Buyers big on small-town, rural lifestyle
Hamlet of Langdon and town of Strathmore combine slower pace with closeness to city
The following is the last of a five-part series exploring the towns and cities surrounding Calgary.
For a growing number of Calgarians, size does matter.
At about 1.2 million people, and with the inherent problems that come along with size, the bright lights of the big city have become a faint glimmer in the distance as people relocate to the more idyllic lifestyles offered by smaller rural centres surrounding Calgary.
So it is with the hamlet of Langdon and the town of Strathmore. With initial growth tied to railroad histories going back more than 125 years, these two communities east of Cal- gary are now attracting a new train of residential development brought on, in part, by the lure of rural living.
Marek and Evelyn Menczyk decided that as much as they enjoyed living in Calgary, growing traffic issues had become “a bit too much.” A couple of years ago, they began discussing the possibility of packing up their Evergreen Estates home and heading for the country.
After shopping the rural market, including visits to Okotoks, Cochrane and other centres, they made the 12-kilometre trip to Langdon and immediately felt an attraction, says Marek.
“It was exactly what we were looking for — someplace quieter,” he says. In October 2012, the couple moved into their new digs in the golf course community of Boulder Creek Estates by Harmony Development Corp., and into a home built by Stepper Custom Homes.
Boulder Creek has been part of the Langdon landscape since 2007 and since then other new residential areas have been added to the map.
Among those developments approved by Rockyview County officials are Mornington and Langdon Meadows, although construction hasn’t started.
“We have the convenience of living just 15 minutes east of Calgary while enjoying the peace and quiet of a rural setting,” says Rolly Ashdown, Rockyview County reeve and a councillor for the Langdon area.
As well, the hamlet of 4,000 offers more than 40 hectares of parks and open spaces for outdoor enthusiasts.
One of the charming aspects of Langdon is the heritage-era main street that houses health care offices, restaurants, a bakery and deli, post office and veterinarian.
“It’s a charming community, one with lots of appeal,” says Lynn Desilets, area manager for Stepper Homes in Boulder Creek.
In the first three phases of Boulder Creek, Stepper has sold about 250 homes. Since then, an estimated 60 per cent of the fourth phase has been sold, as well as 30 per cent of the fifth phase.
“What is the attraction? It’s small and quiet, and still has good access routes to Calgary,” says Desilets. “Property taxes are reasonable and the big-city feel is completely eliminated.”
About an 18-minute drive further east on the Trans-Canada Highway, Strathmore officials are putting a renewed push on to attract economic development that will, in turn, increase the town’s population base from the current 12,500.
Made up of representatives from the town, and real estate and residential development industries, the committee will be charged with putting together a marketing strategy to promote the town, says Dwight Stanford, Strathmore’s chief administrative officer.
This is nothing new for Strathmore. As far back as 1886, an intensive advertising campaign was set in place by the federal government and the Canadian Pacific Railway to attract settlers was paying dividends.
It worked then — and Stanford is already seeing results from the latest go-round.
“We have several new subdivisions coming forth and some of them will be servicing lots this year. Others are beginning to grade while others have approved area structure plans, but haven’t started construction,” he says.
Among the developments are The Ranch by Calgary-based United Communities, Wildflower Ranch by Cancorp Property Group, and Edgefield by Pollyco.
Probably the most high-profile development, though, is Prairie’s Edge by Prairie Merchant Corp., headed up by well-known entrepreneur and ex-Dragon’s Den member W. Brett Wilson.
Stanford says the fact Wilson is involved in future residential growth “will help the town grow and prosper.”
A development that could take five to seven years to complete, Wilson hopes it will be started this fall, with lots available in early to mid-2014.
In a state-of-the-town report, Mayor Steve Grajczyk says Strathmore is open for more business, be it oil and gas, manufacturing, agriculture, commercial or retail.
The town owns about 232 hectares south of Highway 1 for commercial and industrial uses. As well, it has annexed nearly 19 quarter sections — roughly 1,216 hectares — intended for a variety of uses.
“We have recently completed the construction of a regional water line from Calgary and upgraded our wastewater treatment plant. This new infrastruc- ture will support the town’s long-term plans for sustainable, smart growth and will meet the needs of both the current population and the needs of future generations to come,” says Grajczyk.
Adds Stanford: “There are many things that attract people to Strathmore, including the fact we are one of the few towns in the Calgary region with a hospital. We also have public and separate school systems.”