Calgary's best walking pathways

Whether you’re looking for a good, low-impact workout or just want to relax on a beautiful summer afternoon, Calgary has numerous pathways that connect with different neighbourhoods, parks and natural areas. If you need any suggestions, here are some of our favourites:

1. Glenmore Reservoir Loop

A favourite for walkers, boaters and cyclists alike, the Glenmore Reservoir pathway leads across bridges, through marshes and past scenic viewpoints. You can start your walk at any of the multiple parking lots around the reservoir and make the full trek or turn around at any point.

2. Prince's Island Park: Chevron Learning Pathway

Along the east end of the park, this pathway provides scenic views of the city skyline and the Bow River, and features educational signage of the wildlife, habitat and water quality. It's an easy, interactive walk to get your steps in – it's less than 1 km – that has become a favourite for Calgarians and visitors alike.

3. Fish Creek Park: Bebo Grove Loop

Fish Creek is home to 80 km of mixed-use pathways across sprawling forest and grassland. It's the second largest urban park in Canada and it's famous for its rich biodiversity (over 200 different birds have been spotted here). Of all the paths in the park, our favourite is Bebo Grove Loop, which starts at the west end of the park and flows east towards the Bow River. It provides an escape from the buzz of the city with its mesmerizing views and room for activities.

4. Nose Hill Park: Nose Hill Loop

If you're looking for a compelling views and a little bit of a challenge, the Nose Hill Loop starting at the 14 Street NW parking lot at Nose Hill Park is the perfect choice. It's 7.6 km in length and takes almost two hours to complete. The trail is also popular  for other activities like birdwatching and mountain biking. If you're luck, you may also see deer or one of the local porcupines.

5. Jack & Jean Leslie RiverWalk

If you want to absorb the buzzing energy of the city, this walk is for you. As one of the Calgary's most-loved public spaces, the RiverWalk parallels the Bow River, connecting Centre Street to Fort Calgary and then following the Elbow River to 9 Avenue SE.

The pathway has dedicated pedestrian and cycling lanes, so you can walk, relax and enjoy the view of Calgary's skyline, art installations and more. There are also several places to stop for refreshments around the area, so you can grab a coffee while you're at it to keep you energized.

Industry pros say these kitchen updates have the biggest return on investment.

By Kamron Sanders

Published on April 4, 2025

Few renovation projects can refresh your home quite like a kitchen refresh—but not all kitchen upgrades add resale value. Sure, a beautiful backsplash, on-trend cabinetry, updated countertops, and sleek appliances would improve any kitchen, but, if you plan on eventually selling your home, you need to know which kitchen updates have a good ROI.

Below, we've spoken to real estate and design professionals about the best kitchen upgrades that will add the most value to your home.

1. Kitchen Islands With Seating

Real estate advisor Kourtney Pulitzer says one of the highest ROI kitchen upgrades is adding a kitchen island with seating. "People really love being able to spend time in the kitchen, which is often the heart of a home," she says.

Kitchen islands haven't always been a must-have item, but, these days, they're on many buyers' wishlists. While kitchen islands historically served as prep surfaces, they've transitioned into the focal point of the kitchen, a gathering spot where many (if not most) meals are eaten and parties are hosted.

Want to really make a statement? Double kitchen islands are a popular luxury option.

2. Updating or Adding Cabinetry

In most cases, Pulitzer says you can't go wrong updating your kitchen cabinets, noting that upgrading cabinets and pantry organization can often result in extra money in your pocket when you sell.

Traditional kitchens have both upper and lower cabinets, which naturally take up a lot of visual space. So, updating this cabinetry will have a major impact on your kitchen's overall look. Plus, modern cabinetry options can make the kitchen more organized and user-friendly, which appeals to buyers.

3. Cabinet Refacing and Painting

Let's face it, even builder-grade cabinets cost a lot of money. But, there are budget-friendly ways to update your cabinetry. "Instead of replacing cabinets, refinishing, painting, or refacing them is a cost-effective way to modernize the kitchen," advises Kristin Farnan, founder of Ridge Residential Design.

You can refresh the look of cabinetry with a coat of paint or completely overhaul their looks by refacing them. Both options can cost a fraction of a full cabinet replacement, and, in some cases, they may offer the same return.

29 Popular Kitchen Cabinet Colors with Long-Lasting Appeal

4. New Cabinet Hardware

Even swapping your cabinet hardware can work wonders for your kitchen's overall aesthetic, as the antiquated hardware could be dating your otherwise beautiful kitchen. "Updating cabinet handles, hinges, and drawer pulls is a small change with a big impact," Farnan says.

Depending on the size of your kitchen and the type of hardware you're replacing, this is an upgrade you could do for less than $100. Plus, swapping cabinet hardware takes hardly any time at all.

Cottagecore Hardware Is Trending: Design Experts Share How to Use It

5. Countertops

Yes, countertops are expensive, but they make a major visual impact on the kitchen that buyers will notice right away. Plus, there are plenty of countertop materials to choose from, offering beautiful looks at an attainable price. Farnan recommends shopping quartz and granite for the best balance of cost and desirability.

The Pros and Cons of Common Kitchen Countertop Materials

6. Refreshed Backsplash

Farnan says a modern backsplash (subway tile, glass, or stone) can up your kitchen's visual appeal without breaking your budget. When done well, a kitchen backsplash can elevate the existing countertops and cabinetry, giving the entire kitchen a refreshed look at a lower cost than cabinetry, countertops, and appliances.

7. Light Fixtures

Don't underestimate the power of good lighting. Upgrading kitchen light fixtures is one of the easiest upgrades you can make. In fact, most experienced DIYers can knock out this renovation themselves, which increases the ROI potential.

"Pendant lights over the sink or island, under-cabinet lighting, or LED recessed lighting can transform the ambiance," notes Farnan.

The 17 Best Pendant Lights of 2025 for Every Style and Budget

8. Neutral Paint

A new coat of paint is nearly always a good idea, as it can totally transform your space without making a major dent in your budget. Plus, most DIYers can perform a decent paint job themselves, adding to their ROI. However, not just any paint will work.

Farnan advocates for the use of neutral colors (white, gray, beige, etc.) on cabinetry and walls, as they will give the space a clean, updated look. Plus, opting for neutral colors will appeal to most buyers, while bolder choices may be more polarizing.

7 Kitchen Cabinet Color Trends We Expect to See in 2025

Kitchen Upgrades With the Worst ROI

We've covered the kitchen upgrades with the best ROI, but what about kitchen renovations with the worst ROI?

• High-end appliances: Both Farnan and Pulitzer agreed that high-end appliances rarely ever return on the steep initial cost.

• Overly specific features and appliances: While you may love your nugget ice maker and built-in espresso machine, buyers won't necessarily be as enthused. In fact, they may view your prized features as must-remove items.

• Overly trendy designs: While your edgy kitchen design may look great to you and others, it won't necessarily appeal to your buyers. Farnan says bold colors, open shelving, and modern cabinetry come in and out of style, meaning they won't necessarily align with the buyer's wants and needs.

New communities to watch out for in Calgary and area

In 2024, Calgary became the most populated city in the province, with 1.6 million residents. As our population increases and suburban areas continue to be the location of choice for new housing, new communities have emerged so Calgary can meet the demands of a growing population in the coming decades.

These are some of the new communities in Calgary and surrounding areas: 

Nostalgia Townlet

Coming to the southeast quadrant of the city, this neighbourhood will blend the past and the present with neo-traditional architecture and multi-family and single-family properties.

Developed by Jayman BUILT, this sustainability-focused community will live between the Bow River to the south and the communities of Seton/Rangeview to the north.

The main street will feature a homeowner’s association, amenities and boutique retailers, with a focus on wellness and authentic social connections.

Alpine Park

This new southwest community provides access to all parts of the city and a shorter commute thanks to a newly opened section of the Stoney Trail ring road.

Alpine Park offers a dynamic mix of housing choices such as condos and townhouses and features several walking pathways, lake access and a spacious retail space.

With a focus on sustainability, all homes built within Alpine Park are required to be solar-ready with 200-amp servicing that helps distribute electricity more efficiently and can handle standard-size residential solar power systems with battery storage, solar orientation for detached garages, and solar conduit rough-ins that support the installation of future solar power systems.

Ambleton

Conveniently located in the northwest quadrant of the city, Ambleton provides easy access to Stoney Trail, 14 Street NW, and 144 Avenue NW, and downtown, as well as Highways 1 and 2 for when you need to get out of town.

The community offers laned and front garage homes in craftsman, prairie, farmhouse and mid-century modern styles.

Within a five-minute drive, residents can access amenities such as schools, daycares, medical services, five parks, 7.3 km of planned regional and multi-use pathways, and retail.

Homestead

Featuring front-garage homes, duplex homes and townhomes in the northeast, Homestead offers easy access to mountain views, fields and the city’s major thoroughfares, including direct access to Stoney Trail and 80th Avenue NE.

No car? No problem. The community has access to major roadways and Calgary Transit bus services.

A family-oriented community, Homestead will also be home to two schools, four one-acre playgrounds and several playing fields with soccer fields, cricket pitches and basketball and pickleball courts.

Set to open this spring, the Homestead Landing Commercial Plaza, a four-acre, seven-building site, will serve the community of Homestead , as well as surrounding areas and future developments to come. 

Surrounding areas

Heartland (Cochrane)

A 20-minute drive to Calgary, Heartland offers front drive, front attached garage and duplex homes with the finest materials.

Heartland is close to the Rocky Mountains, Kananaskis Country and Banff National Park, and features stunning landscapes with mountain views.

With parks, trails and playgrounds, this community is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. It also boasts just a 17-minute drive to Ghost Lake, a nearby hot spot for swimming, kayaking and camping in the summer and for ice fishing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Harmony (Rocky Mountain Country)

Located just five kilometres west of Calgary, in Rural Rocky View M.D, Harmony is a peaceful community offering townhomes, laned homes, detached homes, bungalows, estates and lakeside properties.

Harmony has quick and easy access to the mountains and major amenities along the Trans-Canada Highway, and features a central man-made lake with a beach club and a future wellness space by Groupe Nordik.

Currently under construction is a village featuring a mixed-use area to cater to residents’ daily activities and amenity needs.

Lanark Landing (Airdrie)

With townhomes, duplexes, laned homes and front drive homes, Lanark Landing has something for everyone.

The community’s amenities include a pump track for bikes, a local skating rink, parks, playgrounds and walking trails so all the members of the family can enjoy the neighbourhood.

Lanark Landing is also close to three Rocky View public schools and two Catholic ones, and is located within walking distance of Kingsview Market and the Sierra Springs Shopping Centre.

Taza Park (Tsuut'ina)

This new development situated between Glenmore Trail SW and the Stoney Trail/Tsuut’ina Trail Ring Road offers a lifestyle filled with outdoor recreation and connection to nature.

With townhomes and villas, Taza Park provides easy access to Calgary (a seven-minute drive to the city centre) and the Rocky Mountains.

Its amenities include workspaces, shopping, dining, entertainment and nine parks, four dog parks, 20 acres of green space and over 1,000 kms of integrated regional pathways.

Waterford (Chestermere)

On the southwest edge of Chestermere, the Waterford community offers townhomes, duplexes, single family and laned homes.

With high walkability scores, Waterford features three school sites, eight green spaces and parks, three storm ponds and two neighbourhood centres.

Named “Alberta’s Oasis”, the community has a year-round lake-living resort that offers all the amenities of a weekend or summer getaway, right in the comfort of the community.

Wedderburn (Okotoks)

Nestled in north Okotoks, Wedderburn offers a variety of options for all types of buyers that range from laned to paired homes, front drive villas and homes, as well as condos.

A 15-minute drive from south Calgary, the community has pathways that connect to over 85 km of local pathways, a safe route network, the Meadow Ridge School (K-9), playgrounds and a scenic pond.

Wedderburn is also minutes away from the local favourite golf club, D’Arcy Ranch.

Finally, the community’s commercial area will be walking distance to shopping, dining and other essentials.

Balanced conditions take pressure off prices

A boost in new listings this month relative to sales caused April inventories to rise to 5,876 units. Although this is more than double the number reported last year, last year’s supply was exceptionally low, and current inventory levels are consistent with what we typically see in April. April sales reached 2,236 units—22 per cent below last year’s levels but in line with long-term trends.

“Economic uncertainty has weighed on home sales in our market, but levels are still outpacing activity reported during the challenging economic climate experienced prior to the pandemic,” said Ann-Marie Lurie, Chief Economist at CREB®. “This, in part, is related to our market's situation before the recent shocks. Previous gains in migration, relatively stable employment levels, lower lending rates, and better supply choice compared to last year’s ultra-low levels have likely prevented a more significant pullback in sales and have kept home prices relatively stable.”

The rise in inventory levels helped the market shift to balanced conditions with nearly three months of supply. However, conditions vary depending on price range and property type. Lower-priced detached and semi-detached properties continue to struggle with insufficient supply, while row and apartment-style homes are seeing more broad-based shifts to balanced conditions. 

The additional supply has helped relieve the pressure on home prices following the steep gains reported over the past several years. Benchmark prices for each property type have remained relatively stable compared to last month. However, compared to last year, detached and semi-detached prices are over two per cent higher than last year's levels, while apartment and row-style home prices have remained relatively unchanged.   

Detached
Detached sales were 1,102 units in April, a year-over-year decline of 16 per cent. While sales eased across most areas of the city, the South East district has seen sales rise over last year's levels. April saw 1,907 new listings come onto the market, and the sales-to-new-listings ratio remained balanced at 58 per cent. Inventories rose to 2,511 units, and the months of supply rose to 2.3 months. While this is a significant gain over the less than one month of supply reported last year at this time, conditions remain relatively tight, especially in the lower price ranges.

In April, the unadjusted benchmark price reached $769,300, similar to last month but over two per cent higher than last April. The added supply choice, combined with uncertainty, has slowed the pace of price growth. However, with a year-over-year gain of nearly five per cent, the City Centre has exhibited stronger price growth than any other district.

Semi-Detached
Easing sales in April contributed to the year-to-date decline of nearly 16 per cent. The 190 sales in April were met with 350 new listings, and the sales-to-new-listings ratio fell to 54 per cent. This also caused further gains in inventory levels, which reached 484 units. The rise in inventory did help push the market toward balanced conditions with 2.6 months of supply, a significant improvement over the less than one month reported at this time last year.

The shift toward more balanced conditions has slowed the pace of price growth. In April, the unadjusted benchmark price was $691,700, similar to last month and over three per cent higher than last year. The City Centre reported the largest gain, at over five per cent, while prices in the North remained stable compared to last year.

Row
April sales slowed for row homes, contributing to the year-to-date decline of 16 per cent. Meanwhile, new listings continued to rise compared to last year, driving the sales-to-new-listings down to 51 per cent. In April, inventories reached 1,005 units, the highest level reported since 2021, and the months of supply rose to nearly three months. Improved supply has taken some of the pressure off prices,

In April, the unadjusted row price was $457,400, a slight gain over last month, but relatively unchanged compared to April of last year and still below last year's peak price reported in June. The pullbacks reported in the North and North East districts offset year-over-year gains in most districts.

Apartment Condominium
April sales eased by nearly 30 per cent over last year's record high but were far stronger than long-term trends. While sales have remained relatively strong, new listings in April reached a record high for the month, supporting further gains in inventory levels. With three months of supply in the city, conditions are considered relatively balanced. However, activity does range significantly based on location, impacting price movements.

The North East district reported the highest months of supply at seven months, resulting in a year-over-year price decline of two per cent and a spread of over seven per cent from last year's high. Overall, the April benchmark price in the city was $336,000, similar to last year but still three per cent lower than last year's record high.

REGIONAL MARKET FACTS

Airdrie
For the third month in a row, sales activity eased compared to last year's levels. Despite the declines, sales remain above long-term trends. At the same time, new listings continue to rise, but with 185 sales and 290 new listings in April, the sales-to-new listings ratio reached 64 per cent, an improvement over recent months. Inventory levels continued to trend up this month. However, after three consecutive years of exceptionally low April levels, inventory is now consistent with long-term trends. With 2.3 months of supply, conditions are moving to a more balanced state, taking the pressure off home prices. In April, the total residential price was $544,700, relatively unchanged compared to both last month and last year's levels.

Cochrane
For the fourth month in a row, sales activity in the area has remained consistent with last year's levels, resulting in 335 sales so far this year, a nearly five per cent gain over last year and consistent with long-term trends. New listings have also been on the rise, but the sales-to-new-listings ratio has remained at 60 per cent, preventing the doubling of inventory in this market. While inventory levels have improved compared to last year, the 246 units available in April are just shy of long-term trends. Like other areas, improvements in supply have slowed the pace of price growth, but in Cochrane, prices are still edging up. In April, the total residential benchmark price was $592,000, trending up over last month and nearly six per cent higher than prices reported in the previous year and at a record high.

Okotoks
Sales in Okotoks continue to ease compared to last year, contributing to the year-to-date decline of 16 per cent. Over the past few years, sales have been restricted by a lack of supply. However, this year we have started to see a shift. New listings continue to improve in April compared to sales, causing the sales-to-new-listings ratio to ease to 53 per cent, supporting inventory gains. However, with 127 units in inventory in April, levels remain below long-term trends for the month. The modest gains in inventory have slowed the pace of price growth in the area. As of April, the unadjusted benchmark price was $627,100, down slightly from last month, but nearly two per cent higher than last April.

Click here to view the full City of Calgary monthly stats package.

Click here to view the full Calgary region monthly stats package.