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Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Old Oct 26th 2010, 10:20 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by triumphguy
It can't be that cold in Calgary - just watch the kids on their way to school. The girls in tiny little shoes. Not one will wear a hat or gloves. Few wear big jackets.

Either that or the kids are really tough and/or victims of fashion.
They're probably Geordies
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Old Oct 26th 2010, 10:24 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by andrewjohn
Hi guys my name is calum and myself and my family of my wife and four children will be making the migration to canada in febuary,with calgary being the destination as my wife has secured a position with a healthcare firm. My wife will be working around the foothills area and we would love a place close to her work.So could you advise us of some nice areas for us and our 4 kids around the south east or east side of sw. School has to be a big part in any outcome. Thanks guys. Calum ,dundee, scotland.
Calum, you might want to try a search for nice areas in Calgary or live in Calgary. You might find a lot of answers on here already.

I can't help much. We live in the NW and my husband sometimes has to travel to the Foothills area for work and it can be very busy on the Deerfoot. He is glad he doesn't have to travel there everyday.
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Old Oct 26th 2010, 10:39 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by triumphguy
It can't be that cold in Calgary - just watch the kids on their way to school. The girls in tiny little shoes. Not one will wear a hat or gloves. Few wear big jackets.

Either that or the kids are really tough and/or victims of fashion.
I suspect it is the latter...
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Old Oct 26th 2010, 11:59 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Re: where to live.

I like living near a community lake (in a lake community). There's a number of them in Calgary.

The lakes are about 50 acres or so in size. They are stocked with trout so you can fish (and ice fish in winter). They usually have small water craft that you and your family can use (including life jackets, oars, paddles etc) They have beaches and covered BBQ shelters for beach or birthday or family parties. Typically they have been dug artificially and so there is a lake sized mountain covered in trees with a great tobbogan run in winter. In winter you can skate or play shinny hockey on the lake or on a flooded rink. The trees are often covered in lights during winter and look great at night. There's often a large fire pit to keep warm by.

They are great for summer hols, cos there's tennis courts, basketball courts, climbing walls and playgrounds for toddlers.

Do a search on google:

http://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1D...lake+community
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Old Oct 27th 2010, 12:33 am
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by andrewjohn
Hi guys my name is calum and myself and my family of my wife and four children will be making the migration to canada in febuary,with calgary being the destination as my wife has secured a position with a healthcare firm. My wife will be working around the foothills area and we would love a place close to her work.So could you advise us of some nice areas for us and our 4 kids around the south east or east side of sw. School has to be a big part in any outcome. Thanks guys. Calum ,dundee, scotland.

Hi - Do you mean your wife will be working at Foothills Hospital? That is off 16th Ave (Highway 1) and is relatively easily accessible from anywhere west of it, coming in along 16th Ave, so you can pick neighbourhoods anywhere off Stoney Trail, Sarcee Trail, or coming in from the Northwest down Shaganappi Trail and/or Crowchild. I temped there for a while and found the journey easy from Cochrane (I came in south from Stoney Trail and along 16th).

The only caution I would add is not to look at the Bowness area, which is the nearest residential area to the Hospital, but as soon as you start driving around I can't imagine it would appeal to you anyway!

Otherwise, I suspect much of the SW and NW quadrants are relatively easy commutes (especially if she is doing shift work).

Several BE members live around Silver Springs, Scenic Acres, Tuscany, Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak, Arbour Lake in the NW - and have mostly favourable comments. What ages are your kids for schooling? We have friends at Cougar Ridge and Valley Ridge on the western city limits and they really like it.

Good luck
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Old Oct 27th 2010, 9:05 am
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Thanx for the advice guys.
We are looking around the lake bonavista up to around the north glenmore park areas,also around mckenzie lake so easy access to deerfoot as she is around the lynwood park areas working. We will have two at school ages 7 & 13 with a 6 and 4 year old also. As my wife will be on a recce in dec that places at school may determine the area we choose.(rent) so will check out availability of places at schools. Thank god for google streetview.
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Old Oct 27th 2010, 9:12 am
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by ann m
Hi - Do you mean your wife will be working at Foothills Hospital? That is off 16th Ave (Highway 1) and is relatively easily accessible from anywhere west of it, coming in along 16th Ave, so you can pick neighbourhoods anywhere off Stoney Trail, Sarcee Trail, or coming in from the Northwest down Shaganappi Trail and/or Crowchild. I temped there for a while and found the journey easy from Cochrane (I came in south from Stoney Trail and along 16th).

The only caution I would add is not to look at the Bowness area, which is the nearest residential area to the Hospital, but as soon as you start driving around I can't imagine it would appeal to you anyway!

Otherwise, I suspect much of the SW and NW quadrants are relatively easy commutes (especially if she is doing shift work).

Several BE members live around Silver Springs, Scenic Acres, Tuscany, Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak, Arbour Lake in the NW - and have mostly favourable comments. What ages are your kids for schooling? We have friends at Cougar Ridge and Valley Ridge on the western city limits and they really like it.

Good luck
THANKS Anne,
Not at the hospital but as a midwife with a practice based around the south east areas, so that,s why we are looking around there. As i said with 4 going to school that is our biggest focus.Will most schools have spaces? So easy travel and school are our big asks.
Thanx for the advice all.
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Old Oct 28th 2010, 4:48 am
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by andrewjohn
THANKS Anne,
Not at the hospital but as a midwife with a practice based around the south east areas, so that,s why we are looking around there. As i said with 4 going to school that is our biggest focus.Will most schools have spaces? So easy travel and school are our big asks.
Thanx for the advice all.
If you live in the community that is served by the school they have to take your child, so no worries there - and from what I can see (having had kids go to several different schools in Calgary) for the most part they are all much of a muchness - if you live in a decent area, the chances are the school will be OK as well.
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Old Oct 28th 2010, 8:58 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by Chookie
If you live in the community that is served by the school they have to take your child, so no worries there - and from what I can see (having had kids go to several different schools in Calgary) for the most part they are all much of a muchness - if you live in a decent area, the chances are the school will be OK as well.


Thank-you.
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Old Nov 23rd 2010, 5:08 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by jimf
I'm pretty circumspect about Calgary and the weather but there's no reason to be quite as critical as some have been.
Hmm... *looks out of window*.
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Old Nov 23rd 2010, 6:43 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by Steve_
Hmm... *looks out of window*.
-29C but it is sunny and of course a dry cold
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Old Nov 24th 2010, 5:19 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

I've never understood why a "dry cold" is a good thing. I assume it means it doesn't feel as bad when it's windy but low humidity is a problem for me.
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Old Nov 24th 2010, 5:31 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by Steve_
I've never understood why a "dry cold" is a good thing. I assume it means it doesn't feel as bad when it's windy but low humidity is a problem for me.
It means that the temperature doesn`t "feel" as cold as it would in places with a higher humidity.

I prefer the dryer cold and I have met enough people here that have tried to live further east but have returned due to the humidity issues (winter and summer) to believe that I would prefer it here in comparison to there.
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Old Nov 24th 2010, 10:17 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian
It means that the temperature doesn`t "feel" as cold as it would in places with a higher humidity.

I prefer the dryer cold and I have met enough people here that have tried to live further east but have returned due to the humidity issues (winter and summer) to believe that I would prefer it here in comparison to there.
well having just been there for the past 3 days.....you can keep it thanks. - 41...
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Old Nov 24th 2010, 11:18 pm
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Default Re: Calgary - what's it like to live there?

Originally Posted by dboy
well having just been there for the past 3 days.....you can keep it thanks. - 41...
Where was it -41...oh you're on about windchill. Not the same thing but you already know that.
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