Quote:
Originally Posted by V
I hate to derail the thread as I enjoy Edmonton bashing just as much as the next guy, but in what possible way is Calgary considered a world class city by anyone other people that have lived there?
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Okay, I'll bite. Calgary is currently not a top-class world class city with the likes of London, Paris, NY, Vienna, etc.. Admittedly I'd put Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto ahead of Calgary for what should be obvious reasons. Of the three largest Canadian cities, they each offer their own marketable "brand". Montreal is Canada's second largest city, hugely historic, one of NA's only european-ish cities, French, and known for its culture. Toronto is Canada's "big city" with all the undeserved stardom that comes with being the center of stuff. Vancouver is the west coast and is graced with an ocean on one side and mountains on the other with a great climate for Canadian standards.
Calgary in comparison to the big three doesn't have much going for it, with the exception of the following
1. Western heritage (best exemplified with the Stampede)
2. Heart of oil and gas business
3. Close proximity to the mountains (but not a mountain city)
4. Culture....?
If Calgary wants to go from a recognized city around the world to a top-tier city, it will need to focus on developing a world class brand, something that makes it unique from other cities. Some of the ways this could happen is by 1. Strengthening ties with the outdoors (focus on becoming a city with a theme for access to skiing, camping, outback quadding) and associated stuff. 2. Go the cosmopolitan city way and focus on bringing up shopping and events/cultural stuff in a bigger urban core.
Unfortunately Calgary is not graced with an instant world class quality, but if it identifies a direction and sticks to it, it can become one.
Edmonton on the other hand is just forever cast into the no goodness category of the world.