Live a More Connected Life in Chestermere

Just 25-minutes due east of the City of Calgary lies Chestermere, offering so much life and so many possibilities that it can’t be called a bedroom community.  You can’t contain that much living in just one room.

Still growing and now a “city” in its own right, Chestermere is a vibrant, family-oriented community centred around a lake and connected pathways.  The lake was created a century ago when the Calgary District Irrigation Canal System was dug out of the prairie to bring water from the Bow River to area farmers and ranchers.  Small cottages appeared around the lake but once the value of the community was discovered the little community grew.  And grew.  Now there are luxury water-front residences around the lake and have become very desirable real estate properties.

The commute into downtown Calgary can be done efficiently by car, communally by private bus service or physically by bike using the 28-km long pathway.  If folks were allowed on the irrigation canals, you could take a canoe or kayak if you were so inclined.  But, Chestermere’s not quite there yet.

Unlike many of Calgary’s lake communities where motorized water craft aren’t allowed, Chestermere offers residents the opportunity sail or boating and water skiing.  It offers a more genuine cottage-life experience.

There are plenty of parks in Chestermere including a special bike park for BMXers which many believe is the finest in Western Canada.  Residents love the 27 km of trail ways that connect all areas of the city and that one special bike path that will take you from Chestermere all the way to the Calgary Zoo.

The small town feel and special connectedness isn’t lost on those who visit.  Once a summer resort with tiny often ramshackle cabins, Chestermere Lake has blossomed into a city of nearly 20,000 residents and in the last 10 years has really exploded with a growth rate of 300%.

It’s not just about recreation.  The municipality is also trying to foster a health business community with new commercial and light industrial opportunities.  The city has created a brisk Economic Development Strategy to help bring new business to Chestermere and along with it, employment for residents.  It’s an aggressive plan that outlines what needs to happen between now and 2035 to help make Chestermere more economically viable and sustainable.

The Environment

Bringing business in Chestermere is important but the environment is also a top priority for the municipality.  The city is now Western Canada’s first Bee City, an excellent initiative considering the fields of yellow canola surrounding the community during the summer months.  This local initiative strives to create and protect ecosystems in which bees will flourish.  This is in response to the world-wide panic response to disappearing bee numbers which will have devastating consequences for global food production if nothing is done.  As a Bee City, the municipality will ensure that local parks and environment reserves feature flowering plants and trees with two specific programs recently launched – Chestermere in Bloom and a Birth Forest.

Amenities

Utility services, churches, a library and recreation centres – these are all part of a vibrant community and Chestermere has ensured that city amenities and services have kept up with the explosive growth the town has seen.  New communities feature multi-family developments and luxury lake-front homes making the city affordable for anyone who chooses to make the community home.  Safety is the hallmark of Chestermere’s connected atmosphere.  Safety for residents on city streets but also for families.  That includes safety walking to school, to the rink and to the park. 

Being connected to the community means residents look out for each other and know their neighbours and the children that live in the area.  The directive from city hall is all about community celebrations and regular festivals are organized as part of the city’s philosophy of connectedness.  

So, while Chestermere is deemed to be a city, dictated by population, it really is a small town where people are a priority and the lifestyle harkens back to the days when kids came in when the streetlights came on and a trip to the library involved a stroll down the street.

It’s truly a place to call home.