Anyone from Okotoks, Alberta or surrounding areas? Need relocation advice please
Jan 8th 2014, 9:29 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Cochrane, AB
Posts: 59
Anyone from Okotoks, Alberta or surrounding areas? Need relocation advice please
Expecting our PR cards in the next month or so, and are planning to relocate to Okotoks. It appears to be a similar place to where we live in the UK and is also commutable distance for hubby. We have two children, and need to know about good schools, good neighbourhoods etc... Any help, greatly appreciated. x
Jan 8th 2014, 3:04 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,898
Re: Anyone from Okotoks, Alberta or surrounding areas? Need relocation advice please
In Okotokes there really isn't a bad neighbourhood. Just older (by Canadian standard) and new. The only thing I'd say is find a place on high ground (as in away from the river). I don't think you need to worry about good vs bad in a school either. They will all be very similar. If you are Catholic, you have that choice in a school though.
May 7th 2014, 11:15 pm
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Alberta
Posts: 481
Re: Anyone from Okotoks, Alberta or surrounding areas? Need relocation advice please
Okotoks is nice (way too many Brits though), house prices are high and going up all the time, rentals are difficult to come by and VERY expensive.
It's got pretty much everything you need, we rarely travel to Calgary for anything (except clothes shopping). Got our own Costco which is never that busy, certainly not by UK standards!
Schools are pretty good I think, my kids are certainly happy here. I believe the potential for them in Alberta is better than in the UK at the moment.
The town is expanding rapidly which is a real shame, I believe the population was capped at 27,000 although this has now been lifted, so expect everything to get busier.
Crime is very low.
According to my kids 'everyone' smokes weed here, it's known as 'Smokeotoks', not sure it's quite that bad but an awful lot more prevalent than where I came from in the UK.
If your working in the city there are communities closer, I certainly wouldn't want to commute from here but many people do.
Don't underestimate the winters, this one has been grim, first snow in October and it was around until April (some of the locals have said it's been the longest winter in 40-50 years), we had snow again a few days ago, I've totally had enough of it!!
All in all we have no regrets in moving here, we're only 3 years in though! In fact my wife didn't really want to move from the UK, she went back last year for a visit and says she never wants to move back there! I've still not been back so can't comment.
It's got pretty much everything you need, we rarely travel to Calgary for anything (except clothes shopping). Got our own Costco which is never that busy, certainly not by UK standards!
Schools are pretty good I think, my kids are certainly happy here. I believe the potential for them in Alberta is better than in the UK at the moment.
The town is expanding rapidly which is a real shame, I believe the population was capped at 27,000 although this has now been lifted, so expect everything to get busier.
Crime is very low.
According to my kids 'everyone' smokes weed here, it's known as 'Smokeotoks', not sure it's quite that bad but an awful lot more prevalent than where I came from in the UK.
If your working in the city there are communities closer, I certainly wouldn't want to commute from here but many people do.
Don't underestimate the winters, this one has been grim, first snow in October and it was around until April (some of the locals have said it's been the longest winter in 40-50 years), we had snow again a few days ago, I've totally had enough of it!!
All in all we have no regrets in moving here, we're only 3 years in though! In fact my wife didn't really want to move from the UK, she went back last year for a visit and says she never wants to move back there! I've still not been back so can't comment.
