Edmonton: most sociable city in North America

240glt · #1 Posted **Dec 15, 2009, 8:27 PM**

EDMONTON — Welcome to Edmonton, the most sociable place on the continent.

At least, that’s the view of a group called the Responsible Hospitality Institute, which decided the city’s friendliness and spirit are worthy of an award.

The institute recently voted Edmonton the most sociable city in North America, ranking the Alberta capital ahead of nine U.S. cities including Pittsburgh, Seattle, San Jose and Long Beach, Calif.

The honour recognizes Edmonton’s success at creating a vibrant yet safe nightlife in 13 different entertainment districts, such as downtown, Whyte Avenue and West Edmonton Mall.

...

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/enter...697/story.html

Discuss.

IMO, Edmonton is lacking in several areas but I think this is bang on.... The only other city I've been to that I'd consider as sociable is Milwaukee WI, part of the reason I love it there so much. The other big cities I've lived, Van & Cal, don't come close.

s211 · #2 Posted **Dec 15, 2009, 9:49 PM**

If anything, Edmonton's lack of pretension is quite alluring.

SHOFEAR · #3 Posted **Dec 15, 2009, 10:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

If anything, Edmonton's lack of pretension is quite alluring.

Frankly, we could use a hell of a lot more.

CorporateWhore · #4 Posted **Dec 15, 2009, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240glt

The institute recently voted Edmonton the most sociable city in North America, ranking the Alberta capital ahead of nine U.S. cities including Pittsburgh, Seattle, San Jose and Long Beach, Calif.

Long Beach??? I guess being chased for your wallet by hood rats could be considered social interaction.

ue · #5 Posted **Dec 15, 2009, 10:54 PM**

Seattle really is on that list?

Anyways it's an honour and a nice thing to be noted for. Only Portland I've found more friendly than Edmonton, so this title definitely fits Edmonton. Even Calgary is friendly, but I find Edmonton definitely friendlier for some reason, it's great to see here!

kcantor · #6 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 1:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240glt

...

Discuss.

IMO, Edmonton is lacking in several areas but I think this is bang on.... The only other city I've been to that I'd consider as sociable is Milwaukee WI, part of the reason I love it there so much. The other big cities I've lived, Van & Cal, don't come close.

although individual residents may not be friendlier than elsewhere, edmonton as a city does nurture or encourage friendliness in a manner that doesn't happen everywhere. if you meet someone in edmonton, it probably doesn't matter where you each live - you are probably close enough to each other and to mutual areas of interest for a friendship to develop. in vancouver, if you meet someone downtown and they happen to live in tsawassen and you live in deep cove, that friendship will never develop (on most days an edmontonian could get to red deer in less time). so the city itself is in fact friendlier in more than the "home town" boosterism angle that is sometimes suggested as being responsible for survey results like this. someitmes we spend too much time carping on what should work better - everything from fewer potholes to better bike paths - and forget how well what we do have does work.

Dave D. · #7 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 4:56 PM**

I grew up in Edmonton and moved to Penticton, BC, as a teenager (not exactly willingly). I return to Edmonton every fall to visit friends I've known since Grade 1. One difference between Edmonton and Penticton I have noticed is that people at the next table in an Edmonton bar will often strike up a conversation with us, whereas people here tend to stick to themselves. If a visitor sat on a bar stool in Penticton I believe he would be invisible to everyone except the bartender, but I don't believe that would be the case in Edmonton. I don't really notice Penticton being less friendly overall, but people here tend to be more reserved in bars. That said, having some stranger park himself at your table in Edmonton isn't always a good thing. Last time we had some guy who was hammered and had been abused in a church school. We felt sorry for him but he was really obnoxious. We hoovered our beers and left.

Coldrsx · #8 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 5:05 PM**

I find Edmonton relatively friendly but Toronto far more so downtown.

240glt · #9 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 6:39 PM**

I've not spent too much time in DT T.O... can say that fabulous Oakville ain't that sociable.

The bar example is a good one... I've found that it's a lot easier to go to a bar & strike up a conversation here than in any other western city, without the pretentiousness you get in other places about where you live (Van) or how much money you make (Cal)

0773|=\ · #10 Posted **Dec 16, 2009, 7:38 PM**

I'd agree with that bar example. The only other cities I've come across where strangers are as friendly as in Edmonton are San Francisco and Winnipeg.

doogerz · #11 Posted **Dec 17, 2009, 12:54 AM**

Yellowknife is friendlier! But it's true, for a large city, Edmonton is quite sociable.

240glt · #12 Posted **Dec 17, 2009, 3:27 AM**

^ I've heard that. I've never been, but my company runs projects up in Yellowknife regularly, and many of the techs and engineers that go up say they really like the place and the people are very friendly. Seen lots of pix from up there, the landscape is amazing. Going to drive up there one of these days, just for the experience.

bigcitydude · #13 Posted **Dec 17, 2009, 4:21 AM**

i'm surprised we beat out Seattle. i find them very friendly.

Hallsy's Toupee · #14 Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 6:55 PM**

If Team Canada men's hockey wins the gold today, will we in Edmonton be allowed to celebrate in the streets? Or will the authorities do the typical Deadmonton thing and curtail the celebrations? If I recall, we were the only major Canadian city not allowed to celebrate the 2002 gold win.

CMD UW · #15 Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 8:53 PM**

^People still celebrated, I don't know where you were.

feepa · #16 Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 11:39 PM**

I can hear lots of people yelling from Jasper Avenue since Canada won Men's Gold in Hockey.

(Lots of sirens too... )

Coldrsx · #17 Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 3:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

If Team Canada men's hockey wins the gold today, will we in Edmonton be allowed to celebrate in the streets? Or will the authorities do the typical Deadmonton thing and curtail the celebrations? If I recall, we were the only major Canadian city not allowed to celebrate the 2002 gold win.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sport...440/story.html

tallisgood · #18 Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 4:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

Long Beach??? I guess being chased for your wallet by hood rats could be considered social interaction.

Long Beach has really cleaned up its act since the bad old days. It still has some work to do, but recent additions, like the Aquarium of the Pacific, a new convention centre, and a shopping/restaurant/pub hub built into the harbour have made it more alluring. Also tourists can take the bus anywhere in the centre fo the city for free. Some of its old decrepid streets in downtown have been transformed with more nightlife, et al. Still has a way to go, though, but than can also be said of our town, even more so.

CanadianCentaur · #19 Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 8:39 PM**

^ Yeah, I found downtown Long Beach quite a bit nicer than I expected while down there last year in May - never had any problems. I took that free bus into downtown a couple of times as I was staying overnight at the Queen Mary just before starting a 3-day cruise up the West coast to Vancouver.

espalorius · #20 Posted **Mar 2, 2010, 12:39 AM**

it kinda depends where in LB you stay. i lived there for a few months and never felt in danger (but i was mostly in downtown and along the coast)