Hounsfield Heights/Briar Hill

Hounsfield Heights/Briar Hill, established on an escarpment providing commanding views of downtown Calgary and the Rocky Mountains, represents one of northwest Calgary's most distinctive inner-city communities with topographical character earning designation as "Calgary's north-side Mount Royal" in reference to prestigious elevated neighborhoods. The community's historical foundation begins with the Riley family homestead established in 1888 when Thomas Riley and his wife Georgina Hounsfield Riley settled the land with their children, constructing Hounsfield Lodge (later the Bethany Care Centre site) as their original home. By 1890, the Riley property extended from Sunnyside to Parkdale in the west and from the Bow River to 16th Avenue in the north, creating a substantial land holding that would shape northwest Calgary's residential development. The community developed as a substantial single-family residential area with particular appeal to established households, maintaining population ranging between 2,470 and 3,016 residents with density of 2,460/km². The Walter Hargrave Residence, constructed in 1913, stands as one of the oldest buildings in the community, representing early 20th-century architectural heritage that continues to define portions of the neighborhood's character.