LucyLovelock

Hey you,
Will get some info from my buddy on fb,
they live in the South somewhere, I am thinking Lake Chapparal?
Will forward on what he says!
x

Geordie Lass

Hey you!

Thanks hun! xx

YoshiPal2010

Lake Chapparal is quite nice, but it is quite away out; probably nearer Okotoks than downtown Calgary; and the traffic heading south during the evening rush hour is horrendous.

ann m

Meowwwww.

I don't recall having any conversation (singing the praises or otherwise) about shopping in the UK with the good folks of Cochrane (British or otherwise).

Despite there being a sizeable Brit population here, we don't ALL live in each others pockets.

I think I talk to more Brits at work than I do in my home town. You can choose to mix with or avoid many people, in spite of the area you choose to live.

Almost Canadian

The traffic in all directions out of downtown during evening in rush hour is not great. I don't believe any quadrant fares better than the others. Lake Chapparal is in the southeast.

JasonnJane

Hi
I live in SW Calgary in Silverado. There are lots of lovely communities around this area and also only 5 minutes drive to the nearest C train, which is in Shawnessy.

Rentals around here are not badly priced either. Take a look on kajiji at rentals in Silverado, Somerset, Shawnessy, Bridlewood, Evergreen, Midnapore, Sundance, Canyon Meadows, they are all nice areas. We are close to Fishcreek Provincial Park have lots of stores only 5 minutes away, close to deerfoot and mcleod trail.

When are you moving here and where abouts in the UK are you coming from? Just ask if you need any further info

Chookie

For some reason I had an inkling that you were talking about Calgary.

I can't comment on the SW communities because we have always lived in the NW.

We started out in Varsity - just a short walk from the Dalhousie C-train station which Mr Chookie used to get downtown. Then we moved to Country Hills (I know someone mentioned the BRT/301 bus that goes from there downtown, but there is also another commuter bus as well, the 142.... that one goes right through Country Hills and actually stops almost outside our house! And unlike the 301, it stops at every stop, where as the 301 only stops at limited ones (the ones with the red bus-shelters).

Mr Chookie has now moved where he works and is no longer downtown (he drives now as he works on Barlow trail and McKnight trail). But I work in Kensington (just outside Downtown) and use either the 301 downtown and the C-train out to Kensington or the 114/142 down to 78th Ave and the number 5 bus down to Kensington.

As a guide, forget using Calgary Transit website to work out routes, it is crap. Go for Google maps and click on directions and select the public transit option - far, far better IMO. That way you can work out what the transit links for where you are considering living are like.

DonnaDelaney

Hey!

The SW is pretty big, like all of Calgary so its kind of hard to advise one place without knowing what your looking for.. We live in a lake community, Sundance, which we love. We have kids so it fab in the summer and the winter. We are about a 25 min drive downtown and I do the school run everyday to inner city and it takes no more than 30 mins in bad traffic..

Apart from a small community, what you looking for?

D

Geordie Lass

Hi

Thanks for your reply

Close to the C train is a must. Community feel because initially I will be at home not working. Communities that we have seen in the NW that appeal to us are ones like Arbour Lake - so lake communities really appeal.

Shops not being miles away would be good but not essential.

Like to rent a 3 or 4 bed house initially.

Why do you do the school run into the city? are there none close by that you could use? That must be hard in winter? I was hoping my son could go to a local school...

DonnaDelaney

When we moved here we rented in McKenzie Towne for 6 months. We didn't know about the lake Communities then.. Once we did, we wanted in! Sundance is in the SE (as I said the SW, SE, NW & NE are all massive), but right next to the SW. Its perfect location for the 22X, great road to the mountains, MacLeod Trail and Deerfoot. There is great shopping at Shawnessy and your close to South Centre Mall, Chinook and 130th Ave. Nothing is too far. The Lake is gorgeous! Here is a link to the web-site http://www.lakesundance.org/ In the summer, its great fun! Kids are in swimming (adults too), you can fish, go out on boats, BBQ. Far different than the howling gales of Glasgow.. ha-ha! At winter you can skate on the lake, there is also a rink and ice fishing. Even going for a wee walk around the community is nice and relaxing.

Not trying to plug Sundance btw, just giving you my opinion. Wish I had went on this web-site prior moving..

The next community is Midnapore. http://midnaporelake.ca/ They have a beautiful lake too. Houses there are slightly older. Oh, Sundance is around 20 years old so some of the properties need some work but this area holds its value.. Another nice wee thing about the lake communities is they put on a Stampede breakfast during the Stampede, with live music. Its a great atmosphere. Lake Chaparral is newer (and has a local pub!!) http://www.lakechap.ca/ This is about 10 mins from the LRT.

Both Sundance and Midnapore are a 5 min drive or bus ride to the LRT and your bus fare is included in your LRT ticket which I think is about $2.50..

All the communities has good schools http://www.cbe.ab.ca/ . Our daughter did go to the local separate school here in Sundance when we 1st arrived but we chose to send her to private school, which we love, hence the reason I drive there. Its not too bad honestly. Her school is close to Marda Loop. Yesterday it took me 20 mins and I don't drive like a lunatic.. Generally it doesn't take anymore than 30 mins. If there is an accident, maybe 40 but no more than driving the M8 in Glasgow which I did when we lived in the UK. Get yourself a set of winter tires and your fine!

For rentals, check out http://www.rentfaster.ca/ and http://calgary.kijiji.ca/?rtlipmsg=1

When you thinking of moving?

Hope this has been of help

Kendeb

hi my husband just got a job in calgary and we are wondering were would be the best place to live any info would be great we have kids aged 17 15 and 5

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

It might be better to start your own thread rather than putting your question on to the end of somebody else's old one, that way more people will see it and hopefully be able to help.

If you could give a bit more info as well (i.e. whereabouts your husband will be working and therefore need to commute to, what kind of housing budget you've got and what you want for it, what amenities you're after, etc), people will be able to advise you better.

Good luck with the move.

Jingle

We live in Shawnee Slopes/edge of Evergreen (just south of Fishcreek Park). Very close to Fishcreek C train station; takes me around 25 mins to get downtown.

We love the "deep south" as it's so close to the edge of the city and we can escape quite quickly out into the countryside - even if it is only Spruce Meadows for a picnic.

The YMCA at Shaughnessy is close and they are having a huge extension at the moment so there are sports opportunities galore for the kids.

Can't speak for the schools as we don't have school age children.

Good luck with your choice - it's very exciting! J

kwazywabbit

I beg to differ shoppers is like going in to boots lol. I have found it a bit to expat for me sometimes. But on the whole still a nice place. at least we are finally getting a walmart! lol.

Kendeb

thanks for the info such a big place and so many schools dont know where to start lol !my husband has job with flynn roofing in the calgary branch so we are just trying to figure out what communitys are close by, he will be driving so he doesnt have to worry about travelling to work ,but i love shopping so hopefully we can find somewere i can shop thats not to far as i dont drive and also get my kids to school without to much hassle