How long is my commute? Will I have to deal with traffic everyday? Can my kids explore their neighbourhood freely? How far is it to the things I love to do: mountain bike, hike, ski? How much will it cost to buy a home?
The answers to these questions are becoming the standard for where an individual chooses to live, work and recreate, often with the realistic goal of combining the three. As a result, lifestyle is increasingly the barometer used to make the important decision as to where to create ones personal and professional life.
Kootenays provides ample opportunity to satisfy all aspects of life
Not surprisingly the Kootenays is making itself better known as a desirable region in which to achieve not only professional and entrepreneurial aspirations but that which impacts quality of life as well. Clean air, little or no traffic, lower home prices, exceptional Internet, safe neighbourhoods, superior outdoor recreation opportunities and so much more.
Entrepreneurs, business people and workers in search of interesting and exciting employment opportunities call the Kootenays, be it East or West, home for the exceptional quality of working and living the region offers.
First hand examples of how the Kootenays supports work-life balance
To get the real skinny, Imagine Kootenay asked some locals, entrepreneurs and business people, what they love about creating their lives here. Their answers, all with the common thread of recreation at the ready, demonstrate the range of advantages to designing a life in the Kootenays.
Amber Hayes, an avid lover of all activities outdoors and founder of several successful enterprises, currently Program Director for the new startup Metallurgical Industrial Development Acceleration & Studies (MIDAS) R&D, commercialization and training facility in Trail lives the dream!
“Ease of balancing work/lifestyle. With skiing and running trails only minutes away from my home office there are few barriers to getting the most of the amazing opportunities here. And working from the chairlift with my smartphone and telling folks I am riding with that’s what I am doing – their reactions are priceless.”
As the Executive Director of the Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce in Invermere, Susan Clovechok gave up the haste and clamour of city life in favour of the sense of community and more favourable pace of the East Kootenay.
“I feel part of something bigger than myself and I can make a positive difference to my community. Access to nature and recreation, I know all the people in my neighborhood, bump into friends wherever I go, safety – the kids ride their bikes around our neighborhood without fear, they play outside year round – they get a chance to experience independence and use their imagination, less expensive than living in the city, great sense of community.”
She adds, “NO RUSH HOUR! Exceptional views when driving to or from work, we help local people be successful and visitor have great vacations!”
Software Solutions Engineer/App Developer, Philip Boyer, enjoys not only all of the benefits the East Kootenay has to offer in the way of the outdoor recreation the programmer loves – hiking, golf and snowboarding – but also the many benefits of working from the comfort of home. “Thanks to high speed fibre technology I’m able to work efficiently for clients all over the continent from my favourite chair in my living room… while enjoying powder days when we get them!”