Crestwood credentials: Elks coach values infill style, city access

Calgary Herald

2 days ago

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Former Calgary Stampeders assistant head coach Mark Kilam was hired by the Edmonton Elks in late 2024 to reinvigorate the storied Canadian Football League club. The 45-year-old has already made several trades, like Calgary red and white for Edmonton green and gold. The title of assistant for that of head coach. Personally, a suburban existence in Calgary has been sidelined for an inner-city lifestyle in Edmonton's Crestwood community.
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'When we lived in Calgary, we lived in a beautiful community called Tuscany. My kids walked to school and Halloween was like Mardi Gras because we would just take over the street. It was awesome, but our kids are now teenagers and we wanted to change up our vibe a bit,' says Kilam, whose family will join him in Edmonton at the end of the school year. 'I lived in the Lansdowne area until Grade 2 and when I attended university I lived off Whyte Avenue, which was a blast.'
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The one-time linebacker for the University of Alberta Golden Bears and his wife, Andrea, who grew up in St. Albert, had three main requirements for their new Edmonton abode. An inner-city location was first. Crestwood, an intimate mid-century community located east of 149th Street and bounded by the river valley, MacKinnon Ravine and MacKenzie Ravine was an easy choice. The community of about 3,000 people is only minutes west of downtown Edmonton and an easy drive to Commonwealth Stadium.
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'It was important to my wife to have space for people to visit us. Obviously, we have a lot of connections in Calgary, who have suddenly become Elks fans overnight,' he says with a smile. 'Now we have space to do that.'
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Their home, which was the first of eight homes that they viewed in a single-day shopping trip, is a 2,300-square-foot, five-bedroom, two-storey front-garage model with an open concept main floor, finished basement and deck off the dining area. The 1950s-era structure that was once on that particular lot had been torn down and the current home was built in 2017 by what Kilam understands to have been an Italian builder.
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'Every appliance in here is Italian. I had to google what all the oven codes meant,' he says.
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The Kilam's third requirement was access to schools that fit their daughters' interests. The eldest is an academic and it was important she continue her planned course load. The youngest is sports-minded and wanted a basketball community that aligned with her goals.