Moving to Edmonton. Need consolation...

[Hatter]

So I'm moving to Edmonton for school soon. I live in Medicine Hat at present, and wish I didn't have to leave. Here's hoping some CPers have experience in Siberia as I've only been there once in the past 10 years. I try not to venture north of Calgary if possible.

All that being said, I need some advice.

1) How do I best avoid being stabbed or shot at?
2) I'm unsure of where to look for a place to live. I'd prefer somewhere where its unlikely I'll be stabbed or shot.
3) Is there anything to do in Edmonton other than the mall and the terrible hockey team? I know there's fairly good nightlife to be had, but one can only do so much of that.
4) Why is everything made of concrete? It looks like the Soviet Union.

A couple of my questions are in jest, but I'd actually like some advice on good places for UofA students to live, and just general info about the city. If you have nothing to add, just bash Edmonton. I'm good with that too.

Thanks!

[TorqueDog]

[MrMastodonFarm]

The River valley!!!
/obligatory edmontonian

[Lego Man]

I moved to Edmonton from Calgary in 2005 to go to UofA, still here - but planning to move to Europe in a year - I CAN'T WAIT!!!

I'll start with the good:
UofA is an awesome University, and has a nice Campus in a nice part of town. BY FAR the best University in Alberta. You'll like it there.

The rest:
Everything else about Edmonton sucks. It's not even a city, just a giant town. It's like mega Red-deer. No city vibe at all. Nightlife sucks compared to Calgary, WestEd and Southgate are the only decent malls - and they are pretty much the same as the malls in cgy, just filled with more "old people" stores. There are so many ugly looking areas of Edmonton that it seems like one is always driving through some sort of industrial looking ghetto residential area. So ugly. Far away from the Mountains. Bleh.

I honestly can't say one good thing about Edmonton. Every minute i've lived here, I've counted down to the moment I leave this place.

Out of all the places one can live in the world, to stay in Edmonton is such a waste of human potential.

And OMG, are they ever COCKY up here all of a sudden.
PLAN THE F'N PARADE! HALL EBERLE HOPKINS PIAR.. BLAH BLAH BLAH


Edit: As long as you live close by the C-Train, you'll have decent access to UofA, and what they call "downtown". There are tons of places to rent walking distance to the UofA as well - just not the nicest houses. Location Location though.

Fine. Edmonton Ball Hockey League is good here. There is one thing I like I guess.

[Hatter]

Yeah I was kind of worried about all that. I'll be there 5 years at most, and I'm sure I'll be looking to get out of Dodge as soon as possible. I've heard UofA is a great university, that's the only reason I'm moving there. I'm not overly picky about the place I live, as long as it's close to the school and I don't get stabbed. I'll look into the area you were talking about.

I'm already resigned to listening to ridiculous Oiler fan nonsense for the next few years, but relief is only down the QEII.

[Notorious Honey Badger]

[BlackArcher101]

Honestly, Edmonton is far better than The Hat. *shudders* Can't believe I just said that.

[wooohooo]

I went to school at UA too. It's a nice school, but right when I got out all these fancy schmancy buildings got built. And worst of it when they were building it, we had to walk around so now you get the added benefit of all the walkways and connecting buildings. Those were some of the coldest winters. PITA walking halfway across campus to go to class late with frozen hands.

I would stay somewhere in the University area if you're going there. I live right off whyte and near the safeway so 109th st and it's a really good location. I can walk to school, bus to school, half block walk to safeway, and all the amenities of whyte ave. There's the other side of campus the 119st?? part... there's nothing around there but houses and no buses. Stay East of 114th st and you'll be good. Lots of apartments around there if you're looking.

South Edmonton area like Terwilliger/Riverbend is pretty identical to anything in NW Calgary... Hamptons, Edgemont etc.

Stay far away from North Edmonton or you could just go to the gun store and get a vest, and some guns for your protection. It's a crap hole there... probably won't ever get shot but you get the idea. There's some nice neighborhoods I know... but generally yah... same with Millwoods.

My advice if you're going to school get a place near UA. It's a great location but rent is of course going to be inflated. If you can afford it, it's worth it.

[chalms04]

BP's

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Honestly, Edmonton is far better than The Hat. *shudders* Can't believe I just said that.

A little off topic. Does Medicine Hat still have the outdoor water slides? We used to visit my Grandma there when we were kids, but when she died I never went back. The slides were the highlight of our trip down there. (except seeing Grandma of course) It's been almost 20 years now and I assume they have been shut down.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by mpaca

The rest:
Everything else about Edmonton sucks. It's not even a city, just a giant town. It's like mega Red-deer. No city vibe at all. Nightlife sucks compared to Calgary, WestEd and Southgate are the only decent malls - and they are pretty much the same as the malls in cgy, just filled with more "old people" stores. There are so many ugly looking areas of Edmonton that it seems like one is always driving through some sort of industrial looking ghetto residential area. So ugly. Far away from the Mountains. Bleh.

Not to go all OilKiller or TRANSFORMERSFAN here but your Edmonton isn't my Edmonton. I love this city. Whyte Ave is simply amazing. Old Strathcona is the heart of my Edmonton. My Edmonton is metropolitan, my Edmonton has a thriving arts community, my Edmonton is meeting friends for coffee and discussing literature. My Edmonton is nothing like a 'mega Red Deer'.


Simply put, I love living here. And I'm really sorry you don't.

[metallicat]

I've typed about three responses already, and have hit the back button each time. It just isn't worth getting into it anymore. Good luck in school.

[Hatter]

Originally Posted by Stranger

A little off topic. Does Medicine Hat still have the outdoor water slides? We used to visit my Grandma there when we were kids, but when she died I never went back. The slides were the highlight of our trip down there. (except seeing Grandma of course) It's been almost 20 years now and I assume they have been shut down.

The waterslides are gone now. There's talk of putting a solar farm in that location now.

Id like to live near the university. Hopefully my financial situation allows it.

[keratosis]

Gurump!

[bomba]

Reminds me a lot of Mississauga.... one giant parking lot

[Sylvanfan]

If you're at the U of A you won't have many reasons to cross the North Saskatchewan. LRT will take you to South Gate Center, if you want to go to West Edmonton mall you either need to drive or take the bus.

If you have to go North of Grant McEwan....try to minimize your time between 66 th street and 127 th. Unless you want to live dangerously. I once got stranded on Alberta avenue trying to take public transit to a hockey game...the middle of the road between moving vehicles was the safest part of that neighborhood.

[Cheerio]

I was up there this weekend to visit some friends. I liked the underground LRT but damn it is easily the most dull/depressing city I have ever been to.

[V]

I'm far from an Edmonton booster, as us St. Albertans generally just look down our noses at them, but Edmonton's neighbourhood reconstruction program blows away anything the City of Calgary has ever done. If you walk through an old neighbourhood like Lendrum or Sherbrooke you'd be amazed to find out that the neighbourhood is 50 years old. A lot of Calgary's older neighbourhoods could use a heluva facelift right now.

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by Cheerio

I was up there this weekend to visit some friends. I liked the underground LRT but damn it is easily the most dull/depressing city I have ever been to.

First few weeks I took it I loved it... then it got to be a real PITA walking up and down those stairs every day. Especially the Grandin ones where they're narrow and slippery. The ones to UA are a huge pain too since you gotta take escalators or long stairs then around to another set of escalators then a walkway to your class.

I preferred the ones in Calgary even though it was outside. Seems the new Edmonton ones are heading that way too. But what do I know... I've only taken the train in Calgary 3 or 4 times and in Edmonton for about a year.


Edmonton's really not as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but it's really not a long term solution. I guess I'm not the artsy fartsy type to want to go to farmers market and go for coffee to discuss literature...

They do have a lot of outdoor rinks... not all are well maintained though. Just live somewhere closer to 114th and whyte ave so you get access to the bus when the weather hits -40. I rented for a semester before I could move into my current apartment and it was near saskatchewan drive. Horrible walk to school. Not even an option to take the bus even if I wanted to.

[The Reverend]

Blackbird Records
Funky Pickle Pizza Company;
The High Level Diner

Besides that, SUB at U of A is kind of ok.