When McPherson and other pioneers settled the area in the 1890s, Airdrie was little more than an outpost, but with the advent of the Calgary-Edmonton Railway towards the new century, things started to pick up. Now in the first decade of the 21st millennium, Airdrie remains on the growth track — and picking up speed.

“Things were very different when I first came out here with my family even just 14 years ago,” Airdrie Mayor Linda Bruce says. “We’ve seen so much growth in that time and it’s not about to slow down.”

Location has certainly played a big role in the grassland prairie town’s growth, and its proximity to Calgary — just 10 minutes to the south — has certainly augured well for the city and continues to do so. But its appeal seems to go deeper than that.

“I had a friend move to town from Ontario and she was quite uncertain what kind of life she’ll have in such a small town in southern Alberta, but she was amazed by the friendliness of the community and she did love it here. When it came time for her to go back to her home province after several years here, she tells me of how much she misses everything we have here and the life they had here,” Bruce relates. “I think it’s the sense of being a tight-knit community as much as anything else that makes us what we are.”

New home price points are also a little more competitive than in Calgary. “It’s slightly less expensive in Airdrie, you get more house here compared to what you can get for the same amount in Calgary,” says Remax Rockyview’s Laurel Black.

She says a new three-bedroom, double-car attached garage home can be bought here on average for about $350,000, while the average price for new condo units is around $275,000. “Sales have picked up considerably in the second half of the year and 2010 looks to be really busy,” she adds.

Airdrie was first established as a railway village in 1889 during the construction of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway, and the fledgling town was named for Airdrie, Scotland.  It is situated on the Queen Elizabeth II Highway (Alberta’s busiest), which connects Calgary and Edmonton, thus making it a small transportation hub. The Calgary International Airport is also just a short distance away.

Airdrie’s recent annexation of land to the south, coupled with recent expansion of Calgary’s city limits in July 2007, have placed the two cities’ boundaries within only a few kilometres of each other. More growth is planned that would certainly double the size of the city over the next 50 years.

“That expansion plan is still a long way off, but we are working well with the M.D. of Rockyview and have established a co-operative relationship with them to see that it does push through,” Bruce adds.

Jeff Greene, Director of Planning for the City of Airdrie, says a strong downtown, attractive streetscapes, as well as higher density housing, are already a vital part of Envision Airdrie — the city’s long range plan for growth.

“We’re now focusing on minimum density 5.5 to nine units or dwellings per acre,” he says. “We’re also developing our midtown area and opening the way for mid-rise buildings, granny suites, market square, and designing mixed areas that include industrial, commercial, recreational, and residential.”

There are several new neighbourhoods sprouting up along the city’s perimeter, including Ravenswood and King’s Heights in the southeast, Reunion and Williamstown in the northwest and Windsong at its southwestern edge.

One of the most exciting is Reunion by Hopewell Developments, which boasts a central location close to everything Airdrie has to offer. Expansion of Veterans Boulevard is well underway and will definitely be a big plus to its residents. “All the roadwork we have today in Airdrie is just a passing inconvenience and will certainly be a big advantage to the community once they’re done,” says Bruce.

There are several multi-family offerings as well among the latest are the Breeze by Genesis, Synergy by Reid Built and the Courtyards of King’s Heights by Beattie Homes.

Also new is Williamstown by Vesta Group of Companies, which is the first community of its type to truly embrace Nose Creek as a major feature, establishing approximately 45 acres — about 28 per cent of the 160-acre development — as environmental reserve surrounding the creek and its floodway.

Canada’s biggest home builder, Ontario-based Mattamy Homes, opened its first major project in Alberta with Windsong early in 2009, which the company says is only the beginning of its long-term commitment to invest in the province. Windsong is a 130-hectare development with potential for 3,000 residences.

Mayor Bruce says that for all these developments, Airdrie remains a tight-knit city. “We have to be, considering the pace of our growth, all of us really have to do our part in making sure the city grows in the right direction and these involves a lot of planning and keeping in touch with our constituents,” she says. “Thankfully, Airdrie remains to be a strong community.”