My Neighbourhood: Acadia

The community of Acadia sits in southeast Calgary, nestled between Carburn Park and the Bow River to the east and Macleod Trail to the west. Established in 1960, the community is home to nine schools from the public and separate boards – including the city's largest high school, Lord Beaverbrook – as well as a charter school and bilingual schools.

"Acadia is a great community to live in for many reasons," said Katie Paton, who moved to the area with her husband, James, four years ago.

"Acadia is still a fairly affordable community with so much potential, so I think there's great opportunities here for Calgarians to set down roots. It's an established neighbourhood, there's a lot of character and a really good mix of people at various stages, from seniors who are original owners to young families."

With a location that offers easy access to Macleod, Blackfoot and Deerfoot trails, as well as the Heritage and Southland CTrain stations, the 10,435 Calgarians who call the community home have a host of options when it comes to amenities.

"There are a ton of amenities and shops close by, so you can generally find what you need within a five-minute drive, or you can make it downtown in 15 minutes," said Paton.

"It's an established neighbourhood, there's a lot of character and a really good mix of people at various stages, from seniors who are original owners to young families." - Katie Paton, Acadia resident

She adds that nearby Sue Higgins Park, home to the largest fenced off-leash area in the city, is one of her favourite spots in the area. It's also a necessity when you have a labradoodle with seemingly endless energy reserves.

"We spend a lot of time at Sue Higgins dog park with our dog, Bernie," she said. "It's one of our favourite places in the city to grab a coffee and walk around and get some exercise for both us and our pooch."

Another popular amenity sitting just outside Acadia's boundary is Carburn Park. The park's name comes from "Carburn Aggregates," the gravel company that supplied much of the land and constructed the ponds, which are the largest in Calgary's parks system,

During the winter months, the park is home to one of the eight skating rinks managed by the City of Calgary. The rink is available between December and February (weather permitting), with skating from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

In addition to the great schools and parks, Paton says Acadia is home to several beloved events and businesses that give the area a real sense of community.

"There are lots of great little businesses, but we love pizza from Starlite Diner, and the service at the Better Butcher is always amazing," she said.

"The best annual event, in my humble opinion, is the Acadia Parade of Garage Sales in August. Usually, the Acadia Community Association puts together a great map and you can grab a coffee and make an awesome day out of finding weird and wonderful things."