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22 Southridge Dr, Okotoks, AB T1S1N1
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16 Opinions
Yes sir two of the Figures from the past.
A mass of hanging baskets full of flowers
Sheep River winding thru the Fields.
Movie style buildings at the Berry farm
Myself and my family are getting ready for a move to Calgary for my husband's business. We are young and have 2 small children. We are looking into some of the smaller towns around Calgary to settle in. One question I have is this, I am white and my husband is black. I am wondering how we will be recieved and how excepting people are in Calgary and some of the surrounding areas. Please be honest. Thank you.
You would be readily accepted in Calgary or in any of the small towns around there. Calgary is very multicultural. The northeast seems to have more gang and ethnic related violence and some in the southeast. You are wise to look to places like Okotoks, Nanton, etc. to the south and Airdrie to the north of the city. You'll be accepted just fine, hope the move goes well.
I agree with Maggee, while you will find small-minded people anywhere you go, overall you will find Calgary (and southern Alberta for that matter) to be quite liberal.
I live in Nanton (moved here from Regina when my son was 3 - talk about culture-shock!) and I think it is a great town to raise a family in. The elementary school here is awesome. It is a community-based school, which means that their whole curriculum is geared towards involving the students in the community and vice versa. They have lots of volunteers to help out all the time, and have a 25:1 student to teacher ratio. That's pretty impressive.
My son actually has a child in his class who is caucasian/African-American, and to my knowledge their family has never had any problems with racism. My step-daughter lived here with us for 4 years, she is caucasian/First nations. She never had any problems with racism, and in fact had lots of friends here.
The nice thing about Nanton is that it is far enough away from Calgary (40 miles) that most of the problems from the city haven't spread here yet. There are very few crimes and vandalism here, unlike some communities closer to Calgary. It is also a very easy commute to Calgary. There is one thing - Alberta is starting to have a REAL problem with crystal meth. And it's everywhere, not just in the cities. It's enough of a problem that you can no longer buy certain cold medications over the counter - you now have to request them from the pharmacist. I guess time will tell if that helps curb its production noticably.
I guess I digressed a little... sorry! I don't think racism will be a big problem for you here. I wish I could say it would be non-existent but....
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions I can help you with.
At first your husband may be mistaken for one of the many Sudanese refugees-there are a lot of them in Alberta now working in meat plants and other minimum wage jobs.
I don't see any issue whatsoever and I bet you won't have any problems. Similar situations locally here are non-issues and simply not discussed openly. In ten years here I have never seen open racial commentary aside from Islam references post 911. Simple colour or race, I honestly don't think anybody cares or takes note.
Welcome to Alberta, the Promised Land!
The view is along the rial tracks from the visinity of the Visitor Centre, looking west towards the Rocky Mountains, some 40 Kms distant.
It shows the usual clutter associated with Rail lines, power lines and other overhead Utilities, including Street lights. Eeating at 79 Restaurant.
South and west of Okotoks by 10 kms just off Highway 7, the road to Black Diamond, on the north side of the road, there is a Glacier Erratic, a massive rock that was carried along by the Glaciers that covered most of Alberta and the Rocky Mountians some 10,000 years ago.
The origin location of the BIG ROCK was near Jasper from the area of Mount Edith Cavell in the Rockies some 300 kms distant from its present resting place at Okotoks.
A small paved parking lot lies just north of highway 7, it is about 100 m to walk to the Rock across the gravelled path there is no entrance fee and the area is fenced off.
A slip or fall can be dangerous, yet the parts of the rock that are broken tempt one to clamber over the surface.
One of the signs tells of the possible cause of the broken Rock.
Wheel chair access is difficult, there are about 10 stairs down from the parking area.
As mentioned the Glacier Erratic travelled some 300 kms from Jasper Nationel Park, way north of Banff N P. , all this travelling took place between 16,000 and 10,000 years ago, when ice covered Alberta.
The estimated weight of this Rock , now partly broken, is 16,500 Tonnes.
The legend of how it was broken is told on one of the information signs.
It is also possible that the break up was a natural occurrance.
The photos in this segment show the information signs and some views to the west across the farm land and Foothills of Alberta to the Rocky Mountains.
One major Brewery in Calgary is the Big Rock Brewery.
The visit to the Saskatoon Berry farm was on a sunny Sunday, which also happened to be Canada Day, a great reason to head out into the Country just about 10 kms east of Okotoks.
The Farm is located 3 kms from a main highway and part of the road is gravel, but the location makes up for the dust from the gravel road.
A working farm it allows the city dweller some time away from the rush of Calgary, wander around the nursery gardens , look for hanging baskest of flowers, buy some to enhance your garden, do you want to pick fruit in season of course the famed and delicious Saskatoon berries, or maybe you prefer to buy a fresh or frozen berry pie. If you cannot wait to taste the delicious fruit stop by the patio cafe or go inside to the small and busy cafe, for a sandwich, a breakfast or lunch and add a piece of pie or a berry scone, all equally delicious. Then stroll thru the maze like shop for really different decorating items for your house.
Go futher and walk to the viewpoint and see the Sheep river carving wide turns out of the pastures below.
Okotoks a town of 17,000 people lies on the Sheep river as it flows from the Rocky Mountains east to eventually join the Bow river downstream of Calgary.
The name Okotoks is Blackfoot for Big Rock, named after a Glacier erratic that lies 7 kms west of town, left behind by the retreating Ice Age, just a few thousand years ago.
Yet Okotoks is also in the forefront of innovation, it is building the first solar powered subdivision in N America. Solar Energy heats water which in turn is piped to the homes in the subdivision and provides heat and hot water.
Located south of the rail line in the downtown core stands this old building, it appears to hold Sunday church services for one religious denomination, but a phone call to the visitor centre produced a long recording of an upcoming Art Show, but no person in spite of the fact that it was supposed to be within opening hours.
The Rail line still operates but only freight trains pass by on the route from Lethbridge to Calgary.
Once there was a passenger service, but CP Rail managed to drop that service about 30 years ago.
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Q: What do you think about............... "Myself and my family are getting ready for a move to Calgary for my husband's business. We are young and have 2 small children. We..."
A: "You would be readily accepted in Calgary or in any of the small towns around there. Calgary is very multicultural. The northeast seems to have more gang and ethnic..."
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