dalaney

Hi all

Moving to Calgary in a few weeks and been looking at places to live.
We like the Lake communities and the year long activities they provide for our 2 sons.

However wondered if you could give me some information on which area offers the easiest access to downtown. My OH will be working there and wants a easy and quick commute on public transport.

Also, we have 2 boys, one who will be going to junior high and the other senior.
Which area would you recommend based on schooling?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Butch Cassidy

Morwenna lives in Arbour lake. She and her OH both work DT or south of the city. Almost Canadian lives in Somerset, again he works DT.

I would say probably the hardest communities to commute DT are in the far SE. (south of 22x east of Macleod)

Almost Canadian

What he said ^^^^^^

If you want easy access to downtown, I would suggest that you find a lake community near to a C-Train station. Failing that, you will need to either travel direct to DT via bus, or bus to a C-Train station. I would not fancy the latter options in the winter.

In the south, Midnapore would probably offer you what you are after. I have no idea about the north.

Having said that, I cannot see what "year round activities" a lake community can offer that you wouldn't find elsewhere. Most communities have outdoor ice rinks within walking distance although I accept the lake community may offer "community spirit" but most communities offer BBQs etc on a fairly regular basis.

Schooling in Calgary is very much of a muchness. If you are like others that post on here you may wish to ensure that your children remain top of their class but most people really don't care about that.

HTH

Brownstar

Somerset doesn't have a Lake!

Sundance, Midnapore, Lake Bonavista would suit your needs as you can get to the C-Train very easily for commuting

Butch Cassidy

My bad

soft-hearted

I wish you good luck

dalaney

Which areas, other than Lake communities would you recommend Almost Canadian? My boys love fishing so walking distance to a river could also be a possibility if not a lake.

Our Youngest Son has been in an international school for the past 2 years in Cyprus and has gone from struggling to excelling, so schooling is important to him and us.

Brownstar

Down here in the south of Calgary you've got Fish Creek Park, check it out on calgary.ca

Sam-in-Okotoks

Hi Dalaney
You might find some useful information with these links

www.mckenziebeachclub.com
www.auburnbay-connect.com
www.mylakechaparral.com/index.asp
http://www.calgaryarea.com/sw/fishcr...sta/index.html
www.calgarylakehomes.ca/lake_midnapore.html
www.calgarylakehomes.ca/lake_sundance.html

Sam

Posidrive

Or if you fancy living somewhere really nice there is always Monterra in Cochrane. 35-40 minute communte to central downtown along Highway1A and really well placed for a quick getaway to the Rockies.

gad33

The lake communities are good places to move to with children because of all the other children in the area and they should quickly make friends.
I am not familiar with the lake communities in the north.
In the South East, Sundance has a high school and a junior high, both cover Midnapore and Chaparral. The schools are at opposite ends of Sundance from each other but if you lived in Sundance it would be possible for your kids to walk there. (Whether they want to is a different matter!) Those in Chapperell would have to get a bus to school, those in Midnapore it would depend on where you live.

Again, depending on where you live in Midnapore or Chaparral it is possible to walk to the C-train station, otherwise there are buses. Sundance and Chaparral have an extra bus number in the morning and evening rush hours. I catch a bus to the C-train station at Somerset/Bridlewood and was surprised that the buses still ran on time in the winter mornings. A couple of times OH picked me up in the evenings when the wind chill was high.

The lakes in these communities have fishing including ice fishing and they have a special day for restocking.

Schooling is pretty much what you and your kids want to make of it. Although the attitude of the high school teachers might be different to what you are used to. They are really quite indifferent to the students. And you might be surprised by all the days off they get.

HTH, ask away if you have more questions. Do you have a good Realtor who is knowledgeable of the different areas of the city? Ask away if you have more questions.

Flossie and Jim

For walking distance to the River, check out the communities that also sit along the Bow River...

In the NW, check out: Silver Springs, Varsity Estates, Varsity Village, and the area south of Foothills Hospital - you could find somewhere close to C Train and with reasonable access to the Bow in a 60's/70's established community. In the SE, I don't think the communities adjacent to the Bow are a simple commute i.e. you would need to get a feeder bus to one of the C Train Stations.

Tuscany in the NW is much newer but not as close to the river, but I understand it has a good sports/community centre and is chock full of families and should have its own C Train station in a couple of years (you can get a feeder bus to the next station down to tide you over).

Other NW communities that seem pretty family oriented, although not with a lake or river access are: Edgemont, Dalhousie, possibly Brentwood.

Down South, I always fancied Lake Bonavista which is just off Macleod and close to Canyon Meadows Station.

Another place to look could be the area around Glenmore Reservoir, which is to the SW. No direct C Train access but around the City there are some express bendy buses to downtown which have a pretty good service and the west leg of the C Train will hopefully be built in a few years time

Almost Canadian

Most communities in Calgary have children, I fail to see how a lake enables the children to make friends easier.

I doubt that this would be a welcome option in winter.

Almost Canadian

The answer to this is too subjective for anyone other than you to be able to answer.

Most communities in Calgary will suit your needs. You need to come over and have a look.

Kokanee

We have two young sons , 3yrs Old and 18months. We have lived in Midnapore since October (when we moved over) and the lake has been brilliant part of living in Midnapore. I work downtown and I walk to the C-train (15 -20MINS walk, 25min journey to Olympic plaza downtown), the only time I questioned the walk was the week at minus 30 before christmas.

However... Midnapore is an older more established community we have found the families here have older children and not many houses come up for sale as families are settled. When I say older children we see very few kids under 10 or 11 (they look that sort age).
We are currently renting and when we buy we want to move to Chaparal or sundance because we really want to go somewhere with a lake and we know chaparal has a lot of younger families as it is a newer neighbourhood.

Midnapore has JHS and Senior High Schools close and sounds like it could be great for you. Shawnesey is close by and has everything you will need shopping wise. Chinook Mall and Southcentre Mall are only 20mins drive up Macleod Trail.