Fort McMurray , the City

Gunfighter · #1 01-10-2014, 01:56 PM

Ok, I know there more then a few guys on here that live in the Fort. I lived there for about 5 years in the late eighties and early ninties. Any way I am entertaining the idea of a couple of jobs that may have me moving back, so my question is simple any areas not to buy in and why? Thanks in advance.

bison · #2 01-10-2014, 02:50 PM

My son comes in fort mac often as he is truckdriver for enviro group.
He tells me he don't even want to be found dead in that rat hole.

Dacotensis · #3 01-10-2014, 02:58 PM

Ft Mac.
Born in 72' got out in 74'. Been back a couple times.
That's all I have. Essentially nothing for you. Sorry.

I'd hate to be one of those condo owners out a place to live and a mortgage to boot.

elkhunter11 · #4 01-10-2014, 02:58 PM

Quote:

My son comes in fort mac often as he is truckdriver for enviro group.
He tells me he don't even want to be found dead in that rat hole.

The people that make comments like that, are usually commuters, or people that just travel here on business, in other words, the people that contribute nothing to the city, and that want nothing to do with the city, other than to make some fast cash. The people that live here full time, and that actually make an effort to become a part of the city, usually feel differently.

As to the OP's question, just like anywhere else, make sure that you don't buy anywhere on the flood plain, or you risk losing a great deal.

troutbug · #5 01-10-2014, 03:04 PM

I have stayed in town their....wayyyyyyyy to busy for me

1899b · #6 01-10-2014, 03:31 PM

1972 to 2006 for this kid. have been back a few times and can't believe how that city which has the industry that makes North America go round and round for the most part, still has nothing to speak of in regards to infrastructure. Its a shame. I miss the McMurray of the 80's and early 90's....

sdvc · #7 01-10-2014, 03:44 PM

You only reap what you sow. Lots of good folks here with big hearts! Where do you want to live?

bison · #8 01-10-2014, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

The people that make comments like that, are usually commuters, or people that just travel here on business, in other words, the people that contribute nothing to the city, and that want nothing to do with the city, other than to make some fast cash. The people that live here full time, and that actually make an effort to become a part of the city, usually feel differently.

As to the OP's question, just like anywhere else, make sure that you don't buy anywhere on the flood plain, or you risk losing a great deal.

He lives there off and on 1 -2 weeks at the time.
I don't think he packs his food or fuel for his semi.

jaylow? · #9 01-10-2014, 03:57 PM

personally i wouldnt buy any of the new high priced cookie cutter homes in the timberlea or eagle ridge areas. i would look in wood buffalo and the lower thickwood area. there is a new area opened up that is being built in behind timberlea called rainbow creek. its another cookie cutter home community.

wood buffalo is from 99-2000 and theyre not so cheaply built, the houses have a bit of seperation between them and they have front and back yards for the most part. the houses in lower thickwood are for the most part well built in usually nice established neighbourhoods. they have large yards and are all close to green belts and forest trails. some parts of eagle ridge and timberlea are like that as well but you're really going to pay for it and i cant see it being worth it. dickensfield is a nice area just between timberlea and thickwood across from wood buffalo.

keep away from the lower town site (down town, waterways , grayling terrace) you also couldnt pay me to live in gregoire its one of the worlds largest trailer parks . abasand on the new side is ok but the rest of it is a dump.

lived there for 24 years , know it pretty well.

catnthehat · #10 01-10-2014, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bison

My son comes in fort mac often as he is truckdriver for enviro group.
He tells me he don't even want to be found dead in that rat hole.

Good, tell him we don't need his attitude here then.
Pretty simple, if he hates it that much, just stay away, no one is forcing him to come here.

Cat

elkhunter11 · #11 01-10-2014, 04:06 PM

Quote:

He lives there off and on 1 -2 weeks at the time.

So he is just another commuter, the people that take what they can get from the city, and make no effort to become a part of our society, or to in any way enhance it.

Quote:

Good, tell him we don't need his attitude here then.
Pretty simple, if he hates it that much, just stay away, no one is forcing him to come here.

Exactly.

Gunfighter · #12 01-10-2014, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaylow?

personally i wouldnt buy any of the new high priced cookie cutter homes in the timberlea or eagle ridge areas. i would look in wood buffalo and the lower thickwood area. there is a new area opened up that is being built in behind timberlea called rainbow creek. its another cookie cutter home community.

wood buffalo is from 99-2000 and theyre not so cheaply built, the houses have a bit of seperation between them and they have front and back yards for the most part. the houses in lower thickwood are for the most part well built in usually nice established neighbourhoods. they have large yards and are all close to green belts and forest trails. some parts of eagle ridge and timberlea are like that as well but you're really going to pay for it and i cant see it being worth it. dickensfield is a nice area just between timberlea and thickwood across from wood buffalo.

keep away from the lower town site (down town, waterways , grayling terrace) you also couldnt pay me to live in gregoire its one of the worlds largest trailer parks . abasand on the new side is ok but the rest of it is a dump.

lived there for 24 years , know it pretty well.

Awesome thank you that the info I'm looking for we lived in Thickwood on wolverine dr.
That's kind of where my wife was looking again.

catnthehat · #13 01-10-2014, 04:09 PM

Thickwood has everything a fella need, there is no need to go downtown unless you need to go to canadain tire, heck, Outdoor Essesntials is even loacated up there!

There are some very nice areas in there.
I would not move into the newer part of timberlea, myself.
Cat

Gunfighter · #14 01-10-2014, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bison

My son comes in fort mac often as he is truckdriver for enviro group.
He tells me he don't even want to be found dead in that rat hole.

No help there , life any where is what you make it , I have lots of good friends and memories from my first time living there.

I know it's changed and had some quick massive growth, that why I asked for input from actual residents and the city

Thanks for the replies from those that LIVE there

jaylow? · #15 01-10-2014, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunfighter

Awesome thank you that the info I'm looking for we lived in Thickwood on wolverine dr.
That's kind of where my wife was looking again.

thats the street i grew up on !

Mistagin · #16 01-10-2014, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Good, tell him we don't need his attitude here then.
Pretty simple, if he hates it that much, just stay away, no one is forcing him to come here.

Cat

Ditto - times a lot!

Mistagin · #17 01-10-2014, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunfighter

Awesome thank you that the info I'm looking for we lived in Thickwood on wolverine dr.
That's kind of where my wife was looking again.

We used to live on Windsor Drive, kinda 'tight' in there though.
Now we're in Abasand (north part) on Alexander Crescent.

I would suggest looking in an area that will be good for work commuting.
We bought where we are because my wife works out at the airport and in living where we are means we don't have to deal with traffic backups on 63.

Having 10 lanes across the Athabasca now

is going to fix that problem for good

, and it has certainly helped, but as traffic continues to increase we're gonna need more!

hal53 · #18 01-10-2014, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bison

My son comes in fort mac often as he is truckdriver for enviro group.
He tells me he don't even want to be found dead in that rat hole.

have YOU ever been there?????

Gunfighter · #19 01-10-2014, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaylow?

thats the street i grew up on !

205 was the first house we ever owned

jaylow? · #20 01-10-2014, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunfighter

205 was the first house we ever owned

same area too then, we were in 166

1899b · #21 01-10-2014, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunfighter

Awesome thank you that the info I'm looking for we lived in Thickwood on wolverine dr.
That's kind of where my wife was looking again.

Spent many a night on Wolverine at Klippensteins house wrenching on our jet skis.....

jaylow? · #22 01-10-2014, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1899b

Spent many a night on Wolverine at Klippensteins house wrenching on our jet skis.....

he used to work on the old mans quad from time to time .

catnthehat · #23 01-10-2014, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunfighter

No help there , life any where is what you make it , I have lots of good friends and memories from my first time living there.

I know it's changed and had some quick massive growth, that why I asked for input from actual residents and the city

Thanks for the replies from those that LIVE there

The over passes are danged near finished now so commute times are shortened up quite a bit
Used to take me about an hour and a half to get to work if there was a wreck o. The bridge that time is now about 35 minutes
Cat

zicker · #24 01-10-2014, 07:04 PM

Fort Mcmurray has everything a family needs . People that complain get wants and needs mixed up.

bison · #25 01-11-2014, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hal53

have YOU ever been there?????

Nope, not planning to either. Son says F-mac is a dump and i believe him.
I get claustrophobia in any place where houses are within 2 miles of each other.

RavYak · #26 01-11-2014, 11:39 AM

I wouldn't buy a house in Fort Mac. Only way I would consider going back again is to a fly in fly out camp job.

elkhunter11 · #27 01-11-2014, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Nope, not planning to either. Son says F-mac is a dump and i believe him.
I get claustrophobia in any place where houses are within 2 miles of each other.

Please try to convince your son, to find work elsewhere. If he is convinced that Fort McMurray is such a dump,he shouldn't even bother coming here! And don't worry, we will get along just fine without him.

1899b · #28 01-11-2014, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Please try to convince your son, to find work elsewhere. If he is convinced that Fort McMurray is such a dump,he shouldn't even bother coming here! And don't worry, we will get along just fine without him.

Its far from a dump. I truly miss a lot of aspects of it. I feel I grew up there in its perfect time however. Very lucky to have spent the time there that I did. From leaving the front door walking down Father Mercredi St with a .308 on my back to cross the frozen Clearwater at 14, throwing a backpack on and rippin to the Christina River mouth on a stand up jet ski in the summers, to my Dad keeping his ski plane at the Snye in the winter, playing minor hockey at Townsite Arena, it had everything a kid could want back then. Awesome memories is what I have of McMurray. I left when the transient mentality took over and I'm fine with that decision. Its still not a dump however...

JSMPP · #29 01-11-2014, 12:52 PM

I moved up a few years ago. Looked at all the areas and liked Beacon Hill and thickwood the best. There's some nice houses downtown too, but chose thick wood in the end. Love fort mcmurray btw, whatever you put into the community will come back ten fold, great place to live

RavYak · #30 01-11-2014, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Please try to convince your son, to find work elsewhere. If he is convinced that Fort McMurray is such a dump,he shouldn't even bother coming here! And don't worry, we will get along just fine without him.

He probably goes for the same reason 90% of the people up there. Money... No offense to yourself and others that enjoy it up there but the reason pay is so great up there is because the majority of people don't want to live/work there.

I am sure there are some decent people and neighbourhoods that would make living in Fort Mac bearable but I wouldn't want to buy a place up there. Not so much because I would be totally opposed to living there but because everything is so overpriced and lots of the newer places are poorly constructed.

I just have trouble understanding why some people would want to live right in Fort Mac(the ones obviously moving there for the money) when they could live elsewhere and just fly in to work instead.