The first residents moved into the new southeast Calgary community of Rangeview in 2021, and the neighbourhood already boasts two staffed community greenhouses, pollinator gardens and an apiary, an amphitheatre-style outdoor classroom, and multiple park spaces. A barn-themed playground sits near walking pathways that wind around a naturalized wetland and storm pond. Even more is still to come, including a dog park, basketball courts, a community centre and commercial development.
For a neighbourhood that broke ground in October 2020 and now has about 2,500 residents, it’s a notable amount of amenities. Marketed as Calgary’s first “garden-to-table” neighbourhood, Rangeview leans heavily into urban agriculture with ample community amenities for growing, eating and sharing food. For Section23 Developments, the company behind the suburb, it wasn’t enough to promise that lifestyle years down the road.
“With a new concept like garden-to-table, especially being the first in [Calgary], we wanted to make sure the vision was seen early,” says Sarah Harman, marketing manager for Section23. Like many other new communities, Rangeview operates with a homeowners association, created by the developer and requiring mandatory fees.
Harman says Section23 wanted residents to feel they were getting their money’s worth and see value living in the community. So, numerous amenities came alongside the first houses, including a temporary greenhouse installed within the first year. “To have amenities so that people can get what they need out of the community and not have to go too far, it’s a really big piece for us,” Harman says.
But that’s not always the case. Across Calgary’s expanding suburbs — often marketed as more-affordable entry points for young families — homes can fill up years before transit, education and recreation services arrive. While developers are responsible for certain parks and community features, other amenities may involve government timelines or market forces. Families settle in long before essentials, like grocery stores or schools, do.
Matthew Sheldrake, manager of growth and change strategy with The City of Calgary, explains that all new communities begin with an area structure plan. The City works closely with developers to map out where homes, commercial spaces, schools and green spaces will eventually go.
The plans must first receive city council’s approval. Then, developers construct roads, houses, local parks and pathways — there’s a City requirement that 10 per cent of land be reserved for green space and future schools. Larger facilities like libraries, recreation centres and regional parks are funded and delivered by the City, often opening many years after the community breaks ground.
“It would be awesome if amenities were all available Day 1 for that first house, but it’s not very efficient,” Sheldrake says. Instead, services roll out as the population grows. It typically takes several years for all amenities to be available.
Private businesses like grocery stores, coffee shops or daycares operate on their own timelines. Add in provincial responsibilities, and it becomes clear why residents must sometimes wait for new neighbourhoods to feel livable.
Sheldrake says he has seen a shift since the City’s Municipal Development Plan was approved in 2009, with developers stepping up to deliver more amenities. Simultaneously, the City is trying to create more mixed-use communities.
Michael Burjack and his family live in Auburn Bay, a 15-minute walk (at kid pace) from the Seton YMCA and public library. They’re also a short walk from the hospital, grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants. But, when Burjack initially looked at buying in the community, he remembers feeling trepidation about the promised amenities.
That’s because Burjack had moved to Monterey Park when he was 12, and the then-new community’s promised retail development never materialized during his teenage years. “It was impossible to do pretty much anything without hopping in a car,” he says. “Even grabbing a Slurpee meant leaving the community.”
So, when he and his wife were house hunting in 2013, eight years after Auburn Bay broke ground, he was wary. But, driving through the community, he noticed a mix of housing types: single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, even retirement residences.
“Because the density was so obvious, that helped me think that this buildup of amenities was actually going to happen,” he says.
It largely has, with the exception of the Green Line LRT. Today, Burjack and his children can access nearly everything they need on foot or by bike. “Having all these amenities nearby has been really phenomenal,” he says. “We make very heavy use of them.”
That usage shows homeowners are looking for more than just a newly built home; they want a neighbourhood that’s truly livable, with amenities in place.