Drayton Valley what can you tell me about the area

[Smoky buck]

Trying to narrow down where to relocate with my family and Drayton seems like a good option

I have worked and hunted in Drayton in the past but there is so much you just don’t know about an area without living there

Wife and I spend most of our time hunting and fishing. Our son does not care as long he has his basketball. Daughter is simple to please with just other kids around. We are in a town of less then 3000 people in northern BC so weather and size of Drayton is not an issue

We would be buying rural I cannot handle residential

So what is the good and bad?any information is good

I know what to expect big game hunting but how is the waterfowl?or how far does a guy need to travel?

Areas to avoid or you recommend buying a rural home?

[Norwest Alta]

Don't know what you do for work but I think Drayton was hit hard with the down turn.

[Cement Bench]

real estate prices are good, economy6 is terrible

working folks are good except for Dick284 and Bushrat,

pm us and we will meet with you and give you a tour of town and real estate,

all of us have been in the area for 20 plus years, some of us 60 plus years

Cement Bench

[dmcbride]

Don't know what you do for work but I think Drayton was hit hard with the down turn.

Yes it has, and the Bighorn proposal will make it worse.

[Red Bullets]

Never lived near Drayton so all I can suggest is checking out https://www.mooresrealty.ca/. They usually have some great properties listed.

IMO ...I like Rocky Mountain House area better than Drayton area. To me the Caroline area is the nicest countryside around.

[Smoky buck]

Work wise it’s actually an improvement by far compared to my present location even with the down turn. That said wife works in hospitals/care homes myself equipment operator/trades and I always have side income projects

Not chasing $ it’s more of a lifestyle change. I chased $ for enough years that I only need to work an ok paying job to get by these days


This bighorn issue I need to look into. Any idea on when one would know if this is happening or not?

[Smoky buck]

real estate prices are good, economy6 is terrible

working folks are good except for Dick284 and Bushrat,

pm us and we will meet with you and give you a tour of town and real estate,

all of us have been in the area for 20 plus years, some of us 60 plus years

Cement Bench

Thanks for the offer I will keep it in mind

Trying to narrow down where we want to check out before making a road trip in March

[Smoky buck]

Never lived near Drayton so all I can suggest is checking out https://www.mooresrealty.ca/. They usually have some great properties listed.

IMO ...I like Rocky Mountain House area better than Drayton area. To me the Caroline area is the nicest countryside around.

Rocky is nice and on the list of places to look at. Really it seems Drayton has more work options is the only thing leaning us that way

Truth is if I found work in the 20$hr plus range in either town it would probably be enough to sway me :D

As long as I can go hunting/fishing and make a few $ to eat I am good

[Grizzly Adams]

Drayton made the National news for it's drug problem.

Grizz

[Red Bullets]

Drayton made the National news for it's drug problem.

Grizz

Drayton always has had sort of a rough and tumble sort of feeling to it. Not really a pretty town either.

[barbless]

Pretty nice golf course there

[Bushrat]

Smoky, when were you last in the DV area?

[Norwest Alta]

Drayton always has had sort of a rough and tumble sort of feeling to it. Not really a pretty town either.

I agree. Kind of reminds me of fox creek.

[Smoky buck]

Smoky, when were you last in the DV area?

2 years ago for a short trip and worked there for a few months 5years ago.

[pikeslayer22]

If I were to move anywhere it would be the peace country.

[Norwest Alta]

If I were to move anywhere it would be the peace country.

I think you're correct. We seem to be working here when people in other areas aren't.

[Smoky buck]

The wife won’t go for the Peace in BC or Alberta

[1899b]

The wife won’t go for the Peace in BC or Alberta

Drayton is a dirty oil patch town. Up and down with the economy. Used to work for Concord Well Servicing. I was in Drayton an awful lot.
I lived in Edson for 5 years which isn’t too far and pretty much the same type of town.

[hayseed]

DV is a transient town. Always has been, and will be.
I was born nearby, and lived there for quite awhile.

It's an Oil and Gas town, logging town, and an up and down with the times town.

Crime, drugs, etc are I'm sure no different can than say Reddeer, which is about as sketchy as Tiajuana Mexico when the sun goes down.

I took a move south 21 yrs ago, job relocation, but I would move back in a heartbeat. I have a chunk of land nearby, so will someday.

I also employ people in DV, have a division of rig movin trucks there, We are proud to be there. It's not as bad as the old Drunken Valley synopsis that we always hear.

Tons of great people, businesses, camping, fishing, hunting etc.
My two cents... good luck!!

[Smoky buck]

Crime/drug issues are they in town more so or does it spread into the rural areas?

[Norwest Alta]

DV is a transient town. Always has been, and will be.
I was born nearby, and lived there for quite awhile.

It's an Oil and Gas town, logging town, and an up and down with the times town.

Crime, drugs, etc are I'm sure no different can than say Reddeer, which is about as sketchy as Tiajuana Mexico when the sun goes down.

I took a move south 21 yrs ago, job relocation, but I would move back in a heartbeat. I have a chunk of land nearby, so will someday.

I also employ people in DV, have a division of rig movin trucks there, We are proud to be there. It's not as bad as the old Drunken Valley synopsis that we always hear.

Tons of great people, businesses, camping, fishing, hunting etc.
My two cents... good luck!!

I wonder if you were the guy doing 5min laps around the block that the old Drayton valley hotel was on. Seems like a hayseed kinda thing to do. LolHad a lot of fun there in the day about 1987.

[Norwest Alta]

Crime/drug issues are they in town more so or does it spread into the rural areas?

Rural areas to.

[Smoky buck]

Rural areas to.

Ok so pre dig a hole in the back 40 and have a gate kinda deal lol

Can’t be any worse then when I lived near Vancouver

[Norwest Alta]

Ok so pre dig a hole in the back 40 and have a gate kinda deal lol

Can’t be any worse then when I lived near Vancouver

Seems it don't matter where you go. Raise the kids right and keep them busy and you shouldn't have to worry. Might be less in Vancouver because more for the kids to do.

[Smoky buck]

Seems it don't matter where you go. Raise the kids right and keep them busy and you shouldn't have to worry. Might be less in Vancouver because more for the kids to do.

Not so worried with my kids they are not perfect but pretty good

Mostly hate theft

[hayseed]

I wonder if you were the guy doing 5min laps around the block that the old Drayton valley hotel was on. Seems like a hayseed kinda thing to do. LolHad a lot of fun there in the day about 1987.

Nope weren't me, but I have spent some time in the old hole. Have givin an takin a lickin out the east door more times than I care to remember...

Was in a band back in the day as well.... played on stage there 3-4 times??

Chicks love drummers....:sHa_shakeshout:

[Norwest Alta]

Nope weren't me, but I have spent some time in the old hole. Have givin an takin a lickin out the east door more times than I care to remember...

Was in a band back in the day as well.... played on stage there 3-4 times??

Chicks love drummers....:sHa_shakeshout:

Haha. I thought they loved carpenters helpers at the time. It was a fun time when I was 15 and building that Cynthia gas plant.

[Smokinyotes]

I used to hang around the old hotel, west winds and the black gold inn in the mid eighties. Some of the women in those bars didn’t have good intentions. Boy we had a lot of fun back then. :)

[Norwest Alta]

I used to hang around the old hotel, west winds and the black gold inn in the mid eighties. Some of the women in those bars didn’t have good intentions. Boy we had a lot of fun back then. :)

They sure didn't. Pipeliners, rig hands and us guys building the gas plant. Lots of great memories of Drayton.

[hayseed]

Ahhhhhhh the west winds cowboy bar on a Friday night....
Sorry for the derail...

Good ol DV...

[Sushi]

If you're looking for oil work, stay in the Montney formation area which is the FSJ and GP area.

LOL, the first time I visited Rocky Mountain House I was slightly shocked and majorly disappointed. You can't even see the Rockies from RMH! I had this unrealistic notion of a town in the mountains like Castlegar or Fernie...nope. I didn't know much about Alberta back then lol. RMH is a nice town, just seriously misnamed.

[hayseed]

Well.... you might wanna pic up a book there sunshine.

Google this.... David Thompson.

So... never mind....

[wolf308]

Not much

There's a power shortage , a flock of seagulls and a Dick there

[Jack Hardin]

Rocky used to be pretty rough around the edges back in the 60's/70's and you didnt want to raise kids there then, but it is civilized now. The population is 6,635 and it has a Canadian Tire, it's only 80 kms to Red Deer for any major shopping. It's the gateway to the west country.

As someone has already stated, it is misnamed as it is not in the mountains. When the fur fort was built in the 1700's it was prairie. Then , with the buffalo gone and slow settlement in the area, the tree line moved in from the west.

[Smoky buck]

Not much

There's a power shortage , a flock of seagulls and a Dick there

Are the seagulls friendly :rolleyes:

[lannie]

Check out Drayton in March and keep heading south and check out a few other communities in the eastern slopes. Rocky, Caroline, Cremona, Bragg Creek, High River, Turner Valley, Black Diamond, Longview, Pincher Creek and then the Crowsnest Pass. Get a checklist of what's important to you and go from there. Eastern slopes and the southwest are pretty incredible.

[troutbug]

I would reccomend Hinton but it is getting CRAZY EXPENSIVE. We have people move here for work at the new mine from Fort Mcmurray and they are shocked at the price of everything right down to a jug of milk.

With the new Thermal Project inching closer to becoming a real deal it is going to be pretty bad here. Housing is creeping up again to.

Id pick Edson LONG before Drayton

[Smoky buck]

I did live in Alberta in the past so I have a list of places I plan to check out to see how they have changed. I also have to get the wife to see what she likes as well

If it was her choice we would move to Cochrane

[Smoky buck]

I would reccomend Hinton but it is getting CRAZY EXPENSIVE. We have people move here for work at the new mine from Fort Mcmurray and they are shocked at the price of everything right down to a jug of milk.

With the new Thermal Project inching closer to becoming a real deal it is going to be pretty bad here. Housing is creeping up again to.

Id pick Edson LONG before Drayton

Wife hates Edson and Hinton is not for me. I already passed on a job with Teck

[troutbug]

Wife hates Edson and Hinton is not for me. I already passed on a job with Teck

Why did you not like Hinton? You cant beat it for the outdoors but the way its getting so expensive we are even contemplating a move.

Edson is way more affordable is what I liked about it and you are still in the middle of everything

[Smoky buck]

Why did you not like Hinton? You cant beat it for the outdoors but the way its getting so expensive we are even contemplating a move.

Edson is way more affordable is what I liked about it and you are still in the middle of everything

I much prefer to be on the edge of the mountains and the prairie so I can have the benefits of both within a short drive. I find this gives me the ability to enjoy my fav kinds of fishing and hunting easily

It’s not that I have a major issue with Hinton but I have lived in the Rockies before just not for me

[4K3OGH]

I live just south of Drayton and if I didnt work north of town I would be living down between Caroline and Sundre. Beautiful area.

[Grizzly Adams]

If you're looking for oil work, stay in the Montney formation area which is the FSJ and GP area.

LOL, the first time I visited Rocky Mountain House I was slightly shocked and majorly disappointed. You can't even see the Rockies from RMH! I had this unrealistic notion of a town in the mountains like Castlegar or Fernie...nope. I didn't know much about Alberta back then lol. RMH is a nice town, just seriously misnamed.

Wait till you go to Hudson's Bay, Saskatchewan. :lol:

Grizz