Almost Canadian

What type of work do you do, what type of activities do you like doing? Once we have that, it will be easier to narrow down some areas.

The elementary schools in Calgary are very much of a muchness. I wouldn't feel the urge to buy a residence simply based upon the school in the catchment area. All of my children that did all of their schooling in Canada attended university here. The eldest one initially wanted to be an engineer. She applied for schools in Canada and the UK and was offered places at all of them.

pac_les_man

Thanks. IT consultant full time work from home - activities wise, I assume there will be good size parks for kids in all decent neighbourhoods - This has been a big plus in Canada compared to UK I would say. But on top of that, if can go for good walks/runs and cycling away from road that would be great. Definetely don't want to drive too far for footy practice or swimming practice and so on.
I would prefer an area already built up rather than a completely new community with lot of building work going on... when i look at google street view, some areas show just that. We definetely would make many trips to Banff.
Finally, I don't read too much into the politics of AB - we are yet to experience it... but as a brown family, I guess I would feel comfortable in a relatively multicultaral neighbourhood.

Almost Canadian

I have ridden my bike all over Calgary and I can attest to the fact that there is miles and miles of cycle/running paths all over Calgary.

Fish Creek park is accessible from all parts of the south and every junior schools has playgrounds that, outside of school times, are used by everybody. These usually have baseball diamonds too that are used by adult groups in the evenings when the weather permits.

Now that Stoney Trail is open (a ring road around the city) you should be able to obtain easy access to highway 1 (the route to Banff) from all parts of the city but, clearly, those communities to the west have easier access than those to the east.

The City of Calgary and the YMCA have leisure facilities all over that you should be able to access relatively easily.

No one will give a shit about your ethnicity (OK, some will, but no more than you would experience in the UK.

I would say that most areas of Calgary are going to be able to tick most of your boxes, as will Okotoks and Cochrane, with Cochrane being the best for trips to Banff.

pac_les_man

Thank you!
Would you say I shouldn't read too much into posts like this
Calgary's Best Neighbourhoods 2020: The Full List - Avenue Calgary

Almost Canadian

I find it bizarre that a community like Pump Hill would rank so far below a community like Forest Lawn. The link to their methodology didn't work so I have no idea of what they have based their rankings on.

I used to live in Somerset. Walkable to the C-train, walkable to local shops and not particularly expensive, with access to good schools. a water park, tennis courts. basket ball courts and the local YMCA so I have no idea why it would rank so low.

Pinch of salt time, I believe.

HGerchikov

Definitely our experience. One boy started here in Grade 4 and the other in Grade 1. The last 4 years (ie. High School) cover a lot of ground in a lot of subjects but still manages to be quite relaxed. Ours both played hockey and missed school because of it with absolutely no issues whatsoever.

The one who played on the school team missed Physics every week in his last year which was a potential problem as he went to University to do Engineering Physics. He went to the Physics teacher and asked if he should step down from the team but the teacher said he thought it was good to do other things and offered to give him catch up sessions in their lunch break if he needed it. He graduated Rookie of the Year for the hockey and with the Maths prize for the highest overall mark. I love that they are encouraged to do both.

I agree that neighbourhoods with similar affluence levels will have similar schools. Parents who are used to the UK system will freak out during the early years as it appears that kids learn nothing. It works out OK in the end though.