Airdrie (Alberta)

Airdrie is a city in Calgary Region with a population of about 41,000. Located less than 10 minutes from Calgary's northern city limits, the city is sometimes considered a bedroom community, but has developed its own atmosphere, and distinctive business and arts community. That said, due to its proximity to Calgary, it enjoys many of the same services and transportation options the larger city has. Get in Airdrie straddles Alberta Highway 2 (aka the Queen Elizabeth II Highway), which links to nearby Calgary to the south, and to the north provides direct access to Red Deer, Edmonton and many other major centres. Although Airdrie has its own local airstrip, this is used primarily by private aircraft owners and businesses; the Calgary International Airport provides air access from around the world. Airdrie has the benefit of being closer to the main terminal than many Calgary communities. Greyhound operates a regular bus service between Calgary and Edmonton, and there is a stop in Airdrie (although if you plan to travel to Airdrie from Calgary, the ICE bus service is probably a better option; see Get Around). Get around Airdrie is divided roughly in half by Highway 2 but the roadways between the two halves are generally not overly congested. The city has a local bus service, and recently introduced ICE, a bus service connecting the city with Calgary and its transit system. However, those staying in Airdrie who wish to explore Calgary are probably just as well to rent a vehicle. As a "bedroom community" many Airdronians work in Calgary, so expect rush-hour congestion along Highway 2 (also known as Deerfoot Trail in Calgary), which tends to go into gridlock mode if an accident happens, and is also occasionally prone to closure in severe winter weather. Alternate routes to Airdrie using back roads and secondary highways exist, and are themselves quite popular with locals, but obviously require knowledge of the lay of the land. See Do Artember is an annual showcase of local artists, hosted by numerous venues in September. Buy Downtown Airdrie has a number of unique shops, both along Main Street (including the refurbished Tower Lane shopping centre, and Edmonton Trail to the east. Among the notable shops on Edmonton Trail is the Where On Earth Did You Get That? antique mall. Sierra Springs in south Airdrie features a number of big-box retailers including Wal-Mart. CrossIron Mills, a major enclosed shopping centre featuring Alberta's only Bass Pro Shops, a movie theatre, and major retailers like Laura, Indigo Books, Winners, Pro Hockey Life and Bed, Bath and Beyond, is located five minutes south of Airdrie in the hamlet of Balzac. Eat Drink Sleep Contact Get out Routes through Airdrie Edmonton ← Red Deer ←  N  S  → Calgary → Fort Macleod This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!