Landing Experience - Calgary Alberta

[21685]

Thank you so much amikety for your instant reply and a wonderful advice so nicely explained.

You have suggested to take a hotel for few days can you please suggest some cheap and best hotels.

One more thing i want to ask you is it compulsory to sign a lease for one year because initially i want to enter a three month lease to start then

renewable. And you said there is an apartment near your residence please give the address i will contact them but we are four people that is couple

with two children can we allowed to take one bedroom apartment .

 

[pinoy na bitoy]

I think the NE gets a bad rap for a few reasons. It's a more run down part of the city. It doesn't look pretty and new. There are some areas to avoid, but very nice areas too. Bridgeland, which is along the river, is one of the nicest neighborhoods in Calgary and in the NE. The airport is also in the NE, so you can get airport noises..... Not a big deal to me, but very bothersome to others.

That link is people's opinions. Snobby people automatically have a bad opinion unless you live in the NW, SW, or deep South.
Now, I will be honest, I would prefer to live in a newer neighborhood or one very historic, like Inglewood. I also really like the newer areas like Shawnessy. But there's nothing wrong with Falconridge, especially to start out. Once you're settled, you might want to consider moving to a newer area in the NW maybe. (The NW has a high concentration of immigrants like the NE.) The NW is really nice and beautiful views of the mountains. My friend lives in Silver Springs - great area and neighborhood.


I live in a decent middle class neighborhood. My upstairs neighborhood was (WAS) doing drugs in the house. Fighting, yelling, being stupid, bringing around shady people. (We had to threaten to move out before the landlord kicked him out.) You normally think people like that only live in the low class areas, but they are everywhere. Just because you move to a nice area, doesn't seem you'll get nice neighbors. In fact, I know some people that live in a big, fancy house, take expensive vacations, and drive new cars. They all sell drugs. So don't judge by the appearance. Judge by the quality. For what you get from the Falconridge region, the house prices, the public transit, it's a great area, especially to start out.

However, you may out grow it as your career takes off! I do advise keeping your options open, because Falconridge is very low/middle middle class. If you work your way into the upper middle class, you will no longer be happy there, because you can afford newer - and there are nice newer neighborhoogs very close.

Hi

im moving to calgary from england by the end of july this year. temporarily we are staying with my auntie who lives in the NE of calgary, somewhere near the marlborough park i think it is in abbotsford drive, what is your opinion about the place in terms of safety, access to public transport, school, food and how is neigborhood in the area. thank you very much.

 

[amikety]

Thank you so much amikety for your instant reply and a wonderful advice so nicely explained.

You have suggested to take a hotel for few days can you please suggest some cheap and best hotels.

One more thing i want to ask you is it compulsory to sign a lease for one year because initially i want to enter a three month lease to start then

renewable. And you said there is an apartment near your residence please give the address i will contact them but we are four people that is couple

with two children can we allowed to take one bedroom apartment .

I would check www.hotels.ca or www.hotwire.ca. Hotwire is a discount site that sometimes gives great deals. The cheapest hotels are generally in the least convienent areas of town - justs to warn you. Hotels usually start at $99 a night.

http://www.hotels.com/search.do?destination=calgary%2C+ab&searchParams.arrivalDate=3%2F1%2F2013&searchParams.departureDate=3%2F2%2F2013&rooms=1&searchParams.rooms%5B0%5D.numberOfAdults=2&children%5B0%5D=0&asaReport=HomePage%3A%3ANoSuggest&destinationId=&searchParams.landmark=&hotelId=&searchParams.resolvedLocation=CITY%3A169003%3AEXACT_RED%3AHIGH#vt=LIST&rl=CITY%3A169003%3AEXACT_RED%3AHIGH&pfm=1&dn=calgary,+ab&cd=03/01/2013&dd=03/02/2013&nr=1&pn=1&so=BEST_SELLER&pfcc=CAD&maxp=100&sr%5B%5D=3&sr%5B%5D=2&r=2&cpr=0

If you look at the first option, you're in the NW. Nice area, lots of other immigrant families. Plus you're near the train station. (Not sure which one, but it's the one after SAIT I think. I almost never go up there ) There are lots of other hotels nearby too. Just whatever you pick, make sure there is a bus or train nearby. Train is preferable because it's faster.

There's tons of apartments near me because I live near the biggest mall in Calgary (Chinook Centre). There's also a C-train station (which is closed right now), tons of buses, and three major roads within two blocks of my house. It's more retail/commerical than residential which means lots of condos and apartments, although I live in a house tucked in between all the noisy roads.

You may find someone that agrees to a three month lease and does month by month afterwards. (Mine is month by month after 6.) However, those places may cost more than average. You could probably find something short term that will allow you to stay indefinitely as long as you're good tenants. My best suggestion is to check Kijiji (www.kijiji.com) under short term rentals.

 

[amikety]

Hi

im moving to calgary from england by the end of july this year. temporarily we are staying with my auntie who lives in the NE of calgary, somewhere near the marlborough park i think it is in abbotsford drive, what is your opinion about the place in terms of safety, access to public transport, school, food and how is neigborhood in the area. thank you very much.

Hi there. My opinion - overall Calgary is very safe. I am a woman (the sir is a joke because of this thread!!!) and I can walk around downtown or walk 1.5 KM from the train station alone at night, in the dark safely. It's safe for me to walk to the store at night. Etc, etc.

I've never been to Marlborough Park personally, but judging on the areas nearby, it seems like a nice area. It sounds very middle class. It backs up to Abbeydale, which I know is a nicer, newer area. I think Marlborough Park is a little older, but still good. It's near where my sister-in-laws lives. You're also near Temple where a bunch of pinoy I know live.

http://www.calgaryarea.com/ne/marlboroughpk/marlboroughpark.htm

You can look at pictures of the neighborhood, the crime watch report, and other community services. I looked at the crime watch. I will say it seems there were more reports in the past six months than other areas I've looked at further north (Taradale for example) but my memory could be faulty or the crime could be reported more. (Many immigrants prefer to deal with intra-ethnic crimes within their families as opposed to reporting to police, etc.) Luckily, it was most non-violent, such as theft. If I had to pick between an area with many thefts and no murder and an area with many murders....

 

[pinoy na bitoy]

Amikety thank you very much that was a very quick response. Very much appreciated

 

[an74]

How is nw bc I want my wife to stay about one year there alone in calgary how can she manage bc its our first landing and my wife dont had experience living alone bedore. Any other suggestions

Hi there. My opinion - overall Calgary is very safe. I am a woman (the sir is a joke because of this thread!!!) and I can walk around downtown or walk 1.5 KM from the train station alone at night, in the dark safely. It's safe for me to walk to the store at night. Etc, etc.

I've never been to Marlborough Park personally, but judging on the areas nearby, it seems like a nice area. It sounds very middle class. It backs up to Abbeydale, which I know is a nicer, newer area. I think Marlborough Park is a little older, but still good. It's near where my sister-in-laws lives. You're also near Temple where a bunch of pinoy I know live.

http://www.calgaryarea.com/ne/marlboroughpk/marlboroughpark.htm

You can look at pictures of the neighborhood, the crime watch report, and other community services. I looked at the crime watch. I will say it seems there were more reports in the past six months than other areas I've looked at further north (Taradale for example) but my memory could be faulty or the crime could be reported more. (Many immigrants prefer to deal with intra-ethnic crimes within their families as opposed to reporting to police, etc.) Luckily, it was most non-violent, such as theft. If I had to pick between an area with many thefts and no murder and an area with many murders....

 

[amikety]

How is nw bc I want my wife to stay about one year there alone in calgary how can she manage bc its our first landing and my wife dont had experience living alone bedore. Any other suggestions

NW is a nice area. It's very pretty and has many nice neighborhoods. She probably won't want to live too close to University of Calgary or SAIT unless she's a student. (Too many young people, students being noisy, and living cheaply.) Only issue with NW is some areas are remote - harder to get around Calgary without a car. There's always the bus - but to get to the southern parts of Calgary, it would take about two hours. My friend lives in Silver Springs and it's great. (It's directly beside Crowchild Trail - a highway, so there's some noise, but there is always a trade off.) NW is also more expensive.

If your wife is Punjabi, she may feel most at home in Whitehorn or Martindale. There's many Punjabis in those neighborhoods - both in the NE. Because she is alone, giving her support of her fellow countrymen may be best - but you know her better than me. Maybe she's brave and will move alone and not worry! It is possible she could even look for a shared house with other women from Pakistan that will help her adjust.

 

[an74]

Thanks ys she can communicate in urdu punjabi and English. No she isn't vry brave but she doesn't like shared home. I need some more good suggestions

NW is a nice area. It's very pretty and has many nice neighborhoods. She probably won't want to live too close to University of Calgary or SAIT unless she's a student. (Too many young people, students being noisy, and living cheaply.) Only issue with NW is some areas are remote - harder to get around Calgary without a car. There's always the bus - but to get to the southern parts of Calgary, it would take about two hours. My friend lives in Silver Springs and it's great. (It's directly beside Crowchild Trail - a highway, so there's some noise, but there is always a trade off.) NW is also more expensive.

If your wife is Punjabi, she may feel most at home in Whitehorn or Martindale. There's many Punjabis in those neighborhoods - both in the NE. Because she is alone, giving her support of her fellow countrymen may be best - but you know her better than me. Maybe she's brave and will move alone and not worry! It is possible she could even look for a shared house with other women from Pakistan that will help her adjust.

 

[teejay]

my people, pls guide me, i am coming to Calgary enroute Montreal, which means i will do my POINT OF ENTRY FORMALITIES AND POF DECLARATION in Montreal before boarding Calgary's flight 3 hrs later.

I hope this is doable pls, hope I will not be worried again if I get to Calgary for another POE AND POF processes?

kindly guide me before I book pls!

 

[mythestic]

my people, pls guide me, i am coming to Calgary enroute Montreal, which means i will do my POINT OF ENTRY FORMALITIES AND POF DECLARATION in Montreal before boarding Calgary's flight 3 hrs later.

I hope this is doable pls, hope I will not be worried again if I get to Calgary for another POE AND POF processes?

kindly guide me before I book pls!

Nothing wrong coming to Calgary via Montreal OR Toronto. But when you are using Montreal as your P.O.E, make sure you get the maximum time for the next flight (to Calgary). As sometimes you rush to the immigration counter in Montreal n face so much Quebec immigrants in the queue. I had 5 hours break from Montreal to Calgary flight but still got it missed by the time my paperwork processed.
Had to stay at the Montreal airport for the whole night to catch another Calgary flight in the morning. I was using
Karachi-Doha-Montreal-Calgary route with Qatar Airways.

See.. If you can get something from Toronto to Calgary.. otherwise get it via Montreal with decent time space between the flights... cheers

 

[mythestic]

Thanks ys she can communicate in urdu punjabi and English. No she isn't vry brave but she doesn't like shared home. I need some more good suggestions

There are many apartment buildings in NW, like Travois Place near Center Street, managed by some go0d maintenance companies, they are more secure. Very convenient for the single parent families.

 

[an74]

There are many apartment buildings in NW, like Travois Place near Center Street, managed by some go0d maintenance companies, they are more secure. Very convenient for the single parent families.

tahnks 1+ for you

 

[rehanhaque]

Amikety, you're amazing. You should think about working for Calgary Tourism

 

[amikety]

Amikety, you're amazing. You should think about working for Calgary Tourism

Hahaha, thanks! I don't think they'd like me. I'd insist on spelling things the American way and pronouncing things correctly.

 

[samoo]

Thanks for all in thread for the information, can any share some details about SW
And what is the standard for study in Calgary university