If you’re thinking of moving or have recently relocated your family to a new community in Edmonton, one of the most important things to consider is which schools your growing children are going to attend. This is particularly so when it comes to choosing a high school, which is an exciting and important decision for both parents and kids.

Different high schools offer different kinds of programs that will appeal to different students. Some have Advanced Placement courses for kids who excel in academics and are interested in fast-tracking their first year of University. Others have robust sports programs for teens with basketball, football, or volleyball talent, while still others are known for their excellent arts and theatre programs.

The best way to find the right fit in a high school is to visit an open house.

Here are the open house dates for some of the major high schools in Edmonton. To see a full listing of high school open houses near you, visit the Edmonton Public Schools Open House website.

Eastglen High School

General Open House: March 7, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Advanced Placement Open House: February 23, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Edmonton Christian High

General Open House: March 5, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Harry Ainlay

General Open House: March 8, 2012 – 6:00pm to 8:00pm
French Immersion Program Open House: February 6, 2012 – 6:15pm to 7:15pm
International Baccalaureate Open House: February 6, 2012 – 7:30pm to 8:30pm

J. Percy Page

General Open House: March 13, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Advanced Placement Open House: February 07, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Jasper Place

General Open House: March 8, 2012 – 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Advanced Placement Open House: February 8, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:30pm

L.Y. Cairns

General Open House: March 8, 2012 – 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Lillian Osborne

General Open House: February 23, 2012 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

M.E. LaZerte

General Open House: March 8, 2012 – 6:00pm to 8:00pm
International Baccalaureate Open House: February 16, 2012 – 7:00pm to 8:30pm

McNally

General Open House: March 14, 2012 – 6:00pm to 8:30pm
International Baccalaureate Open House: February 13, 2012 – 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Millwoods Christian School

General Open House: March 15, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Queen Elizabeth

General Open House: March 15, 2012 – 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Advanced Placement Open House: February 15, 2012 – 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Ross Sheppard

General Open House: March 7, 2012 – 6:00pm to 9:00pm
International Baccalaureate Open House: February 7, 2012 – 7:00pm

Strathcona

General Open House: March 6, 2012 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Advanced Placement Open House: February 9, 2012 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Victoria School of the Arts

General Open House: February 28, 2012 – 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Vimy Ridge Academy

General Open House: Februray 29, 2012 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm

W.P. Wagner

General Open House: March 15, 2012 – 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Advanced Placement Open House: February 21, 2012 – 7:00pm

Have the winter blues hit you yet? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our love of the warm summer months that we forget how many great things there are to do in Edmonton during the winter. So far this winter has been very mild, making outdoor activities all the more attractive for Edmonton residents and visitors alike.

If you’ve recently moved to Edmonton and this is your first Alberta winter experience, here are just some of the things to get you out of the house if you’re going cold-weather stir crazy.

Pavillion at Metropolis Festival at City Hall
Photo by Mastermaq

Snow Sculptures at the Silver Skate Festival
Photo by Bill Burris

Metropolis Winter Festival

Running until February 20 in Sir Winston Churchill Square downtown, Metropolis is a celebration of winter inspired by modern cold-weather construction techniques. Massive pavilions lit with bright lights have been erected in the Square, and every weekend you can enjoy live music, entertainment, a selection of food from Edmonton-owned restaurants, and kids activities.

Silver Skate Festival

February 17th – 20th, Hawrelak Park
Now in its 22nd year, the Silver Skate Festival at Hawrelak Park is Edmonton’s longest running winter festival, and is a great place to bring the whole family to enjoy some cold climate fun. There’s an ice slide, snow sculpture competitions, skating, horse-drawn sleigh rides, and dozens of live performances to take in.

Oilers & Oil King Hockey

Hockey is one of the highlights of the long, cold Alberta winters, and in Edmonton hockey fans have plenty of ways to keep up with their favourite teams. Go to a live NHL Oilers game, check out and support the local WHL team the Oil Kings, or meet up with friends at one of the local sports bars to watch the game and share a pint of brew.

Concerts & Live Theatre

The theatre season is in full swing for every local theatre company, including The Citadel, the Walterdale Playhouse, and the Edmonton Opera among many, many others. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra has a full schedule with something for everyone from classical to modern music, and venues small and large in the city are booked solid with some great performers and bands. Check out Ticketmaster, Tix On The Square, and YEGlive.ca to stay up on the arts and culture scene in Edmonton this winter.

Improv & Comedy

Did you know Edmonton has a wildly active improv and comedy community? Rapid Fire Theatre has a wide roster of shows, including one of the best Improv Theatresports teams in Canada, and the 16 day 2012 Wildfire Student Improv Festival is coming up in February. The live plays every Monday night at the Varscona, or catch a live recording of CBC’s The Irrelevant Show. Stand up comedy fans can check out the schedule at The Comic Strip or Yuk Yuk’s.

Farmers’ Markets

Did you know both the Old Strathcona and City Centre Markets run all year round every Saturday morning? You can find the Strathcona Market just north of Whyte Avenue, while the City Centre Market has taken up residence in City Hall while the snow flies. Support local vendors, farms and artisans.

Skiing & Skating

Take advantage of the unusually mild weather by hitting the slops at local ski hills Snow Valley and Rabbit Hill, or if cross country skiing and snowshoeing is more your style, explore the many trails along Edmonton’s winding River Valley. Skate in the heart of the city at City Hall, or get a view of Downtown from the Victoria Park Oval.

Today, the Edmonton Journal has a feature article on which Edmonton communities have had the largest increase in value over the last decade based on the recently mailed out property assessments. Winners include the Mactaggart community, Rossdale and Beverly Heights.

Homes on Mactaggart Drive

Below is an excerpt from the article. You can read the entire article on the Edmonton Journal website.

But if you had sunk your cash into a place in Rossdale, or farther downstream in Beverly Heights, you’d have made out like a bandit — average values in those areas jumped 55 per cent, blowing stocks and oil out of the water.

These are some of the findings from the latest assessments mailed out for 326,500 Edmonton properties at the beginning of January, based on estimates made last July 1.

Although one-year values for single-family houses (the Journal figures don’t include other types of homes) are down 1.7 per cent,results vary between a 10-per-cent rise in Secord and a similar-sized drop in Canora.

The spread is even larger over five years.

While the average neighbourhood value rose 41 per cent in that time, the biggest growth came in the northeast, where eight of the 12 districts that had increases of more than 50 per cent are located.

City assessors annually determine values at which each property might have sold as of July 1, which is used to determine that location’s share of Edmonton’s total property taxes for the following year.

Assessors look at various factors, including location, sale prices for similar homes in similar areas, lot and house size, building condition and age, size and style of garage, if the basement’s finished and any special features.

But the property assessments mailed out in January can vary from a home’s actual selling price.

For one thing, they are based on conditions six months earlier, and the market may have changed.

As well, assessors don’t reinspect every house every year, so conditions at individual properties can change without the city’s knowledge.

Relocating to a new city is a stressful affair: there’s a home to purchase, schools to find, and a whole new place to learn. After all the boxes are unpacked, the most exhausting part of buying an Edmonton home is finally finished, but there’s still a whole new city out there, waiting for you to get to know it.

If you’ve just recently moved to Edmonton and don’t know where to start exploring the city, there are some great online tools that can be a huge help. Here are a few ways you can get to know your new neighbourhood before you even step out your door.

1. Know how to get around.

Learning how to navigate a new city can be the most frustrating, challenging part for some people. Before you start exploring, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with Edmonton using an online tool like Google Maps.

Zoom in and pan around, look for main arterial roads, and try mapping a few routes to see what is suggested. Edmonton is a gridded city with streets running north to south and avenues running east to west. But, like with any city, there are some unique areas that don’t obey this system, including areas like Millwoods, Castle Downs and Clareview.

It’s also a good idea to do some research on Edmonton’s Transit and LRT System. You can download printable route maps and schedules from the city of Edmonton website, or plug your destination into Google Maps and click the transit route option to get specific transit options for your routes.

2. Know where to eat and shop.

Edmonton has lots of great places to shop, and nearly all of our local centres have websites. You can get a list of major malls on the Discover Edmonton website. The Downtown Business Association has an Edmonton downtown business directory, and Edmonton’s unique Old Strathcona Whyte Avenue shopping area also has a website with a full list of available shops, services and restaurants.

If you’re looking for the closest amenities to your new neighbourhood, try entering your address on Walkscore. There’s a ton of great information available for every Edmonton community, including nearby parks, shopping spots, banks, cafes and pubs.

For those who like to support local businesses, the Edmonton Live Local site has a huge directory of shops and restaurants that are owned and operated by Edmontonians. And you can always browse Edmonton restaurant reviews on sites like Yelp and Urbanspoon.

3. Know where to have fun and meet new people.

One of the hardest things to do after you’ve moved to a new city is to meet people and make new friends, but it’s one of the most important things, and will help make Edmonton feel like home.

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, finding an Edmonton park near you is a good first step. Joggers might want to consider joining the Running Room Club, and those interested in recreational sports should check out the Edmonton Sports and Social Club, which is a great way to stay active and meet new people at the same time.

There are many great Community Leagues in Edmonton, and joining one can help you meet people right in your neighbourhood. Our city also has a great Continuing Education program with a diverse range of classes for every interest and every age group.

To stay up to date on current events in Edmonton, there’s the Share Edmonton website that collects feeds from major event sites and merges them into one. You can also find great things to do on the Edmonton Events website. If you’re interested the local theatre scene, Tix on the Square is the best place to start, and music enthusiasts can browse local Edmonton music and search for live shows on YEGlive.ca.

August is on the horizon, and so are more fantastic Edmonton festivals including local favourites like the Edmonton Fringe Festival and Heritage Days.

Edmonton Heritage Festival

Edmonton August Festivals and Events

Servus Heritage Festival
When: July 30 thru August 1
Where: William Hawrelak Park
Featuring 63 pavilions representing over 85 cultures from all over the world. Sample culinary delicacies, see creative performances, shop for crafts, artwork, and clothing, or chat with people eager to tell you a little about their cultural roots and their present-day communities in Canada. Pavilions showcase cultural displays with photos, paraphernalia, and stories about their culture or ethnic background in Edmonton.

Edmonton Folk Music Festival
When: August 4 thru August 7
Where: Gallagher Park
Beginning in 1980 with one staff and 300 volunteers, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has grown and matured to become one of the leading folk festivals in the world. Now boasting a volunteer force of over 2000, the festival in a not-for-profit society dedicated to bringing in the best of folk music from around the world.

Wetaskiwin Air Show
When: August 7 thru August 8
Where: Reynolds Alberta Museum, Wetaskiwin
An exciting spectacle featuring performances by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and many others!

Edmonton International Fringe Festival
When: August 11 thru August 21
Where: Old Strathcona
Take a historic neighborhood, add dozens of different venues, stir in performers from around the world, throw in a few hundred thousand audience members and let it grow over 11 days. The result: one Fringe Festival. The Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival hits the streets of Old Strathcona for 11 days of theatrical merriment. From noon to midnight daily, performers from around the globe and around the corner will entertain audiences with song, dance, drama, comedy, and everything in between.

Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival
When: August 19 thru August 21
Where: Louise McKinney Park
With a track record of attracting over 5,000 spectators, 1,500 participants and guaranteed media coverage with unforgettable sights and sounds. Make this fantastic outdoor festival in Edmonton your tool to raise your company’s profile.

Labatt Blues Festival
When: August 19 thru August 21
Where: Heritage Amphitheatre, William Hawrelak Park
Western Canada’s Premier Blues Event, every August in Edmonton’s scenic River Valley in Hawrelak Park at The Heritage Amphitheatre. Featuring 2011 Grammy winner Chubby Carrier, the astounding Delta Groove Harp blast harmonica players, Kim Wilson’s Blues All Stars, David Gogo, The John Nemeth Soul Revue, Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy, Guitar Shorty, Jack Lavin, David Vest, Sean Carney and many more.

July is almost here, bringing with it more great Edmonton festivals! Here are just a few of the best arts and culture events Edmonton has to offer this July.

Edmonton's Capital EX

Edmonton July Festivals and Events

Edmonton Celebrates Canada Day
When: July 1
Where: Alberta Legislature, City Hall, Old Strathcona, Winspeare Centre
Edmonton celebrates Canada’s 143rd birthday with barbecues, family events and birthday cake, all leading up to a spectacular Canada Day fireworks finale in the river valley. This year’s display is going to be bigger and better than ever before as Edmonton will be launching the biggest fireworks shell in Canada – don’t miss it!

International Street Performers Festival
When: July 8 thru July 17
Where: Sir Winston Churchill Square, 100 Street & 102 Avenue
From musicians to jugglers, acrobats to unicyclists, the festival features over 1500 outdoor performances from an international cast of amazing street artists. And there’s more! Indoor Late Night Madness performances, daily Troupe du Jour group shows, artistic face-painters, colourful rovers, Be Your Own Busker workshops, and Kids’ World activities for the young and young at heart, all add to the whimsy and wonder that electrifies downtown Edmonton for ten days each July.

SOSFest Sounds of Old Strathcona Music Festival
When: July 10
Where: Whyte Avenue, Old Strathcona
Edmonton’s newest summer festival, featuring some of the best and wildly diverse national and home grown talent on Edmonton’s popular Whyte Avenue. An outdoor street party with an outdoor stage and high energy music that attracts a diverse crowd.

Taste of Edmonton
When: July 22 thru August 2
Where: Sir Winston Churchill Square, 100 Street & 102 Avenue
Great food and live entertainment: what more could you ask for? Edmonton’s finest restaurants come together in Churchill Square to create menus that allow you to sample their culinary skills. These samples will leave you wanting so much more. The Taste of Edmonton also features restaurants from different backgrounds reflecting Edmonton’s diverse multiculturalism.

Edmonton Indy
When: July 22 thru July 24
Where: Edmonton City Centre Airport
Gear up for three days of wild at the Edmonton Indy! The dynamic 3.154 km racetrack at the City Centre airport in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada makes this one of the most thrilling stops on the IndyCar Series calendar. Come see these awesome aerodynamic machines reach up to 320 km/h.

Capital EX
When: July 22 thru July 31
Where: Edmonton EXPO Centre, Northlands Park
Summer thrills, action and fun are all on tap at this year’s Capital EX. Edmonton’s must-see event on the summer calendar, Capital EX delivers big value for all ages with live entertainment, familiar favourites and plenty of exciting new attractions. A carnival atmosphere electrifies the city’s longest running summertime exhibition with its parade, casino, free entertainment, thrilling midway and nightly fireworks. Every July, the biggest live community experience in Edmonton takes place at Northlands!

Is there any better place to be than Edmonton during the summer? Festival season kicks off in Edmonton this week, beginning the summer-long tradition where Edmontonians celebrate the arts including theatre, dance, visual arts, sports, film and culture. From our internationally renowned Fringe and Street Performers festival to local arts and film fests, Edmonton is brim full of things to do this summer.

St. Albert's International Children's Festival

Edmonton June Festivals and Events

International Children’s Festival
When: May 31 thru June 4
Where: St. Albert Place & The Arden Theatre, St. Albert
The Children’s Festival provides an opportunity for children to become directly involved in arts activities and presentations, and is both entertaining and educational. A celebration of cultural excellence that promotes performing and visual arts to children and adults of all ages.

NextFest
When: June 2 thru June 12
Where: Theatre Network, The Roxy (10708 – 124 Street)
Over 80 performances in multiple venues throughout the Edmonton downtown area, celebrating new theatre, dance, cyber-art, music, painting, photography, filmmaking, and poetry. NextFest encourages local, emerging artists to explore inter-disciplinary work, multi-media, and new technology.

Heart of the City Festival
When: June 4 thru June 5
Where: Giovanni Caboto Park in Little Italy
Back for its 8th season, the Heart of the City Music and Arts Festival is a two-day family-friendly festival with non-stop live entertainment, artisan tents, face painting for kids, food vendors and roving artists.

Improvaganza
When: June 15 thru June 25
Where: Varscona Theatre
Canada’s largest improv festival. Every year local improv troop Rapid Fire Theatre hosts improvisors from across Canada, the United Stats and beyond. Program includes a full roster of improv, comedy shows, radio shows, workshops and social events.

Freewill Shakespeare Festival
When: June 28 thru July 24
Where: William Hawrelak Park, Heritage Ampitheatre
Locally known as “Shakespeare in the Park”, this is Shakespeare at its best. The outdoor Hawrelak Park Ampitheatre is the perfect setting. Shows featured this year on alternating days are Othello and Twelfth Night. The ultimate summer Shakespearience!

Nominations Now Open for 2011 Good  Edmonton Neighbour Awards

Great neighbours make great neighbourhoods.

The City of Edmonton, REACH Edmonton, and the Realtors Association of Edmonton want you to nominate your good neighbour for this year’s annual award.

Nomination deadline is March 31, 2011.

The Good Neighbour Awards recognize Edmontonians who make a difference in the lives of the people in their neighbourhood. It can be anything from helping an individual neighbour to motivating the neighbourhood to address a local issue or hosting a neighbourhood event.

Good neighbours help build connections between people. That creates a sense of community and leads to safer neighbourhoods.

Winners will be selected from each of the City’s 12 municipal wards. Winners will be invited to a special recognition event held at City Hall, May 5, 2011. Nominate Your Good Neighbour Today!

Where a home is located is typically just as important in respects to the home itself. If you have young children you will most likely want to choose your home nearby quality schools and parks, while as a senior you may want to be near amenities like grocery stores and medical facilities. When buying, it is always important to factor in the location and your personal lifestyle.

The Paranych Team is excited to announce a new mobile-optimized version of www.paranych.com that lets you easily search for Edmonton Real Estate on the go, from anywhere!

This completely free version of our website is immediately available on all the most popular smartphones including iPhones, Blackberry and Android phones. Just visit www.paranych.com from your mobile browser and you’ll be instantly taken to the phone-friendly site, streamlined to be fast and easy to use on the small screen.

The best part about our mobile site is the new GPS MLS® System Listings Search. This new search tool is only available on your mobile phone and uses your GPS coordinates to find Edmonton homes for sale near your location. You can also use search filters to narrow down your search to only homes that fit your criteria, including price, square footage and number of bedrooms or bathrooms.

Edmonton GPS Listings Search is a fantastic new way to explore Edmonton Real Estate for sale in your area. Take your phone with you for a drive by or walk the streets of the neighbourhood yourself. If the location of your new home is critical, there’s no better way to get a feel for the area than using our GPS search.

There are two additional searching options for home buyers on our mobile site: browsing for listings by Edmonton community, or by entering a specific MLS® System number.

No matter which way you decide to search, you can still access additional details and pictures connected to each listing easily. And once you’ve found a listing that captures your interest, you can bookmark it with a star icon to come back to later.

Try out the Paranych Team Edmonton Real Estate Mobile Website from your smartphone today: we’re sure you’ll love it as much as we do.