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Calgary

4K views 37 replies 12 participants last post by  poutanen 
#1 ·
So although I have spent a lot of time in Banff and Golden, BC. I have never really spent more then the time to get out of the airport in Calgary.

After the crappy season in Onterrible and Quebec (December was crap). I finally bit the bullet and started heavily job hunting. I got an offer today that is pretty good.

So I will probably accept the offer in the next day or so. What do I need to know about Calgary? I will probably rent first before buying a house, where should I look? The company is on the north side, near the airport. I wouldn't mind a short commute.
 
#4 ·
The NW is probably the best quadrant, but will likely also end up being the more expensive. If you want a short commute, there are some areas in the NE that are alright, but plenty of it is old, and largely poorly planned neighbourhoods with some less than stellar occupants in some areas. If you snowboard, the NW is the best. :p
 
#7 ·
This. Since it opened it has mate it very easy to get to/from BAnff and to the airport. Not sure of the quality of life though out in the burbs. Calgary is not that big as long as you are not SE you can't go wrong IMO
 
#6 ·
cochrane to the airport is probaly 20-30 minutes depending on how fast you drive so if you want an easy commute i would say no. look into panorama, country hills, coventry hills area if you want easy commute and nicer community. Rent in calgary now is extremely high and hard to come by so make sure you budget that in. A 2 bedroom apt in the above communities will run you around $1200 and up. The NE part of calgary can get quite dumpy and for the most part its majority East indians that populate that area. You won't even know what to do with yourself mountain wise because we have some of the best resorts within a 3 hour drive. I'm sure our shit days here are your pow days there lol
 
#8 ·
I work at the airport every day, bought a house in Airdrie. Takes me 20 mins to get to work. I used to commute all over the GTA so this is heaven for me. IF you're planning on renting first you'll get used to the city quick and learn where the good/bad areas are to set up camp.

I'm happy with Airdrie so far, its the burbs but it works for me...

Eventually I want to build either 20 mins West of Airdrie, or down near Bragg Creek somewhere.

Season passes are on sale until mid-June at early bird rates for next year if that's something you're looking for. Other than that, not much to getting used to this city. People are friendly, gas is cheap, taxes are low. Most people are from somewhere else so it's pretty easy to strike up a conversation with almost anyone. Kayaking, hiking, mountain biking are all very easily accessible in the summer. :dunno:
 
#9 · (Edited)
After some negotiation looks like this will be happening. Going to be tough the first few weeks, flying out alone and staying in a hotel. Girlfriend is staying behind to sort out the house move.

Might be car-less till it gets shipped by train ... so I guess I may have to bum rides :)

EDIT: I will be working near the airport. So if anyone wants to grab lunch near the mall the week of March 25th .. that would be cool, don't have many Calgarian friends yet :)
 
#10 ·
Check country hills (if you don't mind burbs). It's about as far NE as you can get before being on the "other" side of deerfoot. Newish construction and very close to airport. Airdrie or cochrane are cheaper but those are like...ultraburbs. If you live there, you will probably never do anything with anyone in the city, ever.
 
#12 ·
Airdrie or cochrane are cheaper but those are like...ultraburbs. If you live there, you will probably never do anything with anyone in the city, ever.
Bah! I'm in Airdrie and it takes me 15 minutes to get to work (at the airport). Downtown is a half hour drive. There are many parts of Calgary itself that would take longer than half an hour to get downtown!

As traffic starts to back up around beddington, I've already exited the highway at country hills. :D

On the other hand we moved from the GTA, where it was 1:15 to work for me, and there was real traffic everywhere. Not this little stuff people bitch about here! Traffic? What traffic!!!
 
#11 ·
Some good advice there already, note the nose hill park is also in NW. A big creational area. If you want to be a little closer to urban center, try tuxedo, mount pleasant, or charleswood.

The farther your get the more you will have to use the deer foot. Congestions is bad in rush hour as the airport expansion took over Barlow trail, which use to house some of the traffic.

If you want a true urban living, Kensington is your best bet while bein reasonable. Mission/Erlton(where I am) /inglewood/ Marda loop/ eau Claire/ are also great for no car living, but I don't think it's worth it if you work a the airport.
 
#15 ·
I am a boring suburbs guy. My life is literally work, eat, snowboard(bike in summer), eat, sleep. From what I have seen, long term I want to buy a place in Cochrane. But probably try and rent in NW first.

Where I am now though, it is an hour drive into the heart of Toronto.. And traffic can be pretty bad.
 
#16 ·
The airdrie highway route seems busier than Cochrane. Any reason? Or was it just luck of the draw when I checked it out (9am on a Friday)
There are great bike trails on nose hill park if you just want to cruise around for exercise, do some jumps, etc. For full on trail riding you've probably got to head to Bragg Creek, Kananaskis Country, etc.

For working at the airport, the highway from Airdrie to the country hills exit is only busy once every couple months. I cruise into work every day with no headache. From cochrane it's probably double the drive without traffic.
 
#24 ·
I do a fair bit of riding - Fish Creek down in the south is also pretty good for some single track trails - nothing too extreme though. They have a swimming lake down there too so after you're done you can cool yourself off.

The best place is the nordic centre in Canmore. Miles of trails ranging from beginner to pro, only an hour from Calgary. Need your bear mace though.
 
#27 ·
I wouldn't unless u work in the industrial areas past Barlow. Or if you want to do some boating. It's away from everything.
Agreed. Nothing wrong with it as a bedroom community (just like Airdrie where I live), but it's the furthest bedroom community from the mountains. From my place I can hop on stoney trail and bypass the city completely when heading into the banff and central BC resorts.
 
#28 ·
I will be working at near 29th and Sunridge in the NE. It looks like a short commute from Chestermere. For me a normal day usually goes like this:

1) Pack my bike or snowboard, head to work
2) Eat dinner at work
3) Meet up right after work somewhere

So in this case with traffic I am at the mercy of my work location. On the weekends when I head to the mountains, probably head up Friday nights and stay near the hill.

In this case would Chestermere be reasonable? Seems like a few nice places to rent there till we figure out where we want to buy. Also seems like my work commute will be ok.
 
#29 ·
In this case would Chestermere be reasonable? Seems like a few nice places to rent there till we figure out where we want to buy. Also seems like my work commute will be ok.
Yeah I'd think Chestermere or Airdrie would be about the same commute to that area.

If you're renting first no big deal anyway... I'd try to get a 6 month lease instead of a year, as you might want to buy sooner than later.
 
#33 ·
Looks like u can use the transcananda, should be decent.

From my limited experience 17ave to chestermere was terrible, always some kind of jam going once it goes to the SE.
 
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