If Canada had an official sound, it would be the crisp "thwack" of stick meeting puck on a clear winter morning as kids descend on the local outdoor rink. The image is almost magical, but behind that magic are some dedicated volunteers who conjure up the time and dedication to make it happen.

Drawing a line down Elbow Drive from north to south traces a rough timeline of Calgary community creation. This one road spans nearly 60 years of development – starting with some of Calgary's earliest, inner-city neighbourhoods and ending with several of the
1960s-era suburbs that now make up the city's middle ring. Here are the communities that  fall within the city's Elbow Drive corridor.

Calgary's most walk- and transit-friendly communities

While Calgary is still viewed by many as a car-centric city, there are many other ways for Calgarians to get around – whether you choose to walk, bike or take transit. Just ask the residents of the following communities, the proud recipients of some of the city's highest walk and transit scores from www.walkscore.com.

Calgary's established suburbs are full of vintage character and reno potential

There are tens of thousands of Calgary homes built from the 1950s through the early 1970s in what were then new suburbs. One thing many of those homes have in common is the need for updating to modern tastes.

When Lewis Cowie bought a home in Kingsland about six years ago, it was as if time had stood still in the classic, 1950s bungalow. Most of the home was still original, right down to the bathroom fixtures, so a major renovation project was in order.

Luckily, Cowie is a director with Corefront Custom Homes & Renovations, and his company was ready for the challenge.