Living in Varsity: Calgary's University Adjacent Family Community

Varsity is an established NW Calgary community from the 1960s, bordered by Crowchild Trail, 32 Avenue NW and the Bow River, right next to the University of Calgary. In October 2026, the CREB benchmark price for a detached home in Varsity was $859,500, a row home was $479,300 and an apartment was $232,200, and families choose it for walkable access to the university, Market Mall, the Brentwood CTrain station and two major hospitals.

This guide covers where Varsity is, the schools nearby, parks and pathways, shopping, health care, transit, what homes cost right now, and what community life is like.

1. Where Is Varsity Located in Calgary?

Varsity sits in NW Calgary on the west side of Crowchild Trail. According to the Federation of Calgary Communities, its boundaries are Crowchild Trail to the north and east, 32 Avenue NW to the south and Sarcee Trail and the Bow River to the west. The community developed in the 1960s, around the same time as the original University of Calgary campus, according to a CREB community profile.

Varsity is often described in three parts: Varsity Acres, the oldest area, Varsity Village and Varsity Estates. Neighbouring communities include Silver Springs and Bowness to the west, Brentwood across Crowchild Trail, and the University of Calgary and University District to the south.

2. What Schools Serve Varsity?

Several schools sit inside or right beside the community. School designations can change and depend on your exact address and program, so always confirm with the Calgary Board of Education or the Calgary Catholic School District before you buy. The confidence column shows how each school's connection to Varsity was checked.

Public (CBE)

Catholic (CSSD)

For a broader look at how designations work, see our guide to Calgary school options, from CBE and CSSD to charter schools.

3. What Parks and Pathways Does Varsity Offer?

Varsity's biggest outdoor asset is Bowmont Park, a 164 hectare natural environment park along the north bank of the Bow River. The City lists hiking trails, playgrounds, picnic tables, designated off leash areas, a small waterfall and a lookout over the Bow River valley.

Inside the community, a network of pathways connects homes to schools and playgrounds. The Varsity Community Association at 4303 Varsity Drive NW has a hockey rink, an outdoor skating rink, tennis courts and a hall that seats 250, according to the Federation of Calgary Communities.

4. What Is It Like Living Next to the University of Calgary?

The University of Calgary borders Varsity to the south, which brings concerts, sports, libraries and recreation within walking or cycling distance. The Olympic Oval on campus offers public skating, including a Monday night skate for $2.

Living near a university also shapes the housing mix. The City's community profile shows 39% of Varsity households rent, a higher share than in many newer NW communities.

Next door, University District adds a newer main street with shops, restaurants and a grocery store, and CREB's profile noted it is planned for about 12,000 residents when complete.

5. Where Do Varsity Families Shop?

Market Mall, at 3625 Shaganappi Trail NW, sits within Varsity itself. It opened in 1971 and has more than 200 stores. University District's main street next door adds a grocery store and more shops.

6. What Health Care Is Near Varsity?

7. What Is the Commute Like From Varsity?

Brentwood CTrain Station sits in the middle of Crowchild Trail between Brentwood and Varsity on the Red Line, with a park and ride lot of about 950 stalls. From there, the Red Line runs south through the University of Calgary to downtown and north toward Dalhousie and beyond. For drivers, Crowchild Trail and Shaganappi Trail are the main routes in and out.

8. What Do Homes in Varsity Cost?

The figures below come from CREB's Varsity Monthly Summary Statistics for October 2026 (source: Pillar 9). With only 14 sales in Varsity in October, monthly numbers can swing, so the year to date averages are a useful second check.

Two things stand out. Varsity's detached homes carry a clear premium over the citywide detached benchmark of $735,100, reported in CREB's October 2026 citywide statistics. But Varsity's apartments are cheaper than the citywide apartment benchmark of $288,800, and with 21 apartments listed against one sale in October, apartment buyers have plenty of choice.

For detached homes, October sales were up 25% from a year earlier, and the sale to list price ratio was 95.6% with 53 days on market. With 2.2 months of supply, the detached segment is still closer to balanced than to a buyer's market. Our guide to how pricing works in a shifting Calgary market explains what those numbers mean when you write an offer.

9. What Is Community Life Like in Varsity?

CREB named Varsity's walkable pathways, green space and community sports programs as resident favourites, and notes that Avenue Calgary ranked it the city's best neighbourhood in 2017. The Varsity Community Association runs sports and recreation programs, and its outdoor rink is a winter gathering spot.

The age mix is broad. The City's community profile counted about 13% of residents under 15 and about 19% aged 65 and over, a blend of young families, long time owners and university households that gives Varsity a settled but not sleepy feel.