Lake Bonavista, Calgary

History

Lake Bonavista was developed by the Keith Construction company starting in 1967. It was the first community in Canada to be built around a man-made lake, and served as a prototype for other lake communities in Calgary.

Two trailer courts were on the west side of Bonavista, north of the Avenida Shopping Centre, alongside Macleod Trail. The Avenida shopping centre, opened in 1988, was built to cater to the increasing size of the neighbourhood. It includes an art gallery and assorted upmarket restaurants.

Community boundaries

The community of Lake Bonavista is located in the southeast quadrant of Calgary. It is bounded by Anderson Road to the north, Macleod Trail to the west, Canyon Meadows Drive to the south, and a natural existing hill to the east. Willow Park sits directly to the north of the community, Canyon Meadows to the west, Fish Creek Provincial Park and Parkland to the south, and Bonavista Downs to the east.

Demographics

In the City of Calgary's 2012 municipal census, Lake Bonavista had a population of living in dwellings, a 1.3% decrease from its 2011 population of . With a land area of 5.2 km2, it had a population density of in 2012. Also in the 2012 municipal census, Bonavista Downs had a population of living in dwellings, a 2.3% decrease from its 2011 population of . With a land area of 0.5 km2, it had a population density of in 2012.

Residents in this community had a median household income of $101,025 in 2005, and there were 4.4% low income residents living in the neighbourhood. In Bonavista Downs, the median household income was $81,761, and there were 8.4% low income residents living in the neighbourhood.

Amenities

Lake Bonavista Promenade is a small commercial development within Lake Bonavista that includes both retail space and professional offices. There is convenient access to shopping areas along Macleod Trail and in Southcentre Mall.

Fish Creek Park borders the community to the south, and provides a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.

The Lake Bonavista Community Association (not to be confused with the homeowners association which maintains the lake) owns a community centre within the district. The centre includes two ice rinks, a gym, and a variety of multipurpose rooms.

There is also a City of Calgary ice rink, Frank McCool Arena, within the community.

Manmade Lakes

The area was originally flat treeless prairie with no distinctive natural features. In order to make the area more attractive, Lake Bonavista, a 52 acre manmade lake, was constructed in 1968, with a portion of the earth excavated from the lake used to construct a 65 ft hill with a waterfall adjacent to the lake. The lake and park provide a variety of year-round recreational opportunities for residents, including fishing, swimming, boating, tennis, skating, and tobogganing. The Lake Bonavista Homeowners Association, membership of which is mandatory for homeowners in the area, provides for the upkeep of the lake and park.

The neighbourhood also contains a second manmade lake, Lake Bonaventure. This 35 acre lake is only accessible from houses built directly around the lake itself. Homeowners with access to Lake Bonaventure must pay their share of the upkeep on both Lake Bonavista and Lake Bonaventure.

Bonavista Downs residents share many of the amenities with Lake Bonavista, but they do not have access to the lakes and do not pay for their upkeep.

Education

Lake Bonavista is home to the following schools:

• Lake Bonavista, Public Elementary
• Andrew Sibbald, Public Elementary
• Sam Livingston, Public Elementary
• Nickle, Public Junior High
• St. Boniface, Catholic Elementary
• St. Bonaventure, Catholic Junior High

Churches

The following churches are located in Lake Bonavista:

• Bonavista Baptist Church
• Bonavista Church (formerly Bonavista Evangelical Missionary Church)
• Holy Nativity Anglican Church
• St. Bonaventure Church

Transit

Lake Bonavista is served by Calgary Transit Bus Route 29 to the north, Route 35 in the middle, and Route 83 in the south. The Canyon Meadows CTrain Station serves Lake Bonavista.

Electoral districts

Lake Bonavista is part of the Calgary Midnapore Federal Electoral District, the Calgary Fish Creek Provincial Riding, and Calgary Municipal Ward 14.

References

:*James Martin, Calgary - Secrets of the City Arsenal Pulp Press, 1999.
:*Robert M. Stamp, Suburban Modern - Postwar Dreams in Calgary Touchwood Editions, 2004.

References

1. {{Calgary City Council. ref
3. page, Topic landing. "Community Profiles".
4. "Community Boundaries {{!}} Open Calgary".
5. (2012). "2012 Civic Census Results". City of Calgary.
6. "Community Boundaries". City of Calgary.
7. City of Calgary. (2009). "Lake Bonavista Community Statistics".
8. City of Calgary. (2009). "Bonavista Downs Community Statistics".
9. Clerks, City. "Civic Census".
10. (January 15, 2018). "Frank McCool Arena remains on ice, closed almost two years". Calgary Herald.
11. Lake Bonavista public schools: [http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b334/ Lake Bonavista], [http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b336/ Andrew Sibbald], [http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b354/ Sam Livingston], [http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b654/ Nickle] and catholic schools: [http://www.cssd.ab.ca/schools/stboniface/ St. Boniface], [http://www.cssd.ab.ca/schools/stbonaventure/ St. Bonaventure]
12. Churches in Lake Bonavista: [http://www.bonavistabaptist.com Bonavista Baptist Church], [http://www.bonavistachurch.ca Bonavista Evangelical Missionary Church]