The communities of Hillhurst, West Hillhurst and Sunnyside have established themselves as some of Calgary's most eclectic, bustling and sought after places to call home.

The three communities are some of the city's oldest with Sunnyside first established in 1904, followed by Hillhurst in 1914 and West Hillhurst in 1945, a community with the majority of its homes built as "Victory Homes" for soldiers returning from the Second World War.

Wreck City is currently open to the public until April 27th

Slated for demolition, nine houses, three garages and one greenhouse in the Calgary community of Sunnyside are going to go out with an artistic bang.

Wreck City: An Epilogue for 809 is being touted as the largest project of its kind in Calgary. Eight artistcurators and more than 100 artists, musicians and performers are participating in transforming the homes into intriguing works of art through various mediums and sharing them with the public April 19-27.

Earth Day, this coming Monday, gives people a chance to reflect on reducing their ecological footprints through things like energy reduction and cutting on carbon emissions by riding transit or walking instead of driving.

The inclination to live in a community where everything is easily accessed using your own two feet is reflected by an increase in inner city residential prices, according to the Real Estate Investment Network.

The City of Calgary is initiating neighbourhood walkabouts in various communities as part of a launch for the Inspiring Strong Neighbourhoods pilot project.

Inspiring Strong Neighbourhoods is a community led initiative empowering residents to identify opportunities and make recommendations to the City about municipal programs and services that directly affect their community.

No one is really wrecking Sunnyside; though Wreck City, a community of artists, is giving nine houses in the area a new look.

The nine houses in the Calgary community of are set for demolition but, thanks to a partnership with Bucci Developments Ltd., the buildings are playing their swan songs in a pretty spectacular way.

Calgary is fortunate enough to be a city with not one, but two water supplies, the Bow and Elbow Rivers. The Elbow River Watershed covers 1,235 square kilometres while the Bow River flows from the Bow Glacier north of Lake Louise covering a watershed of 25,000 square kilometres.

"As Calgary's population continues to grow, so does the demand on our rivers. More people means more showers and baths, more flushing, more dish washing and more laundry," said the City's 2012 Water Report. "Since we have a finite supply of water, we need to use it wisely to ensure we have enough to meet our future water demands."

Set to transform a previously underwhelming East Village island into an all-season destination, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) has announced plans for their $20 million overhaul of St. Patrick's Island.

Based on a plan that would see the island's natural state balanced with Calgarians' vision of the island as an "urban oasis", the project will include a beach, running paths, a small amphitheater and an area for skating in the winter.

Having spent the last eight years in a multitude of roles at Calgary's Spruce It Up Garden Centre, born and raised Calgarian Joanne Dafoe knows what it takes to get things growing in this city. Since graduating with a major in Horticulture and Landscape Design, Dafoe has served as landscape co-ordinator, green goods buyer and even store manager.

In addition to running her new consultation company, Dafoe also guest hosts on the Let's Talk Gardening Radio Show on QR77. CREB®Now caught up with Dafoe before her appearance at this year's Calgary Home + Garden Show to talk a bit about what makes gardening great.

Part of an ongoing community investment fund that will invest $252 million from 2012 to 2016, the second round of The City of Calgary's 2012 Capital Conservation Grants saw over $1.6 million allocated to 46 community associations and social recreation organizations to support more than 80 projects around the city.

"The Capital Conservation Grant assists community associations and social recreation organizations with badly needed repairs and renovations to well-loved and well-used community spaces," said Carolyn Tooth, Planning and Partnership management lead with the City of Calgary's Community and Neighbourhood Services.