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Calgary lake communities in brief

Calgary lake communities are neighbourhoods built around a lake that residents use through an association. You pay yearly fees, and not every home includes lake access. This page compares nine of them side by side, using each association's own numbers for size, fees and rules.

By Michael Smith, Michael Smith Team | Last updated: September 2026

Which Calgary communities have lakes?

This page covers nine Calgary communities with a lake run by a residents' or homeowners' association, as of September 2026. The Michael Smith Team checked each one on the association's own website: Mahogany, Auburn Bay, McKenzie Lake, Chaparral, Sundance, Midnapore, Coral Springs, Lake Bonavista and Arbour Lake. The lakes serve members and their guests, not the general public.

The table below lists each lake with its size, fee, fee year and a link to the association. Every number comes from the association, and we checked them in September 2026. Where a cell says "Not stated by the association", that is on purpose. We do not guess.

Lake Bonaventure has its own residents' association too. We left it out of the table because we could not confirm its size or fees.

Can anyone use the lake in a Calgary lake community?

No. In the nine association lake communities on this page, the lake is run by a residents' or homeowners' association and used by members and their guests. Access comes from paying the association's fees and following its rules. Public water, such as the City of Calgary's Glenmore Reservoir, is different and is covered below.

Each association sets its own guest limits, as of September 2026. Lake Bonavista allows 10 guests per household per day. McKenzie Lake allows up to 10 guests per day. Sundance allows adult members up to 12 guests per household per day, and juniors under 18 up to 3. Arbour Lake allows up to 5. Coral Springs allows 3 guests per card.

Rules differ too. Gas motors are prohibited at Lake Bonavista. McKenzie Lake bans motorized watercraft, except patrol and emergency boats. Sundance and Coral Springs say they do not provide lifeguards. Mahogany says its lake is not supervised or lifeguarded. If fees go unpaid, Midnapore, Sundance and Mahogany all say access is lost.

How much does lake access cost?

Each Calgary lake association sets its own yearly fee, and some charge more for lake access or lakefront lots. Fee years differ, so read the label on every number. As of September 2026, the Auburn Bay Residents Association lists $523.92 for Standard, $720.41 for Lake Access and $1,047.80 for Lake Shore for the 2026/2027 fee year, GST included.

Standard, Lake Access and Lake Shore are fee tiers inside one association. Lake access depends on the home, not only the community. The Sundance Lake Residents Association lists 2026-2027 fees of $333.24 Regular, $451.65 Lake access and $451.65 Lakefront, GST included, due July 1.

Lake Bonavista publishes one rate: $409.50 including GST for 2026-2027. Midnapore's 2026 fee is $314.00 plus GST, which is $329.70. At Chaparral, the 2026-2027 General and Lake Access totals are both $481.99, with the $90.00 capital fee and GST included. McKenzie Lake shows its fees plus GST with no fee year stated. Arbour Lake states no fee year either. Mahogany and Coral Springs do not publish dollar amounts on the pages we read.

In most of these communities, the fee is tied to an encumbrance. The associations describe it as a legal note registered on the property's title that ties the home to the association's fees. Mahogany calls its fee "a legal requirement". Confirm what applies to your home with your lawyer and the association. For the other costs of buying, see the total cost of buying a home in Calgary.

Which Calgary lake community has the biggest lake, and how do the lakes compare?

Of the nine lakes on this page, and by each association's own figure, Mahogany Lake is the biggest at about 64 acres. The Mahogany Homeowners Association calls it Calgary's largest lake. Lake Bonavista follows at 52 acres, then Auburn Bay at 43 acres and McKenzie Lake at 42 acres.

Next come Chaparral at 32 acres, Midnapore at 30, Coral Springs at 16 and Arbour Lake at 10. We left Sundance out of this ranking because its association does not state a lake size. The Lake Bonavista Homeowners Association calls its lake one of the largest man-made lakes in Calgary.

Size is only part of it. Mahogany lists a 2.4 km skating track. Coral Springs lists hockey rinks and skating. Lake Bonavista lists several skating surfaces. Arbour Lake allows boating only when the water is 10 C or warmer.

Are lakefront homes worth the extra cost?

Whether a Calgary lakefront home is worth the extra cost depends on your budget and how you use the lake, and the Michael Smith Team cannot promise how any home will hold its value. Some associations charge higher yearly fees for lake access or lakefront lots. We can also compare recent sales on the exact street you like.

Take Auburn Bay. The Auburn Bay Residents Association lists a 2026/2027 Standard fee of $523.92 and a Lake Shore fee of $1,047.80, GST included. That is a real yearly cost to weigh next to the lot, the view and the rules.

On a lake community match call, we look at the fee tier tied to the home and the guest and boating rules. We also show how the fee stacks up against the other lake communities on your list.

What about public lakes and lakes outside Calgary?

Public water works differently from a resident lake. Glenmore Reservoir is public and managed by the City of Calgary. Sikome is a public day-pass facility run by Alberta Parks. Chestermere is its own city, with a public boat launch that charges fees. None of these work like an association lake.

The City says Glenmore has docks and launch ramps for public access and no swimming. Alberta Parks runs Sikome in Fish Creek Provincial Park, and it is not a lifeguarded facility.

Thinking about Chestermere or nearby towns? See our comparison of Cochrane, Airdrie and Chestermere.

What should you ask before buying in a lake community?

Before buying in a Calgary lake community, ask the association, in writing, what your specific home is entitled to. Fees, guest limits and rules change from one lake to the next. Use this list to avoid surprises after closing, and we will walk through it with you.

1. Does this home carry the lake encumbrance, and which fee tier is it in? Confirm with your lawyer and the association.
2. What is the current annual fee, which year does it cover, and is GST included?
3. When is the fee due? Unpaid fees can mean no lake access.
4. Are condos, secondary suites or carriage houses eligible? Lake Bonavista, for one, excludes them.
5. How many guests can I bring, and can renters use the lake? Lake Bonavista renters must be members.
6. What are the rules on boats, pets and swimming? Lake Bonavista does not allow pets.
7. Is the lake supervised? Several associations say it is not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can non-residents use the lake in a Calgary lake community?

Generally no. The resident lakes we checked are run by associations for members and their guests, not the public. Each association sets its own guest limits, for example 10 guests per household per day at Lake Bonavista and up to 5 at Arbour Lake. Not every home in these communities includes lake access. Confirm with the association.

Do you have to pay to use the lake?

Yes. In the nine communities we checked, either a legal encumbrance on title requires the fee, or the association calls it a mandatory or required fee. Several associations also say unpaid fees mean no lake access. Ask your lawyer and the association what applies to the home you are considering.

How much do lake fees cost in Auburn Bay and Lake Sundance?

As of September 2026, the Auburn Bay Residents Association lists 2026/2027 fees of $523.92 Standard, $720.41 Lake Access and $1,047.80 Lake Shore, GST included. The Sundance Lake Residents Association lists 2026-2027 fees of $333.24 Regular, $451.65 Lake access and $451.65 Lakefront, GST included. Fees change yearly, so confirm with each association.

Which Calgary lake community has the largest lake?

Of the lakes we checked, and by its association's own figure, Mahogany Lake is the largest at about 64 acres. The Mahogany Homeowners Association calls it Calgary's largest lake. Lake Bonavista is next at 52 acres, then Auburn Bay at 43 acres and McKenzie Lake at 42 acres. Sundance is not ranked because its association does not state a size.

Are lakefront homes in Calgary worth the extra cost?

That depends on your budget and how you plan to use the lake, and we cannot promise how any home will hold its value. Some associations charge higher yearly fees for lakefront or lake-access lots. The Michael Smith Team can compare recent sales on the street you like and walk you through the fee tiers.

Are there lake communities near Calgary but outside city limits?

Chestermere is its own city with a public boat launch that charges fees. It is not one of the association lake communities in our table. To see Chestermere next to Cochrane and Airdrie, read our comparison of the three towns on the Michael Smith Team blog.

Sources

Every fee, lake size and rule above comes from the association or public body named here. Checked September 2026.

• Mahogany Homeowners Association and more
• Lake Bonavista Homeowners Association and more
• Auburn Bay Residents Association and more
• McKenzie Lake Residents Association and more
• Lake Chaparral Residents Association and more
• Midnapore Lake (association site)
• Coral Springs Residents Association and more
• Arbour Lake Residents Association and more
• Sundance Lake Residents Association
• City of Calgary, Glenmore Reservoir
• Alberta Parks, Sikome Aquatic Facility
• City of Chestermere, boat launch

Written by Michael Smith, Michael Smith Team. Last updated: September 2026.

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