Lifestyle and Leisure
Calgary City Guide
Calgary is the largest city in Alberta (just), and the most popular destination in the province for British migrants
The city of Calgary lies on the prairies in the south of Alberta, approximately 80 kilometres from the Rocky Mountains. Calgary's proximity to the mountains contributes to its status as a top lifestyle city – skiing, hiking, wildlife-watching and boating are all just a short drive away.
The economy is largely dominated by the oil and gas industry, with BP, Imperial Oil and Shell Canada among the top employers. Transport is also a dominant sector since the Canadian Pacific Railway moved its head office to Calgary. The city has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada, which means that there is an extreme shortage of skilled workers – good news for British migrants. Among the city's other attractions are an excellent reputation for both pre- and post-school education, and a strong cultural tradition which reveals itself in the youth theatre groups and children's music organisations.
Calgary statistics
Population: 1,079,310 (growth 13.4%)
Density: 211 people per km2
Size: 661,185km2
Median age: 35.7
Immigrant population: 24%
Established community: 48%
Median earnings: $46,189
Unemployment rate: 4.1%
Occupation: A11% B20% C11% D5%
E7% F3% G23% H15% I2% J3%
Work in Calgary: 80%
Public trans: 18%
Walk/bike: 7%
Airport: Calgary International (1) 17km
Hospital: Rockyview General (2) 9km
Education: Webber Academy 14km; Clearwater Academy 8km; University of Calgary 6km
Crime rate: 103/1,000
Temps: Jan -4.2, Jul 23.8; Ave 10.1
Rain: 42.1cm Snow: 135.4cm
Leisure: Ski: Nakiska Ski Resort 66km
Water: Glenmore Resevoir 70km;
Beach: Sylvan Lake 167km
Parks: Lake Louise NP 183km
Fish Creek PP 15km;
Teams: Calgary Flames (NHL) km Calgary Stampeders (CFL) km; Calgary Roughnecks (NLL); Calgary Vipers (GBL)
Extremely low unemployment and a booming economy mean plenty of jobs for migrants. Calgary's proximity to the Rockies makes it a great base for leisure activities. The city has a range of attractive suburbs and satellite cities – and fairly affordable housing. Low crime rates and a regenerated downtown area make it a safe city in which to live. Calgary Stampede – a week of cowboy escapades.
Most Calgary residents live in the suburbs, so downtown is generally deserted after 6pm. Winters are often very cold and snowy. The road infrastructure and traffic legislation in Calgary has come in for much criticism – but improvements are underway. Growth is so fast, can public services and facilities keep up? There is a large area of suburban sprawl surrounding Calgary's downtown core.
Within Calgary, the areas most desired by British migrants tend to be the north-west, south-west and south-east districts. These neighbourhoods have exclusive use of lakes and golf courses. The north-east neighbourhood is where the cheapest properties can be found. It offers the best investment opportunities, as it is in a state of transition. Property prices have been consistently low here over the years, but everything is on the upswing now – not just in this district but nationally. This area is also one of the most multicultural in Calgary.
Other options include Garrison Woods, a brand new Victorian-style development with all facilities close by; Marda Loup, an upmarket Boho area with character and great coffee shops; and McKenzie, a nice area with urban style which is ideal for starter homes – with good accessibility to nearby shopping centres.
The principal satellite towns and cities are Okotoks to the south, Airdrie to the north, Cochrane to the north west and Chestermere to the east. Other towns further out include High River, Strathmore, Crossfield, Irricana, Carstairs, Black Diamond, Turner Valley and the hamlet of Bragg Creek. The smaller satellite towns have populations as small as 1,000 people, while the larger ones will have between 20,000 to 35,000 people. When some of these are brand new, though, they can seem very sterile in appearance and ambience compared to Britain and its thick crust of history – not that this is a criticism!
Although Calgary's economy has traditionally been focused around petroleum and agriculture, the jobs market is increasingly diversifying. There is now consistent employer demand in the sectors of building and trades, hospitality, oil and gas construction, emergency services, police services, and health and medicine. Skilled practical and registered nurses are currently particularly in demand in Calgary. The favourable corporate taxes in Alberta have resulted in many large companies relocating their headquarters to Calgary. Some of the largest employers include Shaw Communications (7,500 staff), NOVA Chemicals (4,900), and Dow Chemical Canada (2,000). Due to the shortage of workers in Calgary, wages tend to be higher than in many other Canadian cities, and many companies offer starting bonuses. Even fast-food joints offer higher wages, with grade school students offered up to CN$15 per hour to flip burgers. This worker shortage has increased in recent years due to the construction boom.
Education
Bearspaw Christian: This school's motto is 'teaching minds, reaching hearts, transforming the world'. It teaches pupils from elementary to senior high, and has an excellent report card from the Fraser Institute. The school's aim is to 'Join with the family to realise personal academic excellence... in each student'.
Rundle College: One of the top-rated schools in Calgary, Rundle College provides education for pre-school through to Grade 12. It prides itself on small class sizes, dedicated teachers, and excellent support for students with learning
disabilities. A new campus was recently built in southwest Calgary overlooking the Rocky Mountains.
Webber Academy: The best high school in Calgary, scoring a perfect ten from the Fraser Institute. The Webber Academy also has excellent pupil reviews from ratemyteacher.com, and is particularly strong in the areas of music and sport.
Springbank: Located in a wealthy area of west Calgary, Springbank School has consistently high reviews from parents, children and the Fraser Institute.
The University of Calgary: Calgary's largest university is one of the most research intensive in Canada. It is composed of 16 faculties, including a teachers college, law school and medical school. In 2008, the university plans to open a brand new medical schools. Webometrics University Ranking puts the University of Calgary 59th in the USA and Canada category, 5th in the Canada category and 71st in the world. Its particular strength are in medical training and in teacher training.
Haskayne's School of Business: This Calgary institution is internationally renowned for its strength in undergraduate business training. In the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition of 2006, Haskayne's outperformed the majority of other institutions in every area of the competition. It topped the rankings in the areas of Business Policy, Debating, Finance, Labour Arbitration, Marketing and Management Information Systems.
University of Phoenix: This private institution has a Calgary campus with a good reputation in higher education. It combines online learning with classes taught at the campus location.
Ian Wisdom of Canilink Relocation reveals the sides of Calgary that he loves best.
Restaurants: "There are more restaurants than you can shake a stick at! Basically, every taste, cuisine, national dish, etcetera, that you can think of. Everything from fine dining with silver service to fast food joints. Of course, being Alberta, we have more than our fair share of steak houses. Two of note would be the Keg and Smugglers."
Entertainment: "One thing that Canadians seem to know how to do better than Brits is to play – maybe it's because they have the money to do it! Here, entertainment is focused around the family. Older 'children' (like me) tend to go camping, mountain biking, hiking, hunting, fishing, climbing, 'off-roading' etcetera."
Trips
"In Calgary itself there are many historical places to visit such as Fort Calgary, Heritage Park, and the Glenbow Museum. For the young (and the young at heart) there's places like Callaway Park (an outdoor amusement park with a variety of rides), Calgary Zoo and Canada Olympic Park (try the bobsleigh ride!)"
Attractions:
The Cattle Baron This eating place is located in south-east Calgary. It's a little pricier than some of the city's other eateries, but a fantastic menu and friendly service makes it well worth the extra cost. You can buy a full portion of liver, bacon onions and gravy with mash for $12.95 – and they boast an excellent steak and lamb dish, too.
The Keg on MacLeod Trail: A family restaurant with excellent standards and meals to suit all ages.
Chinook Centre: Located ten minutes from downtown Calgary, the Chinook Centre has everything you will need. It incorporates shops for all ages, a large food-court and four full-service restaurants. Two blocks west the LRT station has a free shuttle. Calgary Farmer's Market: Located at Currie Barracks, Calgary Farmer's Market is an organic and local produce market and also has everything from clothes to body care and art.
Heritage Park: This park is in located in a beautiful setting next to a reservoir, and its aim is to bring history to life. The centrepiece is a recreated 19th-century settlement, complete with hotel, store and print shop. Highlights include a stream train from the entrance to the far side of the park, and there is also a horse and cart for visitors to ride in. A
display on the history of the Canadian Pacific Railway with refurbished carriages you can walk through is great fun for kids, and historical re-enactments are often held within the park boundaries.
Bragg Creek: The historical hamlet of Bragg Creek has much to offer families. Its shops sell mostly native work, which generally comes at an excellent price. The hamlet eatery, the Steak Pit, is a good-quality restaurant, and well worth the drive for a meal at any time of the day. They often have live music, and children love the 'homely' atmosphere. Just a few minutes from the hamlet itself is a park, which offers opportunities for bike riding, hiking and playing in the river – you can even light a fire in one of the pre-designed pits and cook a barbecue meal.
Westside Recreation Centre: Situated on 69SW, this place is great fun. It has badminton courts, a climbing wall, two ice-skating rinks, a swimming pool – with wave machine, lane swimming, a plunge pool for toddlers and a flume, and a running track, fitness area with free weights and machines. It holds all kinds of fitness classes including step and yoga and also has a skateboarding park and soccer pitches.
Glenmore Reservoir: This is a great place for walking, hiking and biking. You can even feed the birds from your hand.
Jubilee Auditorium: This recently renovated venue is owned (along with its twin facility in Edmonton) by the Alberta Government and accommodates Calgary Opera and Alberta Ballet, as well as visiting Broadway shows, award ceremonies, stand-up comedians and theatre/music groups.
Pengrowth Saddledome: Home to the Calgary Flames, the Calgary Hitmen and the Calgary Roughnecks, the Pengrowth Saddledome is the largest entertainment venue in the city, and a great place to watch special cultural and sporting events.
Epcorcentre: Calgary's Arts Centre houses several theatre groups as well as the Jack Singer Concert Hall – the home of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.
Military Museum: Western Canada's largest military museum, this is open all year round and has wheelchair access and free parking.
Information about Canilink
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