Canmore Property Blog - News From The Market

The Canmore market is one that requires an expert to navigate.  I'm happy to say that I have an amazing amount of experience in the local area and I'd love the opportunity to prove that to you.  My Property Blog goes over local news and reports with a focus on what makes Canmore didn't from other areas.

Canmore Property Blog - Wednesday July 28th/2010 - See More, Do More, Enjoy More…In Canmore

Banff and Jasper National Park, not to mention Lake Louise, seem to get all the marquee press for wilderness playgrounds in the province of Alberta. But then there’s Canmore. Roughly ten minutes from the slopes of Banff and 45 minutes west of burgeoning Calgary, this not-so-sleepy-if-you-look-closer community is growing.

Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Canmore is blessed with scenic vistas in all seasons. In winter the snow peaks beckon and skiers turn their thoughts to finding fresh snow pack and making first tracks. In the summer, mountain bikers want to guide their wheeled steeds across hill, valley and fallen logs. In fall, photographers aim their lenses at tree tops of burnt orange, fiery reds and golds. These two legged visitors are not alone. Bear, deer, cougar, wolf and elk, to name a few, call this wilderness territory home.

Canmore was in the spotlight in 1988 when it hosted the Canadian cross-country ski team for the Calgary Olympic Games. The Canmore Nordic Centre still serves as a training centre and is open for visitors. Restaurants have blossomed offering everything from Asian fare to mainland dishes with a Canadian twist. For those who prefer their outside activities to be a bit more structured, there are manicured golf courses with eye popping views. Don’t be surprised if you have to share the course with munching deer or the occasional grizzly who decides to take a short cut across the greens.

Canmore Property Blog - Wednesday July 7th/2010 - Canadian Mountain Bike Championships Come To Canmore

Canmore, Alberta will host the Canadian Mountain Bike Championships from July 15th to the 18th. Bike central will be the Canmore Nordic Centre. The opening day event is a Clash For Cash run on the new Soft Yogurt Trail that runs through the Nordic Centre The event is open everyone who shows up with a bike and a helmet. Cash prizes for top finishers are offered. Day two, on Friday, the Share The Road ride will take place, aimed at promoting bike safety. Both of these events invite community involvement and help to promote fitness.

The elite racing begins on Saturday the 17th with the women’s race in the morning, followed by the men’s in the afternoon. Competitors in the women’s field are expected to include Catherine Pendrel, who just won in Offenburg, Germany, giving her the number one ranking in the World Cup standings. Marie-Helene Premont, silver medallist at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 is also competing. Geog Kabush, who won the 2009 World Cup and has held the Canadian championship title ten times, will compete in the men’s elite race. He has been a familiar face in Canmore.

Budding racers aged five to twelve will get their chance to compete in the Little Ziggy Race on Saturday at noon. Participants need not be members of a cycling club. Other events planned for the weekend are a mountain bike jumping demonstration by Jay Hoots, booths selling biking and racing equipment and a beer tent selling much appreciated brew.

Canmore Property Blog - Thursday June 24th/2010 - Canmore’s Illusions Gymnastic Club Scores Wins in Kelowna

The Illusions Gymnastics Club, based in Canmore, did quite well at Kelowna’s Ogopogo Invitational competition. Over 550 athletes, including the 16 from the Club were in town the weekend of June 4th to 6th. Kelowna’s team brought home 38 medals.

Top medal earner was Brodie Lefaivre who earned golds in each of her events, four in total and a P1 open division championship. Abby Houck won gold on the bars and beams and two other silvers in addition to an all around P1 Tyro division title. Other winners included Gretta Pelletier, one gold, two bronze and an all round P1 C division title, and Erika Lepper and Mia Lani who contributed to the taking of three P1 Argo titles.

In the P2 division, Taylor Lowenberg took a gold and two silvers and Georgia Dupuis earned a silver and two bronze. The competition, a year end excursion so that team members can get experience competing outside of Alberta, was considered a rewarding success. Some of the girls competing in the P1 division were doing so for the very first time.

Canmore Property Blog - Wednesday June 9th/2010 - Grizzly Bear Getting Crowded Out Of Alberta

Alberta is known for being a province with wide open spaces and plenty of room to wander and roam. That’s true enough, unless you are a grizzly bear. Not only do you have to contend with the annual bear hunt, still a legal venture, but you have to navigate around new towns venturing into what was your long time hunting territory. There are freeways to get across, trains to be avoided and people to outrun.

As it stands now, the grizzly has a 99 percent chance of loosing 30 percent of its population within the next 36 years. This means that almost one third of the already shrinking gene pool for these animals will be gone. At present, there are estimated to be 760 grizzly bears in Alberta.

Environmental groups want the grizzly put on the threatened species list, upgrading its level of concern from the current “may be at risk” list it currently occupies. This would mean a permanent hunting ban. There are also recommendations that wilderness areas be preserved and that reducing the amount of roads constructed will also help the grizzly population to stabilize.

It worked in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Why not here?

Canmore Property Blog - Wednesday June 2nd/2010 - Recreational Home Sales Up Across Canada, Including Alberta’s Canmore Area

As consumer confidence returns the sales of recreational properties across Canada is on the rise. Almost 79 percent of recreational locations across the nation have seen an increase in sales with 43 percent of those reporting a nominal increase in prices. This information comes from the 2010 ReMax Recreational Property Report.

In Alberta, Canmore was showing a healthy 130 percent increase comparing the first quarter of 2010 with the same time period in 2009. This year 90 properties were sold, compared to the 39 that changed hands last year. The average price did decrease by about 17 percent, going from $684,000 to roughly $583,000, perhaps helping to make them more attractive.

The lower interest rates, still out there but slowly creeping up, are helping. Canmore was falling behind Edmonton and Calgary in their real estate market recovery but the resort area appears to be on the move. Entry level condos, particularly one bedroom units appear to be the most popular flavour of the moment.

Sylvan Lake has not been so fortunate. Their homes are considerably more expensive with a waterfront three bedroom unit setting you back an average of $1.2 million. Only a few of the non-waterfront units, averaging $500,000 each, have been sold. There are more people out looking, but not many are willing to sign on that dotted line for these higher end units, not yet anyway.

Canmore Property Blog - Friday May 7th/2010 - Canmore Eagles Discover Hot Prospects at Spring Training Camp

With the beginning of their spring training, the Canmore Eagles began looking at recruits to fill a number of open spots on the hockey team. Nearly 160 teens aged 16 to 17 attended the training camp the weekend of April 30 at the Canmore Recreation Centre. A few of these young men will be fortunate to make the team.

General manager and head coach Andrew Milne said he was glad to see not only the quantity but also the quality of high-end talent at the camp. He said he is proud of how the Eagles have been able to recruit some of the top hockey player recruits in the country. He cited last year’s recruitment of Sam Brittain, who has become a star goalie.

Milne said that given the quality of the players who came for the camp, he feels good about the Eagles’ future. When asked about evaluating the talent of last weekend’s prospects, Milne said that he did not want to lose focus on the strong foundation the team has already built. He said he wants to continue the fast, highly physical group of players that are currently on board.

Saying that he wants skilled, formidable competitors, Milne noted that he wants his men to have a reputation for being a tough team to beat. He credited Jason Rycroft, his leading scout, as well as Rycroft’s staff, for finding the talent that showed up at this year’s camp.

Milne advised that the Eagles do not issue a blank invitation for potential players to attend camp, saying that potential team members receive personal invitations. There is a high ratio between those invited and those who attend.

Ultimately, a group of six to ten young men received offers to sign with the team. The players who sign with the Eagles will receive invitations to come to the team’s main camp later this fall. Milne said that during the fall camp, he hopes that most of the signees will begin playing this season, but a few may be eligible to get on the ice in about two years.

Canmore Property Blog - Saturday May 1st/2010 - Shona Rubens Ready for New Adventures

At the height of her athletic career, 23-year-old Shona Rubens has decided it is time for her to leave skiing. She finished 12th at Whistler Creekside 2010 in the super-combined, her career Olympic best. She is also a GMC Canadian champion six times over, has won the super-G and downhill competitions in 2007 and won three successive national slalom titles.

In St. Moritz, she finished 10th in the super combined, her best standing, after 63 starts in the World Cup.

With her skill and a career ahead of her, many are wondering why Rubens is quitting now.

Born in Australia, Rubens grew up in Calgary and currently lives in Canmore. She previously quit skiing once for a single year after grade 12, but is adamant this time her leaving is final. She admits she loves skiing but points out that in order to be a medal winner,athletes need to put their lives on hold in order to focus on the sport.

Rubens says she is proud of what she has accomplished, has made friends and learned lessons, and that competing at home in the 2010 Olympics can’t be surpassed. But, after sacrificing her other interests for five years, Rubens says she is no longer willing to devote her life to skiing and is ready for new experiences.

She may pursue Earth Sciences at UBC or adventure-tourism in Kamloops, but first up is her year-long driving trip with her boyfriend, finishing in Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world.

Canmore Property Blog - Friday April 23rd/2010 - Bow Valley Olympians Gather At Whyte Museum To Thank and Be Thanked

It was a gathering of champions. Last week local Olympic athletes met at the Whyte Museum to share stories of their experiences and to thank the city of Canmore for their support. They too, were being honoured for their achievements in a venue that is the ultimate goal of aspiring athletes. An exhibit, called the Olympians of the Bow Valley, is on display until May 3rd.

There were eleven athletes participating in the event. The most seasoned was Ken Read who was on the alpine team for both the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics and the 1980 Lake Placid Games. The freshest face in the crowd was Rosanna Crawford, a biathlete that made her debut on home turf in Vancouver this past February.

Tales were told of childhood dreams and how the people and the natural beauty of Canmore inspired and encouraged those athletes to pursue those dreams. One cross-country ski athlete, Devon Kershaw, moved to Canmore from Sudbury, Ontario so he could train. He joked that the mountains he saw each morning out of his bedroom window were much more inspiring than the nickel mine smoke stack of his home town. Devon thanked the town for accepting and encouraging him.

One other comment, intended perhaps as a joke, was that Canmore should consider bidding for the 2022 Olympic Games. It was hinted that Banff was going to bid, so why not? Time will tell if this off the cuff comment remains just that, or if it provides the seed of inspiration for a genuine Olympic bid.

Canmore Property Blog - Thursday April 15th/2010 - Lorne Elliot Brings Humour to the Miners’ Union Hall April 20th

Newfoundland native Lorne Elliot has been entertaining crowds for roughly 30 years in one way or another. He started out in St. John as a guitar player at a place called Cookstown Road and would sing his tunes and caress the guitar strings in the corner of the bar while patrons chatted and drank.

What Lorne discovered was that the bar patrons paid more attention to him when a string broke on his guitar and he started to crack jokes while fixing the equipment malfunction. The light bulb was lit and he started to write jokes, changing from a guitar playing background vocalist to a centre stage comedian.

Lorne spent time on CBC radio and on TV but he prefers entertaining a live audience. Standing in front of a crowd that can actually talk back brings a higher level of energy to his performance and more personal satisfaction. No matter if the crowd is in Montreal or Lethbridge, Lorne always manages to connect.

Like most writers, sometimes Lorne isn’t happy with the material that he manages to come up with and is surprised when something he though was not so great goes over well with a crowd. Sometimes he ventures into the minefield of political humour.

Lorne Elliot will be appearing at the Miners’ Union Hall on April 20th at 8pm (Tuesday). Advance tickets are $25.00 and available at Second Story Books. Tickets are available at the door at $30.00 each. If you would like more information the number is 403 609 2368.

Canmore Property Blog - Wednesday April 7th/2010 - Pushing poetry into the twenty-first century

Bob Holman, poet and teacher at Columbia University, pushes poetry’s envelope. He readily admits he can’t express what is essential about poetry, but he stands behind its crucial role in literature and humanity.

An active and sometimes controversial member of the poetry scene, Holman has written books, recorded albums, made documentaries and organized live performances. He has also founded the NYC Poetry Calendar, Bowery Poetry Club, Mouth Almighty/Mercury Records, a label for spoken-word artists, and co-founded the Poetry Slam. Even after being criticized for making poetry “crass” and “commercial,” Holman pushed forward, refusing to let poetry become stagnant.

Recognizing the need for poetry to move forward with technology in order to stay alive, Holman is next participating in Banff to the World – Live to the Web on April 14. Part of Calgary’s International Spoken Word Festival, the set will see participating performers creating improv videopoems. Both the Bowery Poetry Club in New York and the University of Calgary will have viewing ports set up for viewers to watch the poets.

The festival runs until April 18 in Banff and Canmore before moving to Calgary from April 20 to 30. Over 100 artists are slated to take part in the festival, celebrating April as National Poetry Month.

For more information, visit www.calgaryspokenwordfestival.com.

Canmore Property Blog - Tuesday March 30th/2010 - Mother Nature Takes Centre Stage in Canmore

Seeing the Canadian Rockies from the air can be a mind blowing experience. Never mind the awe struck wonder found at 30,000 feet. Getting up close and personal in a helicopter at a much lower elevation can just blow your mental socks off. You suddenly feel very tiny, especially when you realize that dusting of baby powder that started rolling down one section of mountain is in reality a huge avalanche.

This majestic beauty is just a quick helicopter ride from the Calgary International Airport. Alpine Helicopters offers aerial tours to the Mt. Assiniboine Glacier and the Three Sisters in Canmore, Alberta. Nestled in the Bow Valley east of Banff National Park, this town of 13,000 is a popular vacation escape for Calgarians. Visitors from skyscraper taxed locals come here to ski, bike, hike, fish, swim or just ogle the scenery and the wildlife who pop up where and when you don’t expect them.

The residents of Canmore have a live and let live relationship with their wilder residents. There are several environmental groups looking after the large areas of green space that has been set aside for the critters. There is also a bear hot line for residents to call and report bears snacking on things they shouldn’t be, particularly near the railroad lines. Train versus bear never has a pretty outcome.

People who settle in Canmore tend to stay. Because the city is surrounded by parks, real estate is at a premium. Once the allotted land has been built upon, that will be it. Some development projects such as Spring Creek, which combines art studios with living quarters as part of its housing inventory, boast housing prices beginning at $400,000 on up to $1.2 million. Needless to say, the area is drawing interest from those who want comfort in the shadow of Mother Nature’s splendour.

Canmore Property Blog - Wednesday March 24th/2010 - Secondary Suite Issue Causing Rift in Canmore

The recent workshops held in Canmore concerning the possible allowance of secondary suites in single family home districts have spurred some heated debates over the issue. The four meetings, chaired by Gary Buxton, Canmore’s planning and development manager were attended by the mayor and council.

The acceptance of the idea was mixed at best. The first meeting, held at the Canmore Collegiate High School, was largely against the secondary suite proposal. An informal vote was held and all but one party voted against the idea. No votes were held at the remaining workshops.

One of the most vocal voices was that of John Kende, a former town councillor. He is the one that insisted on the informal vote. He is dead set against the issue, citing the fact that the city cannot keep tabs on illegal suites so they would not manage to enforce the bylaws on the proposed legal secondary suites. Kende also cited traffic issues and the fact that people in his neighbourhood paid to live in a single family district and they should be allowed to do just that. He also cited possible decreases in property values for those who elected not to build secondary suites. Homes thus equipped tend to bring higher market prices.

The proposal does put a cap on the number of secondary suites allowed in a district, currently listed at ten percent. This would make traffic issues negligible. Other restrictions, such as owners living in homes with secondary suites and providing off street parking would address other concerns.

The secondary suites are an effort to create affordable housing in Canmore, but Kende, among others, does not feel they will make much of a difference. Neither side in the debate appears willing to listen to opposing views. Time will tell if the proposal makes it into law. The proposal has to go to council for the three readings and there will be at least one more public meeting. The issue isn’t expected to be brought up before council until sometime in May of this year.
 

Canmore Property Blog - Friday March 12th/2010 - Starters for Olympic 50K Event Getting Hate Mail, What Gives?

Brian McKeever was slated to be one of the starters for the 50 kilometre race at the 2010 Olympics this past Sunday.  He made the Olympic Team by winning a 50k qualifying race in Canmore in December. The press made much of the fact that McKeever would make history by being the first person to start in both a Winter Olympics and in the Winter Paralympics.

Then the coaching staff named four other athletes, considered to have a better chance to medal, to start.  Ivan Babikov, George Grey and Devon Kershaw of Canmore and Quebec resident Alex Harvery raced instead.  Neither medaled, but Kershaw finished 5th, only 1.5 seconds off the lead.

Now the four starters are dealing with a ton of hate mail for something that was not their decision.  Brian McKeever and the rest of the team are most upset. Brian is still slated to start in the Paralympic Games and the hope is the stress of the situation won’t interfere with his racing.

No one really knows what triggered the hate mail.  Perhaps it is the assumption that if one is picked for an Olympic Team that person is guaranteed a start.  That is not the case.  The coaches pick the athletes they feel have the best chance of winning. What was done was a normal occurrence.  The difference was all the pre-Olympic hype the press gave to McKeever because of the potential of a history making event.

Chastising the starters for something that was not of their doing, and worse, berating them because they did not win a medal, is not at all fair.  Perhaps the press did overdo the pre-game hype a little.  Perhaps the coaches could have explained about the starter selection process a little better.  But still, sending hate mail to athletes who have qualified to compete in an elite athletic event, who have followed the direction of their coach and who have done their best, is unthinkable.

Canmore Property Blog - Thursday March 4th/2010 - Sara Renner Makes Final Olympic Run in No Holds Barred Style

Sara Renner from Canmore, Alberta made her final Olympic run on Saturday.  Her daughter Aria and husband Thomas Grandi, himself a former Olympic alpine skier, were waiting for her.  The 33 year old ignored the wash of rain and the leaden skies and just raced her way to the finish, for the last time.  She finished 16th, but was happy with the way she gave it her all and the reception she was given by her country.

The last few days of training were an emotional roller coaster.  Every time Renner did something for the last time, the nostalgic thought would hit her. In many ways the emotion was harder to deal with than the expected excitement and stress before the actual race. But weather it she did.

She did miss Beckie Scott, a former Olympic team mate that made an unscheduled trip to a hospital in Vancouver.  Expecting her second child, Scott thought she was going into labour on Friday, so she missed Renner’s run and the chance to provide commentary for CTV.  But as they say, Mother Nature has her own schedule.

The two women leave in their wake a greater love and understanding of the sport of cross-country skiing. Canada has Alpine skiing talent.  Look out 2014.

Canmore Property Blog - Friday February 26th/2010 - The Market Is Changing In The Canmore Area

There was a time not so long ago when taking listings for a period over 90 days was somewhat frowned upon in Canmore.  If you weren't able to sell the property within 90 days, why would someone list with you?  Those days are slowly fading into memory, as most are beginning to understand that the market isn't as hot as it was in 2007.  With the effects of the recession still lingering, the market is slowly coming out of it's shell. 

In January of 2009 most agents were wondering if there was anything they could do to sell homes in the local area.  With not much moving, many even gave up working as a realtor altogether.  There was 33 sales in the first 40 days of the current calendar year, which is an improvement from both 08 and 09.  A big shift has happened in where the buyers are coming from.  With less people coming from other countries to buy in the Canmore area, we've seen more activity from local residents looking to get into the market while the prices are lower then they have been in a while.

66% of all properties sold in Canmore last year occured under the $650,000 price mark.  This is a point where locals are feeling comfortable with this level of investment.  Most people in the Canmore area slowly upgrade as they go along in life, and many families are taking advantage of the current market to upgrade into single family residences.  The number of sales in the area is down from it's peak in 2005-2007, however it's important to note that the provincial economy was in it's heyday during that period.  Will it return to those levels?  Maybe someday, time will tell.

Canmore Property Blog - Friday February 19th/2010 - Where Exactly Did They Hide That Ski Grinding Machine?

Who knew that skiing could be so complicated?  Or that a certain type of snow required a certain type of grind on the bottom of the skis to make them go their fastest?  Olympic skiers do.  Canada has ski wax technicians that use technologically advanced equipment, notably an aluminium stone grinder weighing in at 250 kilograms, which can give each pair of skis the correct bottom surface needed for any type of skiing condition. And they are keeping that machine and their knowledge secretly squirreled away under lock and key.

The night before each race, technicians go out and test the snow conditions and check the weather forecast. That information goes to the tech centre, where it will be used to decide which skis and/or which type of grind on those skis will give the athletes the best chance at a winning run. Whistler’s cross country course is considered to be fairly easy and it is expected quite a few skiers will finish in a group.  The perfect grind can even take all that “togetherness” into account and give the ultimate winner an edge.

Technology is not the only thing that keeps athletes at the top of their game.  Family can also be important. The endless hours of practice and the travelling to different events can sometimes mean separation from loved ones for long periods of time.  If there are kids involved, those time spans can seem longer still.

Olympic skier Sara Renner is one that usually has to spend time away from her husband and three year old daughter Aria.  Not so this Olympics.  Though Sara must stay with the members of her ski team in Black Tusk village, her husband and daughter are staying in another Whistler location and are just a phone call or a quick ski away.  Aria, the three year old, is already a charmer and perfectly at home on her own pair of skis, which she has yet to fully grow into. Once in a while she manages to get into the spotlight when she decides to crash one of the press conferences looking for mom.  Smiles anyone?

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