People & Places
Avoid the Calgary stampede
The lure of the Rockies is one of the top draws for the thousands of Brits who emigrate to Canada each year
But, says David Fuller, there are other options for those who wish to combine the fantastic scenery of the Rockies with a home outside the big city.
The chance to leave behind the hectic pace of British life is often cited by readers of this newspaper as one of the key motivations in fuelling their desire for a new life on the other side of the Atlantic. In fact, in last year's Outbound Reader's Survey, a 'better lifestyle' was voted the number one reason as to why people make the initial decision to emigrate to Canada. Asked why they had chosen to settle in the particular province they had, though, and the chance of a better lifestyle finished a lowly fourth in the list.
In terms of what drives people to their chosen province the 'landscape and scenery' would appear to be the key factor. It is without doubt for this very reason that Calgary has established itself as one of the most popular destinations for Canada-bound Brits. Its location at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, with the majestic mountain range visible from many areas of the city, understandably makes Calgary a much sought after migrant location.
However, being the economic hub of Alberta – Canada's fastest-growing provincial economy – and boasting a population of just under one million people – the third-largest in Canada – there are those who view Calgary as just another bustling city.
Of course, the problem with moving too far away from any of Canada's main metropolitan areas is that you risk being stuck out in the sticks, miles from anywhere, with very little chance of finding suitable employment. But for those of you adamant that you don't want to swap life in a busy UK town or city for a Canadian equivalent, there are a number of communities and towns within a stones throw of Calgary which offer the chance to be close to the city's employment opportunities and the splendour of the Rockies, while still enjoying a laid-back lifestyle. For Les Whitten it was this exact combination that led him towards Okotoks, a town located 18 kilometres south of Calgary. "We wanted to live close to Calgary for work while we also wanted to be close to the Rocky Mountains for leisure," he says. "We were also after somewhere relatively quiet to live."
Okotoks is currently home to just over 15,500 people and is one of Canada's fastest-growing cities. Ten years ago the town's population was just over half of what it is today, but since the late 1990s has undergone huge development designed to expand the community whilst making the most of the area's many natural assets. It is hoped that by the time of 'build out' the town's population will have reached 30,000. Situated in the midst of diverse landscape ranging from mountains to prairie land to forest, Okotoks is certainly the kind of picturesque paradise associated with much of Canada. Boasting three shopping districts, a recreation centre which includes a four-lane swimming pool and twin official-sized ice arenas, two 18-hole golf courses, and a number of places where you can while away the hours either fishing, hiking or even river tubing, you shouldn't be short of things to do there. "The Canadian lifestyle is much like we expected it to be. Very good," says Les. "The best thing about life where we live is that it's quiet with very little traffic compared to Calgary. "The downside is that we often need to travel to Calgary for shopping or recreation as not everything is available in Okotoks."
However, with Les working in Calgary this doesn't prove to be too much of a problem. "I travel to Calgary daily for work. Other than that we usually visit at least once a week," he says. "There's no public transport from Okotoks to Calgary so we have to drive in. If it's downtown Calgary we're heading to then we'll sometimes park on the edge and use the Calgary LRT (train) to get us the rest of the way."
Okotoks, however, is not the biggest of the towns and communities which make up the the Calgary metropolitan region – the city of Calgary aside, of course. That honour belongs to the city of Airdrie, just 10 kilometres north of Calgary, where an estimated 27,069 people currently live.
Airdrie is Canada's highest city – its elevation is 3,208 feet above sea level – and boasts one of the country's youngest populations: 31 per cent of its residents are under the age of 18. Situated on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway which connects Calgary to Alberta's capital, Edmonton, Airdrie has become a fairly vibrant industrial hub in recent years, experiencing a significant increase in both the number of local and internationally renowned companies setting up base there.
But this rise in industry has done little to take anything away from the city's quaint surroundings. With 475 acres of parkland and open space, much of which is linked by walkable pathways, Airdrie has plenty of green space for its residents to enjoy. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, walking and biking are both popular pastimes in the city. While Airdrie can't match Calgary for the variety of recreational pursuits, shops and general areas of interest it has to offer, those who do set up home in the smaller city will still have plenty to keep them entertained. A 400-seat theatre, an agricultural museum, an 18-hole golf course and a new state-of-the-art recreation and wellness centre with six pools, a gymnasium, a healthy food outlet and a fitness centre, are just some of the city's main amenities. Add to the mix that there are also a number of festivals and events held annually in the city – the Airdrie Festival of Lights and the Pro-Rodeo to name just two – and you start to see why Airdrie may be an alternative to Calgary well worth your careful consideration.
Elsewhere Cochrane and Chestermere are two other reasonably sized towns which sit within easy reach of both Calgary and the Rockies. Cochrane is the bigger of the two and the fourth most populous area in the Calgary Region: 12,418 residents. Located 22 kilometres north-west of the Calgary City limits, and nestled along the banks of the Bow River, the town offers stunning views of the Rocky Mountains – an hour's drive away – and a small town charm which has helped make the town increasingly popular with families who have relocated from Calgary but still want to work there. Due to a huge increase in Cochrane's population over the last years or so – it was home to just 900 residents in 1969 – the town has grown substantially in recent times and just last year it annexed an additional 3,000 acres of land which is already receiving fresh development.
Chestermere, much like the other aforementioned locations, is another popular 'bedroom community' (what the Canadians call a commuter town) for people who work in Calgary. Located 20 minutes east of the city, the town's main attraction for its just under 8,000 residents is the eponymous 750-acre Lake Chestermere which dominates the community. As a town Chestermere has come a long way in a short space of time. Having previously existed as a village, it was granted town status in March 1993 and has grown steadily since. As recently as 1984 Chestermere still only had dirt roads, and by the end of the 1980s had a population of less than 700 people. Today, as well as having fully paved roads and a substantially larger number of residents, the town also has an 18-hole golf course, three separate areas which offer shops, restaurants and other amenities such as video stores, petrol stations and medical services, while it is also one of the most popular areas for watersports in the Calgary region.
Aside from these nearby towns, there are some communities which actually fall within Calgary's city limits that could still appeal to those of you not stuck on the thought of inner city living. "We live just inside the city limits in what is called the 'deep south', a community called Sundance," says British migrant Alison Duddin. "Okotoks is ten minutes down the road from us so in a way we are sandwiched in between the city of Calgary and the town of Okotoks." Like Les, Alison has been more than happy with her decision to settle outside the heart of Calgary. "We love belonging to a community," she says. "We have a lake here at Sundance that we can go to anytime we want. The school is nearby and the Shawnessy shops are just across Mcleod Trail. "We have a laid-back lifestyle with the freedom to jump in the car and head to the mountains or rivers whenever we please without the need to pick times outside rush hour like we had to when we were in London."
Alison has even found that her family don't really need to travel to the busiest part of the city on a regular basis. "We don't tend to go into downtown Calgary at all," she explains "We have excellent shopping facilities in Shawnessy four minutes from our house. Everything we need is there. We do frequent bigger superstores like Costco once a month, but that's just a 20-minute drive from our house." Should the Duddins feel like a trip to the downtown area, though, then getting there is not too problematic, even without driving. "There are good public transport facilities just outside our door with regular bus routes. The LRT is good and clean and runs approximately every 15 minutes into downtown Calgary."
Another family who have settled within Calgary's city limits but still enjoy a fairly quiet and relaxed way of life are the Woods. Richard, Vicky and son Owen settled in Discovery Ridge, a small community located at the very south-west tip of Calgary, last year and have quickly adjusted to life there.
"The community is very well landscaped. We didn't find anywhere else like it in the whole of Calgary when we were looking," says Richard. "As you drive into the community you can see the houses set nestled amongst the pine trees.
"The area is also great for an outdoors lifestyle. We can cycle, rollerblade or jog through the woods on the designated pathways. We can fish in the Elbow River [which runs through Discovery Ridge], or even go boating should we wish. For the children there is a large field and play area with football (soccer) posts and basketball hoops, and a number of ice rinks for the winter." Richard also feels that living in the community gives his family the ideal mixture of relaxation and activity. "We are far enough away from the city to experience peace and quiet and yet close enough to enjoy the shopping, theatres, restaurants and nightlife of Calgary." Unlike Alison, Richard admits his family do still enjoy the buzz of travelling into the city. "We go into Calgary itself about once or twice a month," he explains. "We still have quite a few of the tourist attractions to see and are slowly ticking them off. "The city is compact and easily accessible. We can get a bus in our community and change at the local recreation centre for a downtown bus or just drive into town. At the weekend we can make it from the far side of downtown to home in just 15 minutes."
Both Alison and Richard also make the point that being so close to the Rockies affords them many other lifestyle advantages, such as the opportunity to ski in the winter or just enjoy the magnificent scenery that surrounds them.
The pair, along with Les, are unanimous over whether their families have made the right decision to settle in their respective locations: a resounding 'yes'!" As Calgary's population continues to grow – forecasts made in 2005 estimate that it will increase by 8.7 per cent by 2010, a growth of 83,922 people – more emphasis will undoubtedly be placed on housing newcomers in the city's surrounding areas. This means that along with the towns already mentioned in this article, places like Crossfield, High River and Red Wood Meadows can also expect to see substantial growth in the coming years.
So if the Rockies are for you but you don't think Calgary is, there are still plenty of options that will allow you to combine the lifestyle of the former with the job opportunities of the latter.
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