There are many great reasons to love this town, it's not limited to this list of course, but it's worth a read if you’re looking for a great reason to live here!
Water - A common thing among southern Alberta towns is a water restriction during some months, High River has fewer of these (due in part, to the High River we have).
Great downtown - Might be a touch controversial, but I like the layout of downtown. Everything is easy to get to from one parking spot, and there are a lot of great businesses to visit (see #10). The controversial part is that after the 2013 floods, the town had downtown renovated to have a more walkable feel and fewer parking spots, this left a lot of people upset. There is still plenty of parking along 1st Street, you just may need to walk a touch longer, and the few stalls we do have left on the avenues are accessible enough for folks with mobility issues.
Affordable homes - Affordable being a spectrum of course, but when compared to surrounding areas, for all the amenities and home design diversity, it's a pretty darn great place to get a home!
Our hospital - Such a great hospital! You can find parking easily, its small enough to get around easily, and everyone there is so incredibly nice. Either for welcoming a newborn or providing care for already established families, the hospital here in town is amazing. It is where my daughter was born, I know I had the easy part of the whole birthing process, but the team there was absolutely amazing. Some of the beds you see on the 2nd and 3rd floor are a little more dated, but that is easily made up for by amazing staff and the attention to detail that they provide.
Small town vibe, big town amenities - High River is quite easy to traverse from one end to the other, whether you walk, bike, or drive. Being that easy to traverse, usually means that you lack amenities, however, in this case we have just about everything you need, groceries, convenience stores, cafes, food, and shops!
Quiet - so so quiet, I love it here. I can bike around and at times rarely see a car, and parking is always available if I need to drive, and being able to hang out outside without hearing much road noise is a massive plus.
Incredibly supportive community and town spirit - lots of towns support their small businesses, High River thrives around them! On our Rant and Rave Facebook pages, you will also see so much excitement for new businesses, and afterwards constant posts raving about them. Local businesses are not a passive thing however, you do need to support and nourish them (even if it is just sharing their post, or occasionally stopping in for a coffee).
Public events - there is always something to do! Whether you go to the library for one of their events, a local business for a craft day, or one of the many repeating events around town!
Accessibility and welcoming for everyone - When we moved here, we were almost immediately accepted into the community. Our neighbour was standing at the base of our driveway saying “Hi!” before we even got the first box into the door, and where else can you have a genuine conversation with the folks at the grocery store? Among that as well, we have some great Accessibility programs (such as Inclusion Foothills, who strive for accessibility for all).
Diversity in small business - Lots of towns have small businesses, so do most cities, however for density of selection, High River is hard to beat. We have tons of selection, from One Stop Shops, to Bookstores, bakeries, a shop to get pop culture stuff, cafes, candy shops, all within a few minute walk of each other.
If you still don’t see a great reason for you to live here, give me a call, and I will talk your ear off about some of the other great stuff this town can offer! And if I have convinced you to move here, drop me a line and I’d love to make that dream a reality!
