Varsity has nabbed top spot on Avenue Calgary’s 2017 list of finest communities in the city, a title previously held by the Beltline.
On Wednesday, the publication released its 8th annual ranking of the 50 best neighbourhoods in Calgary.
The results are dictated by an online survey from research company Leger posted on the magazine’s website.
Instead of simply asking Calgarians to vote for the best neighbourhood, the survey gets respondents to consider various neighbourhood attributes from crime rates, property taxes and walkability to green space, schools and access to major roads, and determine which matter to them the most.
What’s new for 2017?
“This year, we did a total data overhaul and that caused a few exciting changes in the results,” the magazine explained. “With the launch of the City of Calgary’s Open Data Portal in late 2016, we had access to more details and more accurate information than ever before.”
According to Avenue, the way parks were counted changed for 2017.
“Previously, we simply counted how many green spaces were in each neighbourhood. Using the city’s open data, we could include information on the actual amount of park space – the more hectares a park is, the more points we allocated to it.”
The change caused some big movement in the rankings: Varsity moved from 47th overall in 2016 to first and Edgemont moved from 70th in 2016 to third.
In both 2015 and 2016 the Beltline scored top spot, followed by Brentwood.
Top 5 neighbourhood characteristics
In 2017, Calgarians’ top five most important neighbourhood characteristics were access to parks and pathways, low crime, walkability, access to restaurants, cafés and pubs, and high community engagement.
In 2016, parks and pathways, low crime rates and access to restaurants were also among the top five.
Calgary’s top 10 neighbourhoods 2017
- Varsity
- Beltline
- Edgemont
- Brentwood
- Signal Hill
- Huntington Hills
- Bridgeland / Riverside
- Arbour Lake
- Downtown Commercial Core
- Crescent Heights
For more details on the top 50 Calgary communities featured in Avenue’s annual Best Neighbourhoods list, visit their website or pick up the latest copy of the free publication.
What’s so great about Varsity?
Located just west of the University of Calgary, Avenue Calgary says Varsity gives residents “all the best parts of old and new.”
“Seniors aging in place in modest bungalows share calm streets lined with mature trees with energetic young families in new builds, creating a nice, welcoming mix,” the publication explained.
The neighbourhood also offers a “reasonable commute” to downtown by vehicle or CTrain and easy access to the Rocky Mountains.
As Avenue explains, “the banks of the Bow River beckon to the south, while Market Mall provides a convenient hub of shopping amenities within the community.”
The community is further praised for its expansiveness, plentiful parks, recreation facilities and mature, shade-giving trees.
“It perfectly encapsulates what expat Calgarians dream about when they think about home.”
Disagree with the rankings?
“It’s important to note that the best neighbourhoods in Calgary, as determined by this survey, aren’t necessarily going to be the best for every Calgarian in the city,” Avenue acknowledged.