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Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle
That was a lengthy painful read tbh. But not that much of what the author said would be strewed as incorrect, but he clearly has an agenda in mind. One, he ignores that the culture of the area where Calgary was established revolved around ranching and farming. As Fotze points out, likely the case for a lot of areas, located in the middle of this country for sure, but doesn't make it any less true. But of course the "city" of Calgary wasn't created to for Ranching and Farming, you don't create a city for that reason.
The author is also clearly concerned that the "cowtown" stigman somehow leads to people believing this isn't a progressive city. Could be some truth to that, but it's what happens with every sterotype. We all believe that everyone in Vancouver is a dirty pot smoking hippy, but if you've been to that city, you know that the antithisis of this is in full force around Robson and Grandville streets for example.
San Antonio Texas for example likely creates images in your head, but anyone who's been there knows it's a not just what you'd think. Nashville is a lot more than just country music. Calgary, is not just a rodeo/ cowtown anymore (even if it apparently never was  ) but there is no harm in embracing an identifyer, doesn't mean that's all that you have to be about, and for sure the author is correct, there is so much more to this city. But folks who get really worried about the "western" tag line this city gets are simply being insecure, worried that folks in Toronto or Vancouver use it to make fun and call us small town, but it's not the case, and that tag line does so much more good for the city economically than it does harm. |
Does it? Outside of the Stampede the whole western thing doesn't really do much for Calgary at all as far as I can tell. IMO pushing that angle too much puts Calgary in a very niche market type position, 'come for your cowboy and wild west experience', when there is more to offer that isn't put forward. It's not about being insecure, it's about being fed up with an inaccurate image being put forth, not by people from Vancouver or Toronto, but from the city itself.
Actually, Nashville is a great example. I had no idea what Nashville had to offer until I met a lovely young lady from Nashville (okay, I knew they had those to offer) and went down to visit. I was expecting honky tonks and country music, and while they have that I discovered they also have some of the best restaurants in the country, bars that are doing all sorts of cool things with cocktails, stuff I'd never heard of even in the hippest parts of hipster Brooklyn and the music scene is insanely diverse. It took going there to find out about any of that, which is the issue. Calgary has a lot of things to offer that people have no idea about because the western image is too strong.