Chestermere Real Estate and Lake Front Living

Chestermere has given our family a resort lifestyle while still having access to the City of Calgary just 5 miles away. We moved here with our children when they were just 6 months and 3 years old. We were not REALTORS® when we moved here but we kept telling people they should move here whether they wanted to hear it or not. Now we make our living by telling others about Chestermere. This website has been designed to help you decide if Chestermere is the right community for you and your family.

Chestermere Lake is a manmade irrigation lake. The area now known as Chestermere Lake at one time extended to Sheppard. Around the turn of the century the C.P.R. built a dam at the South end of the lake. Some of the rock used to build the dam came from the Frank Slide. The water that flows from Chestermere Lake runs through about 1400 miles of canal which run as far as Cluny. The Western Irrigation District operates the irrigation system. The lake is 3.5 miles long .5 miles wide and covers 750 acres. The Bow River feeds the lake with mountain, spring and glacier run-off. Chestermere Lake has a complete water change every five days. In comparison, Pine Lake in central Alberta has a complete water change once every 200 years. To prevent ice damage to docks and boat houses in the winter, the water is lowered. Chestermere Lake has never flooded as the water level is well-controlled by shutting off the weir from the Bow River in the event of a big storm.

Many people choose Chestermere Lake over other lake communities in the city because you can actually use a motorboat to waterski or wakeboard. There is also a very active sailing community that operates out of the Calgary Yacht Club located on East Chestermere Drive. Off-lake residents can launch their boats for free as often as they wish. Non-Chestermere residents are charged $40 per launch.

In the winter months residents enjoy taking their winter machines out on the lake. Most homes will have an outdoor skating rink that they share with their neighbours. Chestermere Lake is a favorite spot for ice-fishing with a natural abundance of northern pike, some trout (from the Bow River), white fish and perch.

Chestermere was incorporated as a town on March 1, 1993. Before this time Chestermere was known as Chestermere Lake. Because mere means lake in French the then council decided to drop the lake and be just Chestermere. Developers then began to call the town Lake Chestermere as they wanted people to know that the most important thing about Chestermere was the lake. The correct name remains Chestermere.

We moved to Chestermere in 1991. At that time Chestermere was a summer village of 926 residents. Nineteen years later we have a population of 17,000. Chestermere's attractions include a 750-acre lake and 18-hole golf course. There are bike and walking paths built throughout the community. The newer subdivisions such as Westmere, West Creek and Rainbow Falls all take advantage of the accessibility to water from the irrigation system. From 2-storey waterfalls, meandering creeks and ponds you will find Chestermere offers a unique beauty all of its own. We have great schools both separate and public, a very active recreation centre and just about every service you need right in the town.

Exciting new developments are happening in Chestermere. Kinniburgh is a new subdivision with lots available to build your dream home on with the builder of your choice, or a number of new homes are available with quick possessions. Although this is a new neighbourhood, the trees, sidewalks, playground and a pond are all in now!

Another attraction to Chestermere is that access to the City of Calgary's downtown and S.E.,N.E. industrial areas and the International Airport is easier and faster than from most parts of Calgary itself. Stoney trail is just 4 miles from Chestermere and has made connections quicker and easier, and as the South leg is completed connections will only improve.

A new commercial development between Calgary and Chestemere has been recently announced. A big box shopping centre the size of Deerfoot Meadows is coming by 2012. Also a 540,000 sq. ft. indoor sports complex is on the table with the final details on financing currently being worked out. CN has announced that they will be building a $100 million Canadian National Railway Logistics Park to open by 2013. It will be a 680 Acre railway park bringing lots of jobs to the Chestermere Area.

There is a good variety of housing available from apartment condos, townhouses and villas ranging from $250,000 and up. Lakefront homes can still be had for under $1,000,000. Most homes in Chestermere are under 6 years old. Please feel free to browse around this site, it has been provided to give you complete and easy access to the homes that Chestermere has to offer.

To view our photo gallery of Chestermere please click here.

To view live brochures of our active listings please click here.

To view our sold listings please click here.

If we have failed to provide you the specific information that you are looking for please let us know and we will see that it is added to the site. Don't hesitate to call and ask us about Chestermere. We are sold on Chestermere, we hope you will be too!

Warm regards,

Marjorie & Doug McKay & Family