Inner-City Living Experience - Calgary Bridgeland-Riverside

Spacious, Luxury Living In The Heart Of The City

Originally known as Germantown, Riverside was established by Russian-German immigrants in the 1880s. The name Bridgeland was assumed because the Dominion Bridge Company was operating within. By the beginning of the 20th century, the largely immigrant community was mostly of Italian and Ukrainian descent and parts of lower Bridgeland-Riverside became known as Little Italy due to the high concentration of Italian bakeries, restaurants, and groceries lining its streets. Over the 20th century, Bridgeland-Riverside has transformed and experienced rises and falls in popularity and desirability.  Formerly home to the Calgary General Hospital, this neighbourhood once catered to a large medical personnel and patient population. But as with many parts of the community, the hospital outlived its usefulness and was demolished by a spectacular, controlled explosion in 1998. As the population of Calgary began to seek walkable and centrally-located communities as the homebase for a picture-perfect life,  Bridgeland-Riverside has highlighted its historical relevance, recaptured its diversity, and evolved into a resilient and vibrant inner-city community.  

Accessibility
Accessibility is noteworthy in Bridgeland. Its convenient location just to the north of the city core means residents can access downtown amenities within minutes by CTrain, bus, and car or simply cross over by foot or by bike and make use of the multiple pathways meandering along the Bow River. Within the neighbourhood Bridgeland scores high on walkability with restaurants and coffee shops, specialty shops, health services, and churches all within walking distance. The Calgary Zoo is right across the street and the amazing Telus Spark Science Centre is located here in the 'hood. For those urbanites who live for weekends in the mountains, major thoroughfares such as Memorial Drive and 16th Avenue provide an easy escape.

Diverse Home Options
Bridgeland epitomizes mixed-use development with housing, commercial, and retail existing in harmony. This provides multiple housing options for residents. Multi-family dwellings offer apartment and condo living and Bridgeland was one of the first communities to introduce mixed-use work/ live townhouse projects. For older residents, several supported and independent living complexes are available. But step off of the main drag of 1st Avenue and Bridgeland’s side streets are a mix of historical homes, new single-family construction, and stylish, attached infill homes. From young, urban professionals to growing families, everyone can find their ideal home in Bridgeland.

Community Living
Community life in Bridgeland is centred around the sleek, contemporary, and award-winning community centre built on the site of the demolished General Hospital. Bridgeland-Riverside residents are passionate about their unique and close-knit community. Urban garden projects, community scavenger hunts, sports programs, senior drop-in and fitness programs, farmer’s markets, and group walks are just some of the offerings organized by community members. Bridgeland-Riverside is also home to beautiful parks and some of Calgary’s most noteworthy art installations like the Bridgeland Love mural, Flyover Park, and even the controversial Wishing Well sculpture.

Raise A Family
Bridgeland-Riverside is a great place to raise a family with its unique mix of urban sophistication but close-knit suburban feel. It is a fairly young community with 76% of the population under the age of 55. This is a great community to raise a family with multiple options for schooling including some unique concept schools such as St. Angela Workplace School and Riverside Alternative Science School. School options include:

• St. Angela (K-6)
• Riverside (K-9)
• Delta West Academy (K-12)
• MAC Islamic School of Calgary

In addition to these schools within the boundaries of the community, students can also access these schools in adjoining neighbourhoods:

• Stanley Jones (K-6)
• Colonel McLeod (7-9)
• St. Alphonsus (K-9)
• Crescent Heights (10-12)
• St. Mary’s (10-12)

For Calgarians craving the exciting and dynamic vibe of downtown living with an approachable and people-centred community feel, Bridgeland-Riverside is the perfect place to call home!

Buying And Selling In Calgary’s Inner City

The experts at Tanya Eklund Group are Calgary’s Inner City Real Estate Specialists. We specialize in inner city because we have helped many buyers and sellers close successfully in and around downtown Calgary. But we also specialize in the inner city because we, too, live here, work here, play here. And raise our families here.  An inner city specialist is your best resource if you are seeking a home or looking to sell your property in Calgary’s core. But our team specializes in more than just the inner city, we are a dynamic, full-service team with extensive knowledge of the entire Calgary real estate market. We have cultivated a network of buyers and sellers, and support players so we can guide you through every step of the process with the most skilled professionals. And we are masterful negotiators ensuring that every offer is fair and favourable for our clients. 

If you are interested in exploring opportunities for gracious, estate living in any of Calgary’s beautiful and historic downtown neighbourhoods such as Elbow Park. Or if you are looking to sell your inner city home quickly and for the most optimal price, our team has the resources you need. Reach out to us at 1-403-863-7434 or online and let’s talk about your home.