Future Growth in Airdrie
People are still buying homes in Airdrie.
This Alberta city, disguised as a small town, experienced a 30 per cent growth over the four year period 2009 to 2013 and analysts predict that with right conditions, it will see another 75 per cent population surge in the next 10 years or so.
Early indications were than Airdrie could grow to 90,000 people by 2040. However, new predictions suggest that target could be hit by 2027.
Airdrie city councilors don’t want to discourage growth, because new populations widen the tax base. But one of the city’s charms is its small town vibe and Airdrie’s key stakeholders would like to keep it that way. This desire to keep things small and friendly led to council’s development of a new sustainability plan late in 2014.
Even with the oil price-induced slowdown of 2015, in which one might suggest that growth could slow, historically the city has grown while the rest of Alberta lagged behind. In 2009 Airdrie grew by 12 per cent. So, go figure.
The incredible growth which followed in 2009 through 2013 meant the city had to annex more land, adding another 5,000 hectares from all sides with the exception of the south side. The land, coughed up from Rocky View County, was owned privately or by developers. This annexation created land inventory and room for another 150,000 residents. Much of this land will remained un-serviced until current development is nearing completion, and future growth can be fully analyzed. For example, the community of King’s Heights is a multi-phase development by Melcor. A further quarter section of land on the community’s eastern edge is up for development next, adding another 1,200 homes to the inventory of new offerings from Melcor. The new section is another neighbourhood for the city, called Lanark Lake.
New Communities
On the east side of Airdrie, Qualico is still developing Ravenswood, billed as a “walkable village”. And right in the middle of the city, council has approved a plan for Midtown, a multi-family development with 600 units.
Midtown is sketched out on the south west side of downtown Airdrie next to the established community of Luxstone. There are 90 acres on this section, a rare find in a smaller centre.
Homes will feature front-drive garages on detached homes, as well as semi-detached and townhomes. Midtown will have an urban vibe appropriate to a smaller city, with a terraced plaza, storm water pond with a bridge and sitting areas to encourage community interaction.
Growth on the West Side
Apart from these neighbourhoods, a lot of building has been happening on the west side of Airdrie at Cooper’s Crossing, Hillcrest and Windsong which is actually the fastest growing community in the entire city. A further 1,100 homes are scheduled for South Windsong.
There are many new communities that are still just drawings on paper. These include Chinook Gate from Brookfield Residential Developments with 900 housing units, South Point from Vesta Properties with 608 homes and Cobblestone by Melcor with a further 1,100.