On Airdrie's southwest side, Cooper's Crossing stands as an example of what a great master-planned community can look like. It was named after the Cooper family, who farmed the land for more than 100 years. The 320-acre development features 44 acres of parkland, two six-acre ponds and Discovery Park – a multi-generational gathering space with a fire pit, toboggan hill, secret forest, play structures, half-basketball court, gazebo and picnic area.

"Buzzwords like placemaking, walkability or 'live, work, play' communities are popular today, but we had a firm grasp on the importance of these concepts 20 years ago when we first started designing Cooper's Crossing," said Paul Gerla, owner and manager of WestMark Holdings Ltd, the Airdrie-based developer behind Cooper's Crossing.

The established community of Aspen Woods is slated for some growth thanks to the optimistic outlook of a few developers. On the south side of 17th Avenue S.W., immediately south of Aspen Landing Shopping Centre, Ronmor Developers Inc. is in the conceptual stages of its latest project – Springbank Hill Market, a 20-acre, mixed-use, commercial and residential development.