At first glance, the southeast communities of Ramsay and Ogden may seem as though they have nothing in common. Ramsay is an up-and-coming, inner-city, hipster hangout, while Ogden conjures images of a more family-centric, suburban lifestyle. However, these communities are threaded together by a common denominator that weaves through the city's landscape and is steeped in rich history – the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

The Beltline is a community experiencing a period of major transition – from the reconstruction of 17th Avenue S.W. to the reimagining of Victoria Park.

Through it all, the beauty and vibrancy of this inner-city neighbourhood just seems to be getting stronger and stronger.

According to Calgary Economic Development, Calgary has the potential to become an industry leader in the burgeoning Canadian video game and "immersive media" sectors.

I guess it's fitting, then, that Calgary has actually appeared in a handful of video games over the years, whether by design or thanks to the efforts of a few creative players.

According to Calgary Economic Development, Calgary has the potential to become an industry leader in the burgeoning Canadian video game and "immersive media" sectors.

I guess it's fitting, then, that Calgary has actually appeared in a handful of video games over the years, whether by design or thanks to the efforts of a few creative players.

Now 88 years young, the ol' potlicker himself, Jim "Bearcat" Murray, long ago passed into the realm of legend hereabouts.

Nearly a quarter-century since retiring from the Calgary Flames as the only NHL athletic trainer with his own fan club (boasting Boston and Montreal chapters), Murray – recognizable by his bald head, generous moustache and ready grin – continues to be an icon.

Calgary's new $550-million arena will be a catalyst for future private investment in East Victoria Park as part of the massive Rivers District master plan, according to the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC).

That master plan, which underwent intensive community engagement, envisions four million square feet of mixed-use development and more than 8,000 new residents within 500 acres on the east side of Calgary's downtown.

Big things are in store for East Victoria Park

What would you do if you had a chance to remake a large area of Calgary's inner city to meet the needs of today?

That's the opportunity the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) was given when it began redevelopment of the Rivers District along the Bow and Elbow Rivers near downtown.

First it tackled the Downtown East Village, but now the City of Calgary-owned corporation has turned its sights to East Victoria Park, in an effort to transform the area into a cultural, entertainment and residential hub.

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.

Will mega-project CalgaryNEXT be the anchor institution that breathes new life into the local landscape?

Urban planning enthusiasts call them anchor institutions – those landmark buildings in which cities are built around.

In Calgary, they dot our landscape: from the University of Calgary and Foothills Medical Centre in the northwest to Stampede Park and the Calgary Tower in the southwest — even the up-and-coming Seton mixed-use district in the southeast.

Calgary would be a very different — even lesser — place without them, says Colin Jackson, member of the senate at the University of Calgary and also chair of several arts and culture initiatives.

"A good way to think of them as anchor institutions is that they set the tone or give a feel to a neighbourhood," said Jackson, who has spoken on the subject in the past.

Could the CalgaryNEXT mega-project be next?