Southern Alberta is booming and High River is no exception, but growth hasn’t changed the fact that the country life is still close to home.

Outside of the town lies the MD of Foothills, where acreages, interspersed with new subdivisions, dot most the landscape.

All stages of development can be seen while driving south down Highway 2, which will take you right into the heart of High River.

From the highway you will get your first taste of country life as you pass by Ravencrest Village, a country residential development south of the Sheep River and only 10 kilometres from the Town of High River.

With 60 lots stretched out over 300 acres, each homeowner enjoys at least three acres of prairie real estate.

In 1970 developer Harvey Trimble, owner of Valiant Ranch Ltd, bought the property where Ravencrest now lies.

Construction on the development began in 2002 and lots are completely sold out, although some homes are still waiting to be constructed.

Trimble said the call of the wild brought many of Ravencrest’s residents home. “There is a little more space out here,” Trimble says. “There is more room to roam around.”

A pathway system winds through the entire development, giving residents a chance to catch a glimpse of some local wildlife and admire the native foliage.
“There are lots of deer everywhere and every once in a while a moose wanders through the valley,” Trimble says.

Those looking for a slower pace and the conveniences of an urban centre have settled in High River, where a number of developments are in various stages of construction.

Highwood Village, which includes a lake community, is in the final stages of construction. Final phases 13 and 14 are being prepared for construction by landowners Highwood Village Development Ltd.

Four hundred homes have already been built on the site on the town’s south easternmost side. Over one hundred more are slated for the undeveloped property that looks onto the town’s water park – a favourite spot for family’s during the summer.

A nearby Catholic School and an adult complex with 100 villas for the over 55 crowd have attracted a range of homeowners to the area, says the developer. “It is more home town feeling,” the developer says. “We get a lot of retirees and people who are in their 30s and 40s who want to return to the small town atmosphere.”

Lots in Highwood Village have been snapped up by the four builders working in the subdivision and are on the market. A plan to open up more lots is also in the works. Highwood Village is working with the town to annex two-quarter sections of land from the municipality, or over 300 acres to continue more phases of the popular development.

The municipal district has already approved an RV park and nine-hole golf course for the annexation site and the developer said another nine-holes will be planned out in the future.

Although the plan is still in the very early stages if approved, Allan said, home buyers can expect the same large lots sizes – from 50 feet wide and 120 feet plus long – at far cheaper prices than what can be found in Calgary and other bedroom communities.

For those in the market now, a newly approved development called Montrose could be the answer.

Around 1,250 residences will be springing next to the town’s historic Sheppard Park in the coming years. A 16-acre lake will provide opportunity for family recreation and a boutique-style commercial development will bring the conveniences of urban life to residents, as well as multi-family opportunities for those looking for cozier digs.

Some infill lots will also be available with lots ranging from 26-feet wide to 50-feet wide.

Michael Cowie, vice president of the Calgary region for Dundee Development, said Montrose will have broad appeal.

“We think there is a need for a good master plan subdivision with a variety of product,” Cowie says. “It will have rigorous architectural control with a lot of brick work, darker colors, steeper roof pitches and more emphasis on the entrance.”

Earthwork has begun at the site and the first show homes are expected to open by next summer.  NL

Rural Roots 
The Lure of the Small Town Lifestyle is Strong

High River is a town that has not forgotten its roots.

With a healthy dose of historic charm the town of almost 10,000 is growing, but the past has not been left behind.

High River was established in 1862 with the establishment of Fort Spitzee. The fort was known by some as an illegal whiskey trading post and by others as a home to “wolfers” who killed buffalo and poisoned the carcasses, which were subsequently eaten by wolves whose pelts were harvested and traded.

In the coming years farming and ranching would become the prominent occupation of area residents, fueled by the introduction of the railway in 1892.

Over 100 years later High River’s rural roots can still be seen throughout the town.

At the Highwood Museum newcomers can find out for themselves about the people that built the town. Recent exhibits have included mementos from the wedding of a prominent local couple and a tour of the town’s historic homes.

Historic buildings, including the town’s first post office built in 1882, are still in use in the town’s vibrant downtown. Many of High River’s shops, cafés and restaurants are currently undergoing a facelift that will preserve the town’s past while bringing a fresh new vibe to the bustling core.

Just off of downtown is George Lane Park, marked by the historic medicine tree, a double cottonwood joined in the middle by a branch. Barbecue pits and a campground provide a home away from home for residents.

At the nearby Sheppard Family Park historical buildings and the old-fashioned way on the farm can be explored.

High River’s spiritual roots are also alive and well with 15 churches throughout town, including the historic St. Benedict’s Anglican Church.

Raising children is not difficult in High River where there are two high schools and five elementary and junior high schools in the area, both in the public and Catholic school system.

A pool and an arena provide family recreation and an outlet for organized sports.

Curling, hockey, baseball, soccer, a skateboard park and a water park will keep children busy throughout the year.

Activities keep townspeople busy with rodeos, parades and fairs. The town is lit up every Christmas with the annual Santa Claus parade and the summer is full of events like the Little Britches and Guy Weadick Week and North American Chuckwagon Races.

For more information about the Town of High River visit http://www.highriver.ca  NL