Highland Park

Highland Park overview

Highland Park is a north-central community set along the east side of Centre Street North, annexed to Calgary in 1910 and built out mainly during the oil-boom years of the 1940s and 1950s. It sits on rising ground and ravine-cut land north of the core, close to Tuxedo Park and Mount Pleasant. The neighbourhood offers one of the more attainable inner-city entry points in Calgary, with a permeable grid of streets, alleys, and mature trees, along with steady infill activity.

What defines Highland Park

Highland Park is defined by its Centre Street access, its ravine topography, and its stock of small mid-century homes. The community grew around the streetcar line that once ran up Centre Street, and much of the housing was built in the decade after the Second World War. A former nine-hole public golf course occupied the ravine on the east side until it closed in 2011, and the future of that land has been an ongoing subject of community planning and discussion.

Homes and housing range

The original fabric is predominantly small bungalows in Minimal Traditional and Ranch styles built between the mid-1940s and mid-1950s, many on modest lots. That makes Highland Park an accessible place to buy into the inner city. Alongside the older homes, builders have added detached infills and semi-detached duplexes, so a typical block can show original bungalows next to new two-storey builds. There is also a pocket of pre-war homes and some slope-adapted properties along the eastern escarpment.

Amenities and walkability

Centre Street North supplies the community’s shopping and dining, with groceries, restaurants, and services running along the corridor and continuing into neighbouring communities. Additional retail sits nearby on 16 Avenue and toward McKnight. The community association is active and hosts events at its hall. Walkability is best near Centre Street, while the interior streets stay quiet and residential, suited to walking and cycling on the grid.

Parks and outdoor space

Green space is woven through Highland Park, including neighbourhood parks and the ravine lands on the east side that once held the golf course. Confederation Park and its extensive pathways lie a short distance to the west, and the Nose Creek corridor is within reach to the east. The area’s grade and ravines give it more natural relief than many inner-city communities, which shows up in the walking routes and some elevated outlooks toward downtown.

Transit and connectivity

Highland Park is well served for commuting. Centre Street North is a major transit corridor with frequent bus service to downtown and is central to plans for improved north-side rapid transit. Drivers reach the core quickly via Centre Street and Edmonton Trail, while McKnight Boulevard and Deerfoot Trail connect east and north toward the airport and the wider region. The location balances a central address with straightforward routes out of the inner city.

Who it suits and the local market

Highland Park appeals to first-time buyers, investors, and builders looking for an affordable inner-city foothold, as well as buyers who want a new infill at a lower entry point than the southwest. The stock of smaller bungalows keeps starting prices down, while redevelopment supports lot demand. The eventual reuse of the former golf course lands is a factor worth watching, as it could influence the community over the longer term.

Buying or selling in Highland Park

Value in Highland Park depends on lot size, slope, and proximity to Centre Street and the ravine, so local insight matters when buying or listing. Tessa Blair and the Blair Plus team at Sotheby’s International Realty follow how this attainable north-central community trades and where redevelopment is heading. If you are considering an entry-level inner-city purchase or preparing to sell a home here, connect with the team for practical, current advice on pricing and timing.