New developments on Calgary's western edge hope to raise the bar for active, outdoor living

Two major developments in Calgary's northwest will soon solidify the area's reputation as the gateway to Rocky Mountain recreation and winter adventure.

While the nearby Trans-Canada Highway will guide future residents towards mountain playgrounds in Canmore and Banff, the communities of Rowan Park and Medicine Hill will offer their own built-in recreational amenities.

WinSport Ice House allows for winter sport training all year long

With the thud of running feet and the unmistakable sound of blades on ice, the test sled rushes down the hill on a rainy summer day.

Even in Calgary, August and snow don't go hand in hand. Yet that isn't the case at the Ice House located in the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport Canada Olympic Park, one of more than three dozen sites to be featured in the third-annual Doors Open YYC program Sept. 27 – 28.