Tell me about: Okotoks

[cKy]

We're currently looking at moving to Okotoks from Victoria. Some background information for context so you can help me with what i'm looking for. My kids are 7 and 10. Wife and I are from Calgary and moved to Victoria 15 years ago. Most of the family is in Calgary (spread apart - locations irrelevant).

I drove through Okotoks in August and was amazed on how much has changed. The issue is, we know little to nothing about the neighborhoods.

We've zeroed in on to 2 houses. One in Sheep River, one in Crystal Ridge.

Dont tell me about Calgary. I want to know about these specific neighborhoods. Do you live there? do you know people who do? Lots of kids? Educate me!

Thanks,

[White Out 403]

the good:
a baseball team with a really rad stadium
theres a costco
homes are affordable

[PepsiFree]

the bad:
it’s okotoks

[You Need a Thneed]

There are a number of things to do in Okotoks.

[keratosis]

The river pathways are awesome. Hubtown brewery patio is great for a lazy afternoon. Deer on your front lawn in the mornings.


Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[Regulator75]

Better than Airdrie.

[undercoverbrother]

Better than Airdrie.

That is a pretty low bar….

[btimbit]

Most days I wish I stayed in Okotoks instead of moving back to Calgary two years ago

[Flames0910]

I grew up in Crystal Ridge. It’s a nice community with good schools and good bang for your buck in terms of housing. Very sleepy though and even the main street is dead most of the time. My parents are still there but my siblings and I all moved into the city.

[cam_wmh]

That is a pretty low bar….

YYC bedroom community ranking

Canmore
DMF
LDA
Exshaw
Springbank
Bearspaw
Bragg Creek
Priddis
De Winton
Cochrane
Okotoks
Chestermere
Langdon
High River
.
.
.
.
.
.
Airdrie

[dirk diggler]

i would pick crystal ridge area over sheep river myself.

[Yoho]

YYC bedroom community ranking

Canmore
DMF
LDA
Exshaw
Springbank
Bearspaw
Bragg Creek
Priddis
De Winton
Cochrane
Okotoks
Chestermere
Langdon
High River
.
.
.
.
.
.
Airdrie

Nope

[MRCboicgy]

I grew up there? That should be enough for you! I lived not too far from Big Rock School, so I lean to south of the river and feel that anything up the hill north of Elizabeth is fake Okotoks - haha.

Arguably it changed more than any other part of this area over the past 20 years. Having said that, for kids and families, it's probably great. I will say, kids do get bored easily and we always found some pseudo-harmless trouble to get into.


Edit: while this might not relate to your kids, but it is a tough place for anyone that isn't - I hate to use this loaded, unfair word - normal. I mean as a gay kid, I couldn't wait to move into the city, and not just to save on my commute times to Mt Royal back in the day. There's a lot of water under the bridge, and I hope that it is a lot more welcoming for those of us who are a bit different from the crowd.



I will give tons of credit to the art scene that you can get at the Station and Museum. For a bedroom community, they really do well to make sure some kind of culture, even kitschy Canadiana is represented, and they are proud of their history. I still keep the Okotoks 100 anniversary magnet from 2004 on my fridge just to remind me of where I came from.

[troutman]

I’m there quite often this year.

Rec Centre is great:
https://www.okotoks.ca/your-community/amenities/indoor-facilities/okotoks-recreation-centre

Naughty Grape is a cool wine shop with tasting events:
https://naughtygrape.ca/

Close to Kananaskis.

Small town with many big city amenities.

https://www.littleeats.ca/

River pathway.

Catholic school system rates high in academic performance.

Deer eating your pumpkins!

Lots of men with trucks that want to #### Trudeau.

I think Okotoks needs a proper live music venue. There are sometimes shows at the Elks Club.

Light Up Okotoks

https://www.okotoks.ca/your-community/living-okotoks/community-event-calendar/light-it-up

[boogerz]

The town of Okotoks is overdrawing on it's water table and they don't have a long-term water solution yet

[DownInFlames]

The town of Okotoks is overdrawing on it's water table and they don't have a long-term water solution yet

They'll buy water from Calgary like Airdrie and Strathmore and every other town in the area.

[GullFoss]

YYC bedroom community ranking

Canmore
DMF
LDA
Exshaw
Springbank
Bearspaw
Bragg Creek
Priddis
De Winton
Cochrane
Okotoks
Chestermere
Langdon
High River
.
.
.
.
.
.
Airdrie

This seems like really bad form IMO.

[Texas]

Edit: while this might not relate to your kids, but it is a tough place for anyone that isn't - I hate to use this loaded, unfair word - normal. I mean as a gay kid, I couldn't wait to move into the city, and not just to save on my commute times to Mt Royal back in the day. There's a lot of water under the bridge, and I hope that it is a lot more welcoming for those of us who are a bit different from the crowd.

I really appreciate you sharing this perspective, as this is not something that I would have considered prior to making a decision to move to a small town. Probably because I fit the typical white straight male profile.

But I do have a number of friends who don't fit that profile, who grew up in small towns, and who have shared stories about wanting to move to big cities with more diversity.

It's a very interesting thought process when thinking about your own profile versus what your kids might become and the best potential place for them. Thanks for sharing.

[Locke]

They'll buy water from Calgary like Airdrie and Strathmore and every other town in the area.

Yeah, well that particular Golden Goose cant keep pumping out eggs forever.

[_Q_]

I grew up there? That should be enough for you! I lived not too far from Big Rock School, so I lean to south of the river and feel that anything up the hill north of Elizabeth is fake Okotoks - haha.

Arguably it changed more than any other part of this area over the past 20 years. Having said that, for kids and families, it's probably great. I will say, kids do get bored easily and we always found some pseudo-harmless trouble to get into.


Edit: while this might not relate to your kids, but it is a tough place for anyone that isn't - I hate to use this loaded, unfair word - normal. I mean as a gay kid, I couldn't wait to move into the city, and not just to save on my commute times to Mt Royal back in the day. There's a lot of water under the bridge, and I hope that it is a lot more welcoming for those of us who are a bit different from the crowd.



I will give tons of credit to the art scene that you can get at the Station and Museum. For a bedroom community, they really do well to make sure some kind of culture, even kitschy Canadiana is represented, and they are proud of their history. I still keep the Okotoks 100 anniversary magnet from 2004 on my fridge just to remind me of where I came from.

I'm curuous, when did you grow up in Okotoks? When did you move in to the city?

As an arab kid growing up in Calgary in the 90s, my experience was fairly similar to yours.

[Faust]

Developers' ability to build in Okotoks to end without water solution, town warns:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/okotoks-water-issues-foothills-partnership-1.6475506

Okotoks, Foothills County to receive new water pipeline that connects Bow River to Highwood River:

https://globalnews.ca/news/9003891/okotoks-foothills-county-water-pipeline/

[Fuzz]

Developers' ability to build in Okotoks to end without water solution, town warns:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/okotoks-water-issues-foothills-partnership-1.6475506

Okotoks, Foothills County to receive new water pipeline that connects Bow River to Highwood River:

https://globalnews.ca/news/9003891/okotoks-foothills-county-water-pipeline/
This sounds like a bad idea, we have been warned about crossing streams. Don't do it!

[Snuffleupagus]

Hopefully they have upgraded their town council, without getting into details all I'll say is 30 years ago they were a very corrupt group of arseholes :bag:

[TorqueDog]

We've zeroed in on to 2 houses. One in Sheep River, one in Crystal Ridge.

I want to know about these specific neighborhoods.There are no sheep in Sheep River -- neither the neighbourhood nor the waterway, and Crystal Ridge is not on a ridge.

[MRCboicgy]

I'm curuous, when did you grow up in Okotoks? When did you move in to the city?

As an arab kid growing up in Calgary in the 90s, my experience was fairly similar to yours.
I was at MRC from 2003-06 and moved into Calgary late in 2004, so Okotoks before that.

[Northendzone]

Okotoks has that great deep dish pizza joint - Windy City pizza

[csnarpy]

Well there is apparently a lot of things to do:

https://i.cbc.ca/1.3241693.1443105164!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/okotoks-slogan.jpg

[PaperBagger'14]

YYC bedroom community ranking

Canmore
DMF
LDA
Exshaw
Springbank
Bearspaw
Bragg Creek
Priddis
De Winton
Cochrane
Okotoks
Chestermere
Langdon
High River
.
.
.
.
.
.
Airdrie

Ok ill ask, what is DMF and LDA?

[bizaro86]

Well there is apparently a lot of things to do:

https://i.cbc.ca/1.3241693.1443105164!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/okotoks-slogan.jpg

In fairness, zero is a number

[cam_wmh]

Ok ill ask, what is DMF and LDA?

I feel a bit bashful now tho, that my crass humour was a miss.
DMF, is Dead Man’s Flats, and LDA is Lac Des Arc.

[PaperBagger'14]

I feel a bit bashful now tho, that my crass humour was a miss.
DMF, is Dead Man’s Flats, and LDA is Lac Des Arc.

Ahh gotcha, I guessed Lac Des Arc but whiffed on Dead Man's Flats

[Titan2]

They have an amazing indoor field house with three turf fields and one non-turf(?) Great for indoor lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball etc.

I was out there for a volleyball tournament this weekend. Many new schools of various religious denominations if you are into that kind of thing. Nice neighbourhoods, with deer, saw 5. I could see living there. I am not sure I would want my kid to grow up in a heterogeneous environment like present in most small Alberta towns, but not sure about the makeup of Okotoks. I grew up in Red Deer/Innisfail, so ... Some incredible mountain views. Used to be a good sushi place. Becoming much more urban than what I presume it once was. As a Calgarian, I resent the outlying communities taking advantage of the Big City amenities without contributing but ... (shoulder shrug).

[dino7c]

This seems like really bad form IMO.

Many members of CP are still butthurt at a post made several years ago about being able to get downtown from Airdrie in 15 mins

they should probably get over it

[btimbit]

Many members of CP are still butthurt at a post made several years ago about being able to get downtown from Airdrie in 15 mins

they should probably get over it

I really enjoyed my time in Airdrie as well. Preferred Okotoks but Airdrie was great

[Northendzone]

Many members of CP are still butthurt at a post made several years ago about being able to get downtown from Airdrie in 15 mins

they should probably get over it

i don't think butthurt is really the right way to frame this - i'd say it has been more of a running joke.

[undercoverbrother]

Dead Man's Flats

Setting aside there is nothing there, having Dead Man's Flats as a mailing address would be cool.

I wanted to buy a house once base on the name of the street "Old Boomer Road".

My wife was having none of it. The road was busy the house not that nice, but cool name.

[Fuzz]

Setting aside there is nothing there, having Dead Man's Flats as a mailing address would be cool.

I wanted to buy a house once base on the name of the street "Old Boomer Road".

My wife was having none of it. The road was busy the house not that nice, but cool name.
What do you mean nothing? They've develop this nice housing area and industrial centre in the area that got totally flooded out in 2013(you can see the nicely landscaped "creek" that will surely stay in it's channel). What could go wrong?

https://goo.gl/maps/QynxRzA4xJEPbpvW8

[topfiverecords]

Many members of CP are still butthurt at a post made several years ago about being able to get downtown from Airdrie in 15 mins

they should probably get over it

Butthurt are the ones who live in Airdrie and by it.

Their butt hurts from sitting in the car for so long.

[CroFlames]

I know a guy who lives in Crystal Ridge and loves it. Okotoks has top notch sports facilities for minor sports if you have kids. Strong sense of community there.

Plus they have Big Sky BBQ which gives any authentic Texas Pit a run for its money.

[blankall]

In fairness, zero is a number

Well technically, "a number" in this context implies a collection of items. Some definitions also find the term synonymous with "several", which requires at least 3.

So you could say there are at least 3 things to do in Okotoks.

[btimbit]

I know a guy who lives in Crystal Ridge and loves it. Okotoks has top notch sports facilities for minor sports if you have kids. Strong sense of community there.

Plus they have Big Sky BBQ which gives any authentic Texas Pit a run for its money.


Okotoks has the best (only?) legit deep dish pizza you can come across in the Calgary area as well

[CarlLester]

I know a guy who lives in Crystal Ridge and loves it. Okotoks has top notch sports facilities for minor sports if you have kids. Strong sense of community there.

Plus they have Big Sky BBQ which gives any authentic Texas Pit a run for its money.

This is the first time I've ever heard someone say Big Sky is good.

[CroFlames]

This is the first time I've ever heard someone say Big Sky is good.

I'm all ears if you know of a better place south of Glenmore Tr.

[CarlLester]

I'm all ears if you know of a better place south of Glenmore Tr.

Sorry if the last comment came across as snippy. Wasn't the intention. We just haven't had much luck with Big Sky, as much as we wanted to like it.

South of Glenmore might be tough. But if you are willing to relax that requirement by a couple of minutes / km, Jane Bond has been good the few times I have been there.

[Weitz]

There isn’t really a reliably solid bbq place in or around Calgary. Some can have good days but it’s mostly average or below.

[Sliver]

What do you mean nothing? They've develop this nice housing area and industrial centre in the area that got totally flooded out in 2013(you can see the nicely landscaped "creek" that will surely stay in it's channel). What could go wrong?

https://goo.gl/maps/QynxRzA4xJEPbpvW8

Dude, people in the Calgary area do. not. give. a. fata. about flooding. They pretend it won't happen even though it keeps happening. Sunnyside. The big houses along Elbow. There are so many neighbourhoods that will flood with almost certainty and southern Albertans are like, sign me up! I'll never understand. Full neighbourhoods built in flood plains.

I'm not sure if this is totally true, but I've clung to it for a few years: in most cities it's very poor communities situated in flood plains. Calgary is a weird outlier in that we have upscale neighbourhoods in flood plains.

And then look at High River...can you imagine living in a place called High River and then being shocked when it floods?

So I'm not surprised by DMF development at all. It's just what people do around here. I think there are strength in numbers whereby so many people live in the flood plain that they collectively just pretend they don't. If you were the only guy about to build a house in this area, you absolutely would not do it in a known flood plain. But as soon at 10,000 other people do, these guys start a-buildin'.

[Fuzz]

Dude, people in the Calgary area do. not. give. a. fata. about flooding. They pretend it won't happen even though it keeps happening. Sunnyside. The big houses along Elbow. There are so many neighbourhoods that will flood with almost certainty and southern Albertans are like, sign me up! I'll never understand. Full neighbourhoods built in flood plains.

I'm not sure if this is totally true, but I've clung to it for a few years: in most cities it's very poor communities situated in flood plains. Calgary is a weird outlier in that we have upscale neighbourhoods in flood plains.

And then look at High River...can you imagine living in a place called High River and then being shocked when it floods?

So I'm not surprised by DMF development at all. It's just what people do around here. I think there are strength in numbers whereby so many people live in the flood plain that they collectively just pretend they don't. If you were the only guy about to build a house in this area, you absolutely would not do it in a known flood plain. But as soon at 10,000 other people do, these guys start a-buildin'.
It's just weird becuase this is all greenfield development, while the flood "mitigation" is still underway. It's not even a distant memory! Hopefully insurers are smart enoguh not to cover these places.

[bizaro86]

It's just weird becuase this is all greenfield development, while the flood "mitigation" is still underway. It's not even a distant memory! Hopefully insurers are smart enoguh not to cover these places.

If insurers don't the government will step in - either way the rest of is will end up paying.

[Northendzone]

.....I'm not sure if this is totally true, but I've clung to it for a few years: in most cities it's very poor communities situated in flood plains. Calgary is a weird outlier in that we have upscale neighbourhoods in flood plains.....

i feel that this is mostly not true. I grew up in Winnipeg, and I feel like most homes along the river were larger, older homes. some of the areas not far from these riverfront properties were working class for sure.

i also lived in Kitchener, and as i can recall, the areas clsoer to teh river were more of the haves.

[PepsiFree]

There isn’t really a reliably solid bbq place in or around Calgary. Some can have good days but it’s mostly average or below.

Comery/Hayden Block, Big T’s, Bookers (whenever it comes back).

All reliably solid, if not reliably great.

[Locke]

Comery/Hayden Block, Big T’s, Bookers (whenever it comes back).

All reliably solid, if not reliably great.

I am unfamiliar with Comery/Hayden, Bookers is gone and Big T's is wildly, wildly unreliable to the point that I've abandoned even going there much less ordering from them.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Paddy's is pretty decent as well. But yeah, "reliably solid but not reliably great" describes all the ones I've been to here.

[troutman]

Comery/Hayden Block, Big T’s, Bookers (whenever it comes back).

All reliably solid, if not reliably great.

Palomino is best in my books.

[PaperBagger'14]

Comery/Hayden Block, Big T’s, Bookers (whenever it comes back).

All reliably solid, if not reliably great.

All of those places are very hit or miss depending on what you order. Any of the typical short order smoked foods can be very good from those places (wings, hot links) but the brisket, pulled pork and ribs are passable at best.

Timing is everything with low and slow cooked meats, and these places have a chili's vibe when it comes to traditional BBQ. If they can't serve it fresh, they annihilate the meat by re heating it.

The best bbq you'll have in the city is a friend's place who knows their way around a smoker. The freshness can't be compared by our BBQ restaurant scene.

[Locke]

All of those places are very hit or miss depending on what you order. Any of the typical short order smoked foods can be very good from those places (wings, hot links) but the brisket, pulled pork and ribs are passable at best.

Timing is everything with low and slow cooked meats, and these places have a chili's vibe when it comes to traditional BBQ. If they can't serve it fresh, they annihilate the meat by re heating it.

The best bbq you'll have in the city is a friend's place who knows their way around a smoker. The freshness can't be compared by our BBQ restaurant scene.

Yeah, okay...but thats not exactly a practical solution for people who want the odd meal of BBQ.

[PaperBagger'14]

Yeah, okay...but thats not exactly a practical solution for people who want the odd meal of BBQ.

Fair, if you don't know good bbq, go to any restaurant that will serve 3+ hour old brisket and you'll think it isn't worth the hype and that it sucks. There isn't a practical solution here in Calgary for fresh BBQ.

[Locke]

Fair, if you don't know good bbq, go to any restaurant that will serve 3+ hour old brisket and you'll think it isn't worth the hype and that it sucks. There isn't a practical solution here in Calgary for fresh BBQ.

Holy Smoke was always really good, I havent had it in years though since I moved from my old office.

[topfiverecords]

Dude, people in the Calgary area do. not. give. a. fata. about flooding. They pretend it won't happen even though it keeps happening. Sunnyside. The big houses along Elbow. There are so many neighbourhoods that will flood with almost certainty and southern Albertans are like, sign me up! I'll never understand. Full neighbourhoods built in flood plains.

I'm not sure if this is totally true, but I've clung to it for a few years: in most cities it's very poor communities situated in flood plains. Calgary is a weird outlier in that we have upscale neighbourhoods in flood plains.

And then look at High River...can you imagine living in a place called High River and then being shocked when it floods?

So I'm not surprised by DMF development at all. It's just what people do around here. I think there are strength in numbers whereby so many people live in the flood plain that they collectively just pretend they don't. If you were the only guy about to build a house in this area, you absolutely would not do it in a known flood plain. But as soon at 10,000 other people do, these guys start a-buildin'.

Sunnyside is one hundred percent the absolute best location in the city and I ain’t going to be scared off living here because of some potential water. Pretty lopsided in favour of everyday conveniences vs a once in decades inconvenience.

The storm water bypass, local storm sewer upgrades, multiple new lift stations, and the river berm raising will reduce the risk significantly anyway.

[bizaro86]

The storm water bypass, local storm sewer upgrades, multiple new lift stations, and the river berm raising will reduce the risk significantly anyway.

These same people think the infrastructure for the suburbs is unjustifiable.

[D as in David]

i feel that this is mostly not true. I grew up in Winnipeg, and I feel like most homes along the river were larger, older homes. some of the areas not far from these riverfront properties were working class for sure.

i also lived in Kitchener, and as i can recall, the areas clsoer to teh river were more of the haves.

Yes, there are many expensive properties built along the river in Winnipeg. Then again, all of Southern Manitoba is practically in the flood plain.

[Sr. Mints]

There's a British Chippy in Okotoks, and not in, say, Rosemont. So Okotoks has that going for it.

[Locke]

There's a British Chippy in Okotoks, and not in, say, Rosemont. So Okotoks has that going for it.

British cuisine is rarely considered a desired commodity.

[soreshins]

British cuisine is rarely considered a desired commodity.

Proper British fish and chips is the food of the gods. If you ever get to visit Arbroath or Anstruther - you will have your mind blown

[dino7c]

Butthurt are the ones who live in Airdrie and by it.

Their butt hurts from sitting in the car for so long.

who drives to work these days? get with the times dude

[Sr. Mints]

British cuisine is rarely considered a desired commodity.Ah, so you're the one who started the fire at Stadium Shopping Centre in 2015, burning down Billingsgate. Their fish n chips were the best in the city.

[topfiverecords]

who drives to work these days? get with the times dude

Horseback?

[Yoho]

Butthurt are the ones who live in Airdrie and by it.

Their butt hurts from sitting in the car for so long.

You’re lucky you live in Sunnyside. I wish I could give narcan to all the homeless zombies passed out on my lawn after stumbling off the ctrain.

[CedarMeter]

Holy Smoke was always really good, I havent had it in years though since I moved from my old office.

They shut down about 3 to 4 years ago.

[topfiverecords]

You’re lucky you live in Sunnyside. I wish I could give narcan to all the homeless zombies passed out on my lawn after stumbling off the ctrain.

It’s a good life living in a society.

[Locke]

They shut down about 3 to 4 years ago.

Hah! Seriously??

Hm. I mean...I dont mean to laugh at them shutting down but...my old office was a 3 minute walk door to door to their Manchester location so I'd go there for lunch very frequently.

And then...seemingly coincidentally, I moved my office...about 3-4 years ago and Holy Smoke subsequently and almost immediately goes under??

I wonder if I should go back and lay some flowers by the door of their old location?

[cKy]

Thanks for all the replies. In typical CP fashion, most of it was completely useless and missed the mark :)

Special shoutouts to MRC for their stories and experiences. The culture shock to the kids is something we're aware of and we'll see how they do.

Thanks for all the food places to check out as well. After 15 years away from AB i'm friggin' stoked to be back (soon).

[Locke]

Thanks for all the replies. In typical CP fashion, most of it was completely useless and missed the mark :)

Special shoutouts to MRC for their stories and experiences. The culture shock to the kids is something we're aware of and we'll see how they do.

Thanks for all the food places to check out as well. After 15 years away from AB i'm friggin' stoked to be back (soon).

Hey you! Thats the deal! What, you thought you were going to get straight Gold? You gotta sift a little!

[TorqueDog]

I love how -- by forty posts in -- the thread shifted to a discussion of best BBQ place.

[PepsiFree]

I am unfamiliar with Comery/Hayden, Bookers is gone and Big T's is wildly, wildly unreliable to the point that I've abandoned even going there much less ordering from them.

The Blocks are good. And Troutman is right about Palomino. Is Bookers coming back? I keep seeing updates on social every few months that they’re still looking for a place. It was good.

I do think home made is obviously best, but I don’t know what people are expecting out of a BBQ joint. I’ve been to some good BBQ spots in the southern US and I think ours compare just fine. The only magic places are those limited-run “open til we’re out” spots, which we don’t really have, but are rare anyway.

Though tbf I haven’t been to Big T’s in years, so my opinion might be out of date on that one.

[undercoverbrother]

The Blocks are good. And Troutman is right about Palomino. Is Bookers coming back? I keep seeing updates on social every few months that they’re still looking for a place. It was good.

I do think home made is obviously best, but I don’t know what people are expecting out of a BBQ joint. I’ve been to some good BBQ spots in the southern US and I think ours compare just fine. The only magic places are those limited-run “open til we’re out” spots, which we don’t really have, but are rare anyway.

Though tbf I haven’t been to Big T’s in years, so my opinion might be out of date on that one.

I have also heard good things about Prairie Dog Brewing, but haven't gone myself

[btimbit]

I have also heard good things about Prairie Dog Brewing, but haven't gone myself

I've only been once, the service was bad, beer was meh, but food was fantastic

Thanks for all the replies. In typical CP fashion, most of it was completely useless and missed the mark :)

Haha, yeah, that's what we do. Sorry I wasn't more help, I didn't have kids when I was there. I did really enjoy my time there though, Nice and quiet, felt like you were away from the city which was exactly what I was looking for.

[MRCboicgy]

Thanks for all the replies. In typical CP fashion, most of it was completely useless and missed the mark :)

Special shoutouts to MRC for their stories and experiences. The culture shock to the kids is something we're aware of and we'll see how they do.

Thanks for all the food places to check out as well. After 15 years away from AB i'm friggin' stoked to be back (soon).


I will say, my parents had a love for the mountains, so we were up in sheep river falls, etc. all the time, which kept me out of trouble. I started hauling my friends up there when I could get them off the playstation. It's just so much easier to get onto the trails from there than it is in the city - even living in Bowness, its now a whole thing even just to take a drive into K-country.

[TheScorpion]

All I know about Okotoks is the hockey team there has a really good PA announcer.

[topfiverecords]

Thanks for all the replies. In typical CP fashion, most of it was completely useless and missed the mark :)

Special shoutouts to MRC for their stories and experiences. The culture shock to the kids is something we're aware of and we'll see how they do.

Thanks for all the food places to check out as well. After 15 years away from AB i'm friggin' stoked to be back (soon).

Can’t be of any assistance other than to derailing threads. Never been to Okotoks. Never plan to go.

[Doctorfever]

I believe Okotoks has a pretty good youth female hockey program. But not sure about that. Can anyone confirm or deny?

[Locke]

I believe Okotoks has a pretty good youth female hockey program. But not sure about that. Can anyone confirm or deny?

Do they congregate at or are sponsored by the local BBQ joint?

If not cant confirm. Nor deny.

[PepsiFree]

Why are people talking about Okotoks in the BBQ thread?

[topfiverecords]

Why are people talking about Okotoks in the BBQ thread?

Because BBQ is from the south.

[Lubicon]

I believe Okotoks has a pretty good youth female hockey program. But not sure about that. Can anyone confirm or deny?

They were always decent when we played them ( the community teams). The U18 AAA female team is also based there but is open to players from anywhere.

[troutman]

I believe Okotoks has a pretty good youth female hockey program. But not sure about that. Can anyone confirm or deny?

Last time I was at the rec centre, Okotoks was getting smoked 8-1 by Airdire.

[Nancy]

Last time I was at the rec centre, Okotoks was getting smoked 8-1 by Airdire.

I guess I would use a different benchmark for a good hockey program, which would be availability of ice time (facilities) and opportunity to play. Pretty easy to field a winning team if the population of the draw area is 2x-10x more.

[blankall]

I guess I would use a different benchmark for a good hockey program, which would be availability of ice time (facilities) and opportunity to play. Pretty easy to field a winning team if the population of the draw area is 2x-10x more.

WTF? There are now 75,000 people in Airdrie? That's shocking to me.

[Lubicon]

WTF? There are now 75,000 people in Airdrie? That's shocking to me.

Yup. Actually slightly more.

https://regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/airdrie/population/#/?from=2017&to=2021

[MRCboicgy]

Interesting how Okotoks has flattened out a tad https://regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/okotoks/population/#/?from=2001&to=2021

[Lubicon]

Interesting how Okotoks has flattened out a tad https://regionaldashboard.alberta.ca/region/okotoks/population/#/?from=2001&to=2021

They had limited their population to 35 000 due to water supply but lifted that restriction a few years ago. But if the supply issue still exists it may effectively be limiting growth.

[undercoverbrother]

WTF? There are now 75,000 people in Airdrie? That's shocking to me.

"small town"

[_Q_]

Cochrane - live here if you want to be close to beautiful nature and amazing scenery.

Okotoks - live here if you want a beautiful small town with most of the amenities of Calgary.

Chestermere - live here if you work in Calgary, but can't afford Calgary home prices.

Airdrie - live here if you're a miserable #### and don't want to ever be happy again.

[Sr. Mints]

WTF? There are now 75,000 people in Airdrie? That's shocking to me.Wow, that's the size of Lethbridge when I went to university there - not that long ago

[blankall]

Wow, that's the size of Lethbridge when I went to university there - not that long ago

Airdrie is catching up to Lethbridge pretty quickly. Really starts to make the Calgary/Edmonton high speed rail start to make a lot more sense. High speed rail with stops in downtown Calgary, Airdrie, Red Deer, Leduc (?), and then downtown Edmonton starts to make a lot more sense if you have places like Airdrie and Red Deer into the 100k range.

[bizaro86]

Airdrie is catching up to Lethbridge pretty quickly. Really starts to make the Calgary/Edmonton high speed rail start to make a lot more sense. High speed rail with stops in downtown Calgary, Airdrie, Red Deer, Leduc (?), and then downtown Edmonton starts to make a lot more sense if you have places like Airdrie and Red Deer into the 100k range.

High speed rail between Calgary and Edmonton should have stops in Calgary and Edmonton.

[CroFlames]

A city of 75,000 and no hospital.

[Fuzz]

A city of 75,000 and no hospital.
Seriously? Wow. Boy, voting Wildrose/Conservative for decades sure has payed off for them.

[undercoverbrother]

Seriously? Wow. Boy, voting Wildrose/Conservative for decades sure has payed off for them.

They're not raising snowflakes

[blankall]

High speed rail between Calgary and Edmonton should have stops in Calgary and Edmonton.

I would hope they would create a system where you could have both express trains plus trains that stop in other communities. It would do a lot to open up Alberta, generally, and create an easy way to do daily commutes. The train would just be overall a lot more useful that way, as the number of people who need to commute from just Edmonton to Calgary on a daily base is probably limited.

[Locke]

A city of 75,000 and no hospital.

They can be at a Calgary Hospital in 15 minutes.

And because they're from Airdrie theres only a 15 minute ER waiting time! Its in the contract!

[Lubicon]

A city of 75,000 and no hospital.

A city of 75 000 that is a suburb of a city of 1.5 million does not need a hospital. What it does need is a 24 hour urgent care facility - which Airdrie has. The fact there is a staff shortage is another topic however.

This ties in with the debate going on over in the Alberta Politics thread. Smaller scale urgent care facilities that can handle 80-90% (I'm ballparking) of the cases that come in through the door would take a huge load off our ER's. Leave those for heart attacks, trauma incidents etc.

[CroFlames]

Airdrie itself has many surrounding communities that use its urgent care, like Drum & Hannah.

Airdrie needs a hospital as it continues to grow.

[topfiverecords]

They can be at a Calgary Hospital in 15 minutes.

And because they're from Airdrie theres only a 15 minute ER waiting time! Its in the contract!

That’s to downtown. They can be at the Peter Lougheed in 5.