whats happening to Calgary?

[feartheflames]

I'm a good old born and raised Calgarian girl and I take pride in the city and its people. I understand were expanding but there have been a few changes that are really disturbing...

heres my story, I was going to work and got off olympic plaza station to cross the street, there was homeless man attempting to cross the street as well ( obviously heading towards cups) he had a severly broken leg and came crashing down in the middle of the street, people walked right past him. I noticed the light was going to change and the guy would be stuck in the middle of heavy traffic. So I did my best to get him on his feet, but this guy was 6'2 at least and huge, I'm a rather small individual and wasn't making an progress ( and to make matters worse the homeless man was terrifed of me for some reason), I asked some guys to help me (they were approx 25-30 yrs of age), the scoffed and said "please, you gotta be kidding me there no way I'm touching that" and walked past, another jerk thought it was appropriate to hit on me, but again did nothing to assist me. people in their cars started honking there horns, impatient that we were holding up trafic, finally after about 10 minutes a police office came by and walked the guy to cups.

This is not the Calgary I remember, and it makes me very sad

[Stranger]

I think people in general are looking out for themselves more and more. It just seems to get worse and worse. Sad really. When were old what will it be like?

[Jiggy_12]

Sadly, this isn't surprising.

But for a city of over a million we aren't too bad. I hear Toronto is much, much worse.

[Vulcan]

Sometimes I think cities should be limited to 1/2M or so. When I moved to Calgary in 76 it was about 400,000. Great city, great size.

[Crazy Flamer]

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=37147

This thread might cheer you up a little.

[PsYcNeT]

People just don't attempt to embrace the 'Big city, small town mentality' thing anymore. Though, if you live in other places, Calgary is still fairly backwoods.

And remember: There's always more ***holes when there's more money.

[feartheflames]

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=37147

This thread might cheer you up a little.


That did cheer me up, thanks:)

[Phanuthier]

... and that's why I'm not sad I moved

[C-Four]

Or we can think that they aren't from Calgary at all :)

[JohnnyB]

I'll preface this with being nothing but personal opinion. Attack it if you want, it's just my feelings based upon having lived my life in the city and now making regular but spaced out returns. It's just what I feel is changing each time I come back.

I'm born and raised Calgarian too, and have always loved Calgary and had a strong feeling of affinity with Calgarian culture. On the other hand, I'm happy I'm not living there now. I think Calgary has long been a blue-collar city, one with plenty of jobs, but with the vast majority being lower end. Calgary is a working class city where most of the higher education lies in engineering and there is not a whole lot of culture supported by Calgarians.
The thing is that now everyone is making a tonne of money in Calgary, and many of the masses of people in lower end jobs that have populated Calgary, as well as those coming to Calgary in order to move up from those jobs, now have money and opportunities being planted in their laps just because of a booming economy and work shortages that are driving the job market wild.
Everyone in Calgary has money now, but those with culture are still few and far between. Many of those without culture are now becoming arrogant and self-interested because of money and opportunities that allow that behaviour for the first time in many peoples lives. There are a lot more small minded people that are in a financial position to have others listen to them now, and are acting like self-important jerks now that they've got it. It's too bad.

This probably sounds really really elitist, but it's how I feel each time I'm back recently.

[kipperfan]

Sadly, this isn't surprising.

But for a city of over a million we aren't too bad. I hear Toronto is much, much worse.

It is.

[Looger]

i heard a story once that in tokyo, a guy collapsed and died right on the street, slumped against a wall beside a newstand or something and no one paid any mind for days.

there's also that tidbit urban legend (or true story, who knows) alluded to in 'collateral' that someone died on LA's metro rail and no one noticed right away.

as cities grow, people drift apart - maybe the knowledge that you're less likely to even see them again prevents you from forming a bond, who knows.

i've found, paradoxically, that when the smallest of 'situations' happens or when you're one step away from just walking on a street, people are far friendlier, say when you're stuck in a line during an airport delay, or some other bare minimum 'probably not some random creep' set of circumstances.

as soon as you're some other guy getting screwed over by the same company / circumstance or whatever there's a sympathetic reaction - it's you and them against the world!

i'm a calgary implant but even i have noticed a dramatic change in the last decade. over time walt healeys die, dustys sell their saloons, and calgary loses its rootin'-tootin' roots and morphs towards vancouver. not good in many respects but times are a changin.

[fredr123]

Not that this is entirely applicable to your situation but something sort of similar happened to me on the Red Mile after a playoff win. A homeless guy in a wheelchair had passed out and fell out of his chair. People walked by stepping over the poor guy. My brother-in-law and I tried to help the guy out and get him back into his chair. We struggled for a while and he resisted. Eventually we just gave up.

Anyways, I told some nearby cops about it just to make sure the guy didn't die or anything. They went to chat with him, one thing lead to another...

Used needles in the guys pockets. My brother-in-law and I were lucky. Not every homeless guy is a druggy and lots of people are in need of a helping hand now and again. But it's things like this that make a guy think twice about trying to be a nice guy.

[SeeGeeWhy]

I think it has a lot to do with the way the city is structured. People bustle into downtown to work, hate their jobs (and thus their co-workers) and are dreaming of get rich quick schemes to get out of the hole. Then they hop in their car, or the crowed, stinky train in order to get back to their dorm room in the suburbs where there is very little real and interesting human interaction along the entire day.

We are becoming dead to each other. It is really no surprise, either.

[burn_baby_burn]

Call me a jerk. But I don't think that it really matters what day and age it is. Most people are afraid of homeless people. Even if they are harmless. A dirty, crazy person is just somebody that the average person would normally stay away from. I don't think it has anything to do with money. Or the times we live in.

[fredr123]

Call me a jerk. But I don't think that it really matters what day and age it is. Most people are afraid of homeless people. Even if they are harmless. A dirty, crazy person is just somebody that the average person would normally stay away from. I don't think it has anything to do with money. Or the times we live in.

Also, my best man was hospitalized during my bachelor party when he was assaulted by a homeless guy down town. With a glass bottle. So put me in the column with all the others who are a bit scared of homeless people. I'm ashamed to admit it but there ya go.

[ken0042]

Used needles in the guys pockets. My brother-in-law and I were lucky. Not every homeless guy is a druggy and lots of people are in need of a helping hand now and again. But it's things like this that make a guy think twice about trying to be a nice guy.

I have to admit- when I first read this thread last night, a thought similar to this crossed my mind. As much as it is sad to see that somebody wouldn't help, I can't say I really fault the person.

Fred's story also makes me think. One time on my way to a Flames game I saw a homeless guy fall out of his wheelchair. (might have even been the same guy- Native, about 40, both legs amputated just above the knee?) I went to help him up, and my my buddy was quite reluctant. We got him back into his chair, but part of the problem was he was so hammered he couldn't help us help him.

Afterwards I thought of the dangers (needles, Aids, etc) and I'm not sure next time I would be so quick to jump in and help. In the OP's example where he was in the middle of the street, probably. But I can't say I really fault the guys who didn't want to.

[Flames_Gimp]

Not that this is entirely applicable to your situation but something sort of similar happened to me on the Red Mile after a playoff win. A homeless guy in a wheelchair had passed out and fell out of his chair. People walked by stepping over the poor guy. My brother-in-law and I tried to help the guy out and get him back into his chair. We struggled for a while and he resisted. Eventually we just gave up.

Anyways, I told some nearby cops about it just to make sure the guy didn't die or anything. They went to chat with him, one thing lead to another...

Used needles in the guys pockets. My brother-in-law and I were lucky. Not every homeless guy is a druggy and lots of people are in need of a helping hand now and again. But it's things like this that make a guy think twice about trying to be a nice guy.

that was me, you *******! :D

[Jayems]

Sad story, but i don't blame the people who walked by at all. Like others have said, used needles, the risk of TB, scabies...

These people, as sad as it may be, live on the streets and are usually sick in more than one way. Most homeless people I have dealt with were drunk arrogant *******s, and while I hate to lump them into one corner, i'm sorry.

I'm not talking about working-homless who have families and just can't afford to get a place, as I volunteer with In From the Cold several times. I'm talking about the true non-working homless bums. Most have mental illness whichs makes them extremely unpredictable and potentially violent. So even if you do want to be a good samaritan, the risks are just too high for most people. I'm sure you'd regret the decision all your life when you got poked with his HIV infected needle that you didn't see in his jacket pocket. I'm all for helping people out, I am, but I just don't know. This situation is a little different because he was in a cross-walk etc. I understand that.

Slam me all you want, but thats the truth.

[Mr.Coffee]

I agree with feartheflames. A lot of the people in this thread have commented on the fact that sometimes it isn't safe to help a homeless guy. And while I agree, I think feartheflames presents an interesting point that goes BEYOND casual aide to homeless or less abled.

Calgary's spirit is lacking. It's a very difficult thing to describe, but I'm sure a lot of the original Calgarians that visit this site would agree with me. Something about casual conversation or general discussion seems colder then it used to be, homeless or not. People often seem dissatisfied with their lives, or their positions. It's like the city's collective attitude has depressed.

Honestly? People are probably overworked. I was just thinking about how Alberta typically works harder then any other province per hour per day. That drains you. Especially in a city like Calgary when you need to spend over an hour to get downtown to your job in order to barely hit a mortgage that on your average Calgarian home is getting beyond ridiculous. Like the other guy says, people get up early, travel forever, work, then travel forever and go home to a suburb community. The new communities are distant. The people there... I dunno.. there's something strange. Nobody knows each other. Neighbours generally don't know each other. Nobody has the time available. Maybe this is the normal course of action for a growing city, but I don't like it.

[fredr123]

that was me, you *******! :D
Wheelchair? check
Druggy? :(
Homeless? Nope (http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=34336)

[CaptainCrunch]

I have noticed that the business environment has changed a great deal in this city in the last 5 or so years. People are constantly hiding behind thier voice mail, showing up late or unprepared for meetings, and not meeting commitments.

Its worse when your trying to do business with companies that approach you for "Urgent" services and then drag thier decisions out for weeks and months until I finally drop them. It makes me look bad to the people that I report too.

Calgarian's are also far more eager to blow up over the smallest issues, I've noticed a distinct change in work ethic in this city as it stands.

Calgary has finally stepped into the big city realm and they've adopted the same arrogance and bad manners.

[feartheflames]

My opinion is that I dont want to be that person who just walks by, I understand that there are crazies in Calgary ( I'm a girl and i work night shifts in downtown, believe me I know), but i wouldn't be able to deal with my conscience if i just walked by. can you imagine how horrible it must be to be laying in the middle of the street and people are walking right by you , like you are garbage. to me that person is still a human being, no matter what. although i can understand the reasons mentioned above

[Superflyer]

I moved here in 97 and I really liked it, we had that small town feel in a big city environment. But over the years, especially in the last 3 or 4 I guess it has gone down hill quickly. I am scared to see it in another 5 years.
But that being said I think that out of the big cities in Canada this is still the one that I would like to live in........ask me again in a few years and it may be diffrent.

[maverickeastwood]

Can Calgary even be Calgary anymore? I'm an implant as well (BC) along with many, many others. What is the true population of this city minus the imports. This city must've had something that I have missed because it reminds me alot of Vancouver.

To add to the previous poster, we go home after spending the day at work and in traffic, turn on the T.V. and watch all the "bad " that has happened. It's always the breaking story when someone gets killed, what happened in the middle east or even the pickton trial.

It's not just here, it's happeneing everywhere to a varying degree, some worse than others

[CrusaderPi]

Don't worry folks. In a few more years the boom will cause some eastern Canada jealousy and we'll have the NEP II foisted on us. Edmonton and Calgary will become more like the small cities you remember.

You may not have a house or be here to enjoy it though.

[mykalberta]

Don't worry folks. In a few more years the boom will cause some eastern Canada jealousy and we'll have the NEP II foisted on us. Edmonton and Calgary will become more like the small cities you remember.

You may not have a house or be here to enjoy it though.

Agreed.

I help people who help themselves, always been like that always will be like that. With the amount of help wanted signs out there is no reason not to have a job. I respect someone who has a job (doesnt matter what it is, McD, City, Encana) not someone who walks around the +15 that causes me not to leave the food court when I want to because I know the arouma will be awful.

MYK

[Ozy_Flame]

Well I'm coming back to Calgary at the end of February, and to be completely honest, I'm scared to see how the city is in terms of economy, people, culture, etc. I don't know what to expect in terms of gainful employment, what the cost of living is there anymore, and whether I'm going to be able to relate to Calgarians anymore. It just seems like, from being on the outside looking in now, that the city has lost it's spirit, and that it's being diluted with money-driven maniacs.

Calgary is getting too large, too quick. I don't know what to expect.

[Daradon]

There's two other factors at work here I think. I don't like just saying, 'the city is too big and is filled with too many money driven jerks'. That's untrue, and a cop out answer with no imagination. There might be some corrolation, but it's a simple and largely incorrect answer IMHO.

The first factor was touched on. Simply, the element of fear. In a city this size people fear the unknown because there is more that IS unknown. In a small town, there is a good chance you might know this person and what the risks (real or imagined) that would be associated with helping him. As we know less and less about our surroundings and the people within them, the fear reaction increases (for most people). A large city has too many people/neighbourhoods to know and we don't have to worry just about that one person, but all the other people in the situation as well, like the drivers at the light, the people watching us etc.

To go into that a bit further, we probably do isolate ourselves more in large cities, but it's not because we don't care or don't have time for people, it's just fear or suspicion of the unknown. Therefore we don't take the time judge the situation properly.

Second is more of a sociological comment, but it has to do with the amount of people around the 'need for help'. A person needing help, in situations as simple as this, to serious life threatening ones like assault or rape, is far more likely to get it if there are one or two people nearby to help, than if there are 20 or 30. Some might think that the odds are better with more people but for two reasons they are not...

1. Most people will be too afraid of jumping in and being judged, or failing in front of others.

2. People will rationalize in their heads that they are not the best person for the job, that someone else will take care of it since there are so many around, or that it's simply not their problem.

Whereas, if people realise they are the only ones who can help, this will often override their fear (as mentioned above) and spring into action.

Neither of these are good excuses or reasons, but they are hardly the sole domain of large cities.

I'm glad you were more than ready to do the right thing though, and I think lots of people are.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Don't worry folks. In a few more years the boom will cause some eastern Canada jealousy and we'll have the NEP II foisted on us. Edmonton and Calgary will become more like the small cities you remember.

You may not have a house or be here to enjoy it though.

A few more years???

How about.....if Dion ever comes into power.
http://www.am770chqr.com/station/show_adler.cfm?REM=63069&ctid=29&stid=57