What does this mean for you? Call me directly 403.921.SOLD

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CALGARY – New investment in Alberta housing construction ballooned in April compared with a year ago.

According to Statistics Canada data, investment totalled $698.9 million in the province during that month, up significantly from $431.8 million in April 2009.

In the single home sector, investment jumped from $304.7 million a year ago to $588.8 million this year.

According to Statistics Canada, total investment in housing construction across the country was almost $3.3 billion in April which was up from $2.7 billion a year ago.

In the single home category, total investment on a year-over-year basis increased from $1.4 billion to $2.2 billion in April.

Recently, housing experts said the pace of residential construction in the Calgary region would start to slow down in the second half of this year with higher mortgage rates, tighter lending rules and more resale homes on the market putting a damper on housing starts.

That trend was evident in May as housing starts dropped from April but were still up from year-ago levels.

Total housing starts reached 862 units in May, up 79.6 per cent from 480 units in the previous year. However, there were 909 housing starts in April.

Enjoy!

- Corinne Waston, Chestermere Lake Realtor

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The final school bell of the year has rung and our neighborhoods and living rooms are once again filled with children. If left entirely to their own devices, many children would simply spend their time this summer watching daytime TV or movies or playing video games. What can we as dads do this summer to make our children’s summer vacation a more productive and positive experience?

Keep Reading Alive. Child educators know how hard it can be to start school again in the fall when children have just vegetated all summer. By taking a positive approach to a summer reading program, you can help their minds stay active all summer. In our family, we have a tradition of giving our children a book to read on the last day of school. This year, we have purchased a few classics like Twelfth Night and Moby Dick, but all book genres are welcome. Most public libraries offer a summer reading program where kids can check out books, read them and qualify for some rewards during the summer. Find your local library and make a call or visit the library’s website for more summer reading program information.

Invite FRED into your home. FRED is a reading program-Fathers Reading Every Day. It encourages dads to read for 15 minutes each day to their children. Find a fun and entertaining book that is appropriate to your children’s ages and go for it. For suggested age-appropriate books, check out the Children’s Literature Web Guide.

Consider Day Camps. During the summer, there are lots of organizations that offer summer day camps. These may be one day, or every day for a week or two, or a few days during the summer. SummerDayCamps.com offers a free listing of day camps in your area.

Summer is Recreation Time. Your local community probably offers inexpensive summer recreation programs. You might consider swimming lessons or a sport with which your child is not yet familiar. Tennis, racquetball, lacrosse and other sports are often on the menu. Some youth centers will offer guitar lessons, softball and baseball leagues and more. You can find a link to your local government’s website and learn more.

Consider daylong field trips. Some of our most memorable experiences as a family have been when we have taken field trips to museums, historical sites, aquariums and the like. We have learned a lot in visiting a local planetarium, children’s museum, zoo or other resource. It can be great fun and a great learning experience at the same time.

How about giving back? Many families find that volunteering is a great summer activity. You may be surprised to know that there are many opportunities for adults and children to volunteer together in your own community. Volunteer Match is a great website that lists community volunteering opportunities in your community; you can search by zip code and interest to find things you can do to give of yourselves this summer.

Take an Education Vacation. While it is fun to camp and fish, or to head to a famous amusement park, another fun alternative is to take a trip that involves learning. For example, a number of years ago our family took a vacation from our home in the Intermountain West to the Mississippi River area and then followed the Mormon Trail back home. We visited Hannibal, Missouri and had the Mark Twain experience and visited historical sites all along the Mormon Trail. We still have great memories from that experience. If you are visiting a city this summer, check out the local museums and other sites of interest. You may be surprised at finding out the depth and breadth of the community you are visiting.

Summer vacation is an opportunity for a break from the regimented world of the school year. But it doesn’t have to be a time for just relaxing. By balancing the need for a little down time with a focus on a productive summer, families can make the most of this great time of year.

About.com

Its a time to enjoy the feeling of the lake and cast some cheer onto our water. All are welcome and encouraged to enter their boats (and various other water craft) in this unique community celebration and let your personalities shine through with combinations of decorations, costumes, and music.  This is an exciting event for all ages and a great chance to meet new people, including neighbors and friends.  The parade of well decorated boats is dear to the hearts of many Chestermere residents, and viewed by lots of visitors at Anniversary Park

By registering your boat, you will be automatically entered into a draw for a wonderful Island Hop Water Tube courtesy of Tru North.  Prizes are also awarded for the best decorated boats. The three boats with the most votes from our on-shore judges will receive one of three trophies and a gift from Hyperactive Watersports. Winners will be presented awards at John Peake Park following the parade.

There is no entrance fee for participating in this event. If you wish to join in, please register on-line. By doing so, you will instantly win a free gift bag, loaded with cool stuff from some of our local sponsors. For more information and registration please visit our boat parade registration page.

Below is the summer line up.

Summer 2010

Camp Chestermere is now accepting registrations for over night & day camp summer programs.  You are welcome to register online, print off a form and fax, email, or mail the form to the camp office.

Below are listed the available spaces for each week;

Overnight

Day Camp

Registration

http://www.campchestermere.com/images/stories/2009_camper_registration_forms.pdf

• Summer Over Night
• Summer Day Camp
• CLTD Program
• Online Registration

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CHESTERMERE – Two long-time Chestermere High School figures will be the guests of honour at a May 29 fundraiser.

Although, in this case, the term “honour” may be used loosely.

Brian Utley and Rob Wilson have agreed to be roasted during a banquet that aims to put together funds for the CHS athletics and fine arts departments. And those doing the roasting ought to be very familiar with the duo, both of whom have been integral parts of the school for years.

Utley, of course, has been the athletic director at CHS for the last 29 years, and coached basketball for 31. His name is synonymous with the school’s athletics and rightly so. Most recently, he guided the girls’ basketball team to their first 4A provincial appearance. His teams hold claim to 12 Rocky View League Basketball titles, and five high school provincial championships.

Beyond his on-court activities, he also founded the Alberta Shooting Stars program, which had its 2010 showcase in March, and coordinated fundraising efforts for the CHS gym and football field scoreboards, the weight room, as well as numerous Laker basketball camps.

Meanwhile, Wilson has also been a part of the CHS athletic scene since 1982. Like Utley, his list of accolades is a lengthy one, and his contributions to the school immeasurable. He has coached football, basketball, and golf for the Lakers, and currently coaches the latter pair of those clubs. His hardwood teams claimed 10 divisional rings, nine zone titles, and four provincial chips.

Wilson got the ball rolling on the Chestermere Alumni basketball tournament, and continued to support students even after their graduation and helped them through the college ranks. He was also recently named the CTV Coach of the Week.

The opportunity for some light-hearted ribbing will begin at 5:30 on Saturday the 29^th, in the north gymnasium at the high school. A cash bar will be available, and all attendees must be over the age of 18 to participate. CHS’ drumline is also scheduled to perform.

Tickets are $35, and can be purchased at the school’s office. For more information, call (403) 272-8868.

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Corinne Watson.com

Blunder #1: Not planning.
Before rushing out to the garden centre, take the time to plan out your garden. This will prevent a flawed “hodgepodge” design, as well as the tendency to buy more plants than you have space for. Note: if you’re new to gardening, it’s usually better to start small.

Blunder #2: Not investing in good quality tools.
Buy the best quality tools you can afford. Cheap tools that bend or break will not only dampen your enthusiasm, but having to continually replace tools can cost you more in the long run.

Blunder #3: Overlooking poor soil conditions.
Before planting, prepare your soil. Plants generally do better in “loamy” soil that is rich in organic material and doesn’t drain too quickly. Compost enriches the soil, improves drainage and helps to fight off pests and diseases.

Other tips:

- Once you’ve planted your garden, try to avoid walking on the soil. Every step compacts the soil, making it difficult for plants to grow roots. Instead create footpaths between rows.

- Avoid working the soil when it’s wet – or you’ll end up with clumps of hard-packed soil once it dries.

- Don’t overwork the soil. The best soil isn’t fine or powdery but consists of particles of varying sizes and shapes.

Blunder #4: Planting in the wrong spot.
Take note of how much sun and shade you have in your garden at different times of the day – and be sure to buy plants that are right for those conditions.

Blunder #5: Overcrowding shrubs and trees.
Remember that new shrubs and trees are immature when you buy them. Make sure to find out how much space they need to grow healthfully.

Blunder #6: Not planting in groups.
Avoid a “spotty” garden design by arranging like plants in groups. Most experts advise planting in odd-numbered groupings of three or more for the most impact.

Blunder #7: Purchasing poor quality plants.
Because many new gardeners don’t have the experience to recognize poor quality in plants, it’s important to buy from a reputable garden centre with knowledgeable staff to help you.

Tip: Native plants tend to be easier to grow, have fewer pest and disease problems and require less watering.

Blunder #8: Planting Too Deep
The rule of thumb for container grown plants: put the plant into the soil at the level it grew in the pot.

Blunder #9: Over or under watering
The amount of water your plants needs is dependent on the weather. Experts say a weekly rainfall of about 2.5 cm (one inch) is ideal. If it is less than that, you’ll need to water. To measure rainfall, place a rain gauge in the garden. Other tips:

- Avoid frequent shallow waterings. This encourages roots to remain near the surface instead of reaching deep into the soil for moisture. Plants with deep roots can survive better in periods of drought.

- The best times to water your plants are early in the morning and early in the evening.

Blunder #10: Not keeping up with the weeding
While weeding is not the most popular of garden activities, it’s important to get rid of the weeds to keep your plants healthy. Spreading some sort of mulch, such as wood chips, will help to reduce weed growth. Mulch also helps to maintain soil moisture and stabilize soil temperature.

source: yahoo.com, youtube.com

Corinne Watson
Chestermere Lake Realtor

Grab a spiral notebook and a pencil. Take a few minutes and mentally survey each room. In your notebook, jot down the problem areas in the room, putting one problem on a page. You’ll need the rest of the space on that same page for the following steps. The items on the paper should be parts of the room that really bug you, or that your family finds impossible to keep neat.

For example:

Shoes in piles next to your front door; the table in the entryway piled with mail; the magazine rack overflowing with books, magazines, and pamphlets; the coats, hats, and mittens etc piled in a heap next to the entryway closet. Carefully (but quickly) analyze each room in the house in this way, making a list of the areas that need improvement.

Here are rooms or parts of your home not to forget about:

October 7, 2009, Chestermere, Ab -. Construction plans are forging ahead on Chestermere’s new multi-million dollar air-supported Sportsplex. The Town of Chestermere began negotiations with the Armourdome Sportsplex group earlier this year in an attempt to bring the one of a kind indoor sports complex, the Armourdome, to town. We are very excited and happy to say that those negotiations have been successful, says Mayor Patricia Matthews.

It’s been a long term plan to create a multi-complex sports facility in Chestermere. The need and desire for a facility of this size have always been there, Matthews said.

“The importance of regular physical activity and exercise to maintain physical and mental health cannot be emphasised enough. Playing sport promotes a feeling of well being in yourself and teaches you how to work as a team. The new sportsplex will serve the growing population of Chestermere and help make the town and region a great place to live, work and raise a family.” says Matthews.

The Chestermere Sportsplex is a new 540,000 square foot facility that will feature a CFL regulation football field, a FIFA regulation soccer pitch as well as four regular soccer pitches, four baseball diamonds, batting cages, a seventeen tee golf driving range, putting green, His N’ Hers training rooms, restaurant, conference facility, meeting rooms, and 120,000 sq feet of retail outlets. All of this will be contained under one enormous air supported structure.

Read More

Where is the sportsplex going to be located?

The proposed location is North of the TransCanada and west of Highway 791 (the High School Road) in an area that is outlined as light industrial but is currently farm fields.

What is this going to cost me as a taxpayer?

This project will not cost the taxpayer of Chestermere anything or put any of us at any risk. This is a privately run, commercial facility and so it will be managed, operated and maintained by the Sportsplex management company. The Town entered into a profit sharing agreement with this company in exchange for a lease on the land. Council sees this as a win-win situation for our residents as well as the surrounding communities.

What will happen to the Recreation Centre we have now?

Council believes this facility will compliment our existing recreational offerings. The Recreation Centre is operated by the CRCA and they are doing a great job providing us with quality sports programs and community programs. They will continue to do so but have the advantage of a commercial facility located close by if required.

Will there be a hotel coming too?

There have been some interest from hoteliers who are investigating the viability of opening in our community. They will have to go through the same process that any commercial enterprise would in our Town and conform to our Municipal Development Plan with it’s architecture requirements. The Town will not be dealing with these commercial inquires but rather the developer of the land in the area will take on that responsibility.

What about the small Town feel?

The Town will not be dropping it’s standards when it comes to maintaining that small town feel. Architectural and design controls are still in place to maintain our character and recreation is an integral part of any small town.

Thanks to Chestermere.ca & Armourdome.ca

I know from my own experience in the real estate business that my clients value:

- Honesty

- Integrity

- Experience

- Ethics

- Previous Success

- Open Communication

Here is an independent article I found from Lendingmax.com. Do you agree?

Corinne Watson
403.921.SOLD
cwatson@cirrealty.ca

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So you’ve decided to sell your home and want to use the services of a real estate company. How do you choose a realtor?

Here are some tips that should help you make the process a little easier.

Talk to friends, acquaintances and business associates about who they would recommend. This will generally give you one of the best indications to a good realtor. Watch that their suggestions are not just relatives in the business. It still pays to check out all of their recommendations.

Check your local papers for Realtors who are heavily into advertising. You want a Realtor who is going to promote your property. Heavy advertising is also a good sign of a successful realtor.

Look for a realtor who specializes in your area and within your submarket, i.e., if you own a condominium unit, look for a Realtor that is well versed in condominium sales. In smaller communities, this may not always work so choose someone who specializes primarily in residential property. There is no sense in choosing a realtor specializing in commercial property if you want to sell your house.

I’m sure that I’m going to get email on this one but, if you can, choose a full time realtor and not someone who sells real estate as a part time job. The bottom line for you is to sell your home and since your paying about $7,000.00 on a $100,000.00 house sale, you bet you want their full attention to the job. In some rural areas and smaller communities, you won’t find a full time Realtor and in this situation, there’s not much you can do.