By the end of this year, Calgary's full secondary suite policies will put into play a "gentle density" housing market.
After consulting with community associations and collecting online public feedback, city administrators will send design guidelines for backyard suites to committee and city council for approval.

Lisa Kahn, the City of Calgary's legislation and land-use bylaws co-ordinator, says the new rules will govern how backyard suites look and interact with their communities.

Fifteen years ago, Kari Strutt and her husband, Ken Bagan, came across the southeast community of Willow Park while on a weekend shopping excursion to Southcentre Mall.

"We headed home by way of Willingdon Boulevard and there was a rather homely house for sale," said Strutt. "It was a stucco affair with a partial flat roof, but at 1,300 square feet it felt palatial and affordable. So we bought it."

Perched at the junction of Highways 8 and 22X with a beautiful mountain backdrop, the townsite of Redwood Meadows is attracting young families who want to get away from it all, while staying close enough to the city for a quick commute.

Full of vibrancy and life, Richmond is a community in the throes of change.

With boundaries that stretch from 33rd Avenue S.W. north to 17th Avenue S.W., the community contains an eclectic mix of homes, from wartime bungalows to multi-million dollar infills. On the western edge, the community boundary jogs across Crowchild Trail, bumping up against Killarney and Currie Barracks, while the eastern perimeter extends to 19th Street S.W.

One of the most spectacular aspects of the northwest community of Mount Pleasant is the trees. "We live right by the park and it is just beautiful," said community resident Simone Carr-Smith. "We are surrounded by trees and at night, when the wind blows, you can hear the leaves rustling. It is just so calming."

Brimming with families, many of whom have been in the community for decades, Applewood Park extends to the north from International Avenue near Elliston Park in Calgary's southeast. Big houses, double-car garages perfect for home workshops, and large yards are a few of the defining characteristics of this community developed in the early 1980s.

Ask anyone who lives in the community of Scarboro what makes it so special and you will get a variety of answers.

"It's hard to put a pin in it," said resident Kate Morisset. "There is just this real sense of connectivity."

With the pristine parklands of Fish Creek Provincial Park in its backyard, along with quick and easy access to a variety of upscale amenities, Douglasdale offers the best of all worlds – both suburban and urban.

"It's absolutely amazing here," said community resident Karen McQueen, who has lived in the area since 2004. "I feel like I am in the middle of nature in the middle of the city."

Mount Royal boasts a long and storied history.

Long before the area was populated by European settlers, members of the Blackfoot Nation camped in the lee of Mount Royal on their journey up the Elbow Valley each season. The base of the hillside made for a solid campsite, with brush for cover and fires, and plentiful small game.

The community of Redstone in Calgary's new northeast has been a resounding success since its launch in 2010.