Quote:
Originally Posted by GP_Matt
So, it looks like I will be moving south to Edmonton from the sunny city of Grande Prairie.
I realize that this is a Calgary board so there will be a lot of jokes about being stabbed, but I was hoping to get a few legit responses thrown in from the folks who live in Edmonton.
The first step is finding a place to live. Online I have been looking at infills in Bonnie Doon and around Westmount/Glenora as well as considering the satellite communities like St Albert.
I will be working at 142 Ave and 118th Street but my wife could be working almost anywhere so central seems better.
Thanks for the advice.
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That's where I live, and also considered moving to the Bonnie Doon/Ottwell area before ending up settling near Oliver Square (technically in Westmount). Much of Westmount is definitely on the upswing, and there are some really nice shops close to Stony Plain and Jasper Avenue. Some spots are actually similar to what you'd find on Whyte Ave, just it's not as expansive, and you can avoid the vast amount of drunks and jerks that flock to Whyte on most nights.
With the Brewery District being developed the area is only going to get better, as the old Moulson Brewery was kind of a eye sore. Although the brewery itself is going to remain, as a city landmark (gulls gotta nest somewhere).
Much of the area is pretty safe, but I would try and stay clear of moving too far North (around 108th ave), and then there's also a lot of trouble around the Boyle and Queen Mary Park (around MacEwan) areas.
When I was checking out condos in the Bonnie Doon area I found they had a lot of problems. Many of the developments were old, had poor reserve funds, and were kind of run down. Since you're buying a house it will be different, but it's an older area. There's nothing really wrong with it I suppose, and it still provides an easy commute to downtown.
I like the Westmount area though, and I've never experienced any issues. There are a few too many credit loan places and pawn stores, but I don't see bad people hanging around them too often. Westmount Mall is kind of run down, but they're starting to put some money into it now that there's a Wal-Mart.
Oh and +1 to the areas down south, even the new areas in Elerslie that are being developed. A few of my friends have bought places down there, and the prices are pretty decent since they're getting in now. The only problem though is that it can take an hour to get downtown on many days (especially during the winter).