For residents of Calgary's lake communities, having such a special amenity available during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing. Now, those communities are looking ahead to, hopefully, even better times this summer as the province reopens and restrictions are lifted.

The substantial growth seen in Calgary's detached resale market this year has been driven by the mid-range segment, but big-ticket listings are also bouncing back.

Between Jan. 1 and the end of April, 350 detached homes priced at $1 million or higher have changed hands in Calgary, according to CREB^®. This represents a 289 per cent upswing from the 90 transactions that occurred over the same period a year ago.

Bearspaw is part of Rocky View County, a horseshoe-shaped region that encompasses over 16 communities, including the upscale estate areas of Springbank, Elbow Valley and Bragg Creek. Today, Rocky View County has a population of almost 40,000 people, living in 13,620 dwellings, mostly on acreage-type lots, with Bearspaw making up a much smaller portion of those numbers through a combination of farms, ranches, acreages and master-planned communities.

Location, location, location. "That's one of the top things that this community has going for it. Location and amenities," said Cindy Arevalo, co-area sales manager for Trico Homes's new townhome project in the Wentworth area of West Springs.

Bounded by Springbank to the west, Old Banff Coach Road to the north, Bow Trail to the south and 69th Street S.W. to the east, West Springs boasts easy access to the downtown core and the Rocky Mountains. With over 10,000 residents, it's a young and vibrant community where 97 per cent of the population is under retirement age.

Shovels broke ground in Evanston in 2007, but the community has quickly become one of the fastest growing and most desirable places to live in Calgary's northwest quadrant.

As we head into this year's flood season, the City of Calgary continues to work on mitigation measures and says Calgary is better prepared to respond to flooding than ever before, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they planned to call Canada home, Okotoks town council passed a resolution inviting the royal couple to settle in their town.

Since then, however, a viral pandemic and a change of heart on the part of the couple – they are reportedly quarantining in California and have shifted their sights to finding a new home in Malibu – seem to have scuttled the possibility of the royals settling in the Great White North any time soon.

Yet, with all the attractive properties in the Calgary area, the possibilities for Harry and Meghan would have been endless.

Justin Becker - REALTOR^®, founder and team leader with YYC Realty

Top attraction

"My favourite attraction in Calgary is Stephen Avenue. I love all the amazing eateries, shopping, bars, pubs and lounges in such a beautiful setting. Our downtown is gorgeous, with its stunning architecture balanced with lots of green space and the river running through."

While the Smiths were first drawn to Harmony because of its lake access and proximity to the Rockies, a golf course development involving PGA icon Phil Mickelson was the icing on the cake.

"It was a slam dunk when we knew the Mickelson National (Golf Club) was coming in," said Kevin Smith, director of communications for Alberta Golf.