The Ongoing Airdrie Thread…

[OutOfTheCube]

My wife grew up in Airdrie. The only thing it had going for it was the Menchies Frozen Yogurt place right across the street from where she lived. Now those are all over Calgary too so it's even lost that

Is it really even it's own thing anymore anyways? I drove out there from where I used to live in NW Calgary so often that it just seemed like an extension of the city. The neighborhood we're moving in to this summer (Redstone) is so close we can practically see Airdrie on the horizon.

[RinkRat]

I've lived in Airdrie for 26 years, It's a decent place to live. But I'm highly debating making the move to the city soon. Once your friends go its like pulling teeth trying to make plans work as neither side wants to make the 30-40 minute commute.

Not to mention there is a reason why law enforcement refer to it as the NFL or "New Forest Lawn" heck 3 grow ops within 10 houses of my own place ha.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Actually, I think this is really the heart of the difference between Okotoks, Cochrane and Airdrie. They're all technically "Parasite" towns/cities, but I think Airdrie's is the only one that is shamelessly just simply a place to go where Calgary is still your city, but you live there cause it's cheaper.

With Okotoks and Cochrane you have towns that have established themselves as neat little foothills/near the mountains towns with at least some character and charm.

Of course part of the reason people live there is likely that you can get a cheaper house, but after working in Okotoks for a while and visiting Cochrane many times, both have a feeling of "ahhh, I'm out of the big city. The mountains are close by, there's really nice river and park areas for all sorts of outdoor activities. Hey, maybe I'll check out the Dawgs baseball game that the town really gets behind". They're both just minutes from really nice foothill region parks, as well.

They both have qualities about them and really nice scenery. Like there's actually a reason to live in those places over Calgary besides just money saved on a house. But you go to Airdrie and it's kind of cramped little city, with a big highway running through it, no "we're not the big city" charm and it's on the NE corner of Calgary surrounded by flat farmer's fields.

It really just feels like any other bedroom community in Calgary. It truly is just an extension of Calgary where people can get a cheaper house.

This. The wife and I were married in Okotoks so it holds a special place in our hearts, but we still drive out 2-3 times a year for lunch or a dawgs game. Were we ever to move to a bedroom community Okotoks would be top of the list. It's got some great old architecture and really does have some small town charm.

Airdrie has none of this, as some one else put it on this board years ago, all the disadvantages of the city (long commute, chain restaurants/stores, cookie cutter houses) with none of the advantages of the city.

[Sr. Mints]

My dentist made the self-focused, inconsiderate decision to move his practice to Airdrie, and because he's actually a really good dentist, I now have to drive 47 minutes to see him. Son of a bitch.

[TKB]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

This. The wife and I were married in Okotoks so it holds a special place in our hearts, but we still drive out 2-3 times a year for lunch or a dawgs game. Were we ever to move to a bedroom community Okotoks would be top of the list. It's got some great old architecture and really does have some small town charm.

Airdrie has none of this, as some one else put it on this board years ago, all the disadvantages of the city (long commute, chain restaurants/stores, cookie cutter houses) with none of the advantages of the city.

It has a small town charm because well it is a small town. Airdrie is double the size of Okotoks so of course its going to feel more like a city. Combine Okotoks and Cochrane and Airdrie is still bigger. Your telling me Airdrie is a long commute? have you ever been to Airdrie? I can get to a lot of areas of Calgary quicker then people that actually live in certain areas of the Calgary. I would wage to bet that most of the trolls in this thread have never been to Airdrie, besides driving by it on the highway.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by TKB

It has a small town charm because well it is a small town. Airdrie is double the size of Okotoks so of course its going to feel more like a city. Combine Okotoks and Cochrane and Airdrie is still bigger. Your telling me Airdrie is a long commute? have you ever been to Airdrie? I can get to a lot of areas of Calgary quicker then people that actually live in certain areas of the Calgary. I would wage to bet that most of the trolls in this thread have never been to Airdrie, besides driving by it on the highway.

There is no reason top go to Airdrie. If we didnt know people who live in Airdrie there would be a grand total of '0' other reasons to ever go there.

Certainly not the ambiance or the movie theater.

[Brannigans Law]

Costco is expensive? I save a lot of money buying laundry soap there, meat, and eggs.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by TKB

It has a small town charm because well it is a small town. Airdrie is double the size of Okotoks so of course its going to feel more like a city. Combine Okotoks and Cochrane and Airdrie is still bigger. Your telling me Airdrie is a long commute? have you ever been to Airdrie? I can get to a lot of areas of Calgary quicker then people that actually live in certain areas of the Calgary. I would wage to bet that most of the trolls in this thread have never been to Airdrie, besides driving by it on the highway.

This is complete garbage.

I've made the drive from downtown Calgary to Airdrie during rush hour, in the summer. All 3 times, it took me between 1 hour to 1.5 hours to get up there. I actually wanted to give up and turn back around.

It seems to me that everyone that lives in far flung neighbourhoods (not just Airdrie) kind of delude themselves into thinking their commute is never that bad. "Oh well, it only takes me 30 minutes door to door to get to work, but I have to leave my house at like 5:45 am, and the weather has to be nice. Oh and there also can't be any accidents or stalls on the highway or road construction. I also have to be driving at 145 km/h on Deerfoot, so there can't be any cops on the road. It's actually not bad, you should make the move out to Airdrie, you'll get used to waking up at 4 am every morning to drive in to work. It's not hard getting to sleep at 7:30 since there's not much to do out here."

[undercoverbrother]

Wow some people put a lot of effort into hating

[stampsx2]

I dont mind Airdrie. It'll be part of Calgary soon anyway.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by TKB

It has a small town charm because well it is a small town. Airdrie is double the size of Okotoks so of course its going to feel more like a city. Combine Okotoks and Cochrane and Airdrie is still bigger. Your telling me Airdrie is a long commute? have you ever been to Airdrie? I can get to a lot of areas of Calgary quicker then people that actually live in certain areas of the Calgary. I would wage to bet that most of the trolls in this thread have never been to Airdrie, besides driving by it on the highway.

Yes I've been to Airdrie, it's about 16km from the very northern tip of Calgary, or roughly 35km from downtown Calgary... oh hey look at that, it's about double the distance.

So yes, even people living in Nolan Hill have a shorter commute than those in Airdrie, thus a longer commute.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Wow some people put a lot of effort into hating

Pipe down or Red Deer/Sylvan Lake is next up to be scrutinized.

[2ArmBands]

I think people often forget that not everyone works downtown. Most of us that don't work downtown avoid it like the plague.

[Bill Bumface]

Wait wait… which is it Airdrie?

You spend money in Calgary so who cares if you don't pay for the infrastructure you use daily, or Airdrie has everything you need and you don't need to ever leave because you have a Costco?

[TKB]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Wait wait… which is it Airdrie?

You spend money in Calgary so who cares if you don't pay for the infrastructure you use daily, or Airdrie has everything you need and you don't need to ever leave because you have a Costco?

We actually don't have Costco, Balzac does....

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Wait wait… which is it Airdrie?

You spend money in Calgary so who cares if you don't pay for the infrastructure you use daily, or Airdrie has everything you need and you don't need to ever leave because you have a Costco?

It's both… I spend money in Calgary, but purchase the majority of items in Airdrie. Not much different than someone who lives in say Royal Oak, purchase most things in your local shopping area, but sometimes you want to go to Chinook Centre so you go to south Calgary.

[MrMastodonFarm]

When you want to do something fun or interesting on the weekends, what do you do in Airdrie?

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

When you want to do something fun or interesting on the weekends, what do you do in Airdrie?

Well I wash the pickup in my front yard while the lil'uns hold my beer, and the wife washes clothes in the gutter. It's a fun Friday night!



Jesus! Fine we get it, options for things to do are far more vast everywhere else in the world other than Airdrie! My family and I go to the park for a walk, go to a movie, go for dinner, go to a concert (yes we have a great music venue), go to the festive of lights. Amazingly enough we make do in our simple little city. Or we head into the city to do something else... The benefit of being close to the city if I want to go.

[billybob123]

How many people ragging on Airdrie have kids? What else do you need than the Costco, Superstore, Supercenter and Boston Pizza with young kids? What's Airdrie missing for them? The world class dining isn't happening with your screaming terrors; nightlife? A place like Airdrie is great for kids. Lots of parks, good schools, places to shop nearby.

This is all being said by me, with my two kids living in the south-of-16th west-of-Shaganappi "inner city". I also walk to work and don't work downtown.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by billybob123

How many people ragging on Airdrie have kids? What else do you need than the Costco, Superstore, Supercenter and Boston Pizza with young kids? What's Airdrie missing for them? The world class dining isn't happening with your screaming terrors; nightlife? A place like Airdrie is great for kids. Lots of parks, good schools, places to shop nearby.

This is all being said by me, with my two kids living in the south-of-16th west-of-Shaganappi "inner city". I also walk to work and don't work downtown.

Airdrie is particularly bad if you have kids. There is jack squat to do. Parks? BFD, even third world countries have parks.

Calgary has the zoo, science centre, COP, go-karting, heritage park, museums, Stampede, etc. Airdrie has nothing. It's a sad place that doesn't even have its own water supply.