On the Elbow River escarpment sits Britannia, and further east, Elboya, sloping down to the river’s edge at Stanley Park. The former farmlands were annexed in 1910, with sections earmarked for upscale development by real estate tycoon, Freddy Lowes, then acquired by the City in 1925. Development was stalled until the Leduc Oil Boom of 1947 when 50th Avenue still marked the city limits. The City’s new Planning Department developed the infrastructure, landscaped the parks and boulevards, and marketed the lots, registering caveats that defined setbacks, height and other conditions. Together, the communities encompass walkability, access to transit, a commercial centre, schools, churches, parks, and housing diversity—a model for today’s complete communities. Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1952 inspired Britannia’s royal-themed street names, and the royal couple toured Britannia in 1959. Several excellent examples of mid-century architecture remain, notably Elboya’ s Trend House, a municipally and provincially designated heritage resource. 

• Britannia Clippings. Accessible at Calgary Public Library.
• Britannia Plaza. c2000. Britannia Plaza: A Village in the Middle of the City. Calgary: Britannia Plaza. Accessible at Calgary Public Library.
• The Trend House Chronciles. 2015. Calgary Jane’s Walk 2015. Online Resource.
• Elboya Heights-Brittania Community Association. 2018. Statement of Historical Significance. Calgary: City of Calgary. Online Resource.