Calgary's bedroom communities... where would you want to live?

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Chestermere is going to get annexed within a half decade, imo.

Langdon is a town that doesn't even pretend to be a town. It's just a housing subdivision in the middle of nowhere.

I like Airdrie and Cochrane, but wouldn't want to live in either if I was working downtown or in the south half of the city - Calgary's transportation system is inferior in the north.

you really think it'll be only 5 years? there's still a lot of nothing between Calgary and Chestermere, what's the point in annexing a bunch of farmland? i think a more realistic timeline is 10-15 years, and i'd say Okotoks probably gets swallowed first with how fast this city is expanding south

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

you really think it'll be only 5 years? there's still a lot of nothing between Calgary and Chestermere, what's the point in annexing a bunch of farmland? i think a more realistic timeline is 10-15 years, and i'd say Okotoks probably gets swallowed first with how fast this city is expanding south

I disagree with both of you. I think it'll be closer to 30 years before Okotoks or Airdrie is even bordered, and at least 20 for Chestermere. And when I really think about it, I doubt that Airdrie or Okotoks will allow themselves to be annexed. I bet that they'll fight to maintain their independence for years and years before finally succumbing to annexation. 50 years at least before Okotoks and Airdrie are the new Bowness and Midnapore.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by troutman

Canmore is 45 minutes to the city limits in good weather.

We considered Canmore, but the high percentage of hippies living there deterred us.

[Hemi-Cuda]

what i don't understand is that living in Chestermere, our condo building was peppered with flyers for the last Calgary election. as far as i know, i couldn't even vote in that election, so why would the candidates waste money like that peppering the outlying communities?

[jammies]

My parents live in High River and love it - they keep trying to get me to move out there, but I agree that it's too far unless you have a job in the deep south part of town. I don't think Okotoks is all that much better, really, especially in the winter. Both are nice enough if you like living in a small town, as is Bragg Creek.

Strathmore is rather a hole and is almost as long a drive as Canmore, so I really don't understand why anyone lives there and commutes. My old boss did, though, so some people disagree. Canmore is nice but getting really expensive, and the drive in the winter is a definite minus (I used to drive a lot the other way, from Calgary to Canmore every day and believe me it can get very dicey).

Airdrie is so much like living in the city that I really don't see the advantage. Cochrane is ok, but again it's just like any other subdivision inside the city, except inconveniently located. Chestermere is the same way. I really don't see any difference between any of these three and just living in some far-flung suburb like Rocky Ridge or Creekside.

Personally if I moved out of town I'd want an acreage or the like - what's the point of moving out of town and then living in the same kind of house on the same kind of lot in the same kind of neighborhood with the same kind of people you would in Calgary? At least on an acreage there's a qualitative difference you can point at, not just half-mythical feelings of "quiet" and "safety".

[T@T]

Okotoks and it's 3 man wonderful city council cost me big $$$, as far as I'm concerned they can move all those terrists in Guantominal bay there and let the Americans drop a small nuke on the place!

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

I'd love to live in the Millarville area, to own some land out there. Unfortunately, I'm sure that would require lottery-type resources ... but a guy can dream.

Jammies - At least on an acreage there's a qualitative difference you can point at, not just half-mythical feelings of "quiet" and "safety".

Suzles - I want to live in de Winton - sadly because that is part of my surname and I would like to be Queen of all I survey (well, in my dreams) and I want to be on an acreage with lots of rescued animals and de Winton looks very nice!

All of that . . . . . . west of Okotoks.



High River is an older demographic, at one point the oldest demographic in Alberta while Okotoks had the youngest demographic.

If you're looking for a quieter life and following behind old ladies who drive 20 km through town, then High River is your place.

Cowperson

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

High River is an older demographic, at one point the oldest demographic in Alberta while Okotoks had the youngest demographic.

If you're looking for a quieter life and following behind old ladies who drive 20 km through town, then High River is your place.

Cowperson

That image has changed quite a bit since i moved to High River in 2004. For sure you have your retirees but the rate of young families moving here has increased dramaticly. Not a day goes by when i don't have to deal with some young punk tailgating me because i'm doing the speed limit. Then there's the large increase in youth crimes. Car prowlings, slashed tires, broken car windows, arson by fire, vandalsim to George Lane Park etc. Something that wasn't a problem when the town had a largely older demographics.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by photon

No Chestermere?

Chestermere is a true bedroom community, in that we don't even have pretensions of being an actual separate town

But photon, we have the provinces largest Shoppers Drug Mart now! And we're getting our own BPs. So we may be our own town yet.

In all honestly since my family moved to Chestermere 12 years ago, the growth is astonishing.

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Dion

Not a day goes by when i don't have to deal with some young punk tailgating me because i'm doing the speed limit. . . . . .

That was me. Sorry about that.

Cowperson

[zarrell]

I've lived in Turner Valley for 2 years now and there are certainly advantages to it. I work construction, so I can find work pretty much anywhere, but when I do have to drive into Calgary the extra 25 minutes does not seem a big deal to me. Plus being right next door to Kananaskis is a huge plus if you enjoy the mountains. Once I sell my place I'll probably be moving to Okotoks because it seems to have the best of both worlds and taxes are not as obscene as they are here (over $3000 for a house assessed at $345,000)

And by the way it's not as ugly as 4x4 might think it is.

For those driving through town one day be sure to check out the Chuckwagon or Route 40 Soup Company for some great food.

[zarrell]

Originally Posted by Dion

That image has changed quite a bit since i moved to High River in 2004. For sure you have your retirees but the rate of young families moving here has increased dramaticly. Not a day goes by when i don't have to deal with some young punk tailgating me because i'm doing the speed limit. Then there's the large increase in youth crimes. Car prowlings, slashed tires, broken car windows, arson by fire, vandalsim to George Lane Park etc. Something that wasn't a problem when the town had a largely older demographics.

High River is certainly getting a lot younger. I do a bunch of work in Montrose and a large portion of the people I see in that area are couples with kids in tow.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by zarrell

And by the way it's not as ugly as 4x4 might think it is.

Sorry, bro...

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I think 20 minutes is stretching it a bit because technically the Calgary's city limits are pretty far south (I forget exactly what avenue)

Anyways its 30 kms from where I will be living in Okotoks to where I work (near Princess Auto in the SE)

I agree though, that High River really isn't that much further (17 kms further to be exact)... it just seems a lot futher...

It is 25 km from Mckenzie Towne to downtown. Seems dumb when you type it but I don't really mind the commute as much as I thought I would.

I do wish Cowperson would not post those pictures. Makes me so very jealous. (Just kidding. Keep posting pics.)

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Titan

It is 25 km from Mckenzie Towne to downtown. Seems dumb when you type it but I don't really mind the commute as much as I thought I would.

No, no, no. It's 23 hours from the suburbs to downtown. Also, living downtown in a big house is okay. And drinking coffee downtown all the way from another continent is also green. Because it's roasted locally. And that's the part that causes greenhouse gases.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

But photon, we have the provinces largest Shoppers Drug Mart now! And we're getting our own BPs. So we may be our own town yet.

In all honestly since my family moved to Chestermere 12 years ago, the growth is astonishing.

That's true, even when I moved out not that long ago there was no Safeway or library.

The growth has been huge, the retail hasn't really kept up but is catching up now more I guess.

I'm not a huge fan of BPs, but it at least is a decent option to eat out without having to drive into Calgary. Can only eat so many Wok Box and Jessica's.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Shazam

No, no, no. It's 23 hours from the suburbs to downtown. Also, living downtown in a big house is okay. And drinking coffee downtown all the way from another continent is also green. Because it's roasted locally. And that's the part that causes greenhouse gases.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Titan

Sarcasm. He's using it.

[Antithesis]

Oh man, that picture CP posted only works to inspire me to save save save more money. Millarville here I come .... in 30 years.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Cochrane, because I have family out there. I lived there for a couple of years when my parents moved out there before I went out on my own. The commute is easy.

I wouldn't live in a bedroom community to work in Calgary, though.