Marjorie and Doug's Blog: February 2009

Chestermere Community Services is presenting two free seminares for parents in Chestermere, Langdon and area on bullying.

The first two hour workshop is structured to give parents the resources to support their children in dealing with the bully, what to do if you are a victim, or what to do if you are a bystander. 

The first seminar is on Thursday March 12 from 7 to 9pm at the Chestermere Public Library,  (in the lower level of the town of Chestermere building.

The second seminar is on cyberbullying.  This workshop will educate parents on the reality of modern technoloy and how it can be used by a bully.  This seminar will run on Thursday March 19 from 7 to 9pm at the Chestermere Public Library.

Preregistration is required.  Please call Lisa Eastwood at 207-7028.

Kids and Drugs.  Chestermere Community Services along with  AADAC and the RCMP have partnered to create a parent's guide to prevention called Kids & Drugs.  This will be a four series workshops commencing Wednesday, February 25th.

Kids and Drugs is intended to inform and advise parents and caregivers who want to learn more about their role in preventing their school age children from using or abusing alcohol and drugs.    The focus of the program is prevention, not intervention or treatment. 

The workshops are designed for families in which there is not a significant problem already.  The 4-two hour sessions are geared toward parents who are striving to acquire the skills and knowledge required to raise healthy children who will not experience problems with drugs or alcohol.   

The work shops will be held over four Wednesdays, starting February 25th, 7:00-9:00 pm at the Town of Chestermere Municipal Building.  Pre-registration is required, and there is NO cost to these workshops.  A commitment is required to attending all four workshops in the order presented. 

While it may appear to be a substantial time investment...our most valuable resource - our children...make it time worthy of investing! 

The workshop in the order that they will be presented are

1,  The Power of Parents  Feb 25

2. Talking With Your Kids  March 4

3 . Helping Your Children Make Good Decisions  March 11

4.  What Parents Need to Know About Drugs. March 18

For registration and information please contact Lisa Eastwood at 403-207-7028.

On February 25 wear a pink shirt to show that YOU WILL NOT TOLERATE BULLYING!  the S.E. Rockyview Youth Council better known as YELL  is organizing a day against bullying.  They are asking students and adults in the community to please wear pink to show that this is a community that does not condone bullying.  If you wear a uniform, a pink scarf or ribbon will show that you are supporting them.  So that is Wednesday the 25th of February.  WEAR A PINK SHIRT.

The students in YELL have also set up special events to celebrate WEAR PINK DAY. 

Next to nothing and nobody! If privacy is what you want and space is what you need, this is a great property for you. Located just 10 minutes from the city limits this home is on 12 acres with a lake view! The third level would make a great gym, playroom. sewing room or 4th bedroom up. Fully air-conditioned, with easy care finishes this home has 3200 sq. feet on the top 3 levels and the Nanny, Granny or home-based business can live in the 1400 sq. ft. walk-up basement. The Irrigation district has provided a lake and canal system for you to enjoy walking, fishing or bird-watching from. This home is in great condition with easy care finishes that await your personal touch to make it your own. This home is a must see for location and has the size to adapt to your needs whatever they may be!

Starting this fall parents will have the option of enrolling their Kindergarten and grade one students in a French Immersion program at Prarie Waters, the public school in Chestermere.  Previously parents wanting this eductional option had to send their children to Airdrie.  Currently 12 students make this trip daily.  This program will need at least 19 students registered in each class to proceed.  If there is success in these grades the program will be expanded to higher grades.  They will open the program up to Langdon and Indus as long as there is space.  Chestermere residents will have first priority. 

The town of Chestermere has compiled a list of available homes for rent. To receive a copy of the list or to have your property added to the list call  (403) 207-7060 and ask for the housing registry.  This service is free for both buyers and sellers.  Please remember to update the town if your rental unit is rented or you no longer wish to rent it. 

With the real estate market changing so that it is harder to sell a home more people are turning to renting at their new location, while they wait for their home to sell.   Also more sellers are renting their homes rather than take a loss on it in this market. 

There is space left for registrations in our upcoming Babysitter Course this Saturday, February 7th, 9:00am - 4:30pm.  This is a Red Cross certification for children 11 yrs. & over who want to earn their Babysitter's certificate.  The cost is $50 + GST (cheque or cash only).  To register or for more information call Sherri Standish  @ 207-7061 or come in to the Community Services office here in the Town of Chestermere bldg.

This program is offered through Community Services  w/Town of Chestermere

105 Marina Road

Chestermere, AB   T1X 1V7

(403) 207-7061

CHESTERMERE WINTERFEST

The Chestermere Winterfest is an annual community event celebrating the fun and flurry of winter activities.

This year's Winterfest will be held at Anniversary Park & the Chestermere Regional Recreational Centre.

Winterfest is full of fun activities for every one of all ages.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Pancake Breakfast: 7:30am - 9:30am - Recreation Centre

Ice Fishing Derby: 10:00am - 2:00pm - Pick up Registrations at Town Hall

Fishing Derby Awards: 3:00pm - Lounge - Recreation Centre

CRCA SOUTH FIELD - ARCTIC VILLAGE -

Hot Toddy Hut - Cozy fire pits and warm beverages

Polar Bear Dip - Call Town Hall @ 403-207-7050 for early registration

Dip Times - 12:00pm / 1:00pm / 2:00pm / 3:00pm

Olympic Torch Relay Maze - children have the opportunity to learn about the relay

and its history, as they find their way through the maze.

Snow Mountain - magic carpet slide (Weather permitting)

Hot Air Balloons - on display

Kids Fun Foam Blocks - try your luck at building an Inukshuk or Igloo

ANNIVERSARY PARK

Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides - Rides every 30 minutes sign up at the craft tent.

Family Gingerbread Display - Contest is open to all families. $5 per entry, pick up

Children's Craft Area - Snowflakes are the craft of the Day!

Smokin Joes Concession

Fit Pit Area

Skating on the Lake

BONFIRE at 4:00pm

FROST FREE ZONE -

Wii-Winter Sports

Top Shot Hockey

Caricature Artist

Food & Beverage Concession

Children Entertainment - Gustavo the Impossibilist

Bumper the Clown - Balloon Artist

Artisan Market

Ice Garden Rest Area

gingerbread kits at Town Hall prior to Feb.14th. Bring finished gingerbread kits to

Craft Tent located in Anniversary Park on Feb.14th no later than 11:00am.

1st, 2nd 3rd prizes will be awarded.

As goes the market in Calgary, so does it go in Chestermere.  That means it is a buyers market right here in Chestermere!

The Calgary market had 550 sales in single family homes in January, although this was  up from 449 sales in December it was nothing to boast about as this was down from 1,083 in January 2008.

In Chestermere we had 5 MLS listings that were sold in January.  In January 2008 we had 14 sales.  An additional 6 listings were pending at the end of the month.  These pending sales give us optimism that the market will return to a more normal pace for February. 

In the meantime motivated sellers have been competing to make their homes the next to sell. 

First time homebuyers have a choice of 19 homes (not condos) priced  between $289,000 and $379,900.  If a condo would meet your needs better there are 14 to select from priced from $228,000 to $358,000.

There are 45 single family homes between $400,000 and $500,000.

If you are looking between $500,000 and $600,000 you will find 29 beautiful homes to choose from.

From $600,000 to $700,000 there are 10 homes.

Once you get over the $700k mark you can look at older homes on the South end of the lake.  You are also looking at newer homes backing onto water on the ponds in the community.  For this price range you are looking at fully developed walkout basements.

In the $800,000-$1,600,000  range there is a wide variety of lakefront homes available. 

As you can see Chestermere has something to offer just about every price range.  It is a great community to start in with many options to choose from when it is time to move up.  All of this built up around a 750 acre lake that you can water-ski, fish, swim, sail  and enjoy year around.  Visit our website to have a pleasant surprise at the wide range of options that Chestermere Lake has to offer.

89.4 %   of lakefront homeowners have signed up to purchase the land between their property and the shore of the lake (as of 02/02/09).  The town had a condition that purchase was to proceed if 80% signed up. 

With this issue resolved Chestermere will  be one of the few places where lakefront properties can actually own the land right to the shore. 

Having this issue resolved will bring stability to the lakefront market, as it will take away the uncertainty over what was to happen with that strip of land that was being used by lakefront property owners.