Calgary’s lakes are private, run by residents’ associations and paid for through an annual fee registered on title. Here is how it works.
Calgary's lake communities, from Lake Bonavista in the southeast to Arbour Lake in the northwest, are built around man-made lakes. They are not public parks. Each lake is run by a residents' association for the people who live in its area and their guests, and access comes with the property rather than being something you sign up for.
A residents' association, not a community association
Most lake communities have two organizations. The community association is the neighbourhood's civic voice and runs local programs. The residents' or homeowners' association runs the lake and its amenities. In Midnapore, for example, the Midnapore Lake Residents Association is a not-for-profit that owns, maintains and operates the lake and park. In Mahogany, the homeowners association is a society that owns certain amenities on behalf of homeowners.
The annual fee is part of the title
Lake fees are usually secured by an encumbrance registered on the property's title, and they are mandatory. The Auburn Bay Residents Association describes membership as automatic and mandatory with the purchase of a home, and the McKenzie Lake Residents Association says the fee is owed whether or not you use the facilities. Fees are set by each association, are billed once a year, and in some communities vary by lot type, with higher tiers for lake-access or lakeshore lots. Ask for the current amount, and check that the account is paid up, before you buy.
Not every address comes with access
Community boundaries and lake boundaries are not always the same. The McKenzie Lake Residents Association says only households within its designated boundary, with its encumbrance on title, are eligible. The Lake Bonavista Homeowners Association excludes some properties, including condominiums, secondary suites and the Bonavista Downs area. In other communities, such as Auburn Bay and Mahogany, the encumbrance applies to every property. The certificate of title and a call to the association will confirm it.
The rules
Members typically use a membership card to enter the lake park, and associations set limits on guests. Gas motors are not allowed on several lakes, including Lake Bonavista, Lake Chaparral, Mahogany and Arbour Lake, and some, including Lake Bonavista and Lake Chaparral, note that swimming is unsupervised. Lake Bonavista and McKenzie Lake do not allow pets at the lake. Many lakes are stocked with trout, and the associations set their own fishing rules; Arbour Lake, for example, is currently catch-and-release. If you rent out your home, expect access to go to either you or your tenant, not both.
A public alternative
For anyone without lake membership, Sikome Lake in Fish Creek Provincial Park is a public swimming area run by Alberta Parks, with day admission. It is not lifeguarded.
Lake living offers beaches, boating, skating and a year-round calendar of community events close to home. Before you buy, it is worth knowing exactly what the fee covers, what the rules are and whether the specific home you are considering is included. Rob can help you find those answers.