Competing with Calgary: A Tale of Two Cities

[Bigtime]

I may not work downtown but living in the Beltline gives me a distinct advantage in getting to and from work much quicker than most.

My average day in a nutshell:

-Up at 6:15am
-Leave home around 6:45am (earlier if I bike commute, which I need to do more of!)
-Arrive at work 6:55-7:00am
-Work until 5:15-5:45pm
-Home on average around 5:50pm

Not too bad once you get used to it, lunches are usually at my desk while working on paperwork/email catchup.

[bigcanuck]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Not too bad once you get used to it, lunches are usually at my desk while working on paperwork/email catchup.

Or SSP'ing...

[Me&You]

Originally Posted by 240glt

I'd wager though that Vanocuverites in general have longer commutes... When I lived in Van, my 10k drive took me 40 minutes on a good day. In Calgary, my drive from DT to right around blackfoot & 58th took me less than 15. My commute in Edmonton takes me less than 15 as well.

I know Vancouverites that drive over an hour each way for work.. either from up the valley or White Rock into the city. Traffic in Cal is bad no doubt, but it's still much easier to get aorund than Van.

Funny, I was on the seawall & down Robson st from 11-2 yesterday & the people out jogging & shopping & coffee shop sitting made it hard to believe that anyone was working!

But that commute in Calgary can't be more than 4km and you're going against traffic...

[IntotheWest]

^I "lived" briefly in Burnaby, briefly in Richmond, and a longer stint in downtown Van (and commuting to either Burnaby or central Van)...though the traffic seems to move slower, I actually didn't find it any worse than most of Calgary's traffic...I think GVRD has done an excellent job at resisting interchanges and freeways, while still getting traffic flowing. After sitting on Hwy 97 in Kelowna (again) last week, I can say they have the worst traffic

I have heard getting to Surrey is much worse, and my brother and his family lived in New West - and that definitely added time.

In non-rush hour, I can make it to downtown from my driveway in Okotoks in 35 minutes (around 9:30am)....nearly an hour in rush hour traffic. And, I would have no right to complain anyway

As for the comment made about parks in Van vs Calgary, I would argue that outside of Stanley Park, Calgary's are just as plentiful outside of its core as well - at the very least. I guess it partly depends on what kind of recreation you're trying to look for...strolling on a beach isn't going to happen.

Freeweed - I agree with your comments of being "chained to a desk" as overblown.

[IntotheWest]

Originally Posted by Greco Roman

I feel the same way about Calgarians opinions on Edmonton and Winnipeg.

The difference being I don't jump on Vancouver forumers, or poke them in the eye for everything they say...and most importantly, I do very much understand, appreciate, and even praise, the good things about Van and BC.

I firmly believe that most Calgary forumers on here feel the same towards Edmonton and Winnipeg as well.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Has Greco ever said a single thing even remotely positive about Calgary? Even once? And not a backhanded compliment?

Anyway- I've been in thrall of folks on the seawall many times but I have enough perspective to understand that (1) many, maybe most, of the people on the seawall are tourists; (2) many of the locals are on the seawall are retired, unemployed, or on permanent disability; (3) there are many hundreds of thousands of people in the GVRD who are struggling in shitholes in Surrey and East Van to make enough money to support themselves and keep their families off the street that they never, for all intents and purposes, make it to the seawall and sip lattes in Kits.

I know plenty of people in Calgary who aren't chained to their desks and who have rich social and cultural lives and who make great use of the beautiful natural setting here. I am sure that there are many, many people in Vancouver who ARE chained to their desks or chained to menial jobs because it is so fucking expensive to live there. Right this second we have a houseguest who's a friend from Van who came here (to Calgary) for the Folk Fest and who stayed on because he's in Calgary every week for work (Mon-Tues) for the next few months. He works his ass off, so much so his doctor warned him about the effect it's having on his health. He had to come to Calgary to relax. Imagine that.

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by bigcanuck

Or SSP'ing...

Or romantic walks to a hole in the ground.

[Stephen Ave]

Nope. Greco has a huge hate on for Calgary....envy turned outwards, is the best way to describe it.

Originally Posted by furrycanuck

Has Greco ever said a single thing even remotely positive about Calgary? Even once? And not a backhanded compliment?

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Stephen Ave

Nope. Greco has a huge hate on for Calgary....envy turned outwards, is the best way to describe it.

Inferiority complex maybe.

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by johnnyc

Inferiority complex maybe.

No, personal experience actually, not necessarily from forumers here, but from people in person in Calgary when I lived there last year.

And the only people who think I have an inferiority complex are you guys, but thankfully I couldn't give a rat's ass about what you think.

Anyways, continue with your discussion

Peace

[CMD UW]

Ok, that's enough...get back to the topic.

[Coldrsx]

for a little perspective...when i lived in Vancouver 02-03 i drove from UBC (16th/westbrook mall) to brentwood (lougheed/gilmore) and it was roughly 10-12km stop and go 2 lane traffic but flowed so well it only took 25-35min.

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by 240glt

I'd wager though that Vanocuverites in general have longer commutes... When I lived in Van, my 10k drive took me 40 minutes on a good day. In Calgary, my drive from DT to right around blackfoot & 58th took me less than 15. My commute in Edmonton takes me less than 15 as well.

I know Vancouverites that drive over an hour each way for work.. either from up the valley or White Rock into the city. Traffic in Cal is bad no doubt, but it's still much easier to get aorund than Van.

Funny, I was on the seawall & down Robson st from 11-2 yesterday & the people out jogging & shopping & coffee shop sitting made it hard to believe that anyone was working!

Or some of us simply just walk to work
But yeah, some of my co-workers commute from Surrey and PoCo. That would drive me nuts.
Traffic in certain areas of Metro Van is really bad, mostly at the bridges (Lions Gate, Port Man etc) but traffic lights are generally shorter and there's fewer turn arrows, so traffic is usually at least moving. The thing is though, volume in the busy areas seems steady all the time, even on Sunday nights, something that differs from Calgary.

[entheosfog]

Originally Posted by IntotheWest

As for the comment made about parks in Van vs Calgary, I would argue that outside of Stanley Park, Calgary's are just as plentiful outside of its core as well - at the very least. I guess it partly depends on what kind of recreation you're trying to look for...strolling on a beach isn't going to happen.

The downtown area in Van could do with some more green space, definitely.

[IntotheWest]

Originally Posted by entheosfog

The downtown area in Van could do with some more green space, definitely.

Sorry, I was referring to the other GVRD cities. I guess the argument could be made for more "green space" in downtown, but personally, I think Vancouver has some excellent public and "green" spaces - even if it isn't a traditional park. I was also kinda meaning that Stanley Park is accessible from pretty much anywhere on the downtown pennisula.

But, Calgary is not different. We used to go for bike rides just east of the zoo from our home in the Beltline - lots of parks and paths once you cross downtown.

For little kiddies though, the downtown parks kinda suck...or did several years ago.

[davee930]

Originally Posted by Greco Roman

No, personal experience actually, not necessarily from forumers here, but from people in person in Calgary when I lived there last year.

And the only people who think I have an inferiority complex are you guys, but thankfully I couldn't give a rat's ass about what you think.

Anyways, continue with your discussion

Peace

A few people you met don't represent an entire city. If people on this forum aren't the cause of your hate and sorrow then why bring it up every chance you get?

Thank God for the internet so you can say things you wouldn't say in real life, otherwise maybe you would give a rat's ass.

[Stephen Ave]

Originally Posted by Greco Roman

No, personal experience actually, not necessarily from forumers here, but from people in person in Calgary when I lived there last year.

And the only people who think I have an inferiority complex are you guys, but thankfully I couldn't give a rat's ass about what you think.

Anyways, continue with your discussion

Peace

For someone who doesn't give a rat's ass, you really give the opposite impression. Best thing to do is cool off on the 'hate Calgary' posts, and you'll truly look like you don't give a rat's ass.

As far as Calgary goes. Lots of great things are happening, and the city is continually improving. You might as well just get used to it.

[Markus41]

Originally Posted by johnnyc

Inferiority complex maybe.

So let me get this straight; Calgarians can say whatever they want about any other city, but God forbid anyone says anything bad about Calgary?

Talk about your double standard.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Markus41

So let me get this straight; Calgarians can say whatever they want about any other city, but God forbid anyone says anything bad about Calgary?

Talk about your double standard.

I must have missed the part where anyone in this thread was saying anything bad about other cities.

'Twas a great excuse to come in and bash Calgary though, well done folks!

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Markus41

So let me get this straight; Calgarians can say whatever they want about any other city, but God forbid anyone says anything bad about Calgary?

Talk about your double standard.

That's funny, I could have sworn I just read 3 pages where everyone was having a constructive discussion about an article we all felt did a really great job of not just stereotyping either city.

But thanks for coming out!

Edit: For the record I'm a "Proud Albertan" that loves the entire province, you don't see me slinging shit in any single Edmonton related thread. In fact I will be visiting your fair city this weekend, I hate to dissapoint you in advance by not coming back on here after and talking trash about Edmonton.