Mission, and its small neighbour Cliff Bungalow, in a word, are cool.

This is an inner-city oasis of old-school houses, low-level 1960s apartments, low-level 1960s apartments reborn as hip condos, eclectic restaurants and the ever-present Elbow River. 

It has the air of a place that knows something you might not. In a good way.

Situated just south of 17th Avenue, the two communities are within an enviable walking distance of Calgary’s downtown core. Houses can definitely be on the pricey side, but there are many rental apartments and affordable condominiums.

History

The present-day area of Mission sits on land originally homesteaded by Catholic missionaries, Fathers Lacombe and Leduc, in 1883. 

A French-speaking community was established in the 1880s, and the neighbourhood became known as Rouleauville: named after Chief Justice Charles B. Rouleau and his brother Edouard, who founded the Holy Cross Hospital in the area.

In 1907, the community was annexed to Calgary and renamed Mission.

Restaurants and Shopping

Indian, Italian, Mediterranean, French, Chinese, Japanese (times three), and more: you could spend weeks in the community and not want for variety of cuisine. Most of the community’s restaurants, pubs, lounges and shops operate as storefronts on Fourth Street SW.

For serious shoppers, the boutiques of 17th Avenue are only a few blocks away. For serious bar-hoppers and martini loungers, 17th Avenue is also the place to go.

Lilacs

Calgary’s biggest street festival, the Fourth Street Lilac Festival, comes to Mission every May to coincide (in theory) with the fragrant blooming of its namesake flower. Fourth Street shuts down for the day in a celebration of spring and, hopefully, the start of summer.

Recreation

The city’s river pathway system along the Elbow River can’t be missed on a walk through Mission – it’s generally full of both runners and strollers. The river itself is often full of floating rafters on a hot summer day.

The city’s premier fitness facility, the Talisman Centre, with its pool, track, sports programs and army of super-fit staff, is also in the neighbourhood.

Schools

There are a number of schools in, or very close to, the area:

Western Canada High School

St. Mary’s Senior High School

St. Monica’s Elementary and Junior High School

Transportation

The CTrain can be grabbed at the Erlton-Stampede Station, and a number of buses run up and down 4th Street SW. Downtown workers can generally walk or bike from here.

Cliff Bungalow Mission Community Association

432, 1919b-4th Street SW

Phone: (403) 245-6001

Website: www.cbmcacalgary.com