Short answer: Altadore is built for family life: one in five residents was under 15 in 2021, the highest share of the 11 communities in these guides. River Park's off-leash area runs along the ridge above the Elbow River with Sandy Beach below, and Marda Loop's shops and restaurants are on the doorstep.
Why live in Altadore?
Altadore has done most of its rebuilding already. Six in ten detached houses, 761 of 1,274, were built in 2000 or later, the highest share of the 11 communities in these guides, so you're buying into streets that have largely been renewed rather than waiting for them to turn over.
What is there to do outdoors in Altadore?
River Park runs along the ridge above Sandy Beach: 21 hectares with a large designated off-leash area and a dog water fountain. Below it, Sandy Beach has picnic shelters, fire pits, playgrounds and canoe and raft access to the Elbow River.
Indoors, the Glenmore Aquatic Centre is about 280 metres from Altadore's edge and Stu Peppard Arena about 260 metres.
Where do you shop and eat in Altadore?
Marda Loop's shops and restaurants line 33 and 34 Avenue SW, and part of the district lies in Altadore. Across the whole Marda Loop district, where most of the businesses are in South Calgary, the City licenses 45 places to eat with seating and 83 retailers. The Military Museums are just beyond Altadore, in Garrison Woods.
What schools are in or near Altadore?
Four schools are in Altadore. Central Memorial High School is about 90 metres beyond its edge and Emily Follensbee School about 130 metres.
- Altadore School: public, elementary, inside Altadore
- Dr. Oakley School: public, elementary, junior high and senior high, inside Altadore
- Rundle College Academy: independent, elementary, junior high and senior high, inside Altadore
- Alternative High School: public, senior high, inside Altadore
- Central Memorial High School: public, senior high, about 90 metres past the edge
- Emily Follensbee School: public, elementary and junior high, about 130 metres past the edge
How far is Altadore from downtown?
Altadore is about 4.6 km from downtown (City Hall) in a straight line. The Giuffre Family Library is about 250 metres away.
| Straight-line distance to | km |
|---|---|
| Downtown (City Hall) | 4.6 km |
| University of Calgary | 6.9 km |
| Foothills Medical Centre | 5.9 km |
| SAIT | 5.8 km |
| Mount Royal University | 2.2 km |
| Alberta Children's Hospital | 7.3 km |
What are the homes like in Altadore?
Only 428 detached houses from before 1970 are left. They sit on a median lot of 6,227 sq ft and carry a median 2026 assessment of $1,090,000; detached houses built since 2000 carry $1,510,000.
An assessment isn't a sale price. To see what a builder might pay for an older home's lot, read What Is My Calgary Lot Worth to a Builder?
What is Altadore zoned?
Altadore is mostly R-C2: 79% of the 2,177 low-density residential lots in Altadore are R-C2 on the City's land use map, after the repeal of citywide R-CG zoning took effect on 4 August 2026.
| Zoning | Lots | Share |
|---|---|---|
| R-C2 | 1,728 | 79% |
| R-C1 | 247 | 11% |
| Other | 202 | 9% |
- R-C2 (Residential, Contextual One/Two Dwelling): Single-detached, semi-detached and duplex homes, with suites allowed.
- R-C1 (Residential, Contextual One Dwelling): Single-detached homes, with secondary or backyard suites allowed.
To check a single address, use the zoning lookup, and for what reverted and why, see what the repeal changed.
How much infill is being built in Altadore?
From 1 March 2025 to 25 October 2026, Altadore had 26 infill development permit applications, and building permit applications for 87 new infill homes naming 28 different builders. 56 demolition permits were filed over the same period, at 52 addresses.
Detached and semi-detached homes lead Altadore's new infill, 49 and 22 units, against 16 rowhouse and townhouse units.
| New infill homes on permits | Units |
|---|---|
| Detached houses | 49 |
| Semi-detached | 22 |
| Rowhouse and townhouse | 16 |
| Total | 87 |
Questions about living in Altadore
Is Altadore a good place to live?
Altadore is especially good for families. One in five residents was under 15 in 2021, the highest share of the 11 communities in these guides, and four schools are in the community.
Is Marda Loop in Altadore?
Partly. Some of the Marda Loop business district lies in Altadore, but most of its businesses are in South Calgary.
Sources: City of Calgary open data, pulled 25 October 2026: building permits, development permits, 2026 assessments, land use districts, community boundaries, parcel addresses, schools, parks, pathways, off-leash areas, CTrain stations, libraries, recreation facilities, community services, business licences, business improvement areas, historic resources, public trees, 2021 federal census by community and annexation history. Park details from calgary.ca: River Park and Sandy Beach. District descriptions from Land Use Bylaw 1P2007, Part 5. The repeal date is from the City of Calgary. Business counts include licences that are current or up for renewal. Low-density residential lots are detached, semi-detached, rowhouse and vacant parcels in the residential class of the 2026 assessment roll, each counted in the district covering most of it; some sit in multi-residential districts. Distances are straight-line from the middle of the community. Infill development permit applications are those for semi-detached, rowhouse, townhouse and multi-residential homes and for contextual single-detached homes; other new single-detached houses are not counted. They are counted as filed, whatever their later status; building and demolition permits leave out cancelled, refused and expired ones.
Infill is where I specialize. If you own an older home on a good lot, or you build, I'd like to hear from you.
Ask What a Builder Would Pay Find a Home in Altadore