Westview Heights in Calgary. http://www.westview-heights.com 403-262-1178

City vacancy rate tightens By Marty Hope, Calgary Herald January 13, 2012 2:14 PM

2012-01-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

Downtown had the lowest vacancy rate at one per cent.

Downtown had the lowest vacancy rate at one per cent.
Photograph by: Calgary Herald, Archive

Growing migration and job creation tightened up Calgary’s rental market in 2011, says a survey.

The apartment vacancy rate in Calgary decreased to 1.9 per cent, down from 3.6 per cent in the previous year, says the most recent rental market survey by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

“Increased migration flows, supported by improving economic conditions and a return to robust job creation and lower unemployment, had increased demand for rental accommodations,” says senior market analyst Richard Cho of CMHC.

Most rental market zones in Calgary saw apartment vacancy rates decline in 2011 from the previous year, while others remained relatively stable.

The downtown zone had the lowest vacancy rate at one per cent in October, declining from 2.8 per cent a year earlier.

Meanwhile, other centres outside the city limits had one of the highest vacancy rates at 3.6 per cent.

For all bedroom types, the vacancy rate in 2011 declined from the previous year. Vacancies in October ranged from 1.8 per cent for one-bedroom units to 3.3 per cent for units with three or more bedrooms.

Despite the reduction in vacancies, the average rent in Calgary remained relatively stable.

Following a 2.6 per cent reduction from October 2009 to October 2010, rents for all apartment units in Calgary increased 1.8 per cent this October.

Bachelor suites and two-bedroom units had the strongest year-over-year gain in same-sample rents, both up 1.9 per cent from October 2010.

Overall, the average two-bedroom rent in the Calgary area was $1,084 this October, up from $1,069 in October 2010.

Downtown had the highest average two-bedroom monthly rent, reaching $1,214 in October 2011, while it was $1,173 during the same month last year.

The lowest average two-bedroom rent was in the southeast at $947 per month, while in outlying communities such as Airdrie it was $944.

These two zones also had among the lowest average two-bedroom rent in the October 2010 survey.

The vacancy rate for rental condo apartments remained relatively unchanged from the previous year at 5.7 per cent in 2011.

“Although overall rental demand has been supported by improving economic conditions, factors such as heightened condominium supply and tenants moving into homeownership have kept the vacancy rate among condominium rentals from moving lower,” says Cho.

The average condo rent in CMHC’s October survey was $1,378 per month, up from $1,355 in 2010.

In the other secondary rental market, the number of renter households reached 54,878 in October compared to 53,312 in the same month in 2010.

mhope@calgaryherald.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Calgary vacancy rates continue to decline.

2011-12-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

The CMHC in their survey of Calgary's rental market highlighted that the downtown Calgary market had a vacancy rate of 1% in October compared to 2.8% a year ago.

Facebook page

2011-11-30T15:18:00.000-08:00

A great way to interact with other tenants is through the Westview Heights facebook page. A link is attached.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1843821792

Alberta forecast to be only province with increase in housing starts

2011-11-22T10:01:00.000-08:00

CALGARY — Alberta will be the only province next year to buck the national trend for housing starts across the country.

According to an October 2011 Housing Forecast report released Tuesday by Altus Group, only Alberta is expected to see an increase in housing starts in 2012.

Subdued economic growth will take the “sizzle” out of Canadian housing starts in 2012 and deteriorating global economic conditions leading to lower Canadian growth expectations will constrain housing demand across the country, said the report.

“Based on recent data, the Canadian housing sector is performing at a very high level, with elevated housing starts, steady prices, and steady resale markets. Interest rates are also no longer expected to increase over the next year,” said Peter Norman, chief economist, Altus Group. “But at the same time a number of risk factors are emerging, especially deteriorating economic conditions and tighter mortgage rules. Canadians can expect lower levels of housing construction in most areas of the country next year.”

But the report said Alberta has seen job conditions and interprovincial migration rise sharply this year at the expense of Ontario and British Columbia, positively affecting housing demand next year.

Alberta will see housing starts in 2012 rise to 27,800 units from 24,881 this year. In 2010, there were 27,088 housing starts in the province.

Across Canada, housing starts will hit 192,000 units this year and dip to 181,600 units in 2012. There were 189,930 starts in 2010.

The Altus Group report said only Calgary and Edmonton, among major markets in Canada, will see a rise in housing starts next year. Calgary will jump to 9,400 units from 8,400 in 2011 while Edmonton will see a rise to 9,400 units as well from 8,900 this year.

In 2010, Calgary had 9,300 housing starts while Edmonton had 10,000.

mtoneguzzi@calgaryherald.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Multi family developments increasing in calgary

2011-11-10T15:04:00.000-08:00

Toronto tower builder eyes three Calgary projects

‘You can feel the wealth,’ says Toronto developer

By Dan Healing, Calgary Herald November 10, 2011 2:30 PM

Toronto developer and broker Brad Lamb says Calgary’s highrise residential market is very promising.

Toronto developer and broker Brad Lamb says Calgary’s highrise residential market is very promising.
Photograph by: Tyler Anderson, Tyler Anderson

CALGARY — A Toronto residential tower condominium developer is proposing three projects for Calgary, attracted by the city’s wealth and style.

Brad Lamb, head of Lamb Development Corp., said Wednesday his company will partner with Fortress Real Capital on the first project, a 30-storey, 230-unit condo at 10th Avenue and 6th Street S.W.

The project is expected to cost about $62 million to build and its residential units and ground level retail to sell for around $80 million, he said.

“I’ve been looking at Calgary for five years trying to find the right opportunity,” he said.

“And I believe now is right for Calgary.”

Lamb said he believes Calgary is the most affluent city in Canada and, furthermore, that the downtown region between the Beltline and the river is ripe for high-density development.

“You can feel the wealth in Calgary,” he said as he prepared for a meeting with potential investors on Wednesday evening.

Lamb said his second project will be a hotel and condo combination and the third will be a highrise but its details can’t be revealed as yet.

The downtown Calgary market for residential towers has come back from 2008 when the shrivelling economy dealt a death blow to the four-tower Arriva project by Torode Residential Ltd.

In August, Vancouver-based Mike Bucci of Bucci Developments Ltd. said his company was shifting focus to Calgary, with two new projects, because the economy is more promising than in the company’s home town.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reported Tuesday that multi-family starts in the city are up 70 per cent for October and five per for the first 10 months compared with last year.

The numbers are being driven by the highest number of apartment unit starts since May 2008, it noted.

dhealing@calgaryherald.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com

Homelessness in Calgary

2011-09-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

A disturbing article in yesterday's Calgary Herald blames a lack of supply of rental housing for the city's homeless problem.

Canada's most expensive city

2011-07-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/toronto-surpasses-vancouver-most-expensive-city-canada-173337541.html

Outlook for Calgary rental rates & vacancy

2011-07-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.calgaryherald.com/Rental+rates+drop+four+year/5077476/story.html

Canada Post

2011-06-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

Good news - Canada post will be back at work delivering our mail on Tuesday.

Chinese investment into Alberta

2011-05-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

Alberta government officials, with the trade mission to China, heard euphoric news in China this week. Chinese energy executives believe that their investment into China will be a deluge instead of the trickle that has come in so far. However, they are held back so far by pipeline capacity that can carry the oil sands and natural gas to the west coast.

Interesting article in the Globe and Mail

2011-04-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

GEORGE ATHANASSAKOS

Signs point to a severe housing correction in Canada

GEORGE ATHANASSAKOS | Columnist profile | E-mail

From Monday's Globe and Mail

Published Sunday, Apr. 10, 2011 7:32PM EDT

Last updated Monday, Apr. 11, 2011 10:16AM EDT

The resilience of the Canadian housing market has confounded experts. While other property markets around the world have plunged, real estate prices in this country continue to reach new heights.

If the Canadian housing market does falter, the impact on the economy will be profound. Consumer spending and housing investment will feel the pain, and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp., which provides mortgage loan insurance, will face substantial losses.

Some believe that low interest rates, solid banks, a growing economy, abundant natural resources and a relatively conservative mortgage market (at least compared to the United States) will all continue to support Canadian housing prices. Optimists argue that the runup in Canadian home prices has been based on strong demand from homeowners, while construction in the U.S. ran well ahead of actual demand and was fuelled by speculators.

But there’s another side to this debate. I believe that Canada’s high house prices in relation to incomes, combined with record household debt levels and overinvestment in residential construction, will cause a severe correction in the real estate market.

Home prices are simply way out of line, especially when viewed in relation to household income. The ratio of house prices to income has historically averaged about 3.5 in Canada. It now stands at about 5.5. It is difficult to see how income growth in the future can bring this ratio close to the historical average within any reasonable period – so it follows that house prices will have to decline.

Signs of stress are already evident, especially when you look at household debt levels. In recent years, the gap between house prices and income has been bridged through borrowing. The average Canadian family debt hit $100,000 in 2010. About 17,400 households are behind in their mortgage payments, representing an increase of nearly 50 per cent since the start of the last recession.

No Soft Landing Here

The current consensus is that Canada’s real estate market has achieved a “soft” landing and that prices will flat line but not decline substantially over the next several years. I disagree. The housing market in Canada is already in bubble territory. Average house prices have doubled in the last 10 years, while rents have risen by only about 30 per cent. The ratio of house prices to rent is now higher in Canada than in any other developed country.

An even more powerful indicator also points to a severe housing correction in Canada. Residential housing investment as a percentage of GDP was 6.48 per cent in 2009, down slightly from 6.76 per cent in 2008, after peaking at 7.13 per cent in 2007. The previous peaks were at 7.26 per cent in 1976 and 7.18 per cent in 1989 – and we know what happened to the housing market in Canada in the early 1980s and early 1990s. After residential housing investment as a percentage of GDP peaked in the previous two cycles, the housing market crashed within a few years.

I believe we are running out of time. By way of a comparison, this ratio peaked at about 6.1 per cent in the U.S. in the mid-2000s at the height of its housing bubble, and toward the end of the 1980s in Japan, when that country was nearing the end of its own property boom. Both countries experienced sharp declines in housing prices soon afterward. (I should mention that the ratio stands at 6.0 per cent in China at the end of 2010 – no wonder there is talk of a bubble in the Chinese housing market.)

Canada is past the point of no return. What has propped up the housing market in Canada and delayed the correction is artificial demand from Asian investors. While it is not clear when this demand will dry up, it eventually will. Once it does, watch out.

The ratio of residential investment to GDP has provided a powerful leading indicator of housing corrections around the world and in Canada during past cycles. The question is, why would it not work this time around? I am willing to listen.

Summer Swimming...

2011-04-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Join us in the pool...

Extract from Mario Toneguzzi's article in the Calgary Herald dated February 18, 2011. Link below.

2011-03-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

A recent Housing Market Outlook report by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. forecast the Calgary census metropolitan area to experience a decline in the vacancy rate for the rental market from 3.6 per cent in October 2010 to 3.2 per cent in 2011.

The CMHC also forecast the average rent for two-bedroom units in the Calgary area would increase from $1,069 in October 2010 to $1,090 in October 2011.

"Rental demand in Calgary is forecast to increase this year," said Richard Cho, senior market analyst for Calgary for the CMHC. "Migration flows to the region are anticipated to improve as Calgary's labour market benefits from increased activity in the energy sector.

"Landlords and property owners will have an opportunity to modestly raise rents this year, following two years of declines. The average rent will experience some upward pressure as more people demand rental accommodations, and as fewer incentives are offered."

Downtown office activity a sign of growth

2011-02-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

CALGARY - Record leasing activity in the downtown office market in 2010 means job growth isn't far behind, says a commercial real estate expert.

John Savard, vice-president of CITI Commercial Real Estate Services, said absorption of office space in the central business district hit 2.6 million square feet last year - four times the 10-year average of 640,000 square feet.

He said the average tenant occupies about 300 square feet per employee therefore the downtown area will employ an additional 8,667 jobs are a result of the leasing activity.

"When groups take on space, it means there's planned hiring," said Savard. "You don't take on office space without a plan to hire people."

He said the demand in office space has been fuelled by the heavy oil industry, service companies and engineering firms.

Calgary's downtown office vacancy rate dipped to a low of 0.5 per cent in 2006 but then climbed to 15.7 per cent in 2009, said Savard. It ended 2010 at 14.4 per cent.

CITI is projecting the downtown vacancy rate to be 14 per cent this year and 12 per cent in 2012 despite the addition of the massive Bow tower project, and its 1.7 million square feet, and Eighth Avenue Place, and its one million square feet, to the office inventory.

Savard said the job growth stemming from the leasing activity will have a spinoff effect as more amenities will be needed for them and more positions will therefore be created as well.

The amount of occupied office space in the city's core hit a peak of 33.6 million square feet in 2007, said Savard, and it's projected to climb to 35.7 million square feet in 2012 - above the amount when Calgary experienced its economic boom.

"How could anyone have anticipated four times the historical absorption of space (last year)?" said Savard. "And all of that with severely depressed gas prices."

He said the demand for jobs will impact net migration with more people moving to the city which will also create more demand in Calgary's housing market.

According to Statistics Canada, Calgary's unemployment rate was 6.0 per cent in January, the same as the previous month. The Calgary census metropolitan area saw an increase of 3,200 jobs from December but the number of people employed remained 4,000 below the level of January 2010.

Moving to Calgary

2011-01-31T15:40:00.001-08:00

Our apartments include heat, hot water and power.

If you are moving to Calgary for a job or immigrating here - you can rent a furniture package for 1-3 months until you get a chance to go shopping and buy your own furniture. Alternatively you can buy furniture online and have it shipped to your apartment. You then just need a telus package for internet, cable and TV and you are all set to go.

You have a place to live in Calgary before you even arrive in Calgary!

Suite life under review by Mike Grondin, Weal Writer | January 20, 2011

2011-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

An alliance of Calgary students’ associations is asking city hall to review the current legislation regarding secondary suites.

SAITSA president Courtney Garlough said the Calgary Student Caucus sent a letter last Thursday to the Calgary councillors asking the council to make secondary suites a priority, and stating that the rules need to be revised.
“In a city like Calgary, where there are so many post-secondary institutes and a lack of affordable housing, I think it’s definitely time that the situation is re-evaluated,” said Garlough.
In Calgary’s costly rental market, illegal secondary suites are a cheaper option for both tenants and homeowners alike. However, some of these basement, garage and attic dwelling spaces are unregulated for proper living.
“There needs to be a higher level of standards to ensure the safety of everybody, and we need to make access to inspections a little easier,” said Garlough.
During a Jan. 11 visit to SAIT campus, Mayor Naheed Nenshi said a revision of regulations for secondary suites is underway, and will be presented to council in the months to come.
“One thing I’m really, really keen on is legalizing secondary suites across the city, so that the tenants who live in those suites have certain protections and safety,” said Nenshi.
“The problem we have right now is that these suites operate outside of the regulatory environment,” Nenshi said. “Under my proposal, we would have the ability to make these homes safe.”
He said the main goal is to ensure each living space in the city meets the Alberta Building Code’s safety requirements, as well as giving residents the ability to seek assistance and options when it comes to where they live.
“If someone complains that a building is unsafe, the only mechanism we have is to shut the suite down,” he said. “My proposal will give us the ability to work with landlords and residents so that people are living properly.”
Garlough said it needs to be easier for everyone – not just students – to find affordable housing.

Rental Total Declines Calgary Herald January 15, 2011

2011-01-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

The number of rental apartments in Calgary declined for the seventh consecutive year in 2010, says a federal agency.

There were 35,512 units in the city, down from 36,174 units in 2009, says Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

Conversions of rental units to condos, combined with fewer newly completed rental buildings, have been the main contributors to the decline "for the last number of years," says senior market analyst Richard Cho of CMHC.

While apartment condo conversions declined for three consecutive years after reaching a peak in 2007, condo conversions have continued to surpass apartment rental completions.

In the first 10 months of 2010, 241 apartment rental units were completed.

However, 238 of those units were earmarked for social housing and were thus not added to the traditional rental stock. The remaining three units were purpose-built for the rental market.

Sign of recovery seen in rising rent Calgary vacancy rates to decline as economy gains strength By Marty Hope, Calgary Herald January 15, 2011

2011-01-19T12:35:00.000-08:00

It's a sign of a recovering economy: the Calgary rental housing sector is gaining traction, says a federal agency.

Rent is going up slightly and vacancies are tightening, says Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

After seeing a decline of $30 in the average monthly rent for two-bedroom apartments last fall, Calgarians will likely see an increase of $31 per month by this fall, it says.

In its rental market survey of more than 35,000 apartments in October, CMHC found two-bedroom apartments were fetching $1,069 per month on average, down from $1,099 in 2009.

By this fall, the forecast is for an increase to $1,100 per month.

The results of the 2010 survey show that Calgary's two-bedroom rent of $1,069 per month is the third highest in Canada behind Vancouver at $1,195 per month and Toronto's $1,123 per month.

There will likely be fewer vacant apartments this fall, says senior market analyst Richard Cho of CMHC.

The citywide vacancy rate is forecast to settle at about 3.6 per cent -- about the same as 2010, but well below 2009's 5.3 per cent.

"Of the 35,512 privately owned apartments surveyed, we found the number of vacant units decreased from 1,935 in 2009 to 1,291 in 2010," says Cho, adding the figure will remain fairly constant this year.

David McIlveen, director of community developments for Boardwalk Rental Communities, expects 2011 to be "flat" in terms of vacancy and rental costs.

Boardwalk is the largest private landlord in the city, with an estimated 5,000 rental units in Calgary. Only the City of Calgary controls more rental units.

"Our vacancy rate will stay the same as 2010 at about three per cent and rent rates won't go up or down by much," says McIlveen, adding boardwalk's rent citywide averages $977 per month.

Among Calgary tenants is Kim Leriger, who considers herself a career renter.

"I have been renting for 15 years, 10 of those with Boardwalk," says the single mom.

Along with 10-year-old Nicolas, she has an apartment in northeast Calgary. "I like the lifestyle," she says.

Prior to finding rental accommodation in Calgary, Leriger rented in Airdrie and Banff.

Why not buy? "As an extremely busy single mom, I don't really have the time to do the things needed if I owned a home."

Gerry Baxter, executive director of the Calgary Residential Rental Association has his own unofficial vacancy numbers for 2010.

"Based on what I hear from our members, I would still peg the vacancy rate at around five per cent or so," he says.

"I expect to see some downward moderation in the vacancy rate for this year while rents will remain relatively stable. If there are rent increases, I expect them to be small."

The sector began to notice an easing in the marketplace about midway through 2010 that "seemed tied to the economic recovery" that was beginning to take hold, says Baxter.

But just as quickly, the recovery sputtered with the arrival of autumn.

"I believe that overall, the market improved slightly in the second half and has plateaued -- and I'm cautiously optimistic that this year will be better than 2010," says Baxter.

Boardwalk's McIlveen says that in 2010 vacancy rates and rent rates declined in response to economic conditions and supply and demand.

"In fact, our market rent -- what a tenant pays for a new one-year lease -- has come down a couple of hundred dollars per month," he says.

Although the decline in in-migration has had an impact, McIlveen says the biggest factor affecting Boardwalk has been the "one-off investor who can't sell their condo and puts it into the rental pool."

Cho says rental demand this year will be sustained as the economy gradually improves.

"Improvements in labour market conditions and recent gains in provincial net migration have contributed to higher rental demand," he says. "In addition, with rental rates moderating from the previous year and real estate prices in Calgary easing since the spring, the motivation for tenants to move into homeowner-ship has moderated."

CMHC reports the average two-bedroom rent declined for the second consecutive year as vacancy rates, although moving lower, remained elevated by historical standards.

"However, the decline has been enough to remove some incentives from the market that tenants enjoyed prior to the October survey.

Since the 2009 fall survey, landlords and property owners have adjusted monthly rents and offered various incentives to attract tenants," says Cho.

In addition to the vacancy rate, CMHC also has what it calls an "availability rate." A rental unit is considered available if the existing tenant has given notice of a move and a new tenant has not signed a lease, or the unit is vacant.

The availability this past October was pegged at 5.8 per cent compared with 7.5 per cent in 2009.

McIlveen uses the term turnover rate which he says gives a better picture of what is happening in the marketplace.

"Most tenants are a little more transient and we have turnover rate of 40 to 50 per cent per year. That would suggest that there are as many as 1,500 units available for rent over the course of the year that are never considered vacant," he says.

DID YOU KNOW?

As was the case among rental apartment units, demand for townhouse units also improved in 2010, says Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. In its October rental market survey, CMHC found the overall vacancy rate for townhouse units decreased from 4.7 per cent in October 2009 to 3.7 in 2010. The North Hill area had the lowest overall vacancy rate at 2.4 per cent and the southeast had the highest at 5.7 per cent. Of the 10 zones surveyed, there were two zones that did not report a year-over-year decline in the vacancy rate. Vacancies in the southeast remained unchanged at 5.7 per cent, while the vacancy rate in the northeast increased 0.3 per cent to 4.6. Zones that experienced the largest change in vacancies were North Hill and

southwest, declining by 7.4 and 4.4 percentage points from the previous year, respectively.

Tax Breaks to increase rental housing - this sounds like a good idea.

2010-10-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

Tax breaks needed to create more rental housing, says study
Report blames tax changes and lack of social housing programs for current problems
Shane Bigham Sep 21, 2010 17:51:51 PM

CALGARY (NEWS1130) - Tax breaks and incentives for landlords. That's how you stimulate the development of new rental housing units, according to a new study from the University of Calgary.

In part, the study blames tax changes in the 80s and the shutdown of social housing programs by the federal government in the 90s for the affordability problem seen in Vancouver and in major markets across the country.

Co-author Marion Steele says tax breaks for landlords would stimulate development of new rental units.

"A program like this has been in effect in the U.S. for almost 25 years. All of their affordable housing, virtually, comes from that program," she says.

She says only federal politicians can make implement a similar program.

Meanwhile, a new report released by the Carnegie Community Action Project suggests it's almost impossible for people on welfare to afford housing in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Wendy Pedersen with the project says the amount of affordable hotel rooms for those on social assistance has gone down dramatically.

"This year only 12 per cent of those privately-owned hotel rooms are renting for what people on welfare and seniors on pensions can afford," she says.

The group says only 29 per cent of hotel rooms are affordable. It wants more social housing designated for the Downtown Eastside.
excerpt from News1130

Here's why things are hopping in Calgary By Paula Arab, Calgary Herald August 12, 2010

2010-09-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ehh, What's up doc? Wabbits, and lots of dem.

There might be a lack of tourists this summer, but there's no shortage of four-legged visitors. Nor was this bunny boom pulled out of any magician's hat.

"There are more and more wild rabbits in Calgary, that's for sure," confirms Patricia Cameron, the executive director of the Calgary Humane Society. "I've got tonnes of rabbits in my backyard."

"I have them on my street," adds Bill Bruce, director of animal and bylaw services for the City of Calgary. "I've always had one, forever. Now we have three or four."

Bruce says the type of bunnies Calgarians are seeing this year is the indigenous Alberta hare, as opposed to the domestics behind the bunny boom in 2008 and 2009. Back then, it was feral rabbits running around certain neighbourhoods and procreating like crazy -- pets that escaped or were let loose by irresponsible owners. That's a common cause for bunny proliferation in many places around North America and a problem that's almost entirely man-made.

This is different. The urbanization of white-tailed jackrabbits exemplifies the country coming to the city because of the city spreading to rural areas.

"We're taking over their territory," says Cameron. "As more pressure is on them, they'll move into people's backyards."

The lush summer weather has helped feed the frenzy, creating an abundance of nibblies such as grass and leaves. It's also partly due to the natural population cycle of jackrabbits, which always peaks ahead of a decline. Disease or another natural cause will eventually bring survival rates back down to more sustainable levels.

But mainly, Calgary's hopping with bunnies because of urban sprawl, which has led to an increase of city coyotes and mice as well.

"There's no doubt urban sprawl has an effect on wildlife," says Bruce. "Whenever we encroach ... we displace that wildlife."

Contrary to popular belief, Calgary's suburban development is no accident. The Neptis Foundation, a charitable group that funds and conducts non-partisan research on urban growth, says the reason the city has evolved as it has, is a "distinctive planning culture" and regional and municipal planning policies "directed toward the efficient production and servicing of low-cost housing on green-fields."

The foundation's Growing Cities report attempts to get beyond the stereotyped image of "unplanned, automobile-oriented, low-density sprawl" by exploring and comparing different approaches to regional planning. It offers a "rare apples-to-apples comparison" of Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver.

"Contrary to the common characterization of typical suburban development as 'unplanned,' the policy review shows that the urbanizing fringe of all three regions has long been regulated," says the report. "This study has found that different cities have taken distinctly different approaches to planning urban growth, and that these different approaches have shaped and channelled that growth in distinctive ways."

Urban sprawl is defined as occurring when the "rate of increase in urban land exceeds the rate of growth in population or housing."

The rate of that growth was greatest in Calgary. During the study period between 1991 and 2001, Calgary's land mass grew at nearly twice the rate of its population -- 43 per cent versus 24 per cent. Toronto showed a similar growth pattern (28 per cent versus 19 per cent) while Vancouver saw the opposite trend. Its urban area grew at a slower rate than the population -- 16 per cent versus 24 per cent.

According to the study, the key driver to land consumption is housing. Almost 75 per cent of residential construction during the study period was single-detached houses, compared with 50 per cent in Toronto, and just 16 per cent in Vancouver. Half of the construction in Vancouver was apartments, compared with just 12 per cent in Calgary.

It's only recently that policy-makers realized the high costs of growing out instead of up, and moved toward transit-oriented developments.

For most of the past 30 years, Neptis found Calgary's local and regional planning policies "have been more concerned with facilitating growth than with containing it ... While municipal and provincial plans call for the protection of natural features such as river valleys, there has been no move to protect rural land around the city either for its own sake, or as a means of urban containment."

No wonder we are overrun with rabbits. The good news is, compared with mice or coyotes, they are relatively harmless, carry no known diseases and don't attract large predators.

The bad news is not everyone thinks they're so cute. One rabbit was found hopping around with an arrow lodged in its body, one that failed to pierce any vital organs.

Even worse are people who think they can hunt rabbits down with shotguns. "Discharging a firearm in the city is a major offence," warns Bruce. "Anyone who tries to deal with them that way will soon have the SWAT team at their door."

The Yosemite Sams out there should just leave the bunnies alone. As Bugs Bunny would say: "You can't shoot a wabbit."

parab@theherald. theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Calgary leads top cities for investment

2010-08-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

When investing in real estate, sometimes it’s necessary to look beyond your own backyard. The Real Estate Investment Network ( REIN), a national organization of investors, has compiled what it says are the top 10 Canadian cities in which to invest. Don Campbell, president of REIN, says the results are based on factors such as planned transportation improvements, or if the area’s average income, population and job growth are increasing faster than provincial averages.

1. Calgary

Calgary is “ poised to out perform the average by a wide margin,” says Campbell, making it the top-ranked city. After two years of declining average resale housing prices, the CMHC has predicted they will increase year-over-year in 2010. The REIN report credits the downturn to a muchneeded correction, and that it was “ economically impossible for the [ Calgary] market to continue at the pace at which it was heading.” But now that it is coming out of the recession, along with economies elsewhere, Calgary’s strengths in producing food, fuel and fertilizer will boost its growth.

2. Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, Ont.

REIN refers to Canada’s Technology Triangle as the “ economic Alberta of Ontario.” That means KWC is not only seen as the economic engine of the new Ontario economy, but also that it “ will outperform all other major regions in Eastern Canada,” Campbell says.

3. Edmonton

Edmonton sits near the top of the report’s list because of its future potential. Calling it a “ perennial overachieving market,” REIN says the city is a “ growing market, [ with] an increasing population, and a forward-looking leadership.” It will also be the main benefactor of energy development in Western Canada, resulting in a “ very affordable, strong rental market with strong in-migration from across Canada.”

4. Surrey

B. C.’ s second-largest city is growing so fast it could become even bigger than Vancouver. “ Just a decade ago, it was known as the punch line to many a joke,” Campbell says. But with two border crossings to the United States, links to five major highways, deep sea docks and four railways, Surrey is a prime location to do business, he says.

5. Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows

The TransLink and Gateway Project infrastructure improvements have made these B. C. towns the “ most accessible regions in the Lower Mainland,” the report says. They’ve come a long way, Campbell says. The unofficial motto of Maple Ridge used to be “ You can’t get there from here.” As a result of poor infrastructure in the past, property values have been historically low in this area. But with the improvements, it’s predicted an additional 400 business will move into the area, REIN says. 6. Hamilton, Ont. 7. St. Albert, Alta. 8. Barrie & Orillia, Ont. 9. Red Deer, Alta. 10. Winnipeg

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Calgary Stampede

2010-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

The Calgary Stampede had its peak year in 2006. Since then attendance has been dropping. This year, as of Saturday, is down by 13,600 visitors from 2009.

Come join the party for the Calgary Stampede....

2010-07-05T15:51:00.001-07:00

Its party time in Calgary with the Calgary Stampede. We are joining in on the action with an Annual Stampede Pancake Breakfast on July 14 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Come and join us - it promises to be a lot of fun!

Send us your pictures so we can all enjoy them :)

Our experience is different

2010-06-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

We must have apartments tenants just LOVE, because we have no vacancies AND a waiting list. According to the CMHC this is not true for the rest of calgary.

Thank you to all of you for making our building such a popular place to live!

Apartment rental rates dropping, vacancies rising, in Calgary: CMHC

2010-06-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

CALGARY - The average rental apartment vacancy rate in Calgary has risen from a year ago but rent has also declined, according to the spring Rental Market Survey released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

The agency said Calgary’s vacancy rate went from 4.3 per cent in April 2009 to 5.3 per cent in April of this year.

At the same time, average rent for a two-bedroom apartment fell to $1,082 from $1,106.

Nationally, the survey of Canada’s 35 major centres, saw the vacancy rate increase slightly to 2.9 per cent from 2.7 per cent.

“Rental construction and competition from the condominium market added upward pressure on vacancy rates and historically low mortgage rates attracted renter households towards home ownership over the last year,” said Bob Dugan, chief economist at CMHC, said in a news released.

Results of this survey reveal that, in April 2010, the centres with the lowest vacancy rates were Quebec City (0.4 per cent), Regina (0.8 per cent), Winnipeg (1.0 per cent), and St. John’s (1.1 per cent). At a provincial level, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador posted the lowest vacancy rates at 1.0 per cent and 1.1 per cent, respectively.

The centres with the highest vacancy rates were Windsor (12.4 per cent), Peterborough and Abbotsford (6.6 per cent each). The provincial vacancy rate was on the rise in Alberta at 6.0 per cent this April, versus 4.6 per cent in April 2009.

The highest average monthly rents for two-bedroom apartments in new and existing structures were in Vancouver ($1,150), Toronto ($1,134), Calgary ($1,082), and Ottawa ($1,061). These four centres had average rents at or above $1,000 per month, although Victoria and Edmonton were very close, at $999 and $994, respectively. The lowest average monthly rents for two-bedroom apartments in new and existing structures were in Saguenay ($522), Trois-Rivieres ($531), and Sherbrooke ($556).
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

National Geographic's top 10 things you can do to help save the ocean. Lets do our bit to help.

2010-06-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

- Reduce your carbon footprint and energy consumption by switching to fluorescent light bulbs, take the stairs instead of the elevator and use a fan or put on a sweater instead of relying on the thermostat

- Make educated seafood choices before shopping or dining out

- Avoid purchasing plastic products and instead try a reusable water bottle, non-disposable containers and a cloth tote for shopping

- Help upkeep the beach by cleaning up after yourself and participate in local beach cleanups (such as Surfriders or Junior Surfriders)

- Don't buy items such as coral jewelry, tortoiseshell hair accessories and shark products that contribute to the deterioration of those populations

- Be an ocean-friendly pet owner by reading pet food labels, not flushing cat litter down the toilet and avoid the release of aquarium fish into the ocean or other bodies of water

- Support organizations that help protect the ocean either financially or by volunteering

- Practice responsible boating, kayaking and canoeing actions by never throwing anything overboard, and do some research on the marine life that surrounds you. Try to find an eco-friendly option for a leisure cruise

- Learn as much as you can about marine life and the major issues it faces today and share that knowledge with those around you
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

West LRT rezoning plan to face council vote Area includes mayor's property

2010-06-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

CALGARY - A warehouse owned by Calgary's mayor is among the more than 100 properties that council will be asked to rezone today to create a pedestrian-friendly, high-density district around the future West LRT Sunalta station.

Dave Bronconnier has championed the C-Train's westward expansion, but because of real estate he's owned along the line since his days as alderman, he has abstained from any decisions on the route alignment and the transit-oriented development plan.

Governance laws require him to again declare a conflict of interest and briefly leave the chamber when council considers the rezoning, which would allow taller, denser buildings on his 10th Avenue S.W. property and others in the blocks within walking distance of the 16th Street station now under construction.

That will likely deliver a bump in real-estate value to those station-area lands, on top of the average 12 to 15 per cent boost that typically comes from merely being close to a train stop, said Don Campbell, president of the Real Estate Investment Network.

"If you're able to create more income from that property -- selling more units or renting more units out -- the underlying land will go up (in value)," said the Vancouver-based researcher.

"Now you have a larger market who would be willing to buy it off of you, even before it's developed."

After the rezoning, the mayor's property on the 1900 block of 10th Avenue -- purchased for the disaster restoration company he formerly owned -- would be eligible for two-thirds more total square footage. It can also be redeveloped up to about 16 storeys, up from a current maximum height of about nine.

Ask the mayor about the site's future potential, and he prefers to focus on the unspectacular present.

Construction of the LRT's elevated track has begun directly behind the warehouse's back wall, where his tenants used to park. So it's been vacant since October and is now listed for rent at much lower lease rates than Bronconnier used to get.

"My tenant couldn't park anymore in the back of the building, thus walked from the lease," he said in an interview.

"But that's what progress is."

Even when the construction is done by late 2012, it means commuter trains will be coasting by, about seven storeys up and only a few metres away from the property. City planning documents that support the mass rezoning also note the "design issues" for buildings along the whole north side of 10th Avenue.

Bronconnier also owns his business's former low-rise office building and adjacent vacant lots in the 3300 block on 17th Avenue S.W. near where the underground Westbrook LRT station will go.

The building is leased for more than two more years, he said.

Council last fall upzoned the whole area including the mayor's lots to fit into the city's plans for a "Westbrook Village" district.

Bronconnier, who will not seek re-election this fall, would not say what he will do with his properties, which he retained as investments after selling off his old business operation.

"At the end of the day, of my political career, I'll be reassessing investment and business opportunities down the road," he said.

The city assesses his Westbrook lots at $3.8 million, and his Sunalta property at $1.86 million.

The station-area developments in Westbrook and Sunalta are widely viewed as longer-range plans. The renewal will likely to take a decade or longer to take shape, depending on the economy.

But one group is already seeking investors for a Sunalta Towers condo-and-retail project to replace the smaller office structure next door to the future station.

Danny Kohli of the Builder's Investment Group said the tower project should offer direct access to the station platform, but the group hasn't determined how it will design the part that will be up against the elevated train platform.

"There's definitely a lot of ways we can put this together, and everyone is hopeful we can overcome any challenges about noise," he said.

"Because our building has been subject to two CP Rail lines running behind for some time, and that's a lot more noisy than LRT."

Kohli said he knows of no input Bronconnier had into the planning for the station area.

"There was no involvement by him whatsoever in anything," said Kohli, whose property was rezoned separately last year.

"I wish he did put the pressure and got things done sooner, if he was part of it."

Bronconnier's land in Sunalta will actually be one lot over from another zoning section that will allow even taller buildings. The mayor noted that council makes decisions on "good solid planning principles -- not on the basis of ownership."

Others also say having the LRT tracks right behind the property won't be too detrimental to the site's future.

In other cities, properties right up against train byways stay on the market as long as ordinary ones, although they do tend to change hands more often, Campbell said.

Peter Rishaug, a Sunalta Community Association vice-president, said building heights there will offer attractive views of the downtown and nearby Bow River.

"The building's not too sterilized by the back just because there's a train track there," he said. "There's lots of other cities where there's adjacent train tracks and LRT stuff where they're very activated."

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Amazing exhibit opening soon...take a sneak peek.

2010-04-30T11:55:00.001-07:00

http://www.calgaryherald.com/interactive/bodyworks/index.html

Snow headed our way

2010-04-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

Environment Canada has issued a warning for 10 to 20 cm of snow by Thursday evening.

Calgary GDP to zoom ahead in 2011 By Lisa Schmidt, Calgary Herald

2010-04-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

Calgary's economy is on the rebound and set to outpace the rest of the country next year, a new forecast says.

In its spring outlook, the Conference Board of Canada predicts the city will post 2.8 per cent economic growth this year, down from an earlier forecast of three per cent.

Stronger construction and services activity is expected to help the city recover from last year's downturn in the energy sector, the report said.

The latest forecast puts Calgary in the middle of the pack among the 13 major Canadian cities this year. But in 2010 the city will jump to the head of the pack with 4.4 per cent growth as a recovery in the oilpatch takes a firmer hold.

The outlook is more optimistic than other recent forecasts, including one from Calgary Economic Development, which expects a much slower pace of growth of 0.8 per cent to 1.2 per cent.

The conference board report also said the Olympic flame will continue to contribute to the healthy glow in Vancouver's economy through the rest of this year, with the boost from the Winter Games helping it outpace all other Canadian cities in terms of economic growth.

The Olympics pumped an estimated $600 million into the West Coast city's economy, the Conference Board said in its latest metropolitan outlook, which forecasts growth for 13 Canadian cities.

"The Olympic Games provided a big, even if temporary, boost to retail trade, arts, entertainment and recreation, accommodation and food services in Vancouver," Mario Lefebvre, the Conference Board's director of municipal studies, said in a statement.

"All in all, the Olympics injected about $600 million into the Vancouver economy, lifting growth by about 0.8 percentage points," said Lefebvre.

"On top of that, demand for new homes in Vancouver began to recover at the end of last year, and that momentum has carried over into the first couple months of 2010."

Halifax, the only city in the board's survey to have posted GDP growth amid the economic downturn last year, will move to the middle of the pack this year, with growth of 2.5 per cent, as larger cities benefit more from a recovery in the manufacturing and construction sectors, and -- in 2010, at least -- continued federal stimulus spending, the board said.

Toronto and Hamilton, hit particularly hard by the recession, will take second and third place, respectively, behind Vancouver. The board forecasts 3.7 per cent growth in Toronto and 3.3 per cent in Hamilton.

Victoria is in fourth place with expected growth of 3.2 per cent in 2010 based on renewed demand in the services sector, increased consumer spending and recovery in construction and manufacturing.

Edmonton rounds out the top five for 2010, with construction growth leading it to a 2.9 per cent increase in GDP this year.

The board warns that Ottawa-Gatineau's 2.8 per cent growth this year -- which puts its ranking at seventh -- will slow two per cent in 2011 as federal government spending restraint takes hold.

The Conference Board predicts the national capital region will lose 10,000 government jobs over the next three years, contributing to a last-place ranking among the cities.

lschmidt@theherald.canwest.com
On The Road To Recovery In 2010

Forecast GDP growth:

Vancouver 4.0%

Toronto 3.7%

Hamilton 3.3%

Victoria 3.2%

Edmonton 2.9%

Saskatoon 2.8%

Calgary 2.8%

Montreal 2.3%

Winnipeg 2.2%

Regina 2.0%

Source: Conference Board Of Canada
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

The charms of Calgary And the gloom in Toronto

2010-03-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Mar 18th 2010 | CALGARY AND TORONTO | From The Economist print edition

TIME was when the decision over where to put a new Canadian capital-markets regulator would have been automatic. Toronto, Canada’s most populous city and the capital of Ontario, the most populous province, has long been the country’s business and financial centre. The biggest banks are there, as is the stock exchange. Legions of lawyers, accountants and bankers flock daily to the towers surrounding King and Bay streets. And yet the Canadian government is in two minds over the home for the new authority, and may end up splitting it between several cities—partly to placate provincial regulators jealous of their purviews.

This hesitation has brought grumbles from politicians in Ontario. But it is tacit recognition that economic and political power in Canada are slowly shifting westward, and in particular to Calgary, the main business centre in Alberta, a province with a large oil and gas industry.

Toronto still has the top spot. Greater Toronto has 5.6m people, or almost five times as many as Calgary. It is home to more corporate headquarters than any other Canadian city. Of the 20 biggest companies in Canada, ten are based in the Toronto area. But six are now in Calgary. All are oil and gas firms, whose towers form the city’s dramatic skyline, set against the backdrop of the Rocky mountains.

And Calgary has the momentum. The new housing developments that surround the city and stretch to the foothills are evidence that Alberta is sucking in people and investment from the rest of Canada. Between 1999 and 2007, while head-office employment grew by 14.1% in Toronto, it soared by 64.6% in Calgary, according to a report by the OECD, a research body. Alberta’s economy swiftly brushed off the recession. Its leaders dismiss hostility from greens to the tar sands that are the source of much of its hydrocarbons. If Americans do not want their oil, then Alberta will build a pipeline to the west coast and sell it to China, they say.

Dave Bronconnier, Calgary’s mayor, laughs off the idea that his city might soon supplant Toronto. But he admits that he has tried to woo one of Canada’s big five banks to come and set up its headquarters. He is also courting branch offices of banks from China, the Middle East and South Korea. Office rents are higher in Calgary than in many other cities, though they have fallen sharply since 2008. But low business taxes and the lack of a provincial sales tax make overall operating costs lower than in Ontario. The city wants to become a global centre for energy companies. Its rivals are Houston, Dallas and Dubai, rather than Toronto, says Mr Bronconnier.

This boosterism is in sharp contrast to the downbeat mood back east. Despite the strength of the banks, Toronto and Ontario—the home of Canadian carmaking—have fared badly in the recession. In an editorial earlier this month the Toronto Star, the city’s biggest newspaper, bemoaned growing social inequality, worsening gridlock, a deteriorating transport system and rising taxes. “There’s a nagging but entirely justified sense that Toronto has lost its way,” the paper concluded.

Ontarians as a whole are feeling uneasy. In a recent poll taken in the province for the Mowat Centre, a think-tank, half of respondents felt that Ontario’s influence in national affairs is waning and about the same number thought the province is not treated with the respect it deserves. A generation ago Toronto benefited from an influx of businesses from Montreal fleeing the threat of Quebec separatism. That threat has receded, but federal politicians are ever-sensitive to the French-speaking province’s demands. Alberta’s politicians are becoming increasingly bolshy as their economic muscle grows.

And Ontario? Torontonians were long used “to assuming that they are the centre of the universe,” as Joe Martin, a business historian at the University of Toronto, puts it. They are awakening to a world in which their planet, though still the biggest in the Canadian firmament, is being eclipsed.

Whistler, Calgary to host bobsled, skeleton World Cup events next season By: THE CANADIAN PRESS

2010-03-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Canada's two Winter Games cities will play host to the World Cup bobsled and skeleton circuit next season.

The announcement was made in Vancouver Wednesday by B.C. Minister of Healthy Living and Sport Ida Chong and Alberta Tourism Minister Cindy Ady.

The provinces of B.C. and Alberta have committed the funds for the two events, under a joint Olympic legacy agreement they signed in 2009.

The agreement was meant to ensure the two provinces' investments in their respective sliding centres would be used to attract international competitions and tourism dollars to the area.

The first event will take place Nov. 22 to Nov. 25 in Whistler, and the second Nov. 29 to Dec. 5 in Calgary.

Both provinces say they're looking for other events that could potentially make use of Olympic venues, such as biathlon and cross-country world cups, and they hope to have a report on those opportunities finished in May.

Calgary to create 'emerald necklace' in Beltline By Jason Markusoff, Calgary Herald

2010-01-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

CALGARY - The city will begin laying a "green ribbon" down the Beltline this year, as it launches a project to turn a quiet residential street into a heritage promenade and cycling route.

The 13th Avenue Greenway, long touted as a key component in the makeovers for the Beltline, Sunalta and Victoria Park, will ultimately become a tree-lined link between the Elbow River and pathways that reach the Bow River.

City officials are dubbing it part of the "emerald necklace" of Calgary, a term used for similar routes in Seattle and Boston.

"It kind of provides a recreational loop through the centre city," said Julie Radke, a city transportation engineer.

"It can be a tourist attraction or for local users. It's meant to draw people in."

Work begins this spring on the first phase, between 1st Street S.E. and 4th Street S.W. -- an already green stretch that includes the renovated Central Memorial and Haultain parks, as well as a few parking lots.

The extra trees, new multiuser pathways, benches and other road and utilities works on those blocks are estimated to cost $5 million, coming from existing provincial grants to Calgary.

The work will eliminate 45 parking stalls on the north side of 13th Avenue.

Radke said residents and nearby businesses have been enthusiastic about the project, and haven't protested the loss of parking.

Since 11th and 12th avenues serve as major one-way car corridors, a higher-quality walkable route is needed in the inner-city area, said David Low of the Victoria Park Business Revitalization Zone.

"We don't have an east-west pedestrian-oriented walkway, so that's going to be a huge benefit to the area and everybody for getting around," he said.

In 2007, council approved a series of redevelopment levies in the Beltline to help pay for neighbourhood upgrades, including one for the "greenway" at $260 per metre of development facing onto the street.

This initial phase will be completed by 2012. The other phases, in Sunalta, Connaught and near the Stampede, will be constructed as money becomes available, Radke said. This means the project could span a decade or longer.

The greenway is also meant to tie together a number of heritage buildings along 13th Avenue, including the Lougheed House, Central Memorial Library and some sandstone school buildings.

It will boost property values along the street, predicted Ald. John Mar, who represents all neighbourhoods along the planned greenway.

"It increases the livability of the streetscape," he said.

Calgary ranked Canada's most attractive city

2010-01-13T14:13:00.000-08:00

Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa were among Canada’s largest cities that made it to the ‘A’ list in terms of places that are attractive to migrants, according to a study released Wednesday.

Some of the smaller locales to make it into the top tier in this report from the Conference Board of Canada included Waterloo, Ont., Richmond Hill, Ont., and St. John’s, N.L.

“Cities that fail to attract new people will struggle to stay prosperous and vibrant,” Mario Lefebvre, the board’s director of municipal studies, said in a statement.

The cities were assessed in the following categories: society, health, economy, environment, education, innovation and housing.

Vancouver was lauded for its warm climate and “young, diverse, and multicultural population.”

Calgary was ranked at the top of the list in terms of its economy and innovation, and also showed strength in the housing category.

Ottawa, the nation’s capital, received high rankings for education and innovation, and scored well in all other categories except health.

Waterloo, home of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd., was the top ranked city for education, and also scored high for innovation, economy and housing.

Richmond Hill, just north of Toronto, was judged to be exceptionally attractive to migrants for its diverse population, and it scored well in innovation and education.

St. John’s was among the highest ranked cities in terms of health and environment.

Toronto, Edmonton and Victoria were among the cities in the ‘B’ category for being well suited to newcomers. Toronto, Canada’s largest city, was the top ranked spot in the society category due to its ethnic diversity and culture. However, the Conference Board said things such as air quality and access to health care kept it out of the ‘A’ list.

Financial Post

2010-Happy New Year

2010-01-03T20:21:00.000-08:00

Westview Heights, our Christmas tree

2009-12-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

May we have pictures of your suite?

2009-12-15T15:18:00.000-08:00

We are going to post pictures of tenants' suites on our blog. If you would like your suite's picture posted please let us know. Contact Diana in the office.

8 Street SW CTrain Station - grand opening

2009-12-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

This is just a quick note to let you know that the long awaited 8 Street S.W. C Train Station will open for service on Friday, December 18, 2009.

We’ll be holding a public event at the new station (between 7 Street SW and 8 Street SW) from 7-9:30am on December 18 to celebrate. Come on down to join in the festivities! Holiday goodies will be provided, and we’ll also be collecting food donations for the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank.

In an effort to promote the event ahead of time, we would like to display the (attached) poster in the lobby of each of your buildings as a reminder to your tenants to stop by the event and bring a food bank donation. Posters are 11 x17 and would be attached with double-sided tape. Please let me know by Friday December 4 if we have your permission to hang the posters. Please also provide locations where we may hang the posters.

Let me know if you have any questions, and please pass this invitation on to your tenants!

Thanks,

Julie Yepishina-Geller
Communications Specialist
The City of Calgary - Transportation Infrastructure
T: 403.268.5840 F: 403.268.4799
Julie.Yepishina-Geller@calgary.ca

Come and drop by the rental office

2009-11-27T14:56:00.001-08:00

Arts & Crafts Fair, November 18th, 2009

2009-11-27T14:51:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for an apartment to rent in downtown Calgary SW?

2009-11-23T13:11:00.001-08:00

Come and see us!

Westview Heights, the inner sanctum may now be digitally viewed!

2009-11-16T12:51:00.001-08:00

Westview Heights, new boilers

2009-11-16T12:49:00.001-08:00

Westview Heights - new equipment

2009-11-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

Halloween fun

2009-11-08T16:01:00.000-08:00

Craft & Bake Sale

2009-10-30T16:55:00.001-07:00

We hope to have a lot of fun at the Sale. It is going to be in the building. Please sign up at the office if you have something to sell. Looking forward to seeing all of you on November 18th between 4-7 pm.

HINI vaccines

2009-10-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

Get your vaccine next week.

Weather advisory

2009-10-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

We request all our tenants to keep their windows closed in this cold weather. If windows are open pipes freeze & then burst inconveniencing the buildings residents.

Winter has arrived in Calgary

2009-10-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Temperatures are expected to drop tonight to -10C. The high will be -4C on Friday.

A New Louis Vuitton Store in SW Calgary

2009-10-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

Louis Vuitton will be reopening its larger store on Wednesday at 4th Street S.W. between 8th and 7th Avenues.It sells high end leather goods.

Residents of Westview Heights, get your flu shot!

2009-10-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Alberta says it will begin protecting some high-risk people against seasonal flu later this month before starting to immunize people against the H1N1 flu, likely in November.

Alberta Health Services says the seasonal flu shot will be offered to seniors, pregnant women, children between the ages of six months to 23-months-old and some other higher-risk people starting on Oct. 13.

Health Minister Ron Liepert says when the H1N1 flu vaccine becomes available the province will stop offering the seasonal flu vaccine.

An unpublished study has suggested that people who got a flu shot last year had double the risk of catching H1N1 flu compared to unvaccinated people.

However, the Public Health Agency of Canada has said a preliminary analysis of that study suggests there is no link between having a seasonal flu shot and developing a severe bout of pandemic flu.

Liepert says he will be getting immunized against the H1N1 flu and encourages all Albertans to protect themselves.By THE CANADIAN PRESS

Westview Heights, Christmas Craft/Baking Fair

2009-09-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

On November 18, 4-7 pm, come to the lobby to sell your home made crafts and baking.

Top 10 lowest gas prices in Calgary

2009-09-26T19:11:00.000-07:00

Price Station Address City Time

84.9 Gas Plus 204 11 Ave SE & 1 St S Calgary - Downtown Sep 26,4:03 PM

85.9 Tsuu T'ina Gas Stop 11 Bullhead Rd near 37 St SW Calgary - SW Sep 26,1:45 PM

86.9 Gas Plus 2364 20 Ave NE & 23 St NE Calgary - NE Sep 26,10:00 AM

86.9 Sunrise Gas 2748 32 St NE & 26 Ave NE Calgary - NE Sep 26,8:31 AM

86.9 Gas Plus 6336 Bowness Rd & 63 St Calgary - NW Sep 26,7:45 AM

86.9 Gas Plus 3307 3 Ave NW near 33 St NW Calgary - NW Sep 26,7:45 AM

86.9 Gas Plus 3540 52 St SE & 34 Ave SE Calgary - SE Sep 25,9:35 PM

86.9 Gas Plus 4004 26 St SE & Dover Ridge Dr Calgary - SE Sep 25,3:41 PM

87.9 Shell 1136 137 Ave SE & Deer Point Rd SE Calgary - SE Sep 26,9:24 AM

87.9 Can Pro 2464 23 Ave NE & Barlow Tr Calgary - NE Sep 26,7:52 AM

Thanks to cbc.ca.

A new store opening in the neighbourhood...

2009-09-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Holidays on the Hill, formerly Ho Ho Ho Inc.,
is pleased to inform you we are now in an exciting new location,
212 - 7th Ave. S.W., just steps away from our former store.
With over 8,000 sq. feet, we are now Canada’s LARGEST Halloween/
Christmas store and rest assured, our selection will blow you away!
Doors oficially open Friday, September 25th, at 12 noon,
so be sure to come down and have coffee with us while viewing our store.
Our Official Grand Opening will be
Saturday, October 3rd & Sunday, October 4th, 10am - 6pm each day.
* refreshments for all ages, and let’s not forget the desserts!
** grand opening specials
*** tons of door prizes
**** If you park at the Bow Parkade October 3rd or 4th, we will reimburse your
parking with a purchase of $50.00 or more. Be sure to bring down your receipt.
Please RSVP by October 2nd, with how many friends, family and holiday
lovers you want to bring... note, buses don’t t in the Bow Parkade.
When in the Bow Parkade, take the elevator to street level, once at 7th Ave.,
turn left and we are just 100 feet down towards 1st Street, you can’t miss us!
See you soon!

Steeling Home

2009-09-24T14:46:00.000-07:00

A new home store is opening up in the neighbourhood. It looks good! Check it out.

Tuesday night's candle lit vigil.

2009-09-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, people got together for a candle night vigil in Tomkins Square for "Take Back the Night". Its was the 27th anniversary of an event which is dedicated to empowering women and victims of violence.

The new Bridge planned for the Bow River

2009-09-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Are you as excited, as Calgary city Planners, about the new bridge that will span the Bow River?

In red, designed as a Helix, it will certainly solidify Calgary's futuristic look.

The bridge will incorporate a wide platform with separate lanes for pedestrian and cyclists.

The bridge is estimated to cost between $18-25 million. The only concern is that Santiago Calatrava's designs are notorious for going over budget.

2009 Scotiabank Aids Walk for life.

2009-09-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Despite miserable weather lots of people showed up at Eau Claire Market on Sunday for the 2009 Scotiabank Aids Walk for Life. $28 million was raised nationally and $160,000 locally.

A cause we can all believe in!

2009-09-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

Marine defender counts on Calgary's help
Sea Shepherd conservationist credits city's 'adventurous spirit'

Eva Ferguson
Calgary Herald

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

To some, he is a radical, an eco-pirate causing reckless confrontation on the world's oceans.

To others, he is the most heroic Canadian of recent times, willing to take the risks necessary to prevent the extinction of critical marine life, from plankton, to whales, to predatory sharks.

Love or hate him, world-renowned environmental activist Paul Watson arrived in Calgary on Tuesday, rowing a small fishing boat along the Bow River to a local Inglewood restaurant, kickstarting his annual corporate fundraiser promoting biodiversity in the world's oceans.

"Calgary is a growing, dynamic city that attracts people with an adventurous spirit," said Watson, explaining that Calgarians have the highest per capita ownership of boat licenses and scuba certifications in Canada, and share a significant interest in protecting ocean life.

"We have support here because people here know there is a direct link between the health of our oceans and our survival as a species on land."

"For the Oceans" is the world's largest corporate fundraiser for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a breakaway environmental group Watson started in 1977 after helping co-found Greenpeace in the early 1970s.

Last year, the Sea Shepherd raised close to $50,000 in Calgary.

The group is now working with the Costa Rican government to protect the nation's shark sanctuaries as filmed in the award-winning documentary Sharkwater.

As well, the society just finished their second TV season of Whale Wars for TV science channel Animal Planet.

Watson is known for his aggressive tactics on oceans around the world; ramming hunting ships, placing his boat between whalers' harpoons and their prey, and throwing rancid butter on fishing boats to contaminate meat on board.

But the marine life advocate makes no apologies for his controversial actions, arguing that humans have to stand up against the dramatic trend toward the extinction of thousands of marine life species.

"Everything we do we take precautions. We've never injured anyone, we've never broken the law, and we've never been convicted of a felony.

"Canadian soldiers risk their lives going to Afghanistan, and that's OK. I think it's far more noble to risk your life trying to make this planet viable for the future."

DIRTT Environmental Solutions, a Calgary-based company that builds office wall dividers to prevent landfill waste, supported Watson at his fundraiser Tuesday, in spite of all the controversy that surrounds him.

"We're taken by the fact that the Sea Shepherd is out there doing something rather than just talking about it," said DIRTT spokeswoman Julie Pithers.

Other corporate supporters Tuesday included Cresa Partners and Element Integrated Workplace Solutions.

Watson has worked to shut down practices that harm plankton, to prevent overfishing of tuna and to stop illegal hunting of seals, whales, and most recently sharks.

Along Japan and China's coastlines, Watson says sharks are harvested illegally for only their fins--a delicacy in Chinese shark fin soup -- then thrown overboard.

"Shark populations are plummeting, we are taking 70 million sharks out of the ocean every year.

"Just for the fin--for soup --while everything else is just thrown away.

"Yet sharks are so critical in shaping the evolution of so many other species."

Wildlife writer Farley Mowat, who is the namesake for Watson's protest vessel, once called Watson "the world's most aggressive, most determined, most active and most effective defender of wildlife.

"The most heroic Canadian of recent times."

Watson is a native of New Brunswick and became a long time conservationist after working for the Canadian Coast Guard in the late 1960s.

EFERGUSON@THEHERALD. CANWEST.COM
© The Calgary Herald 2009

Going green is about changing basic behaviour and habits: psychologist By Emma Gilchrist, Canwest News Service June 23, 2009

2009-09-14T15:15:00.001-07:00

“If only people knew better.”

It’s a common refrain among those discussing environmental action — or inaction, as the case may be.

If only people knew how much energy is saved by recycling; if only people knew how much money a programmable thermostat could save them; if only people knew idling isn’t good for their vehicles.

There’s just one problem: Most people do know all of those things and many still don’t change their behaviours.

So, here’s a more illuminating refrain: “If only program planners knew that information isn’t enough to get people to change their behaviour.”

That’s the wisdom of renowned environmental psychologist Doug McKenzie-Mohr, the author of Fostering Sustainable Behaviour (New Society, 1999, $17.95).

Based in Fredericton, N. B., McKenzie-Mohr has been specializing in environmental psychology for more than 20 years. His work has informed programs from Calgary to California to Queensland.

While most “environmental psychologists” focus on the impact of the built environment on humans, McKenzie-Mohr does the reverse.

“It’s very difficult to get from where we are today without us having some idea of behavioural change,” he says.

McKenzie-Mohr works with government agencies and NGOs around the world to develop environmental programs that actually work. The principles of his community-based social marketing strategies can by applied by nearly anyone, anywhere.

Let’s take programmable thermostats as an example.

Research shows the most common barriers to using a programmable thermostat are getting to the store to buy the thermostat, installing the thermostat, and programming the thermostat.

“Telling people they exist and are worthwhile doesn’t address any of these barriers,” McKenzie-Mohr says.

Indeed, community-based social marketing is all about looking at what barriers and motivators exist for any given behaviour.

McKenzie-Mohr cites a project in Australia that has been extremely successful in implementing low-flow shower heads and tap aerators to save water.

Basically, officials have gone door-to-door to 212,000 households and physically installed the new gadgets — eliminating virtually all of the barriers to change.

“We need to be thinking about delivering programs like that on a massive scale,” McKenzie-Mohr says.

Calgary’s Clean Calgary Association is conducting a similar project, called Healthy Homes, albeit on a smaller scale. Employees are visiting 400 Calgary homes and implementing a host of changes, from compact fluorescent light bulbs to composting to non-toxic cleaning products, and then conducting followup visits a few months later.

“We have really subscribed to [McKenzie-Mohr’s] philosophy,” says Natalie Odd, executive director of the Clean Calgary Association. “Going to one of his workshops is like a rite of passage when you work here.”

McKenzie-Mohr points out that one major barrier to recycling is the inconvenience of sorting. By introducing a “co-mingled” system, which doesn’t require sorting, a city can thus remove one of the major barriers.

But another significant barrier is knowing what does and doesn’t go into your recycling bin.

“It’s very challenging for someone to remember that long list of items that can go in the container,” he says. “How do you design a program that actually makes it easy to know what is recyclable?”

What does work is making the rules very simple, “so the person just has to know the basics,” he says. A decal on the side of the container showing what can be recycled is also effective.

Next, you can look at motivators, such as charging for the number of bags — “that often quite dramatically increases recycling,” McKenzie-Mohr says.

Banning items from the landfill is another way to go. In Nova Scotia, residents must use clear garbage bags and authorities won’t collect from households with organics in the garbage. This has resulted in a 17% increase in diversion, says McKenzie-Mohr.

The bottom line? Environmental behavioural change is all about removing barriers and implementing motivators — and basing it all on sound audience research.
© Copyright (c) National Post

Public gets a kick at Calgary taxi service

2009-09-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

The public gets a chance Thursday to offer suggestions to improve Calgary's often-criticized taxi service.

The city's taxi and limousine advisory committee is to host a public forum as it prepares to make changes to the taxi bylaw.

Karen Cameron of the Voters for Taxis organization said the city desperately needs more cabs because wait-times frequently are just too long.

"We need a bylaw that allows the industry to put out the right number of cabs," said Cameron, whose group conducted an online survey during the Calgary Stampede that found customers were complaining they could not find a cab or that they had long waits.

"Even in the low times … we do need more cabs," Cameron said. "Calgarians expect that a bylaw would tell the taxi industry the level of service that's required. You know, this is a bylaw that needs a little bit more than tweaking."

Cameron said the bylaw should include a performance standard with minimum wait times.

But Calgary's taxi companies are not keen to put more cars on the road. Cab owners claim business is down 40 per cent this year and more competition would hurt the industry even more.

"Right now, if I look at the phone, there's seven operators waiting for a call," said Roger Richard, president of Associated Taxi. "I don't think it's an issue."

The city says it will consider the input gathered at Thursday's meeting when recommendations for the bylaw go to council in November.

Talking about cabs

The public forum will be held on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the John Dutton Theatre in the W.R. Castell Central Library at 616 Macleod Tr. S.

Those wishing to speak at the meeting must register on the city's website, which is also home to a temporary online survey.

New marketing campaign looks to lure you back to downtown Calgary By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald. Sept 8, 2009

2009-09-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

Downtown Calgary is launching an aggressive marketing campaign to showcase dining, fashion, entertainment and lifestyle in the core.

The weeklong series of events is intended to help people discover what the city's hub has to offer -- an area that has been affected by the level of new construction taking place and some parking challenges.

Maggie Schofield, executive director of the Calgary Downtown Association, said the downtown remains undiscovered for many people.

"We really wanted to get the whole feeling of the uniqueness of downtown Calgary. It is a very urban place. It's very cosmopolitan. It's emerging and it's changing with the developments that are going on.

"There's a lot of things that if you're not down here every day, you wouldn't have a clue what was going on," she said.

From today through Friday, Stylocity will feature shows of fashion, food, art, accessories and entertainment. A list of events can be found on the Calgary Downtown Association website at www.downtowncalgary.com.The downtown is undergoing some huge changes. The 58-storey Bow tower is under construction and will eventually house EnCana Corp. Another highrise tower, called Eighth Avenue Place, is under construction at the old Penny Lane site. The Core (Calgary Eaton Centre-TD Square) shopping centre is undergoing a multimillion redevelopment that will bring in new retailers, create an urban streetscape at the top level and be enclosed by an expansive skylight linking three city blocks.

Holt Renfrew will be opening a flagship store next month downtown. Fashion Central is also opening soon with new retailers.

"We have a captive audience downtown," said Schofield. "We've got the workers . . . But certainly people have sometimes been confused about what's here and how to get here and how to manoeuvre it. That can be a challenge. Even from a pedestrian perspective, sometimes getting from one place to the other is complex -- more so than it perhaps need to be.

"The positive side of construction is that it's still happening. Several people have said 'is there really a recession on in Calgary' because they see the cranes, they see things happening . . . I think a lot of people are perhaps confused or not very well informed as to how to get here and what's here when they get here."

David Neill, president of Encorp Management Inc., said the company's Fashion Central project across from the downtown Bay is opening with retailer Murale on Oct. 1.A number of other stores are opening in early to mid-November.

The company also runs the Art Central building across the street from the Bow tower construction. On Thursday night, there's an art walk event at Art Central, while on Friday afternoon, there's a tour of Fashion Central.

"There's been such negative publicity about parking. That has affected people coming to the core. I think that negative publicity is unfounded," said Neill.

"There's lots of parking downtown and it's very cheap at the end of the day and on the weekends. There's tons of it. And there's a lot being built as well, of course. You've got EnCana(Bow tower)with 700 public spaces coming up and the big one (parkade)where the courthouse was. So there's a lot coming.

"In fact, I think it's easier to find a space here than it is (in) Toronto or Montreal."

Richard White, former executive director of the Calgary Downtown Association and a Calgary-based writer who has written on art, architecture and urban culture for more than 20 years, said renovations to existing buildings are probably more disruptive than new construction because retailers and businesses are moving around.

"And, of course, all the construction sites take out on-street parking, they take out a lane of traffic. People do tend to just say, 'I'll come back when it's finished.' They just find someplace else," said White, who is also director of strategic initiatives at Riddell Kurczaba Architecture.

Caralyn Macdonald, marketing and communication manager with the Calgary Downtown Association, said the purpose of the Stylocity campaign is to give all Calgarians an opportunity to see everything that's fashionable downtown--fashion, dining, entertainment, arts and culture.

"We picked the name Stylocity just for something different, because we're creating a new sense of being, a new style, and to take ownership of the downtown," she said.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Housing activity on brink of rebound: CMHC

2009-09-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Thu Sep 3, 9:43 AM
The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - The national housing agency predicts housing starts will rebound in the second half, hitting 141,900 by the time the year is out.

And Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says starts will increase to 150,300 in 2010. The corporation's third-quarter outlook notes that housing starts were unchanged from the second quarter.

Chief economist Bob Dugan says economic uncertainty and lower employment tempered new-housing construction in the first half of this year.

But he says housing markets across Canada should strengthen in the second half through 2010.

CMHC says improving activity on the resale market and lower inventory levels in both the new-and existing-home markets should prompt builders to increase residential construction.

Our new Facebook site.

2009-09-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

To join as a friend - here is the link.
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=calgary&init=quick#/profile.php?id=1843821792&ref=profile

Alberta mood turns bullish - taken from the Calgary Herald, August 28, 09

2009-08-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

The release of positive economic news continues to boost consumer confidence in Alberta and across the country.

And that's leading to speculation that consumers feel the worst of the recession has passed and are optimistic a recovery is close.

On Thursday, the Conference Board of Canada released its latest consumer confidence index showing an increase in optimism for a sixth consecutive month in August.

"As consumers get more confident, they go out and spend more money," said Todd Crawford, an economist with the conference board.

Consumers take a lot of their cues from what they read and hear about the economy, said Todd Hirsch, senior economist with ATB Financial in Calgary.

"And those items have been more positive than negative over the last several months," he said. "As well, we're seeing retail sales picking up. They're still below where they were a year ago. And the housing market is stabilizing better than we thought.

"All of those things are giving consumers a little bit of a lift. Some of the clouds of gloom that were heavy on our minds in February and March, they've been lifted a bit."

The conference board said respondents to its survey viewed both their current and future financial situations in a better light and they said they expect employment conditions to improve over the next six months.

"We have some recent evidence that at least the economy isn't getting any worse anymore," added Crawford. "So what the general public is reading in the media seems to suggest that the less bad news that's out there, the more optimistically they're going to look toward the future."

Responses to the question on whether this is a good time to make a major purchase improved for the second consecutive month, and positive responses now outnumber negative ones, the conference board said.

The survey was conducted between Aug. 6 and 16, and the margin of error is plus or minus 2.2 per cent.

The latest results are based on more than 2,000 telephone interviews. The consumer confidence survey has been ongoing since 1960.

The conference board said responses to the current financial situation question improved marginally in August. When asked if they were financially better off today than six months ago, 12.5 per cent of consumers said they were . However, at 26.8 per cent, negative responses still outnumber positive ones by more than two to one. The share of respondents who said their situation remains unchanged rose 1.8 points to 59.2 per cent.

"This is good news--fewer people feel that their financial situation is deteriorating, indicating that recovery may soon be underway," said the conference board.

Opinions on future employment improved significantly in August, according to the index. The percentage of people who felt there would be more jobs in their communities in six months rose 6.3 points to 21.4 per cent and the share of positive responses on this question is now nearly three times higher than at the beginning of the year.

The conference board said that while the balance of opinion remains slightly negative, with 25.6 per cent of respondents expecting there to be fewer jobs in six months, this is a huge improvement from the 54.5 per cent who expressed a negative outlook just six months ago.

"Sentiment on the major purchases question is the first to swing back into a positive balance of opinion," said the board.

This is the first time since April 2008 that positive responses have outnumbered negative ones.

When asked if now is a good time to purchase a major item, 47.8 per cent said it was, up 3.8 points from last month. Those who said it was a bad time fell by 4.1 points to 41.9 per cent.

The conference board said results of the survey were consistent across Canada as all regions saw increases in the index.

After declining for two straight months, the Prairies made a big comeback, it said.

Summer days

2009-08-14T15:02:00.001-07:00

Enjoy a lazy day by cooling off in the pool.

Garage Sale

2009-06-25T09:09:00.001-07:00

Did you enjoy the Garden Sale? Let us have your feedback please.
Thanks.

University of Calgary's downtown campus will be in our neighbourhood.

2009-06-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

U of C announces Downtown Campus site

The University of Calgary has finalized the site of its new Downtown Campus, which will welcome its first students in September 2010. The new site, located at 906 8th Avenue S.W., in the western end of the core, will house students in a variety of programs.

“The Downtown Campus will quickly become the intellectual and cultural centre, and meeting place of Calgary,” said Harvey Weingarten, president and vice-chancellor, University of Calgary. “It will offer students new and exciting experiences, deepen our engagement with the community, and free up space on our main campus.”

The University’s Board of Governors approved the project and site on Wednesday. The new facility will be fully funded and operated within a special funding envelope provided by the Province of Alberta. The University will lease the entire building and will control all the space in it. The building provides 127,000 square feet of flexible space.

The Downtown Campus will significantly expand the University’s capacity to offer students experiential learning opportunities, particularly in the area of community service learning, which connects students directly with local businesses and non-profit organizations. Final decisions on which programs will be located in the Downtown Campus will be made early this year. It is anticipated that the downtown site will house programs such as the U of C’s Continuing Education, executive education and professional development programs, and other initiatives where a downtown presence would enhance the teaching and learning experience for students and community members. The new building, which will be gutted and renovated to LEED standards, will be flexible to ensure various groups are able to access and benefit from the downtown location.

“Students tell us they’re looking for a very high quality solid classroom experience coupled with experiences in experiential learning, working with community groups, social groups and the business community,” says Weingarten. “This is exactly the kind of facility they need to round out their education—to make it relevant, contemporary and useful.”

The selection of the site was made following an extensive due diligence process that identified possible downtown locations. The 8th Avenue location was selected for several reasons, including its proximity to the LRT, the flexibility of the space, the ability for the University to create a significant store-front presence, and the timely availability of the space.

The new Downtown Campus builds on the U of C’s existing slate of programs and initiatives operating in the heart of Calgary. To date, the Faculties of nursing, social work, fine arts, environmental design and the Schulich School of Engineering, among others, offer students the opportunity to participate in community-based learning activities. Pilot projects have included partnerships with the Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope and the Children’s Village.

“Every student potentially has some part of their program where a connection with the community adds value to their undergraduate experience,” said Weingarten.

Garage Sale

2009-05-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

Please come and be a part of our building's garage sale on June 20th.

Commercial space

2009-04-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in leasing our commercial space please contact Diana Wood at 403-262-1178 or email her at diana-bentleyinvestments@shaw.ca

Changes to Westview Website

2009-04-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Do you like the changes?

Waiting list for upcoming vacancies

2009-03-17T11:58:00.001-07:00

If you are not looking to rent immediately, but for a few months ahead, please let us know and we will put you on our waiting list for the month you are interested in. We will contact you as and when a unit becomes available.

Sunsets from Westview Heights, a downtown Calgary rental apartment building

2009-02-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Calgary tour guide.

2009-02-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

There are so many things to experience in this diverse city; it will be necessary to plan ahead to ensure you’ll get to everything you MUST see.

Traffic is busy in the city and parking is very expensive. So if you have a car with you, leave it at your hotel when exploring the city and use it for trips to outlying attractions. The Calgary Transit System (TTC) is easy to use and quite inexpensive. Taxis are also readily available.

There are a lot of things to see and do in Calgary, and here are some places you should look into:

17th Avenue Shopping
Located in the heart of inner city Calgary, 17th Avenue is a place where people work, live, shop and dine. You'll find over 200 locally owned and operated boutiques in this area, one of Calgary's oldest communities.
Calgary Stampede
The city is famous for the Calgary Stampede, a huge agricultural fair and rodeo held every July for 10 days. Almost 100 years old and billing itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth" it is the event of the year!
Alberta Boot Company
Though not a typical touristy-attraction, Alberta's only Western boot manufacturer is a fun place to visit and shop for a new pair of boots. With over 12,000 pairs in stock, you’re sure to find something that’s perfect for you.
Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre
You don’t have to travel to Beijing to see amazing Chinese architecture; you’ll find it here in Calgary! The Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre is one of the largest cultural centers in Canada. Within, the centre features an art gallery, a museum and several businesses.
Canada Olympic Park
The host city of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games takes pride in its sporting legacy. Canada Olympic Park is a multi-purpose athletic facility designed for skiing, snowboarding and bobsledding during the winter.
Calgary Science Centre
Science is all around you at this great centre. Some of the most amazing exhibits and films in North America are located in three main exhibit areas.
Calgary Tower
Visit the Calgary Tower for beautiful panoramic views of the city. The Calgary Tower was built and opened in 1968. At 626 feet in height, this was once the tallest building in Calgary's skyline.
Calgary Zoo
Don’t you just love zoos? If you agree with that statement, make sure you find time to visit the Calgary Zoo, with more than 1,000 animals from all over the world.
Chinatown
Purported to be Canada's second largest Chinatown, this neighborhood dates back to 1910. It is located between the Bow River and 4th Avenue SW in downtown Calgary.
Devonian Gardens
You don’t need to have a green thumb to enjoy this attraction. This 2.5 acre enclosed roof garden holds 20,000 plants!
Eau Claire Market
This market area is more than your typical grocery market! Found at 200 Barclay Parade SW, Eau Claire Market is a unique shopping area located near Prince's Island Park. You’ll enjoy browsing around in one-of-a-kind shops and chic art galleries.
Firefighters Museum Society of Calgary
Become a firefighter for a few hours at the Firefighters Museum Society of Calgary.
Fort Calgary Historic Park
When you visit this site you’ll see the reconstructed 1875 Fort site, an Interpretive Centre with exhibits depicting Calgary from 1875 to the1940s.
Glenbow Museum
With over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, the Glenbow Museum is at the top of Calgary attractions. Make sure you allow enough time to view its collection of over a million objects. Western Canada's largest museum includes a permanent First Nations Gallery.
Grain Academy Museum
With a rich farming and ranching history, it’s no surprise that Calgary would have a museum where its visitors can learn about the grain industry.
Heritage Park Historical Village
What was it like living on the prairie? Find out by visiting the largest living historical village in Canada. Heritage Park Historical Village re-creates all the sights and sounds of pre-1915 life in Western Canada.
Museum of the Regiments
This is one of North America's largest military museums! Vintage tanks and carriers are on display, and learn more through high-tech displays, galleries, and special exhibits.
Pathway System
Did you bring your running shoes? Do you enjoy riding bike or rollerblading? If you answered yes, take advantage of Calgary’s pathway, the largest pathway and trail system in North America.
Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology
Though hours drive from Calgary, this is worth the trip. The world’s largest display of dinosaurs in a state-of-the-art setting is found here. It’s amazing to see more than 35 complete dinosaur skeletons!
Stephen Avenue Walk
Stephen Avenue Walk, located in downtown Calgary on 8th Avenue, is one such area where it’s easy to spend an afternoon.
Spruce Meadows
Open year-round you can explore this world-famous show jumping facility, attend the five major annual tournaments, shop during seasonal fairs or simply walk through the facilities and enjoy the surroundings.
Victoria Crossing
Victoria is said to be the ‘soul of Calgary’; and when you visit this community, you’ll see why. Victoria Crossing is an expansive historic area that is over 100 years old and has played a significant role in the development of Calgary as a leading urban center.
(source:http://www.calgarykiosk.ca/calgary-tour/index.php)

Westview Heights, Calgary rental apartments.

2009-02-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

Corporates needing rental apartments in downtown Calgary

2009-02-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

If you work for a company in downtown Calgary that has a lot of visitors consider renting an apartment vs a hotel room. You get to control the quality of the apartment as well as keep costs low. Send an email to info@garden-towers.com with any questions you may have.

Be aware of online rental scams in Calgary

2009-01-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

This article has been copied from the cbc.ca site for easy viewing. The link to the article is below.

Calgary police are reminding anyone searching the internet for an apartment to watch out for online scams.

In most cases, a person posing as a landlord says he or she is out of the country and requires a deposit on the rental. Once the money is paid, usually through a money transfer, the new tenant discovers there isn't actually a rental.

The scam isn't a new one, but police said it's recently become more prolific and harder to spot because fraudsters are cutting and pasting text from real ads and using real photos. The only thing that is different is the contact information.

Nicole Hryciuk, 18, still hasn't found an apartment after a two-month search. Hryciuk said about half the places she's contacted online are scams.

"They'll say they are on a missionary trip. We had one, he was a 'neurologist from Oregon'. And they're not around, but this is the house you can drive by it. You send the deposit, they'll send you the keys."

CBC News inquired about six rentals advertised online in Calgary and received two emails back requesting up-front deposits. One included a Nigerian phone number, and the man who answered the phone said he was American renting an apartment in Calgary.

Acting Sgt. Kathy MacDonald said she hears a lot about rental scams and said people should check out who they're dealing with.

"Google the name of the people or the phone numbers they give you or the addresses and see what comes up," she said.

"Limit the amount of personal information that you put in your signature line, like your phone number or your fax number. Again, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

MacDonald also said watch out for anyone who wants to do business using an untraceable money transfer.
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/01/19/cgy-rental-scam.html

Calgary public Library's early literacy program

2009-01-16T18:03:00.000-08:00

Help your child foster an appreciation for books through the early literacy program, Growing Readers For Life, which is available to families through the Calgary Public library.

The program highlights six pre-reading skills a child can start learning from birth and revolves around parents and children though a series of steps: I Like Books, I See Words, I Hear Words, I Know Letters, I Know Words and I Can Tell A Story.

Year of the Ox

2009-01-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

Chinese Calgarians are preparing to celebrate their New Year on January 26th. It will be the Year of the Ox. A year in which success is possible through fortitude and hard work. Join the New Year celebrations across Calgary.

$100 for successful tenant referrals

2009-01-13T13:48:00.000-08:00

Garden Tower apartments are offering $100 (thank you) for every successful tenant who is referred to them and accepted for a 6 months + lease.

The premise is that they know their tenants and are happy with them so their friends are likely to be equally desirable.

My apartment in Calgary.

2009-01-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

This is the view I wake up to in Calgary every morning. Clear skies, unobstructed views. Notice I have not put any blinds on my windows because nobody can look in.

If you are wondering where I live in Calgary - it is in Westview Heights. The website is http://www.westview-heights.com. The telephone no. is 403-262-1178 and the email is info@westview-heights.com.

New to renting an apartment in Calgary

2009-01-12T16:11:00.000-08:00

If you are new to Calgary then this is some advise that may prove helpful.

The website linked to this blog called www.calgaryhealthregion.ca helps you find a doctor in your area who is accepting new patients.

If you work crazy hours and want a dry cleaner that makes your life easy by picking up and dropping your dry cleaning try Tower cleaners (also linked to this blog)

If you want to carpool in downtown Calgary there is a great site that makes it easy. Its www.carpool.ca. Also linked to this blog.

If you cut loose on weekends. Then the website www.downtowncalgary.ca (also linked to this blog - sorry for being so repetitious) tells you where the action is..depending on your tastes (we won't go there!)

Views from downtown Calgary apartments

2009-01-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

Renters in downtown Calgary are so much luckier than those living in other cities.

We get to live in a clean, friendly and sunny city.

We also do not have to spend a colossal amount to get panoramic views.

I posted some pictures I took from the Westview Heights apartment building.

The views encompass the mountains, Bow River and nearby parks.

You can see the snow capped mountains in the background.

The city is growing so quickly.

Renting in downtown Calgary made easy

2009-01-12T14:49:00.000-08:00

Thank God for websites and cell phones. Renting in downtown Calgary has never been easier.

My checklist, for finding an apartment, reads: views, easy shopping and lots of sun. As long as these exist I am one happy customer.

The layouts on websites makes it easy (before you fall in love with the place) to check if your furniture is likely to work.

Being at the heart of the action is important especially if you have a demanding job.

The key is to find a place that works for you.

Apart from a nifty apartment (that fits my criteria) it has to have friendly management. A tall list but I am happy to say one that can be met based on my admittedly biased research:)