The summer sun rises eagerly in the early morning sky, casting a glittering cascade of twinkling light on the surface of the Bow River. Joggers and dog walkers scoot along the river pathway, enjoying the public art and the perfection of nature against the city's skyline. The smell of freshly roasted coffee and savoury bready morsels wafts from the Simmon's Building, its glass-sheathed doors flung open in anticipation of the day. Just steps away, store owners set out their wares in the newly launched pop-up retail park, as brightly coloured shipping containers frame the backdrop and the East Village hums to life.

"The East Village is all about connecting people and the new pop-up retail park – East Village Junction – is one of the major place-making initiatives happening this summer," said Jessa Morrison, senior manager of marketing and communications for Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, the developer behind the East Village, a 49-acre revitalization project on the east side of Calgary's downtown.

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."