Rock solid: Quarry Park combines residential, retail and commercial real estate into an enticing, well-designed package

The great thing about living in Calgary is that every neighbourhood comes with bragging rights and the southeast riverside community of Quarry Park is no exception.

"There really isn't anything that compares to Quarry Park in Calgary – the location, the variety of housing types, the strong sense of community and the strong identity with great architectural character," said Glen Deibert, residential director at Remington Development Corp., the developer behind the community.

Situated on a historic quarry site adjacent to the Bow River, Quarry Park graces 400 acres of reclaimed land that features over 90 acres of park land, a 50 acre nature reserve and 10 km of paved walking and cycling paths that weave through the area, connecting to the Bow River pathway system.

The area showcases amenities galore, starting with the newly launched Remington YMCA – a state-of-the-art 94,000 square-foot facility with a fitness centre, running track, gym, 25-metre lap and leisure pool plus a 62-spot childcare facility. An additional 348 childcare spaces are also offered at the new Quarry Park Child Development Centre, operated by the YMCA just a few blocks away. There is also a new branch of the Calgary Public Library onsite.

"The YMCA was a very important piece of the puzzle for us. The facility caters to the residents of Quarry Park and also the surrounding areas, making a long-term impact on quality of life to those also in Riverbend, Douglasdale and farther south," said Cody Clayton, president of Remington Development Corp. "We worked with the City of Calgary and the YMCA for seven or eight years to bring it all together."

This spring, a soccer pitch will open, alleviating some of the pressure on the city's overburdened offerings. A major hotel is also in the works.

And the area offers loads of opportunity to shop – The Market at Quarry Park is a commercial hub featuring more than 15 merchants from drycleaners to wine stores and pharmacies. Residents can grab groceries at Co-op grocery store, a coffee at Starbucks or enjoy some sunshine on the deck at Original Joe's.

There really isn't anything that compares to Quarry Park in Calgary – the location, the variety of housing types, the strong sense of community and the strong identity with great architectural character.

The community has a corporate component as well. With over 4 million square feet of office space, the area has drawn in a wide range of companies. Over 12 head offices now call it home including Imperial Oil and Jacobs Engineering. The over-all vision was to reverse traffic flow from the downtown core, creating a community where people could truly live, work and play.

"Companies are trying to figure out how to attract the youngest and brightest minds. A lot of that has to do with the environment in which they work in. People are no longer focused on having a big corner office on the 50th floor," said Clayton.

He explains it's the softer side of things that millennials are after – proximity to the river pathways, being able to go for a run at lunch and have access to a shower facility, and not having to sit in traffic for an hour.

And with plans for the Green Line LRT to pass right through the development – the stop is across from the YMCA – reversing the traffic flow will become even more simplified.

Housing offerings are extensive from upscale condos to townhomes and single-family homes. Builders include Birchwood Homes, Cardel Homes, Albi Homes and Remington Development Corp.

The Gates is one of two active condo developments by Remington Development Corp. It is a boutique 32-unit development with both one-and two-bedroom floor plans. The other development, called Champagne, is already 95 per cent sold.

Adding to the selection of developments offered by Birchwood Homes, such as Boulevard Townes, Remington is building The Gatestone. It's a collection of upscale luxury townhomes that have just been released with occupancy expected in the fall of 2018.

Two upscale rental properties are also turning some heads. The first, The Laurier, offers 144 one-and two-bedroom suites with the bevy of extras from granite countertops to stainless steel appliances, and the second project, The Quarters, will offer 199 rental suites. The project will be ready for occupancy in this fall.

Upon final build out, close to 10,000 residents and 18,000 employees will call Quarry Park home.

"We set out to create a comprehensive park with very tight architectural controls. We wanted everything to fit and be of high quality and we've had very good success with both the commercial and residential side of the development," said Clayton.

Tagged: Calgary Community | Community Profile | Quarry Park