Hi everyone,we are from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK and are moving to Calgary next month on hubbies work permit ( plumber )
Im very keen to hear from people in similar situations to see how you got on with flights,rentals,areas to live,schools,clubs for kids etc etc.
Its really important for me to settle my 15 year old son asap,he,s going to missing his friends and girl friend badly.
He loves his football,(soccer) so that could be an ice breaker for him.
We need to rent in se/sw area for hubbies job,so i could do with some advice on areas,dont want it to look good on internet then find its in the bronx sort of thing
I also have a 4 year old boy and an 11 year old girl. Aaron(4) makes freinds really easy but chloe finds it hard.She loves gymnastics,ice skating etc.
Be great to hear from anyone

Southwest you'd be pretty safe anywhere. SE avoid anything East of deerfoot until you hit douglasdale.
Why do you need those areas? Where is Hubby working?

Hi,hes going to be working on new appartment blocks and they have told us he needs to live anywhere on the C-train line. I was told that was Se/Sw area.

Hang on IF he's a plumber whats the point in him going to work by Train??? wont he need his tools?

Anyway. C-Train is mainly SW in effect. Neighbourhoods to consider if he wants to walk, Sommerset (Hi AlmostCanadian) Evergreen Bridlewood Shawnessey, Midnapore (long walk but short bus) Sundance (see midnapore) Millrise. All pretty far south but nice enough.

Coming along the NW branch, Dalhouise (Hi Steve_P) Brentwood, Varsity, Silver Springs, Scenic Acres (Hi Smelly), Hawkwood, Tuscany, Arbour Lake (hi Morwenna), Royal Oak, Rocky Ridge.

I have to be honest and say The NW communities (apart from Dal. And Bre) are a reasonable bus ride to the nearest C-train BUT come 2008 there will be a Station on the border of Silver Springs\Scenic Acres\Ranchlands so us Far Northerners will be better served (I'm still not walking from Tuscany though)

Wow that sounds great,i have found a few homes in those areas to rent. I asked them about a van but they said he,d leave his tools at the job as its a 4 year project and travel by train? He will buy a van though onve we get settled etc.
We will definatley have a car straight away though so that gives me more choices.
I mainly want areas that are great for kids with plenty to do and good schools. Are those areas like that? Sorry to ask so many questions,your the first one to get back to me haha

Sundance has a lake, sommerset has a waterpark nearby, Arbor Lake well it has a lake. Most newer comunities have some sort of Community focus ie lake or activity centre.

Its horses for courses Me I prefer the NW. But there are VERY nice areas in the SW\SE.

Its possibly better to ask about specific areas you are thinking of.

Butch

PS feel free to PM if you have questions etc

Thats me busy for a while,thank you.
We,re planning to stay in a B&B for the first week and have a good look about before we choose as we,ve never been to Calgary before and thats scary in itself
I,ll let you know how we get on,thanks for all your help

A tip.
Housing is difficult to find to rent just be warned, also most leases start 1st of month
Have a look here.

www.homerent.ca

BC

Yeh i found that,ive been looking for weeks but with being out the country its been hard.
Once we settle on an area we can have a good look and hopefully we will get lucky.
I,ll pm you and let you know how we get on,should have news on LMO any day now.
Thanks
Mandi

Here is a web page with links to attractions and organisations that appeal to kids:

http://relocatecanada.com/calgary/kids.html

Items on that page that may be of particular interest to you are:

• Calgary Stampede (western-themed festival from July 6th to July 15th, 2007)
  
• Calaway Park (outdoor amusement park a few miles west of Calgary)
  
• Calgary Zoo
  
• Heritage Park Pioneer Village

An out of town attraction that will knock your kids' socks off is the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, two hours' drive northeast of Calgary. The collection of dinosaur skeletons is awesome.

Soccer

There is indoor soccer and outdoor soccer.

One website I found was:

Deer Valley Soccer Club is an outdoor soccer club that serves southeast communities.

Additional soccer resources:

• Calgary Minor Soccer Association (403) 279-8686 (community-based to ages 14, then zone-play until 19 years old)
• Calgary Soccer Federation (403) 279-8445
• Calgary United Soccer Federation (403) 270-0363
• Queensridge Soccer Association (403) 271-2490

Gymnastics

Altadore Gymnastics Club
101, 6303-30 Street SE
Calgary, Alberta
(403) 720-271

Mount Royal Gymnastics Club
8,5115 Crowchild Trail SW
Calgary, Alberta
(403) 242-1171

Figure Skating

Here is a list of ice skating arenas. Once you've settled into a neighbourhood, phone the nearest arena and ask them what figure skating lessons they offer.

You may enjoy taking your youngest child to a PACT (Parents and Children Together) weekly play group.

You can find lots more resources at the Calgary Parent Zone website.

Hope that helps.

As Butch has already told you we are in the SW (Somerset) so feel free to PM me if you want any specific advice. I use the C-Train most days so can also give you advice on that. At 7:30 this morning it was standing room only at Somerset (the first stop as it is the end of the line) and, as it went further north towards downtown, people were getting more and more crushed as others got on. Reminded me of trains in the UK at their worst !!

We would also be happy to "show you the ropes" when you first arrive. Again, if this is of interest to you, PM me and I will give you our details.

We arrived 3 months ago and found that our children settled really quickly. I have my job but my wife is finding it really difficult because she is at home on her own all day and doesn't know anyone. Most of the other mothers near to us work, so my advice would be don't forget about yourself!!

I was thinking of the Calgary West Soccer Center http://www.google.ca/maps?hl=en&safe...local&ct=title

which is easily accessible from NW or SW. They have a huge dome to play undercover, so an extended season.

Local communities also run soccer programmes which start about May-time, and you see signs up encouraging kids to enrol from about now onwards.
He will probably be able to play at school too, but they tend to do a little bit of every sport in rotation.

Most communities have an ice rink easily available, but public skating is often limited as they get fully booked with all levels of ice-hockey from toddlers upwards!

Lake communities are great for kids. You usually pay around $200 a year for the privilege of living there and having access to the lake, which is locked up and only used by residents. For that money you can use them as much as you like .... swim and boats/kayaks etc in summer, and skating/hockey when it's frozen, and an allowance of fish to catch (trout) all year round (ice-fishing in winter!). They are a great focus for the community and usually have events and fun-days etc throughout the year.

I couldnt believe when i got up this morning and saw all my relpies,thanks alot to all of you.I showed the kids ( on half term break ) and i think they feel better now that it sounds civilised,i think they thought it was cowboys and indians haha(too much tv)
Im really looking forward to the move,having a few probs finding a home but now i know what areas to look in its easier.
I think Sommerset sounds really nice,cant find anything on the internet for homes but i will look in person once we arrive.
Can anyone recommend a good b&b please,thats our plans for the first week when we arrive.
I,ll let you all know once we get the green light and find out the dates for our flights etc,
Big thankyou to all of you

Mine doesn't and would probably love to meet up as she is experiencing the same thing.

If your wife is interested, PM me to exchange details.