The History of
Hillhurst & Sunnyside

Hillhurst and Sunnyside share the title of Calgary’s first residential hubs north of the Bow River. Hillhurst began with Felix McHugh’s 1883 homestead, while Sunnyside was originally “New Edinborough,” platted by Scottish settlers. The area’s working-class roots were solidified by the CPR, which built rental cottages for its workers before the communities were annexed by Calgary in 1907.

The neighbourhood’s growth exploded in 1909 with the city’s first cross-river streetcar service, which turned the Kensington and 14th Street areas into the commercial anchors they remain today. You can still see this history in the eclectic architecture, ranging from 19th-century cottages to 1920s brick apartments. This heritage is well-preserved; in 2012, residents launched the “Century Homes” project to document their houses’ stories, which are now kept in the Calgary Public Library archives.