[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by _Q_

That's essentially it right there. In the burbs you go to work to just stare at your computer for 8 or 9 hours a day. Your coffee break consists of getting up, grabbing a Van Houte coffee from the kitchen and then reading the Calgary Herald website for 15 minutes. Your lunch break means going with a couple of co-workers to some dive restaurant or Tim Horton's. Your commute means sitting in traffic for what seems like eternity.

In downtown, your coffee break means checking out a cool coffee shop a couple of blocks away or going for a walk to a park somewhere near by. Your lunch break means going out to almost any restaurant you can imagine or finding a food truck in the area. You have the option of either going with your co-workers, or meeting up with some friends that work somewhere else in the area. In the burbs, generally offices are farther apart, so it's not as likely that you know anyone close to your office. In downtown, you can go shopping at The Core during your breaks, or run some errands like getting your dry cleaning done. Maybe you enjoy driving to work, but taking the train is actually not that bad.

I work in an industrial park office/manufacturing facility (Near 16th ave and Barlow NE). Many of the items you list can still be done in many of the industrial parks in Calgary. Since you most likely have access to a car, I have dozens of restaurants within a 5 min. drive, 2 malls within a 5 min. drive and plenty of dry cleaners, grocery stores and other places to run errands close by.

Even with the access to the restaurants, I am not in the CP 1% and can't afford to eat out everyday. Most of my friends do not work downtown and so meeting with them for lunch is not always an option.

Working in the industrial park offers one large advantage that working downtown cannot provide (for my line of work). I am able to take a walk on the factory floor on a daily basis to see the projects I design come to life. Working downtown, most people are lucky if they are able to do that once a month.

Even though my commute distance is large (Auburn Bay to 16th ave/Barlow), my actual commute time isn't bad. It takes me approx. 30 min to work and 45-50 min. home. I would take transit if it was a viable option as I like taking transit, but I don't have time for an hour and a half each way (plus the 3 transfers would suck). I bought there fully knowing this situation.

At my work there are people who far prefer downtown and people who far prefer the industrial parks/suburbs. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to both.