indoor gardening
election issues
RE/MAX report
centre st. bridge
Grow your own herbs from the comfort of your home
City launches website on municipal concerns
Optimistic spring housing market
Spanning nearly a century
how to A8
municipal Ax
industry A12
heritage A15
FREE mar 30 to apr 5 2012 issue 02-12 www.creb.com
Just around the river bend Waterfront condos bringing energy to the Eau Claire community kelsey hipkin
reporter/photographer
W
ith two towers completed, and two slated for development, Anthem Properties’ Waterfront condo development is bringing a little energy to one of Calgary’s most sought after neighborhoods. “We’re just getting started,” said Robert Marchand, Anthem’s director of sales and marketing. The development, situated in Eau Claire at the northern end of Prince’s Island Park, began presales in 2006. When the recession hit two years later, Anthem had to make decisions concerning the first two towers of the project. “I think we knew something was coming but nobody thought it could be that big,” Marchand said of what he called the “nuclear winter” of 2008. “We made decisions on each of our projects and for Waterfront in Calgary, the decision was to fund it ourselves and continue building, so that’s what we did.” As a result, 550 units were completed last fall, of which only about 100 remain unoccupied. In a similar fashion, the development of Eau Claire itself has had to remain a work in progress. In 1982, Calgary’s Core Area Policy Brief stated that the Eau Claire Area Redevelopment Plan (ARP) should be composed of high-density residential areas, commercial districts and public open space. Lumberyards in the area had closed in the 1950s, and developers showed interest in the ’70s but were stopped short by a recession in the ’80s. In the early ’90s, the area saw new life, as a community association was formed and the Eau Claire Market was built. Fast-forward to today and Eau Claire is going through yet another revitalization as new developments are taking hold in the area.
SINGLE FAMILY
MLS® AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET* FEB ‘10 – FEB ‘12
59
58
56 50
52
50
52 52 49 49 48 45 39
38 39
41 41
CREB STAFF ®
48
43
FEB10 MAR10 APR10 MAY10 JUN10 JUL10 AUG10 SEP10 OCT10 NOV10 DEC10 JAN11 FEB11 MAR11 APR11 MAY11 JUN11 JUL11 AUG11 SEP11 OCT11 NOV11 DEC11 JAN12 FEB12
34 33
36
60
city announces contents property tax news briefs market increase
*All statistics based on monthly data compiled by CREB® via MLS® activity.
A
fter much debate, City Council decided to provide Calgarians with a little relief by opening city coffers to offset an unusually large tax hike from the provincial government. Passing by the narrowest of margins, the 8-7 vote means Calgarians will see a six per cent increase in their property taxes, after council dipped into a newly created tax fund to offset the proposed 7.2 per cent hike from the provincial government.
municipal A3
event listing industry
A6 A10
CREB PAC ®
mortgage rates A10 business directory A10 commercial A14 Calgary market ranks high
map open houses
B1 B23
bow ridGe - cocHrane
A3 A6
Renovation report
52
45
waterfront A3
cody stuart, Managing Editor
$548,800
Pride of ownershiP. One owner, custom-built 4 bedroom, 2 storey on a park-like, pie lot. Over 3700 sq. ft. with developed lower walkout (2 additional bedrooms). Gleaming hardwood, designer paints, air conditioning. Quiet cul-de-sac location just steps from park & river pathways. Just listed at $548,800. A perfect family home!! MLS®C3512074
For more details call the “Home Hunters”
Grant
& Steve Hunter 403-278-9208
sutton group canwest vista • www . thehomehunters . com