Top 3 Walkable Areas in Calgary: Live, Visit and Enjoy!

May 23, 2014
By Cody Battershill

Top 3 Walkable Areas in Calgary You'll Love

Out of milk?

Where did the bread go?

No more eggs!?

Running out of food happens to all of us, but when living in one of Calgary`s top walkable areas re-stocking our daily foods is quick and easy.

You see, walking to the nearby store takes a matter of minutes when living in these areas – no vehicle, no burned fuel, nice and simple. Before you know it, your already back home and ready to go.

This is just one example as to why Calgary`s walkable communities have become some of the most sought after in the city, especially in recent years with increased urbanization in downtown and the inner city.

Without further adieu, here are our top 3 areas in Calgary that are the perfect fit for those looking to live a walkable lifestyle to the fullest.

Kensington (Sunnyside, Hillhurst)

Highlights

Kensington Road NW

10th Street NW

Bow River Access

Walk down Kensington’s main strips and you will quickly notice cultured streetscapes thanks to the list of unique shops, top-notch restaurants and friendly faces that line them. See some of Kensington’s Unique Shops today.

It’s these streetscapes that make Kensington an enjoyable place to be and live especially during warmer weather when locals from all around the city come to indulge in what it has to offer including quick access to the Bow River, Peace Bridge and Princes Island Park.

In the summer, join over 100,000 people at the Sun and Salsa Festival to experience cuisines from all over the world and live entertainment ranging from hilarious street buskers to home-grown musical talents.

Learn more at Kensington – Calgary Walkable Communities today.

Beltline (Victoria Park, Connaught)

Highlights

17th Avenue SW

10th Avenue SW

4th Street SW

First Street Village

17th Avenue SW (also known as the “Red Mile”) is your one stop shop for social life as it is where you will find some of the best restaurants, patios and nightlife our city has to offer.

The Stampede Grounds, Saddledome, BMO / Round-Up Centres and the Elbow River are all found on the most eastern side of the Red Mile – venues that host professional sports games, internationally acclaimed bands and performers, trade shows and more. A Day in Victoria Park is a day well spent.

Put the social scene aside and you still have a vibrant urban corridor that is littered with those must-have amenities that make daily life convenient as they are a few blocks away and are easily reachable on foot.

Shoppers Drug Mart, TD Bank, Scotiabank, RBoC, BMO, HSBC, Best Buy, Borgo Trattoria, FARM, Cibo, Cilantro, Roosevelt, National, Ox and Angela, Ship & Anchor, Republik, Sunterra Market, Elbow River Casino, Yuk Yuks and Animal Hospital to name some.

Throw in the nightclubs found on 10th Avenue SW and outstanding restaurants on 4th Street SW and you have one of the most all-inclusive walkable areas in all of Calgary.

See more at Victoria Park – Calgary Walkable Communities today.

Eau Claire

Highlights

RiverWalk

Eau Claire Market

Princes Island Park

Eau Claire’s urban parks and pathways are something to be excited about.

First you have the beautifully landscaped, very popular RiverWalk that connects Eau Claire to downtown’s west end, Princes Island Park, Kensington, East Village, St. Patricks’ Island and the Calgary Zoo, Inglewood and the Elbow River with the furthest destination on this list being only about a 25 minute walk away.

The most exciting of all these places is perhaps the up and coming East Village, future home of the new National Music Centre, Central Public Library, Riff and much, much more.

When completed East Village will be yet another vibrant and walkable festival / cultural hub in downtown just like Princes Island Park, a beautiful and lush 20 hectare island located between the embankments of the Bow River.

Princes Island Park is the site of the annual Calgary Folk Music Festival and Canada Day Celebration as well as the award-winning River Cafe and Patio.

Topping it all off are plans to redevelop the out-dated Eau Claire Market into a bigger and better mixed use development that includes more retail on a pedestrian-friendly street that will make this area even more walkable than it is today!

I Love Calgary

Living, working and playing all in one area of the city is a dream that many have.

Quite often that dream is closely related to a walkable location where people can access amenities, entertainment and other important services on foot just minutes from their front door.

Kensington, Eau Claire and the beltline communities are a direct embodiment of that dream. Today there are several new and resale condominium opportunities in their areas.