So what can you tell me about living in Airdrie...

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by Dion

The infrastructure can't handle the size of the population of Calgary. Rush hour driving in Calgary is a nightmare. That was my reason for moving to a small town.

Have you been to Vancouver or Montreal?? People complaining about rush-hour in Calgary is laughable compared even to those cities, which are only a bit larger. And certainly nothing in Canada is particularly big on a "world" scale.

To the OP - I don't think the commute to Airdrie is much different then Cranston, for whatever that's worth. So Airdrie makes sense if it's $60 - $80k cheaper for a similar house & lot.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

If you move to a small town and work there, that is one thing. If you move to a small town and still work in the "big city" how do you avoid rush hour.

I dont think many people are moving to these bedroom communities to work.

A fair size of High River's poulation works in Calgary. Many use the LRT on the southside to get downtown. Our small town keeps growing as young families move here for cheaper housing and a safer place to raise thier kids.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Have you been to Vancouver or Montreal?? People complaining about rush-hour in Calgary is laughable compared even to those cities, which are only a bit larger. And certainly nothing in Canada is particularly big on a "world" scale.

I think the difference might be that Calgary drivers are a pain in the ass for rush-hour

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Have you been to Vancouver or Montreal?? People complaining about rush-hour in Calgary is laughable compared even to those cities, which are only a bit larger. And certainly nothing in Canada is particularly big on a "world" scale.

I've driven in many large US cities freeways. The difference is Americans know how to drive thier freeways as opposed to Calgarians. You don't have a-holes driving slow in the left lane or those that don't know how to merge. Thier freeways move more efficently than the Deerfoot in Calgary does. Imagine how much quicker the flow of Deerfoot would be if the slow drivers stuck to the right lane.

[Bigtime]

I don't buy the "safer place to raise our kids" line. I see kids around the world growing up in cities and they don't all turn out to be young offenders or end up dead or addicted to crack.

I have a few friends living in Airdrie, we may drive out and see them once a year. You couldn't pay me a million bucks to live outside of the inner city. I bike to work in the summer and have a 10 minute commute in the winter.

[Rerun]

nm

[Bigtime]

Rerun, you probably want to add Chestermere to that list.

Pro's for it can include if you enjoy living next door to a grow-op.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I don't buy the "safer place to raise our kids" line. I see kids around the world growing up in cities and they don't all turn out to be young offenders or end up dead or addicted to crack.

We don't have the gang problems that Calgary has.

[Bigtime]

Ah yes those gangs that have endangered me every time I step outside of my condo...

I prefer the option of "living my life and teaching my children the same", I've encountered worse travelling than anything Calgary has shown me.

Besides I bet a lot of those gangsters are buying nice homes in these satellite communities for the very same reasons others are!

[Hemi-Cuda]

i quite enjoy living in Chestermere. seeing the lake out my front window is nice, and you do get a small town feeling compared to Calgary, despite it being a 5 minute drive to the city limits. i can also commute to downtown Calgary faster than those who live in the deep south of the city. we're probably going to be first on the list for anexation as well, which would be great for property values

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Ah yes those gangs that have endangered me every time I step outside of my condo...

I'm talking about the gang problems in schools.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Dion

The infrastructure can't handle the size of the population of Calgary. Rush hour driving in Calgary is a nightmare. That was my reason for moving to a small town.

have you driven at all in any other major cities? Calgary has it easy compared to cities like Vancouver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, etc. i used to think our traffic was horrible until i started road tripping to more destinations, then i started to appreciate just how good we have it

[Bigtime]

And this gang problem in schools is exclusive to Calgary then?

I think prevention comes down to educating your kids, and fostering open communication with them.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

And this gang problem in schools is exclusive to Calgary then?

No problems here in High River

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Zarathustra

I agree with most posters here. Living in Airdrie is a waste. The last time I drove to Edmonton I saw a huge traffic jam on one of the exits to Airdrie, I laughed. You move away from Calgary to avoid traffic, then get stuck in a massive traffic jam in Airdrie. Hilarious.

Thank the province for that. The "rat hole", aka the bridge that sends Yankee Valley Road/Big Springs Road under Hwy 2 was built when Airdrie was a village. The province couldn't be bothered to upgrade it as the town grew into a city of over 30,000. Instead, they first built a useless second interchange into Innisfail, among other things. That is, finally, being fixed now, and by next fall that two lane mess of a road will be upgraded to six lanes.

Personally, I like Airdrie, but am biassed given I grew up there. There are pathways and green spaces throughout the city, so it can be a pleasant place to go for a walk or bike ride. Most major stores are finally there, and the restaraunt options are growing.

The biggest problem you will face likely will be living in Airdrie, and presumably driving to work. Deerfoot Trail in the north half of Calgary is a giant mess, mostly because the City does not have a decent second commuter route south. Most people in the north west quadrant of Calgary filter onto Deerfoot from Country Hills and Beddington, so expect long jams leadng to those interchanges during both the morning and evening rush hours.

But, as I noted, Yankee Valley Road is being expanded, and the ring road will be done this fall, so commuting should get better. If you commute off peak, you will have no issues whatsoever.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by fotze

I have looked there, big discounts, for some reason, the leasing of the house thing freaks people and myself out. I guess if you look at the area around UBC there are multi-million dollar mansions on the same sort of native land.

We figure that chances are good that a deal will be found that will make the Tsuu Tsina happy (it will take 2+ years) that will add 99 years to the lease and then property values should jump.

If it doesn't happen though we can still live there for another 40 years and most of that will be mortgage free. Its a gamble but I like our odds and the community is worth it for us.

[kevman]

Originally Posted by Fugly

I agree 100%, which is why we just bought a house there and will be moving in at the end of the month. It will add a bit to the commute but being close to the mountains negates that for me. I'm hoping the ring-road and new c-train station in Crowfoot will improve traffic, but then again were talking about Calgary so I won't get my hopes up.

I've always questioned the theory of "being close to the mountains"...

Do you just like the view or is it that you spend a lot of time in the mountains?
If it's time in the mountains, how much time do you spend there?
As for closer, how much closer are you actually?

I only ask because I've gone through this debate in my head before. I love the mountains, alot. I don't care much for a view of the mountains from my house but I spend a lot of time there. I make that drive on HWY 1 at least once a week, every week. However, I spend 5 days a week downtown...

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by kevman

I only ask because I've gone through this debate in my head before. I love the mountains, alot. I don't care much for a view of the mountains from my house but I spend a lot of time there. I make that drive on HWY 1 at least once a week, every week. However, I spend 5 days a week downtown...

For me, it (was) both.

[8 Ball]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

We figure that chances are good that a deal will be found that will make the Tsuu Tsina happy (it will take 2+ years) that will add 99 years to the lease and then property values should jump.

If it doesn't happen though we can still live there for another 40 years and most of that will be mortgage free. Its a gamble but I like our odds and the community is worth it for us.

So if it doesn't happen do you just walk away from your house and the money you invested in it? Just curious as I don't know how that works.

[Jedi Ninja]

Originally Posted by habernac

My folks have a big house because they like having friends over.

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

You buy a big house so there are more rooms to have sex in.

Hmmmmm.