canmore - alberta whats it like?
Jun 9th 2009, 7:28 pm
#16
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Not sure there's many jobs there.
I personally dislike what Canmore has become. I lived there in the late 80's when it was a quarter the size, and normal people could afford normal houses. Now the grocery store (Mara's) is a very high end furniture shop. All to the detriment of the local wildlife and scenary. The song, "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot" springs to mind.
Really Canmore is a weekend getaway for the really rich, with some cheaper housing thrown in for the service industry. And some holdovers from the old days.
If you would like to pursue your lifestyle, and have affordable housing you could try towns like Nelson (BC), Cranbrook (BC), Trail (BC) or Crowsnest Pass (Alberta).
I personally dislike what Canmore has become. I lived there in the late 80's when it was a quarter the size, and normal people could afford normal houses. Now the grocery store (Mara's) is a very high end furniture shop. All to the detriment of the local wildlife and scenary. The song, "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot" springs to mind.
Really Canmore is a weekend getaway for the really rich, with some cheaper housing thrown in for the service industry. And some holdovers from the old days.
If you would like to pursue your lifestyle, and have affordable housing you could try towns like Nelson (BC), Cranbrook (BC), Trail (BC) or Crowsnest Pass (Alberta).
Jun 9th 2009, 7:32 pm
#17
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Otherwise start looking round Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, Nelson even Revelstoke\Golden\Kicking horse area. As Triumph said there is Cranbrook (industrial hellhole located close to Kimberley).
Jun 9th 2009, 7:37 pm
#18
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
But some of the places that 20 years ago were great places to begin are now overdone - Invermere, Radium , Canmore (Ie., within weekend driving distance of Calgary). Once you get beyond 3 hours there's loads of places with the same kinda mountains and scenary, but not ruined by tourists and development: e.g., Revelstoke (BC), even Golden (once you get off the highway).
Good luck OP!
Last edited by triumphguy; Jun 9th 2009 at 7:44 pm.
Jun 9th 2009, 7:48 pm
#19
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Realistically if you want AB the closest you'll get to the mountains with SUSTAINABLE employment will be Cochrane (unless you stick to Canmore) OR the Crowsnest Pass (just about sustainable employment).
Otherwise start looking round Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, Nelson even Revelstoke\Golden\Kicking horse area. As Triumph said there is Cranbrook (industrial hellhole located close to Kimberley).
Otherwise start looking round Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, Nelson even Revelstoke\Golden\Kicking horse area. As Triumph said there is Cranbrook (industrial hellhole located close to Kimberley).
Need to consider work commute for us both as the smaller towns may not have jobs to suit, also want to be close enough to airport for the rellies to visit.
Will send a PM when we figure it out lol thanx
Jun 9th 2009, 8:08 pm
#20
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Unless your relatives are visiting every weekend I wouldn't worry about a 3 hour drive to and from. We used to live in Invermere, while I was at Uni in London (UK) and my parents would drive to Calgary to pick me up, and the 3 hour drive back was a great unwinder and chance to chat. We would also stop at Storm Mountain Lodge for their pan fried trout! yum! So my parents would drive 6 hours round trip - however, they would get some shopping done etc.
This is a great big country - don't be too worried by distance. It's amazing what you can adapt to.
This is a great big country - don't be too worried by distance. It's amazing what you can adapt to.
Last edited by triumphguy; Jun 9th 2009 at 8:18 pm.
Jun 9th 2009, 8:27 pm
#21
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Unless your relatives are visiting every weekend I wouldn't worry about a 3 hour drive to and from. We used to live in Invermere, while I was at Uni in London (UK) and my parents would drive to Calgary to pick me up, and the 3 hour drive back was a great unwinder and chance to chat. We would also stop at Storm Mountain Lodge for their pan fried trout! yum! So my parents would drive 6 hours round trip - however, they would get some shopping done etc.
This is a great big country - don't be too worried by distance. It's amazing what you can adapt to.
This is a great big country - don't be too worried by distance. It's amazing what you can adapt to.
looking forward to cruising the open roads (when the snowboarding season is quiet lol). ps heard that bikes can be a bit expensive out there?
Jun 9th 2009, 9:45 pm
#23
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
... choke, choke.... Why not try Red Deer - that's very nice. Moose Jaw is good too! 
I think bikes are quite a bit cheaper here than the UK.
Jun 9th 2009, 9:59 pm
#24
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
BTW: just to put things into perspective. Here's "ugly" Trail BC.
The big smelter you can see is the Cominco plant. It's a mining and smelting town (as was Canmore originally) and at one time the majority of the population came originally from Italy. However, it's surrounded by wilderness.
The big smelter you can see is the Cominco plant. It's a mining and smelting town (as was Canmore originally) and at one time the majority of the population came originally from Italy. However, it's surrounded by wilderness.
Jun 9th 2009, 10:01 pm
#25
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
http://www.revelstokemountainresort.com/
http://www.kickinghorseresort.com/
Last edited by Steve_P; Jun 9th 2009 at 10:06 pm.
Jun 9th 2009, 10:03 pm
#26
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
The point I'm trying to make with these photos is that there's lots of places in Western Canada that will meet the criteria of someone who wants an outdoor lifetyle.
They aren't yuppy or posh, but down to earth and "do-able" in terms of housing prices etc.
Here's Cranbrook
They aren't yuppy or posh, but down to earth and "do-able" in terms of housing prices etc.
Here's Cranbrook
Jun 9th 2009, 10:09 pm
#27
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
There''s Kamloops BC in the distance:
Jun 9th 2009, 10:27 pm
#28
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
And here's Cochrane
If you want any specific info on Cochrane please shout to me too.
We looked at Canmore, and I occasionally still entertain the idea that I would like to live there. But actually, I really like living here.
Canmore strikes me as kinda cute, and beautiful and expensive. But we'd be looking at a regular family home with a garden and they don't come cheap. A two bed condo might be more reasonable, but then where will you keep all your toys?
And the commute to Calgary might be OK for a day or two a week, but I wouldn't embark on that journey as a daily excursion. It's easy to say, oh it's only an hour - but the reality is that if you are travelling to the downtown core, or to different areas of the city, you need to add a lot more to that timescale. And 'the hour' bit can be done at 120kmph for most of the year I suspect and you will cover a long distance quickly and effortlessly, with a great view, but those days when the weather comes in, that distance could take several hours in horrible driving conditions.
To my mind, to live and take full advantage of the setting of Canmore, one needs a good income anyway, and then one ought to either be able to earn that in Canmore or Banff, or to be flexible enough to work remotely, part-time, or with infrequent trips to the 'big smoke'.
Cochrane, on the other hand, is a 30-60 minute drive depending on where you need to go in the Calgary area.
If you want any specific info on Cochrane please shout to me too.
We looked at Canmore, and I occasionally still entertain the idea that I would like to live there. But actually, I really like living here.
Canmore strikes me as kinda cute, and beautiful and expensive. But we'd be looking at a regular family home with a garden and they don't come cheap. A two bed condo might be more reasonable, but then where will you keep all your toys?
And the commute to Calgary might be OK for a day or two a week, but I wouldn't embark on that journey as a daily excursion. It's easy to say, oh it's only an hour - but the reality is that if you are travelling to the downtown core, or to different areas of the city, you need to add a lot more to that timescale. And 'the hour' bit can be done at 120kmph for most of the year I suspect and you will cover a long distance quickly and effortlessly, with a great view, but those days when the weather comes in, that distance could take several hours in horrible driving conditions.
To my mind, to live and take full advantage of the setting of Canmore, one needs a good income anyway, and then one ought to either be able to earn that in Canmore or Banff, or to be flexible enough to work remotely, part-time, or with infrequent trips to the 'big smoke'.
Cochrane, on the other hand, is a 30-60 minute drive depending on where you need to go in the Calgary area.
Jun 9th 2009, 10:33 pm
#29
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Well we think Canmore is wonderful, but there are certainly very few local jobs that would support the cost of living here. Certainly there are plenty of houses that are only holiday/investment properties, but there are also about 9000 permanent residents. The scenery is of course amazing as are the opportunities for outdoor fun. We are keen skiers/boarders and so being so close to the slopes is a huge bonus. It also has the advantage of being just outside the national park so that property can be freely bought (for a price!) as opposed to Banff where there is an occupation requirement.
Jun 9th 2009, 11:16 pm
#30
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Re: canmore - alberta whats it like?
Well we think Canmore is wonderful, but there are certainly very few local jobs that would support the cost of living here. Certainly there are plenty of houses that are only holiday/investment properties, but there are also about 9000 permanent residents. The scenery is of course amazing as are the opportunities for outdoor fun. We are keen skiers/boarders and so being so close to the slopes is a huge bonus. It also has the advantage of being just outside the national park so that property can be freely bought (for a price!) as opposed to Banff where there is an occupation requirement.