When Toby Howell and Mark Windsor packed up their lives in Calgary and headed 30 minutes northwest to Cochrane, they weren’t just looking for a change in address —they were looking for new lifestyle.
The city they once loved had grown too big, and felt too busy and unsafe.
Both in their 60s, and planning their retirement, they desired something more connected, more grounded, and more secure.
They found it in Greystone.
“We love Calgary,” Toby reflects. But their inner city of Mayland Heights was experiencing problems.
Increased theft and a steady number of people randomly coming through her backyard left Toby exasperated and ready to move on.
“They were picking up whatever wasn’t tied down,” she said.
Calgary also started to feel impersonal; she said: “You could live in one place for years and never know your neighbours.”
Their search for something different led them to explore smaller towns and communities on the outskirts of Calgary. They looked at northwest communities in Calgary, but found it too expensive considering they were wishing to scale back their expenses in preparation for retirement.
Other new suburbs in Calgary failed to leave the impression of friendliness they wanted.
Cochrane came into their sights, yet many communities lacked the walkability they craved.
Then they discovered Greystone—a neighbourhood still under development but already checking all the right boxes, including a lower crime rate in Cochrane, and home prices that were $100,000 lower than similar models on the edge of Calgary, she says.
“Greystone is five minutes away from everything—shopping, the gym, the river. And people stop and wave you across the street. They smile at you. That’s something we didn’t experience much in the city.”
Their decision was made.
A Home with Room for Family—and a Few Four-Legged Guests
Toby and Mark settled into a new 1,300-square-foot Douglas Home with soaring ceilings, large windows, zero renovations required, and just enough space for the life they envisioned.
The home features three bedrooms, one of which is used for an office for Mark, who continues to work remotely in telecommunications. Toby, who is a retired college instructor, has set up a pottery studio in their partially developed basement.
Their new home is also spacious enough for Toby and Mark to welcome their adult daughter when she needed a place to stay with her two rescue dogs, who have quickly made themselves at home.
“They get to lounge around the house, soak up all the attention, go for walks by the river. They’re spoiled,” says Toby.
And they’re in good company.
“Almost everyone here owns a dog,” Toby observes. “I don’t know if it’s a Cochrane thing, but it feels like there are more dogs than people sometimes. The off-leash parks are busy, and we see neighbours walking their dogs every time we go out. It’s definitely a dog-friendly place.”
With an off-leash dog park steps away, Toby and Mark’s temporary four-legged guests have quickly learned the route.
“They know exactly where the park is. The moment we head outside, they make a beeline for it.”
Their daughter has also grown to love Cochrane and is now investigating a place of her own nearby.
Building a Community from the Ground Up
Toby and Mark quickly made connections with other newcomers to Greystone, who are families from Calgary or neighbourhoods in Cochrane, and others from as far away as the UK.
Everyone is eager to meet their new neighbours. It wasn’t long before sidewalk conversations turned to action and a plan to formalize their neighbourly connections.
“First we had a block party,” Toby says.
“It was great. We were all talking about the neighbourhood, getting to know each other. And then we thought, why not start a Community Association now while everything is still being built?”
Their initiative is now just weeks away from becoming officially incorporated so the Greystone Community Association will have the ability to apply for grants, host events, and shape the future of the neighbourhood.
Toby and Mark are excited about the possibilities—a few ideas the neighbours have suggested: a winter festival, pub nights, block parties, and more.
A wide range of new residents are moving into Greystone. Many residents are in their 30s with young families, while others are retirees and nearly-retired people like Toby and Mark.
Despite varied backgrounds, residents of Greystone are united with their eagerness to create friendships with their neighbours.
“We want to create a healthy, safe, connected community,” Toby explains. “It feels like a blank page right now, and we have the opportunity to write the future.”
A Walkable, Active Lifestyle
Toby and Mark are saving time driving but adding daily steps in Greystone thanks to its walkability. Unlike in Calgary, where driving was a necessity, now everything they need is just a stroll or bike ride away.
“We walk everywhere. And the bike trails are fabulous from here,” Toby says. “We walk to the gym, to the grocery store, to the river. It’s part of the lifestyle we wanted.”
The SLS Centre, just minutes from their home, offers everything from a weight room and pool to a climbing wall. It’s the kind of place they used to drive across Calgary to reach, but now it’s practically in their backyard. The couple is also thinking they’ll pick up a few pickleball paddles and try the game when the new Greystone courts open up this year.
With so many amenities close by, Toby and Mark feel like they are living among people who share their values and who also want to participate in a vibrant community. Seeing their neighbours outside walking, jogging, or biking elevates the happy vibes of a neighbourhood, Toby observes.
“It makes the whole community feel alive and positive,” says Toby.
Shaping Something New—Literally
Toby recently noticed something other than just friendly faces out and about while strolling through the Greystone.
During one of her walks through the community, something caught Toby’s eye embedded in one of the patches of exposed soil in an excavated lot in the neighbourhood. To most, it may have appeared to be nothing more than dirt. But to a trained potter like Toby, it was unmistakable.
“It was clay,” she says. “When you see clay, you recognize it right away. And of course, you’re going to want to use it.”
She collected some of the local material and began experimenting with it.
“It turned out to be a really nice terracotta-type clay that was easy to work with,” Toby says. She transformed it into a set of garden pots that she plans to use for growing herbs in the backyard.
The process of creating something useful and personal straight out of the land felt symbolic. Much like her new home, Toby delighted in the lucky find of the clay, and then transforming it.
“You’re taking something straight from the earth and moulding it into something new. It’s kind of amazing.”
Meanwhile, she and Mark are shaping their life in Greystone—finding purpose in the process of creating something new.
Looking Ahead
As Greystone continues to grow, Toby and Mark are excited to see what the future holds, walking the neighbourhood, exploring Cochrane by bike, meeting new people, and shaping the life they’ve always wanted.
“It’s not just about living here,” Toby says. “It’s about being part of something bigger. We’re not just moving into a community—we’re helping create it.”
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