You have to drive everywhere however. You cant leave your house and go for a walk stop for a drink and then stop for groceries at the local market, pick up some steaks at the butcher, and then walk through the local park on the way home. Even though every thing might be 5 minutes away by car, its not walkable and it doesnt help create a "community."
That said, one thing you almost get to, is that a city is what you make out of it.
Take a drive towards the centre of the city and youll find many trendy areas and streets that have restaurants, cafes, pubs, lounges, etc filled on any given night of the week. Theres art gallerys, live theatre, live music, etc... Just because its not in your local shopping centre, doesnt mean it doesnt exist in Calgary.
Ive also experienced the opposite attitude. When I lived in Montreal, I had many people tell me how great Montreal is and how much it has to offer in the way of culture and arts, etc. Yet these same people would work downtown and then rush home to the burbs on the South shore or take the train back home out of the city and never spend anytime in the city of Montreal in the evenings or weekends.
Calgary is what it is. A relatively new city thats experienced a recent boom and an explosion in population. Its not NYC or London or Toronto or Montreal. Its also not Winnipeg, Regina, or Thunder Bay.
But in the end, any city is what you make out of it.
I have many friends and acquaintances who complain that Calgary has no culture, no nightlife, and nothing to offer. If you live far in the burbs and rush straight home after work (regardless of where you work) then yes, likely the city has nothing to offer for you other than the neighbourhood pub located in the stripmall next to the grocery store and gas station.
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Originally Posted by 4X4
Disclaimer** I only read to post 140 before getting really annoyed by Muta and Ozy...
You guys are arguing what? Last week you said you live in westbrook or shaganappi. Now you're railing hillhurst? Hillhurst is closer to DT than you are, boys.
And this culture experience? Maybe you've never left your 5 km radius, but there are live band venues all over the city.
Next up, you're dissing peopel that live in cookie cutter houses? You live in an apartment building! What difference is there? Do you think that every suite in your building is different and "unique"? More cultured? Does your building look any different than the one next to it?
And urban sprawl... Nice numbers you've got there, muta. Are you factoring into to your equations that the city of Van has cities right at it's borders? Perhaps this leads to a higher density?
Man, you guys really just sound like you're complaining for the sake of complaining.
About the only thing your neighbourhood offers is Aussie Rules. Other than that, you're living in the armpit of calgary. At least Mcleod tr has a bunch of different restaurants, bars, clubs, even live music (red onion), movie theaters, grocery stores, commercial and office spaces, car dealerships, malls... Ditto for crowchild north. 36th street NE? Deerfoot south, even westhills.
Us suburbanites in our barren wastelands need not go far to get what we want and need. So go ahead and whine about urban sprawl... You're travelling farther than most suburbanites for your day to day needs.
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