Here's how I would characterize "downtown" living in Calgary. Not precise.
Green is the best areas - well built up, very liveable.
Yellow is slightly less desirable to live - either because it's underdeveloped as with the case with places like 10th/11th Ave or along 14th Street in Beltline or does not actually have a lot of living opportunities - like the commercial core. Other areas like East Village are currently underdeveloped but have a lot of potential in the near future and are actively being redeveloped.
Red are the areas the typical person my consider a bit "sketchy" due to some of the activity on the street such as drug dealing, concentrations of the homeless (although they're still generally very safe in any event).
