Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

I really can't comment on the mid-December storm I was otherwise engaged at the Foothills.

But I do remember MrS_P had to drive down to the south end of the city to look at granite, she did say the roads were not great but the idiots on them made them way worse.

After that I wasn't allowed to drive for six weeks but when we did go out the roads weren't bad. :confused:

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Last year was my first driving in Calgary and I had very little experience driving in snow prior to that. My previous snow driving experience had not been much fun, but I found that things are easier to handle here. Even without winter tyres (we had all seasons) the traction control and ABS really help, and as long as you drive in a manner appropriate to the conditions, you should be fine. The city policy calls for grading the snow rather than removing it totally - that is, even after they plough, there is a thin layer of compacted snow that you drive on. On slopes, that can turn to ice (the access from Strathcona to Bow Trail was a nightmare, being a steep slope down to the road), but most of the city is pretty flat. I didn't try driving in the mountains, but we have friends who ski regularly, and they drive a VW Golf.

I found walking was actually more challenging that driving. I was amazed in a few car parks when I got out of the car I found that it was like a skating rink, even though the car hadn't been slipping around at all. I fell flat on my backside on more than one occasion, and although the bruises have heeled, some clothes still bear the scars!

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Looking on a few hire sites budget offer a selection of cars with snow tires from december to april for an extra charge so i will go for one of those i think.

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Likely a wise choice. :thumbup:

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

We're not going to have snow this year in Calgary; it's going to stay in the mountains. I have spoken. :p

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Oh it WILL come, I'm sure. Still holding out on putting my winter tires on though. I'm looking forward to the temperature dropping and getting the outdoor rinks flooded.

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Rinks (plural)!

You have way too much spare time on your hands!;)

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Hi,

My first post on this forum so hello to you all.

Me and my family are planning on moving to Canada once I leave the Army. We spent a 2 week holiday in Alberta in August. We have 2 daughters (aged 13 and 10). The aim of the 2 week holiday was basically a fact finding/normal holiday. Granted, we went in the summer (I use the word summer loosely as the weather was awful in the first 2 weeks of August!!).

Anyway, my general tip is to to try and get the balance right between a holiday and the fact-finding. As I wanted to sell the idea of a move to Canada to my 2 children I wanted to make sure that they felt that they had had a holiday whilst still being able to investigate things such as schooling/housing/jobs etc.

We spent 5 nights in Calgary (3 at the beginning, 2 at the end), 1 night in Medicine Hat (glad we went as I now know that it's not a place I would like to live), 5 nights in the Rockies (Canmore and Jasper), 2 nights in Edmonton and 1 night in Red Deer.

It was good to do the travelling as I would not want to live in either Edmonton or Med Hat. The kids were overwhelmed (as me and my wife were) with the outstanding beauty of the Rockies which more or less settled for us that, if we had the choice, we'd prefer to live in a more rural location and not a city environment.

So my tip would be to do some travelling (weather permitting) and see a mixture of urban and remote locations. Make sure that your kids don't get bored with too much school/job/house hunting by getting that balance right. Lets face it, it's an expensive trip to Canada with a family of 4, so make sure you make the most of it.

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Just bear in mind though, that kids have to have a social life (and you might want to too) ....

Maybe it's right for you, and you have thought it through, but it's easy to feel isolated if you're too far out in the sticks, and being in the city has the advantage of nearby schools and public transport.

Otherwise, be prepared to be perpetual taxi drivers and/or for your kids to want their own cars very early!

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Whilst I agree to a point, I see no difference between living in Okotoks, Drumheller or Three Hills as far as needed to ferry the kids is concerned and at the end of the day living in the outer burbs isnt exactly taxi duty free is it :p

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Ha. I just skate and play shinny on them. Wouldn't have a clue about the flooding part.

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

I couldnt live in a large city such as Edmonton - too big! Medicine Hat is ok but I found it too "fast" like Calgary and Edmonton.

We opted for Lethbridge which is west of the Hat - population of around 85,000 and close to the southern end of the Rockies, 1.5 hours away from Castle Mountain for skiing and close to the US border for shopping trips.

Take a look - maybe on your next visit you could call in to see us !:thumbsup:

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

We hadn't considered visiting lethbridge on our recce but now think we may do a stopover after some helpful suggestions on here .
Thanks everyone :thumbup:

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

Please let me know how you get on, we're doing the same at the end of March / early april

Regards,

Gav.

Re: Recce Trip Calgary
 

That is why I always say to people to go to places other than the big cities like Calgary etc. The likes of Lethbridge, Red Deer and Medicine Hat - all similar in size - have heaps of things to offer people who choose them.

Make sure you visit our beautiful city - you wont be dissappointed :thumbsup::thumbsup: