May News

I am excited to share a wonderful new listing in the community of Evergreen Estates that backs right on to Fish Creek Park. It is rare for a home like this to be on the market. Fully renovated with beautiful high end finishes, this home is perfect for a family that is looking to feel surrounded by nature while still enjoying the benefits of a luxury property, and urban convenience. It wont last long on the market so be sure to connect with me ASAP if you are interested in learning more!

In other news, it seems like spring has finally sprung! After the up and down weather we've been having, it looks like warmer weather is on the way (although with Calgary you have to be prepared for everything). As the old saying goes, April showers (or snow) bring May flowers. And for Calgary, one of the sure signs that spring has taken over is when the lilacs start to bloom. While that is still a few weeks out, I thought it might be interesting to share the origins of Calgary's many lilacs, as they can be found in just about every community in the city - and in surrounding rural areas. Initially planted by early immigrants to Southern Alberta back in the 1800s, lilacs are not only a garden staple, but a biological weather instrument many farmers use to predict the best time for certain farming activities. For example, Alfalfa is usually ready for its first cut one month after common purple lilac start to flower. To get rid of alfalfa weevil, some farmers do an early cut of alfalfa hay within 10 days of the first common purple lilac bloom, eliminating weevil eggs before they hatch. In Southern Alberta, the saying is, "Be ready to cut hay 40 days after the lilacs flower." You can learn more about Calgary's lilacs below

In market news, the spring season is picking up. Prices are holding steady compared to previous months, with slight gains in single family and semi detached home prices over March. The market is expected to continue to be a relatively balanced one across all housing types, with good inventory levels and demand from buyers.

If you have any questions about the market, or what's involved in listing your home drop me a line!

A beautiful single family home with evergreen trees around it, curved driveway surrounded by landscaping and a view of Fish Creek Park behind it

1656 Evergreen Hill SW

Welcome to this stunning, fully renovated bungalow nestled in the sought-after community of Evergreen - one of SW Calgary's most coveted neighbourhoods - offering the rare privilege of directly backing onto Fish Creek Provincial Park. Step out your back gate and into over 80 km of pathways, green space, and natural wildlife corridors. No detail has been overlooked in this top-to-bottom renovation. The bright, open-concept main floor, with a designer kitchen complete with premium granite countertops, full-height cabinetry, Wolf gas stove, new Miele oven + microwave appliances, and a large central island - perfect for entertaining. The spacious living and dining areas are bathed in natural light and offer serene, unobstructed views of the park and mature trees beyond. The primary suite is a true retreat, complete with a spa-inspired ensuite boasting a walk-in tiled shower, double vanity, and heated floors. Get ready to enjoy summer evenings on the west-facing deck overlooking the park's natural canopy - a living backdrop that changes beautifully with every season. Situated minutes from Stoney Trail, Costco, top-rated schools, and the Fish Creek LRT station, this home delivers the perfect balance of nature, luxury, and urban convenience.

Evergreen Estates is a beautiful neighbourhood in southwest Calgary. Established in 1986, it is a distinct community from Evergreen (to the south) which was not built until 1999.

Evergreen Estates is bordered by Fish Creek Blvd to the south, Stoney Trail to the west, and the community of Shawnee Slopes to the East. The northern edge of the community is Fish Creek Park - meaning residents have over 100km of hiking, biking and walking trails just steps away. The park is also popular for swimming, fishing and observing wildlife. In fact, Fish Creek park is home to over 200 species of birds as well as an abundance of wildlife including deer and moose, weasels and Calgary's relatively small collective of raccoons.

Evergreen has great access to major roadways like the southwest portion of the ring road, and Macleod Trail. It is a quick drive to numerous grocery store, recreation facilities, shopping and services. This neighbourhood really has it all - nature, nearby amenities, and a family focused vibe.

If you've lived in Calgary for any length of time, you've likely attended Lilac Festival, typically held in early June. Since it began in 1989 as a small neighbourhood celebration put on by the Cliff Bungalow-Mission Community Association and the 4th Street Business Revitalization Zone, the festival has grown to entertain over 100,000 people each spring.

The festival takes place in the Beltline and Mission neighborhoods, along the thirteen blocks of 4th Street between 12th Avenue SW and Elbow Drive, and also on 17th Avenue between 2nd Street and 5th Street SW. It is an all day free event and is open to all ages. The festival features entertainment stages, street dancing, artisan vendors, food, and more!

You might be wondering why the celebration is named after lilacs. While arguably they are pretty and fragrant plants, they aren't native to Alberta - but Calgary does have a lot of these shrubs throughout the city, especially in our oldest communities. Lilacs are highly valued - so much so that some of the oldest streetscapes with lilacs are listed on the City of Calgary's Inventory of Historic Resources.

Lilacs are native to the rocky slopes of the central Balkans in southeastern Europe in mountainous parts of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia. Lilacs found their way from peasant gardens in Romania to the royal courts in Europe and Asia. It was introduced to North America by early settlers. In Calgary this was initially done by French settlers in what is now Mission. Lilacs continue to thrive in Calgary because of their high cold-hardiness, drought resistance, and love of the sun.

Because of this, in the early 1900s more lilacs were planted by the City.

In 1913 William Reader became Calgary's 3rd Superintendent of Parks and Cemeteries. One of his first priorities was the development of the new civic nursery, located at the bottom of Union Cemetery hill. Reader also noted in his 1913 annual report that he "devoted a considerable part of my energies during the past season to the construction of new boulevards, and have prepared a big program for the future, as I very much doubt if any other public improvement will tend to create and foster a civic pride in Calgary to the same extend as will the making of boulevards, and planting of trees on our streets, nor will any other feature of our city impress visitors so favorably."

From 1913-1942 Reader planted trees and lilacs on Calgary avenues, boulevards and medians, in communities like Crescent Heights, Mount Royal, Beltline, Hillhurst, Sunnyside, Renfrew, Bridgeland, Elbow Park (just to name a few!). While the tree variety differed by location, lilacs were always included in his planting plans.

Today, local nurseries and plant stores continue to carry a selection of lilac shrubs for Calgarians eager to add the fragrant purple flowering bushes to their properties. Lilacs remain a sought after staple in landscaping - and that will likely be true for generations to come.

This year's Lilac Festival will be held June 7.