Tell me about your SE community.

[sa226]

So I know there are a number of threads and discussions about Calgary communities, but I find that they are kind of useless unless you break it down. Most of those conversations end in an argument that Sunnyside is better than Nolan Hill. Well yeah. How do you compare Hillhurst to Skyview Ranche? What's the point?

So here's a more specific comparison. The SO and I are house shopping, due to preference, price and family reasons we are looking in the SE. We are looking in McKenzie Towne/Lake, Douglas Dale/Glen and Chaparral.

We are in the 450k range. I don't like the super narrow lot and 1500sq ft that you get in Auburn Bay and Mahogany with 450k so I haven't seen much that I like in those areas. Chaparral seems nice but God damn is it way far south (I'm a northerner).

I know the best thing to do is check it out for yourself, and we have. I just like any and all opinions. There's always an angle that I didn't consider. I'd love to hear people's opinions! (preferably based on experience).

[Vox]

I've been in Douglasdale since 1996. There are a couple of good schools here. Shopping is not bad across Deerfoot in South Trail crossing, but it's not spectacular. The nicest thing going for Douglasdale is being on the river. There are very nice walking paths, and some baseball diamonds down in the river valley that are outstanding. Fish Creek park is easily accessed by walking bridges at the North end of Douglasdale, and to the south in Mckenzie. Lot sizes are pretty good and seem to me to be larger than some of the newer communities, and houses aren't as tightly spaced. I moved here from the north of Calgary, and it seemed really far south for a long time, but it's actually not to bad. Downtown is about 15 minutes away. 30 during rush hour. I've almost made it home from the Saddledome in 12 minutes, but can't quite break that mark.

This said, if I were to move down south again, I'd look seriously at McKenzie Towne, McKenzie Lake, Auburn Bay, and Mahogany. The latter two are starting to get pretty far south, but the Resident Associations are great. Douglasdale has nothing to compare to the amenities that the new communities have. Our kids take a lot of classes in McKenzie, Auburn Bay, and New Brighton because of that. The houses are closer together in those areas, but lake access, gym faciliaties and programs for kids (and adults) are fantastic in the new Brookfield, Hopewell, and Qualico communities. Worth looking at.

[FireGilbert]

Grew up in Willow Park. It was a great place to live close to parks, schools, and hockey rinks. Probably out of your price range though.

A few of my friends have bought in McKenzie town and Cranston. The positive feedback is that you can get a big house with a nice yard and it is a great place to raise a family. The negative feedback is if you work downtown the lack of public transit and Deerfoot traffic makes the commute difficult.

[Canehdianman]

I've lived in Douglas Glen for 6 years. Really love it. If our house was bigger we would stay here forever (got another kid on the way).

It's not though, so we are selling it and moving. Just listed this week too. A tiny bit above your price range though (480k).

Anyways, it's close to Deerfoot and Glenmore, so I can get most places decently fast.

Nice green belt that goes through the neighbourhood and connects to the river path system.

Feel free to PM me any other questions you might have.

[sa226]

Thanks Vox! Thats good stuff. The kid stuff is definitely a consideration. I like the houses in Douglasdale/glen for the access to the river, lot size and more maturity, but the community type stuff is of the newer locations is a very good point.

[sa226]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

I've lived in Douglas Glen for 6 years. Really love it. If our house was bigger we would stay here forever (got another kid on the way).

It's not though, so we are selling it and moving. Just listed this week too. A tiny bit above your price range though (480k).

Anyways, it's close to Deerfoot and Glenmore, so I can get most places decently fast.

Nice green belt that goes through the neighbourhood and connects to the river path system.

Feel free to PM me any other questions you might have.

I think I see it, nice place! Nice updates too. I think your place was the first house with renovations where I didn't say "huh? what up with that?" Some people make weird decisions when renovating.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by sa226

I think I see it, nice place! Nice updates too. I think your place was the first house with renovations where I didn't say "huh? what up with that?" Some people make weird decisions when renovating.

Yup I think you found it. If we didn't have a growing family, we would definitely be staying. We love the area and our kitchen is pretty rad.

[Northendzone]

I lived in McKenzie towne (Prestwick) from 1998 to 2004 and now in new brighton since then. so I have seen the whole mature. my thoughts are as follows:

The good:
* shopping at 130th - it is good because it is close and has most of the stores you will need
* lots of schools in the area with more being built (there are currently 3 different schools being built in New Brighton, and one that I can think of in McKenzie Towne (Inverness)
* decent access to river pathway system (~3kms away) if that is important to you. I can ride to fish creek and back and make it a decent 20 km ride
* decent access to stoney trail
* decent selection of golf courses
* it is further away from Edmonton that say douglasdale

The Bad
* you spend your life driving up and down deerfoot
* the shopping at 130th - terrible layout, should be a case study on how not to build a power center
* no boutique type shops
* most restuarants in area are chain type places
* my kids go to St. albert the great School - school is ok but does not really offer much in the way of cutting edge programs (for example the school in Copperfiled has robotics)
* new brighton as a neighborhood is ok, it is a middle of the road neighborhood that is nothing special - some houses are starting to get run down
* community club is getting run down, hockey rink ice can be decent; however, it gets used a lot and there is only one sheet of ice - they should have built two

that si about all I can think of for now -good luck with your search

[fundmark19]

If you have to commute downtown I would stay in the Riverbend/Douglasglen Douglasdale areas. More mature lots with lots of great trees. Easy access to parks and trails if that is your thing. With Quarry Park and new restaurants coming into Riverbend the food selection is great. Once the Glenmore Barlow overpass is in that should eliminate all traffic concerns from certain parts of Riverbend.

I could never go back to living south of 130th anymore that shopping mall is an absolute gongshow. The Walmart is better than Deerfoot meadows for stock but the headache of doing anything over there isn't worth it.

[sa226]

Thanks guys.

The commute is to the airport for both of us. Me randomly, her 4-5 days a week. So Stony is where its at.

Iv'e heard the growing sentiment about 130th. Is it truly the worst shopping district in the city? Or is it just kind of getting bad? For instance, I make a point of avoiding Chinook at all costs.

I like the contrasting opinions of fundmark and Vox. One would go south of 130th if he(she?) had the chance again the other would never go south of 130th, for differing reasons of course. I like it!

[Sliver]

What are the prices like in McKenzie Lake? Calgary is pretty neat in that you can usually get into a lake community without much of a premium over non-lake surrounding communities.

[sa226]

Originally Posted by Sliver

What are the prices like in McKenzie Lake? Calgary is pretty neat in that you can usually get into a lake community without much of a premium over non-lake surrounding communities.

400k to 500k seems to be the tipping point from getting something of really good value in a great location, to getting something in a crappy location or with a tiny lot or a house that Pinterest threw up all over or some owner thought they would try their hand at extensive renovations with a substandard result.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by sa226

I like the contrasting opinions of fundmark and Vox. One would go south of 130th if he(she?) had the chance again the other would never go south of 130th, for differing reasons of course. I like it!

Don't get me wrong Mahogany has developed quite nicely and looks awesome when you drive through but you are just so far away from everything north or downtown. If you are coming from the north your friends will consider not visiting just on the perception of how south it is. ( Friends are the worst when you move)

130th is bad. Just high volume with lots of lights so it is painful to even just drive across. I go 114th to 52nd when I am visiting my friends in New Brighton or checking up on my condo in McKenzie Towne. There is new stores open by the Hospital in Seton which would be why you got the advise to be as far south from 130th as you can. I can't comment on that with the exception they are getting a great selection of pubs being built. Which puts another huge + on Mahogany and Auburn bay

[Aegypticus]

I would say 130th is tolerable. It's never been nearly as bad as the Chinook Centre are can get. 130th is just maddening because it didn't have to be a ####show.

[Lil Pedro]

If you're looking for a nice establishes community in the SE, Midnapore and/or Sundance are good options. Lots of schools, lake access in both communities, shopping, restaurants, movie theatre, adjacent to Fish Creek Park, close to an LRT line and Stoney Trail. My fiancé and I are currently looking to buy in Sundance (we are in Midnapore now) and are in the same 450K price range. The houses are a little older but are definitely big enough for a family at a great price. They are currently building an overpass at 162nd/Macleod and once its done some of the traffic access will be alleviated on Macleod Trail.

[Boblobla]

I grew up in Midnapore and lived in Ranchlands for 5 years. I now live in Chaparral and I love it. I love the deep south much more than the far NW. The lake is awesome in the summer and the winter. If you have a young family and we love it.

It is busy in the shopping areas but it is bearable. There are lots of good pubs around, tons of grocery stores that are in communities rather than massive shopping centers.

[Red]

Sundance and Midnapore are very nice neighbourhoods, mature and you get the lake.

If budget allows, go north side of Fish Creek. You no longer need Deerfoot to get everywhere. When you go south of the park your roads are very limited. You are basically stuck to Deerfoot/Stoney and McLeod. Not fun.

[psicodude]

130th isn't that bad, but it is horribly designed. The only real issue is that too much traffic is forced into the first intersection off Deerfoot. The trick is to avoid that intersection if you can. Once the Seton shopping area gets built up more 130th will be a lot better.

For that price range, you are pretty much going to get a 1500 sq. foot house on a small lot anywhere in that part of the city. I would pick a neighborhood that matches your lifestyle, personally. I wouldn't worry about the commute to the airport that much either, as you are looking at a difference of 5 minutes from one area to the next. Once you get on Stoney, it's an east drive.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Red

Sundance and Midnapore are very nice neighbourhoods, mature and you get the lake.

If budget allows, go north side of Fish Creek. You no longer need Deerfoot to get everywhere. When you go south of the park your roads are very limited. You are basically stuck to Deerfoot/Stoney and McLeod. Not fun.

This x1000.

We live in north of Fish Creek in Canyon Meadows (not SE, but right on the edge of the east/west divide) and I didn't realize much of a difference being on the north side of Fish Creek makes until after we moved in.

I've got friends/colleagues that live probably less than 3-5km south of our place, but with the bottle neck at Fish Creek, and the limited north/south routes it ends up feeling more like 10km during rush hour.

[Sliver]

Wonder what houses go for in Parkland these days. That is a sweet area and Park 96 or whatever it's called is sick. Basically all the amenities of a lake property, minus the lake. That may sound like a slight, but most of the fun you have at these lake communities is just because you're in a non-crowded private oasis of fun stuff to do. The lakes are great, but Park 96 is not far behind. North of Fish Creek, too.