Guest hringrose Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Hi, Well, I have quite a bit of planning to do in the next 2 1/2 months! I am hoping some of you can share some tips on housing near the medical school. I am hoping to be near the main campus and the med school (perhaps between them or even in residence) so I can use the pool more often. Can anyone recommend some street names? Also, what is a reasonable monthly rate (ex. $400 or $800/ month)? Thanks, hringrose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bananacreampie Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Hey hringrose, I'll give you a quick rundown on what I know. I probably wouldn't go with main campus residence just because it is not really any cheaper than off-campus and it is probably further than what you could get. If you want to be half-way between main campus (the POOL) and the med building I would suggest University Heights. It is a little tiny area right between the two campuses. It has a lot of places for rent, including Boardwalk, a management company that owns Patrician village and another apartment building. I think two bedroom generally go for about $800, not too bad if you get a roommate. Definitely one of the most convenient. (they have a website where you can check out all of their properties ( http://www.bwalk.com ). There are also lots of private apartments/basement suites available in the area. For a one-bedroom I have seen around $575, but you would have to really check out what is included for utilities. I know right now around the university there is actually quite a bit for rent, so looking early could be a good thing. The roads in there include Unwin drive, Uxbridge drive, etc...(May be worth a drive around depending where you're from, some private places just stick up signs, although you can also check the Calgary herald classifieds or http://www.calgaryhomes4rent.ca On the south side of the hospital there is the area of parkdale, which has basement suites and mainfloors usually for rent. This however takes you further from main campus. As well, there is lots of places usually for rent all around the main campus, but it just depends how far you are willing to walk or if you can get on a bus route. Two of the main bus routes that go to the med school are the #20 (Northmount/Heritage) or the #91 (Northill/Foothills). If you go to http://www.calgarytransit.com you can always look for places that are convenient to these bus routes. The c-train does not go to the hospital, only to the main campus. If you have any other questions, just let me know, cheers and happy house hunting, bcp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SUUNSHINE Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 For all you incoming students in the class of 2007, I'm one of the soon to be 2nd years at U of C and I'm looking for a roommate for my 2 bedroom basement suite, located in St. Andrews Heights, only a 5 min walk to foothills hospital. It's huge and extremely bright with very large windows. Rent will be $450. Anyone interested, send me a message and I'll give you the info so you can come and see it! Congratulations on your acceptances!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spicy Aam Posted May 23, 2004 Report Share Posted May 23, 2004 Hi guys, I'm trying to figure out a living arrangement for this upcoming, exciting year. A lot of the housing I've seen has room for more than one person. I was hoping to find one or more med students to share accomodations with. What are my chances of waiting until orientation to see if any fellow students have room for a roomate? Thanks!!! Spicy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marbledust Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 It's up to you, but I don't think I would wait until orientation to find a roommate/place to live. The neighbourhoods around the med school and hospital are popular not only with medical students, but with students from the main campus, as well as with students from SAIT. Things fill up quickly, and I don't know how much luck you will have in finding a decent and affordable place after the end of July as many people rent for August 1. Of course others may tell you they had no trouble finding a place that late - which may be true - but I wouldn't risk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Huffer Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Hey there Spicy, I'm going to have to disagree with marbledust - I wasn't prepared to move into a place without seeing it so I drove out here from Ontario, found a place late July, and met my flatmate the second day of O-week. The more I spoke to people, the more I found out there were lots of people still looking for a place. We're right downtown and have a sweet place. It's only 5km from foothills hospital and right by the bike paths/C-train so it's probably easier to get there those ways than to drive (parking at the hospital is horrible). All in all, I'd say if you find something that sounds good early on, go for it, BUT if you aren't sure and feel like you would prefer to wait you won't be hung out to dry by doing so. Also, if anybody out there wants more info about living downtown instead of right by the hospital, hit me up and I can fill you in. Both my roomie and I are are at the hospital and main campus gym most days and despite what others may tell you, it's not an inconvenience at all not living right there. Cheers, Huff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bananacreampie Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Hey, That is my big dilemma at the moment; live close to the hospital or get a little nicer place further away. It is hard, because I know how poor the parking situation is. It is too bad the c-train doesn't go right through the hospital. Huffer, do many people from your class take the bus? Is everybody pretty spread out? I wonder if you get kind of isolated from everybody if you live a little further away? cheers, bcp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spicy Aam Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Hi BCP, It sounds as though I've got the same dilemna as you. Living in Calgary, away from the foothills/university campus, seems to have the main disadvantage of traffic unpredictability. Thanks for your advice Marbledust and Huffer. Seeing that I already have a place to live in Calgary, I may just hold back before making a move closer to campus. But it is still fun looking around for your "first place". What is a typical day in the life of a first year medical student like? Do most people stay on campus to study? I typically didn't study on campus in undergrad, but now I'm wondering if it may be different, especially if I do decide to move closer to school. Thanks for all your insight!! Spicy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Huffer Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 bananacreampie, yes, there's a pretty big crew of people on public transit, at least 10-15 I'd say...and I think that earlier comment about the c-train was a bit misleading... although the c-train doesn't go right to the hospital, if you get off one stop before main campus, there is a shuttle bus that takes you to the front doors of the med school and I've never had to wait longer than 5 min for that, it's usually right there when you get off the train. All said, it takes about 25 min to get there from downtown (20 min on a bike). As for being isolated...you don't have to worry about that at all, there are seveal people in the class who live quite far away (including one well-known moderator of this forum, not me) and are VERY involved socially. As for downtown, there's 18 of us that I can think of off the cuff right now. Regarding the distrubtion, by far, most people live close to the hospital and there are some mornings that 8:30 classes would make the shorter commute nice, but when the weekend rolls around, there is always somebody from that neighbourhood asking to crash on my couch - I should start charging rent...if you want to stay over, you have to make my roomie and I waffles in the morning! If any of you are thinking about looking into places downtown, hit me up and I can give you some direction. Any other questions as well - we're glad to help. Cheers, Huffs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bananacreampie Posted May 26, 2004 Report Share Posted May 26, 2004 Thanks for the additional tips Huffer. Do you mean the shuttle bus from Lions Park Station? I didn't know it was that regular! I used to be on a route where you had to transfer and the buses never matched up so you would wait 20 min every time. I just want to avoid that if at all possible. Do you guys know if many students live in the Riverside towers down in Point McKay? thanks, bcp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spicy Aam Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Hi, I am wondering if anyone knows or has first-hand experience with renting or purchasing a condo in Foothills Village. Does anyone know when they were condominiumized (changed from rental property to permanent sale)? How is the general lifestyle there? Any disadvantages/advantages of living there? I would appreciate any help/advice. Thanks!! Spicy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 Hi there Spicy, Given your interest in Calgary housing, are you considering declining your UBC offer in favour of that from Calgary, then? :rolleyes Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marbledust Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 We used to live in Foothills Village until about 2 years ago. The reason we moved out was we heard they were becoming condos, which they did sometime after we moved. It was okay as a rental property, but we had no interest in buying there. The location is great, you can't beat it in terms of convience for the med school or hospital. BUT - the units are old, and even with the renovations, the price was very steep for what I think is just an average condo. We have since found something cheaper and much nicer to buy in the Varsity area, which is still close, but not too close, to the hospital. Believe me, some distance is a nice thing:) I guess I would say they are nothing special and are overpriced due to a desirable location. But renting was okay - its relatively quiet, the two level units are spacious, and of all the places I have rented, they were the best about fixing things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bruciebaby45 Posted May 27, 2004 Report Share Posted May 27, 2004 I have to agree that a little distance is a good thing. I live in Rosscarrock (behind Westbrock Mall, the large Walmart on Bow Trail). It is about a 15 min bike or 20 min bus, which is worth it for your own house with a yard, and even an hedge, for about the same you would pay closer to the hospital. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spicy Aam Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Hi Kirsteen, Congrats on receiving a UofC acceptance and the upper-half waitlist spot in UBC as an OOP applicant! That's a really great position to be in! In regards to your question, I am still considering all of my present offers, and waiting to hear from a few more. It really is a hard decision - more options just makes the decision that much harder. As Ian Wong mentioned in a post regarding medical school ranking/preference, it is really a subjective matter and requires a thorough analysis of several factors important to each individual person. So that's where I am right now. How is the decision process going for you? I understand that you are still waiting to hear from some schools out east. Do you have a so-called "dream school"? Would you be wishing to embark in the joint MD/PhD if given the opportunity to do so? Life is full of so many choices!! Go Flames Go, Spicy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snazzy8 Posted May 30, 2004 Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 If you find a place in kensington there is a shuttle that goes directly to the hospital from the Safeway and everything else is within walking distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sn0w0wl Posted May 30, 2004 Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 Where is the Kensington area? Am I correct in assuming it's near the river around Kensington Rd? My map calls it West Hillhurst/Hillhurst. What's it like living across the river from the hospital in the Wildwood/Rosscarrock/Shaganappi (what a cool name!) area? I'd like to be able to walk or bike to school, but my experiences in Saskatoon in winter have told me that crossing bridges exposed to the wind can be a very very nasty experience. Would the bridge carrying Crowchild Trail be the only crossing option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marbledust Posted May 30, 2004 Report Share Posted May 30, 2004 The Shagnappi etc. area is quite a nice neighbourhood. It's about a 10 minute car ride or 20 minute bus ride to the hospital. The rents are cheaper than the areas adjacent to the hospital, there is shopping (including a Walmart and Safeway) right close by, it has the charm of an older neighbourhood with parks and lots of green spaces. I think it would be a good choice to rent in. I personally would prefer to live there than right next to the hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest arar Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 Hi all I'm finding all of this information very useful, and was wondering a couple of things: 1) Are there any areas that we should "stay away from" either downtown or elsewhere... I know that in many (most) cities, there are areas of town that may not be quite as safe for someone to be taking the bus/transit or walking a little later at night. 2) From your experience, do students tend to stay quite late at school (ie. is #1 really an issue??). I have a car that I can use later, I just don't really want to park at school... 3) I'm likely looking at buying a condo rather than renting - does anyone have any recommendations in terms of what areas I could start looking?? Finally, I notice that the transit routes reach into the far outskirts of the city... how long does it take to get from "one end to the other"- 10's of minutes or more on the order of an hour? Thanks so much for all of your help! arar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bruciebaby45 Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 SnoeOwl, There is a bike/walking bridge underneth the main Crowchild bridge as well as a bridge in Edworthy park. I live in Roskcarock and for me it is quicker to take the Edworthy bridge, it tends to take about 15 minutes from door to door. From Shaganappi the Crowchild bridge would be faster and it may take closer to 20 minutes. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sn0w0wl Posted May 31, 2004 Report Share Posted May 31, 2004 Thanks for the info about the neighbourhoods across the river--sounds like they might suit me well (next to the hospital seems too expensive for a single--haven't yet decided on a roommate thing). When I'm in town I'll have to check the bike routes out. sn0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heidio Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Hi all, I've already posted this a couple of times in various other threads, but I'd figure I'd bring it up again. I have recently found a 2 bedroom condo that is perfect location for the hospital. It's a 5 minute bus ride or a 15 minute walk up the big hill. It's right along the river (with it's awesome bike trails!), with a fabulous view of the river and Edworthy park (that has firepits, etc). The condo is also attached to Riverside fitness club, that has a gym, indoor tennis, and raquetball courts, pool, hot tub, sports bar, cafe, indoor golf. It's really awesome. Anyways, to make a long story short, I would really like to find another med student to room with. Please let me know if you are interested by sending me a message and I'll send you more info. Thanks, Heidi:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heidio Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Hey everyone, As per my last post about the condo above...I thought that I would also mention...for any of you out-of-towners that won't want to bring furniture, I can furnish your bedroom for you if you wish (as well as the rest of the place). Thanks Heidi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UofCMeds2005 Posted June 5, 2004 Report Share Posted June 5, 2004 Posting for a friend...she is looking for a roomate to share her beautiful hard wood/fireplace/decks/basically gorgeous house. One minute walk to the hosp.... Message me and I will get you in touch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted June 6, 2004 Report Share Posted June 6, 2004 Hi there, I've begun to have a look at condos to rent in Calgary. Wow, the rates are so much cheaper compared to Toronto--love that! Since I'm a bit of a city girl, I'm beginning the search in the downtown area and since I didn't manage to jaunt around the city too much during the interview weekend, I was hoping that someone can give me some tips re: some neat neighbourhoods to look for condos. Are there some areas downtown that have some neighbourhood-y amenities, i.e., coffee shops, grocery stores, akin to that of Granville St. in Vancouver? I keep hearing about "trendy" 17th Avenue, but have no idea what it's like. Some websites talk about its clubs while others talk about its bistros. That seems like a wee bit of a dichotomy! :rolleyes Also, when I interviewed I stayed in the Eau Claire area. That was a little isolated for my liking--on the weekend it seemed fairly deserted aside from the market by the river. Hopefully you guys in the know can provide some good tips! Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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