Relocating to Rocky Mountain House

[GraceandGrit]

Thank you! I hadn't thought about Hwy 11 and weekend warriors. The kids fishing pond sounds great! I think we're just going to have to go to the town office and get a feel for it. It's great that they plow. I think there's theft everywhere around Alberta now with the economy being what it is. I know that gas tanks around here have been siphoned from the neighbours. Until the patch sorts itself out again, Husky just sold everything out this way... it's just a pretty bleak time in Alberta and people are doing crazy things. Thanks for your input on the subject I really do appreciate everyone's help and opinions with their experiences.

[solocam3]

If you haven't done it yet, contact the Chamber of Commerce or go on to their web page. Of course they will be biased but a good eye full of the activities of the town.

[HeavyD111]

Don't feel bad asking a out crime rate issues, it is a real problem and some areas are going to be better than others so it is good to know.

Just to add some ideas I always liked Lacombe, real close to Red Deer but small
town with slower pace. Friend was offered police position there, turned it down and now regrets it.

Want to stay mid to north? Pincher Creek is nice but windy, close to mountains etc. I like the south, but you may not.


What population size would you prefer?

[GraceandGrit]

Thanks 😊 I appreciate it, as for population we live near a village of less than 400(the girls go to school there)... that’s why I’m so nervous about this move. I have checked the Chamber website 😁 it looks wonderful. I have driven through Lacombe ... it’s pretty there. Not a fan of the wind down south... thanks for the help in this! I’m just looking for a place to settle in and enjoy being closer to essentially everything lol. But, being near nature and giving my girls opportunities that just aren’t available here is what’s driving this.

[Wolftrapper]

Lived in Rocky for 8 yrs, both in and out of Town.
Loved it and to this day still miss it a lot.
We have a lot of friends there and visit often.
I hope to return one day full time.
Go for it!

[GraceandGrit]

Thanks Wolf 😊

[ESOXangler]

I have to second Lacombe. If i ever move back to central Alberta I’ll be either considering lacombe or Sylvan. Both nice communities.

[thumper]

In order to get an idea on the pulse of young people in different town, I take a drive and look at the amount and type of graffiti. Lots of graffiti along with senseless and vulgar scrawls makes me uneasy about the area. Dark and violent stuff is a very big red flag.

I know it's not near the mountains but we really liked Camrose when we were looking at a retirement place. Clean, great facilities and open places.

[GraceandGrit]

That’s great advice to check the graffiti! Thanks Thumper! I will look more closely at Lacombe ESOXander Does anyone know anything about the Pine Lake area? It was suggested in a private message... there’s no mountains... but there’s water... 😊😉

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by GraceandGrit

That’s great advice to check the graffiti! Thanks Thumper! I will look more closely at Lacombe ESOXander Does anyone know anything about the Pine Lake area? It was suggested in a private message... there’s no mountains... but there’s water... 😊😉

What you get a pine lake is a 30 min drive for groceries while living beside a swamp water lake.

I’d look more into Gull if that’s your angle. You can swim in gull and not have to rub in a topical antibiotic 3 days later...

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by GraceandGrit

My daughters and I are thinking of relocating to Rocky Mountain House, we want to move to a nice area, quiet, safe and that is community focused. Somewhere that is a great place to raise my girls.

I am just curious if there are any locals on this forum that could give me a little bit more than a 'snapshot' of what life is really like there?
Is it a good place to raise a family? Job security? Crime? Activities for teenagers? I suppose the Pros/Cons from your perspective.

I just don't want to be swallowed up by a city and want to make sure our next move is a good one for my family. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks! GraceandGrit

I would look into Medicine Hat.

[Timberj]

...would you be considering Spruce View?.... sent you a PM on the area..I am looking to retire and move out to BC....Timberj

[gitrdun]

If I may, I'd like to offer some suggestions as I am partial to the southern end of our province. Longview, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Nanton and High River of course. All have great access to the mountains. And I also like the Crownest Pass.

[Don_Parsons]

If I didn't have things set-up along the QE-2, I'd set up out there full time.

I'm sure doing my best at spending time some where out that way.

Great people, lots to do, and crown lands as far as the eyes can see, of coures I class the 1680 kms of Alberta's Eastern Slopes as my play ground.
Alberta / Montana Boarder to Chetwin BC to Mackenzie.
She one awesome mountain range.

After tecking the Rocky Mountain House area, I decided to do the 1 year Americas tour, that way I could cross reference what the Rocky area has compared to.

In the fall there are spots looking down from the Alpine along the long drawn out valleys of mist that remind me of the Virginia or the Kentucky Blue Ridge mountains.

Deep in the Grant Stone mountains reminds me of areas in Western Montana and Oregon and along the San Andreas fault through California.

Spring time shows signs of Western Colorado / Easter Utah.
Rocky Mountain House and West,,, all along the Eastern Slopes of Alberta let's say is God's country,,, it has every thing the other 37 USA States has and more.

We are lucky here, dam lucky indeed.

The mountains have worn me down over time, but this is good since they offer so much.
The 2018 winter year will start off with a trek to the top of a mountain to watch the sun come up and set.

I do this to say good by to my close out-door friends that have past-on. The top of a mountain is the closest I can reach to say fare well my friends.

I take my lunch and hot coffee up there and glass the valleys below.

It's all about mountain peaks for me.
I like the thick bush, but I enjoy the view.
Let's say the 50/50.
RMH has this if one knows where to go. 2 to 3 Hours puts you on the door step, it's just a hop, skip, and jump and it's wild lands.

Once I'm there it's hard to come back, so all my units have full time live in systems... Rocky and area is just as much home as where my home is.

Good luck finding what your after, life is grand if we "don't" Find what we're "not" looking for.

Don

[HeavyD111]

As mentioned Medicine Hat is a great place to live, I did it for a year and only left because I couldnt find a job. If you can find work its as good as it gets, but dont try it without employment..

Low crime rate (compared to Prince Albert its night and day), cheap property tax, big enough to offer amenities, has a college, and they put a lot of money into the city parks (without 10000 needles like PA) etc to make it easy to enjoy being outside. Hospital going through large expansion.

I envy your chance to move, with the right attitude it is a positive and will bring a different chapter to your life with one new experience after another.

[steyrman]

We live in the best keep secret in central Alberta, the little town of Legal (Lee-Gal) pop 1300, 3 km in from #2, 20 minutes into St.Albert, 30+ into Edmonton. less than a hour to the airport. Legal is a very safe, quiet and friendly community, 2 schools, arena, curling, parks, trout pond, Jeep dealer, well kept grocery store, liquor store, restaurants, car wash, fire department, post office and several other amenities. Real estate is reasonable, as are taxes, streets are kept very clean winter and summer, traffic is at a minimum, town is surrounded by farm land. Excellent water supply, town sewage, well lighted streets, garbage and recycle pick up, it's so quiet you can hear the crops grow.

[bearbuster]

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

If you want a clicky town with a high rate of teenage pregnancy then Rocky is the place. But the views are amazing!

Edit: I am being slightly sarcastic, most of my family still lives around the area and you’ll never be able to argue the locations beauty and the amenities. Lots of work and every few years the outdoors store goes under and you get fire sales.

Yes it does have a bad track record for sports stores. But the teen pregnancy thing well that's a parenting thing not a rocky thing. You can't drink a towns water and get pregnant. Beautiful town and of course it's not immune to the crime that is plaguing the entire province. Sure it has a transient population as well but some very good locals too. Take a drive check the schools. We find there is lots for kids to do. Sports available year round. Awesome town. I strayed here for work 22 years ago and never l ft

[Kev]

I have lived in Rocky just about 19 years now, and raised 3 kids here. No complaints, and no plans to leave.

[ESOXangler]

Originally Posted by bearbuster

Yes it does have a bad track record for sports stores. But the teen pregnancy thing well that's a parenting thing not a rocky thing. You can't drink a towns water and get pregnant. Beautiful town and of course it's not immune to the crime that is plaguing the entire province. Sure it has a transient population as well but some very good locals too. Take a drive check the schools. We find there is lots for kids to do. Sports available year round. Awesome town. I strayed here for work 22 years ago and never l ft

Ram River sports was a great store, great guy running too. A guy could have a beer in the back of the store from time to time just after closing. Too bad one of the employees had to go and fire up another store in town. Drove both under imo.

[GraceandGrit]

You guys/gals are awesome! I really do appreciate every suggestion and have been looking them up as we’ve been going along. I’m excited to set out with my girls and build our future... with people as helpful and gracious as you all from whichever town you’re affiliated, it’s taking a lot of my fear and uncertainty out. I’m truly grateful

[Don Andersen]

Curiously, no one touched on religious institutions. There are a number covering nearly all the mainstream plus Catholics with two practicing different programs, Dutch Reform offering two programs, plus other non mainstream groups.
There are even rumours of White Witches.

Lots of options,

Don

[BDAJ]

I can't say much about Rocky, but I concur with another post that said travel from GP to Pincher Creek...Now I wouldn't say you have to drive that far, but I can tell you that HWY 22 from HWY1 to HWY3 offers some cool little towns and a short drive to some amzaing country. Now I can't say much for the cost of living compared to Rocky, but depending on how small of town or how big town you're looking for, Bragg Creek, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview, and Pincher(hope you like wind) are neat little spots. But seeing as how employment seems like a must, I would take Longview out of the equation. The Crowsnest Pass is also quite nice(except the wind). Great recreational areas, good schools, and lovely scenery. May be a bit far for you to travel, and depending on how far your oldest is away at Uni, that may be an issue as well. Just my two cents, but I've lived in Lethbridge for 38 years, and having those little spots so close has made me feel quite fortunate. I'm going to miss it though, as my wife and I are also relocating next year. Good luck on your next chapter!

[dmac]

Ah the wind. I used to travel to Ft MacLeod/Lethbridge about once a month for my job. One day I got there and everyone had fallen over face first. I found out that happens whenever the wind dies down.

[bearbuster]

Originally Posted by ESOXangler

Ram River sports was a great store, great guy running too. A guy could have a beer in the back of the store from time to time just after closing. Too bad one of the employees had to go and fire up another store in town. Drove both under imo.

Yes really do miss that store. You could freely check out the used guns in the back, have a visit and they new what they were doing. It is to bad the second store opened. Wasn't real surprised it didn't make it.

[GraceandGrit]

Lol Don😆 I am Catholic through and through... although my ex husband might think I’m a witch.... I doubt a white one though lol... points to ponder 🤔 jk. I am a little bit of an admitted princess when it comes to Wind lol, for a day or two no sweat... for a lifestyle change.... no chance lol. I grew up in the Wind... that’s why I’m so short! It kept pushing me down! 😂😆😂 thank God I never fell on my face like the Mcleoders hahahaha

[NCC]

I've lived and worked in every corner of the province and ended up back near Rocky. There is less wind in Rocky than anywhere else I have been and it is one of the reasons I'm back here.

Our kids play fastball and there are about ten towns within an hour of us with teams, so that was a drawing point. They are also into both English and Western riding, and there is also lots of that around.

The economy around Rocky is picking up, so finding employment shouldn't be a problem.

As for crime and violence, I don't think RMH is any different than the other towns in Central AB.