With its tranquil canal system and ample green space, the town of Strathmore is an oasis outside the bustle of the big city. Yet, it's only 40 kilometres east of Calgary's downtown core, making it an ideal commuter community.

The master-planned vision for Calgary's East Village revitalization, launched in the mid-2000s, is becoming a living, breathing reality, now more than ever.

Alain Dupere has lived in East Village since 2011. He's watching the transformation happen one day at a time, observing the changes while he walks to and from work. Dupere, who is also president of the East Village Neighbourhood Association, says that although the area is still under construction, its vibrancy is increasing as more buildings become move-in ready and amenities continue to pop up.

"It's a great place to live and to visit. Anyone can use the amenities in our neighbourhood," he said. "It's becoming a destination for the greater Calgary (area) and beyond, and that's a nice thing."

Some might believe that the excitement around this developing community, and the desire to live and work there, are new phenomena. But according to Harry Sanders, Calgary's former historian laureate, it's not far off from the activities of the space over a century ago, when non-indigenous people first arrived in the area often referred to as the "birthplace of Calgary."

If you follow the stretch of the Elbow River that runs from the Glenmore Reservoir all the way to the downtown core, you'll come face to face with some of Calgary's swankiest addresses. Bel-Aire, Britannia, Elbow Park, Eagle Ridge and Roxboro topped the luxury charts in 2018 when it comes to average home sale price. CREB®Now chatted with Sam Corea, luxury specialist with RE/MAX House of Real Estate, to find out what makes these top luxury communities so desirable.

Nicole Butz - Mission
For Nicole, the day begins with a short stroll from her riverside, two-bedroom condo (she has a downtown view and awakens to the honking sounds of geese) to La Boulangerie Bakery Cafe on Fourth Street to grab a latte.

She calls herself an ardent inner-city junkie. "I don't really do the suburbs well, and Mission's vibrant but a little bit out of the core, so you get a different vibe. It just feels like home."

A long-awaited effort to revitalize east Victoria Park is underway, with the first projects taking shape under the Rivers District master plan (RDMP) that was passed by city council in December 2018.

Led by the Calgary Municipal Land Corp. (CMLC), the plan spells out a vision of east Victoria Park as a cultural and entertainment centre with a residential component, fitting within the larger Rivers District that also includes the East Village.

For over 30 years, Excel Homes has been crafting homes with extraordinary style and attention to detail, winning numerous awards for its innovative designs.

But company COO Dean Campbell says that what really sets this homebuilder apart is its commitment to sustainability and the Built Green program.

When Brian Taylor looks out the window of his home in EchoHaven, the view is a street lined with houses of varying architectural styles.

However, beneath the surface, many of those homes have similar characteristics designed to make them eco-friendly and highly energy efficient in a development purposefully built with no natural gas service.

Saving the planet is a good thing, but if you can put some green in your jeans at the same time, all the better. As interest in homes with environmentally friendly features grows among buyers and sellers, the popularity of green designations for REALTORS® is also on the rise.

For a city that merges cosmopolitan chic with shades of the Wild West, striving to attain the best of both worlds is nothing new. Lately, though, developers are taking the "have your cake and eat it too" approach, crafting trendy, downtown-style districts and amenities in up-and-coming Calgary suburban areas. If you're seeking to merge the benefits of the suburbs with the cool retail and cultural scene of the inner city, your search may be over.