico Communities is all but built-out and is now on its final phase. Like many other of new communities here, Redstone has never shied away from the multiculturalism that has defined it and attracted even more buyers to it. Many of the housing options – even the townhomes — are designed to fit the needs of buyers from extended and even multi-generational families. Check out www.redstone.qualicocommunitiescalgary.com for more.

The same is true at Cornerstone by Anthem United. It is a 1,000-acre development that will include five modern neighbourhoods with 4,500 single family homes and 5,000 multi-family homes centered around a major activity centre with retail and office amenities. 180 acres of natural wetlands, trails and parks weave throughout the community. Go to www.liveatcornerstone.ca for more.

New is Homestead by Partners Development Group. It is the first venture into land development by the respected homebuilder known for its stylishly affordable townhomes.

Just on the east side of Stoney Trail and McKnight Boulevard in Calgary’s expanding northeast, Homestead is a throwback to simpler times and small-town living. Dennis Inglis, Vice-President of Land for partners, says they want to make this 230-acre community seem as welcoming and inviting to their “homesteaders.”

“We are surrounded by farmland, canola fields across from Homestead will be there for years to come. We want to make everyone feel welcome here,” he says. In that way, it can be seen as a reminder of what the northeast had been and what lies in its future. Find out more at
www.liveinhomestead.ca.