Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunk
Calgary is most often compared to cities multiple times its size. What Calgary needs to develop as it becomes a true big city is that big city buzz - just more of everything - whether it be streetlife, walkable neighbourhoods, shopping, dining, cultural activity. These things will come both naturally with densification and growth and some deliberate effort on the part of its citizens to create a better, more exciting city. Calgary does pretty well for a city its size and is a really fun place if you really get yourself out there in the community.
On the otherhand, it's hard to find a place on earth where the basics of a good quality of life are better - whether it be health and wellbeing, education, income, infrastructure, recreation, or environmental factors (air, water, ground quality).
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Yeah, I don't think it's Calgary's fault that it's missing some of those factors....it's after all still a small city that's growing up. The buzz will grow....it will take decades, but it can only get better. I see a pretty big change in the buzz from the last time I was here. But if you want anything close to a big-city buzz....well, might as well leave right now, because it's going to be a long time before it builds to current Montreal/Toronto levels.
And for sure, I think Calgary (and Canada in general) does a lot of the boring, but fundemental, things in life really well....which in the end are really important of course. It's nice to know that while they might not be perfect, you don't really have to worry about health care or education here. It's never going to be the most interesting or passionate of places, but you'd also be very hard pressed to find a country where all your basics of life are so well covered. I guess that's the trade-off with Canada....you might not always live the most interesting life, but chances are, you're going to lead a pretty safe and long one.
Oh and Vienna, the #1 city on this list, is pretty boring too.