Time to be Jealous of Edmonton

[Hatter]

Edmonton has grown on me quite a bit since I moved here.

If I had unlimited funding, I'd prefer to live in Calgary, but I can afford a much nicer place in a much nicer neighbourhood in Edmonton.

Both cities have their ups and downs, but cost of living ended up trumping all in my case.

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Don't know about world class, but Calgary is a step above Edmonton in most, if not all ways. There has always been a decent gap. Growing up North of Edmonton it was never an impressive site or place to visit, minus the mall. The first time I was in Calgary as a youngin, it was just better. Cleaner, the skyline (even then) and the view of the mountains almost anywhere in the city.

I'd say in the last 4-5 years, the gap has only grown and at this point Calgary is easily the better place.

Just drive into both cities and you'll quickly realize what I'm saying. Calgary has a wow factor with impressive buildings already there, and going up. Edmonton just feels like a lower quality of it, no "wow" there as you enter.. it's actually a lot of "oh... wow..yuck".

Honestly, what really excites me about Calgary is the changing aspect. It's not a world Class city, it might not ever be.. but it's attempting to do so. There has been a dynamic shift in the culture recently. It's no longer acceptable for architecture in this city to be boring, bland, and look Joseph Stalin designed it. YYC is finally comfortable saying we want things to be different and dynamic.

Have you driven down 17th Ave SE in the past......30 years? That's a dump. How about the C-train line downtown, that has some beauty to it as well. Having lived in Calgary for 30+ years and Edmonton for 5 I have a much different view than yours. Calgary looks good and it's location is great, mountains are right there. The sprawl is brutal, the commute is a joke and the Stampede is something that is much bigger in Calgarians heads than it actually is. The downtown skyline is great downtown with the vacant buildings and the location of it is laughable at best. How much have the floods cost so far? What has been done?

The traffic in Edmonton isn't even comparable to Calgary, it's night and day. They have an actual football stadium that can attract big concerts and major sporting events. The arts culture is way ahead of Calgary (not hard though as Calgary might have the weakest art culture in Canada). The river valley is an actual valley without any concern of disasters. Don't forget that with the closure of the airport that the skyline in Edmonton will be changed within the next 10 years as well.

Very good possibility of being a host city for the World Cup of Soccer in either 2022 or 2026, Calgary is unable to be a host city because they have a "stadium" that can seat 30,000 with a noise by-law that basically renders it useless.

But Edmonton sucks and Calgary rules huh.......

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

The downtown skyline is great downtown with the vacant buildings and the location of it is laughable at best.

This is confusing. How can you change the location of downtown? Isn't it called downtown for a reason?

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by Mango

This is confusing. How can you change the location of downtown? Isn't it called downtown for a reason?

Downtown Calgary is running out of room to grow, it's right next to a river that has flooded it twice in the last decade which left a beautiful sewage smell lingering for weeks...not saying that it will change, just saying for such a "world class" city it's kind of a joke.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Downtown Calgary is running out of room to grow, it's right next to a river that has flooded it twice in the last decade which left a beautiful sewage smell lingering for weeks...not saying that it will change, just saying for such a "world class" city it's kind of a joke.

Calgary's downtown hits WAY above it's weight and is enviable by 95% of North America. Oh, and it's only GETTING BETTER. You have no idea what you're talking about.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Have you driven down 17th Ave SE in the past......30 years? That's a dump. How about the C-train line downtown, that has some beauty to it as well. Having lived in Calgary for 30+ years and Edmonton for 5 I have a much different view than yours. Calgary looks good and it's location is great, mountains are right there. The sprawl is brutal, the commute is a joke and the Stampede is something that is much bigger in Calgarians heads than it actually is. The downtown skyline is great downtown with the vacant buildings and the location of it is laughable at best. How much have the floods cost so far? What has been done?

The traffic in Edmonton isn't even comparable to Calgary, it's night and day. They have an actual football stadium that can attract big concerts and major sporting events. The arts culture is way ahead of Calgary (not hard though as Calgary might have the weakest art culture in Canada). The river valley is an actual valley without any concern of disasters. Don't forget that with the closure of the airport that the skyline in Edmonton will be changed within the next 10 years as well.

Very good possibility of being a host city for the World Cup of Soccer in either 2022 or 2026, Calgary is unable to be a host city because they have a "stadium" that can seat 30,000 with a noise by-law that basically renders it useless.

But Edmonton sucks and Calgary rules huh.......

17th ave SE? You mean Forest Lawn? Are you telling me that there are no less than desirable areas in Edmonton (I mean, besides Edmonton)?

Sprawl is brutal? Too many people moving here?

Vacant buildings and laughable location of DT? Around here, we keep our downtown in the middle of our city. I guess we could move it to Airdrie, so that the commute downtown would be shortened, but that's just not feasible, what with the sheer amount of tall buildings, including the tallest west of Toronto.

Those pesky floods, though. All one of them since Alberta was born. 2005 was not a flood like 2013, it was really high water that f'd a few basements along one of our blue water (not brown) rivers.

Of course the traffic in Edmonton isn't as bad. With all the GD potholes, and the traffic lights hanging from wires, people don't want to own cars. They'd rather collect UI to pay for their sweatpants.

I don't know if you're talking about some other soccer World Cup, but you're never hosting the World Cup. Never. Please tell me there's some other world cup you're purporting to be in the running for, because if you actually mean the World Cup, I just want to smack your forehead for you.

The Stampede, that we're "always making such of a big deal about", is known around the world. Certainly not by everyone, but by magnitudes more people than have ever heard of Klondike Days. While neither city is exactly NYC, I can tell you that Edmonton is known for only one thing. The ONLY thing that someone from another country would ever recognize your city for, is the Oilers. I'm not joking. That is it. Of course, the joke is on you because... the Oilers.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Downtown Calgary is running out of room to grow

This is funny because running out of vacant lots to develop is a skyscraper nerd and an urbanist's wet dream. The day that happens is the day when downtown development truly becomes "go big or go home".

Running out of land downtown is the reason why we can do things like demolish the Mawer building to make room Manulife. It's the reason why we can develop the East Village. When the East Village is done, that will be the help provide impetus to develop the West Village.

Or we could just be jealous of downtown Edmonton's empty lots.

[CalgaryFan1988]

I for one am shocked that a thread about Edmonton doing something really good has become an Edmonton vs Calgary debate.

[sun]

####, this thread title never gets old.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

But Edmonton sucks and Calgary rules huh.......

Yes, you are correct.

Stunning Soviet Era concrete architecture:


Calgary:

[_Q_]

All this reaching to make Edmonton seem better than Calgary is hilarious.

Edmonton is a #### hole, Calgary is not. End of story.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Very good possibility of being a host city for the World Cup of Soccer in either 2022 or 2026, Calgary is unable to be a host city because they have a "stadium" that can seat 30,000 with a noise by-law that basically renders it useless.

This only makes me love it more........stupid soccer

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by 4X4

17th ave SE? You mean Forest Lawn? Are you telling me that there are no less than desirable areas in Edmonton (I mean, besides Edmonton)?

Sprawl is brutal? Too many people moving here?

Vacant buildings and laughable location of DT? Around here, we keep our downtown in the middle of our city. I guess we could move it to Airdrie, so that the commute downtown would be shortened, but that's just not feasible, what with the sheer amount of tall buildings, including the tallest west of Toronto.

Those pesky floods, though. All one of them since Alberta was born. 2005 was not a flood like 2013, it was really high water that f'd a few basements along one of our blue water (not brown) rivers.

Of course the traffic in Edmonton isn't as bad. With all the GD potholes, and the traffic lights hanging from wires, people don't want to own cars. They'd rather collect UI to pay for their sweatpants.

I don't know if you're talking about some other soccer World Cup, but you're never hosting the World Cup. Never. Please tell me there's some other world cup you're purporting to be in the running for, because if you actually mean the World Cup, I just want to smack your forehead for you.

The Stampede, that we're "always making such of a big deal about", is known around the world. Certainly not by everyone, but by magnitudes more people than have ever heard of Klondike Days. While neither city is exactly NYC, I can tell you that Edmonton is known for only one thing. The ONLY thing that someone from another country would ever recognize your city for, is the Oilers. I'm not joking. That is it. Of course, the joke is on you because... the Oilers.

The west end of Stony Plains Road. That area is a ####hole, of epic proportions. I have a client with offices in that end of town. Sweet Jesus I feel like I need to contact S. Plissken Esq. to get in and out alive.


Klondike Days, do you mean K-Days, or Capital EX. The this is such a crap show they have to change the name to trick people into coming back.

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by 4X4

17th ave SE? You mean Forest Lawn? Are you telling me that there are no less than desirable areas in Edmonton (I mean, besides Edmonton)?

Sprawl is brutal? Too many people moving here?

Vacant buildings and laughable location of DT? Around here, we keep our downtown in the middle of our city. I guess we could move it to Airdrie, so that the commute downtown would be shortened, but that's just not feasible, what with the sheer amount of tall buildings, including the tallest west of Toronto.

Those pesky floods, though. All one of them since Alberta was born. 2005 was not a flood like 2013, it was really high water that f'd a few basements along one of our blue water (not brown) rivers.

Of course the traffic in Edmonton isn't as bad. With all the GD potholes, and the traffic lights hanging from wires, people don't want to own cars. They'd rather collect UI to pay for their sweatpants.

I don't know if you're talking about some other soccer World Cup, but you're never hosting the World Cup. Never. Please tell me there's some other world cup you're purporting to be in the running for, because if you actually mean the World Cup, I just want to smack your forehead for you.

The Stampede, that we're "always making such of a big deal about", is known around the world. Certainly not by everyone, but by magnitudes more people than have ever heard of Klondike Days. While neither city is exactly NYC, I can tell you that Edmonton is known for only one thing. The ONLY thing that someone from another country would ever recognize your city for, is the Oilers. I'm not joking. That is it. Of course, the joke is on you because... the Oilers.

Forest Lawn, Applewood, why don't we just say the entire NE of Calgary is a complete dump. I agree that there are also pockets in Edmonton that are disgusting, but I'm not on here painting a picture of a beautiful Calgary, you are.

Vacancy rate in downtown Calgary has doubled over the past year, might want to fill the office space you have rather than build more towers. The same rings true for the Glenmore Industrial Park, vacancy is absurd there as well. I guess there is no worry of another flood for a hundred years so that's good. Where are you pushing the homeless and the hookers to from the East Village? And you might want to have a look at what city is currently building the tallest building west of Toronto, might surprise you.

Is that blue water around Glenmore and Deerfoot? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Potholes are bad here, unemployment isn't. Wonder if it's time to get a clue? Construction industry is hotter here than in Calgary, time to get a clue?

Womens under 19 World Cup this year, Womens World Cup in 2016 and it's between Canada and Africa for hosting in 2026. If they pull the 2022 from the Middle East then Canada has the best chance to host that. Edmonton will be a host city, Calgary will not. Do some research before making statements you know nothing about.

The Stampede hasn't changed in 30 years, for 10 days city slickers dress in cowboy attire and say yahoo. Wow, that's a real big draw. Conklin the moves everything to Edmonton......oh wait...they don't have a rodeo....hahaha

[MrMastodonFarm]

Cylops, I like your style, keep it up. It's so stereotypically Edmonton. Edmonton will be a host city, Calgary will not. Counting your chickens before they hatch, then bragging about those chickens.

As for the "tallest building west of Toronto", are you talking about The Edmontonian? Chalk that up to chickens before they hatch again. That building is not currently being constructed, it's not even close, it's been proposed but that's it. Meanwhile, Calgary has 15 buildings already done and built bigger then Edmonton's tallest, with 6 others either currently approved or under construction, well past the proposed stage.

Seriously, a skyline argument is one you shouldn't even attempt. It's rather embarrassing. Just stay out of that fight, pick your battles.

[_Q_]

Even if that Edmontonian building gets built, who cares.

That's so typically "Edmontonian", just like West Edmonton Mall. Build the biggest of its kind around and then proclaim yourself as a world class city and better than Calgary.

[nik-]

Am I actually watching someone cling to downtown office vacancy rate as a reason their city is better?

The gap grows wider every year Edmontonians, but just like your cups, you'll cling to your "culture!" and "river valley!" until 2080 if you have to.

haha oh man, I just learned of this "Edmontonian" (because of course they'd call it something so awful). I for one hope they build it. That would be a sweet Pyongyang style skyline they'd have ... a bunch of decrepit buildings and one giant monstrosity they could latch their civic pride to.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Forest Lawn, Applewood, why don't we just say the entire NE of Calgary is a complete dump. I agree that there are also pockets in Edmonton that are disgusting, but I'm not on here painting a picture of a beautiful Calgary, you are.

Vacancy rate in downtown Calgary has doubled over the past year, might want to fill the office space you have rather than build more towers. The same rings true for the Glenmore Industrial Park, vacancy is absurd there as well. I guess there is no worry of another flood for a hundred years so that's good. Where are you pushing the homeless and the hookers to from the East Village? And you might want to have a look at what city is currently building the tallest building west of Toronto, might surprise you.

Is that blue water around Glenmore and Deerfoot? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Potholes are bad here, unemployment isn't. Wonder if it's time to get a clue? Construction industry is hotter here than in Calgary, time to get a clue?

Womens under 19 World Cup this year, Womens World Cup in 2016 and it's between Canada and Africa for hosting in 2026. If they pull the 2022 from the Middle East then Canada has the best chance to host that. Edmonton will be a host city, Calgary will not. Do some research before making statements you know nothing about.

The Stampede hasn't changed in 30 years, for 10 days city slickers dress in cowboy attire and say yahoo. Wow, that's a real big draw. Conklin the moves everything to Edmonton......oh wait...they don't have a rodeo....hahaha

You are a highly delusional individual.

So many gems here but I will just pick one.

The Bow River at Glenmore Trail is indeed blue water (minus a few weeks for runoff), and chalked full of amazing trout. I recommend you read Blue Ribbon Bow - A Fly Fishing History of the Bow River - Canada’s Greatest Trout Stream by Jim McLennan, to fully appreciate what a resource the Bow River really is. Anglers travel from all over the world to fish the Bow.

How is the burbot fishing in the beautiful N. Sask?? Sweet slough shark!!

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Cylops, I like your style, keep it up. It's so stereotypically Edmonton. Edmonton will be a host city, Calgary will not. Counting your chickens before they hatch, then bragging about those chickens.

As for the "tallest building west of Toronto", are you talking about The Edmontonian? Chalk that up to chickens before they hatch again. That building is not currently being constructed, it's not even close, it's been proposed but that's it. Meanwhile, Calgary has 15 buildings already done and built bigger then Edmonton's tallest, with 6 others either currently approved or under construction, well past the proposed stage.

Seriously, a skyline argument is one you shouldn't even attempt. It's rather embarrassing. Just stay out of that fight, pick your battles.

Can't hold the World Cup in a stadium that can seat 30,000. Maybe that fact flew over your head. Now that the Airport has closed they are building larger skyscrapers, not that it makes a city though. The mayor has already stated that this project will most likely go ahead, but you are correct, it's not built yet. The arena will begin to push more towers, 2 are already past the bidding stage and EPCOR is planning another tower. Lets touch on the vacancy rate now, haven't heard you talk about that. Just because more towers are built doesn't mean that it creates more employees to fill them.



How about the commute, living in south Calgary and working downtown is fantastic. I know this firsthand, Memorial and Deerfoot are dream roads.

[Cyclops]

Originally Posted by Flacker

You are a highly delusional individual.

So many gems here but I will just pick one.

The Bow River at Glenmore Trail is indeed blue water (minus a few weeks for runoff), and chalked full of amazing trout. I recommend you read Blue Ribbon Bow - A Fly Fishing History of the Bow River - Canada’s Greatest Trout Stream by Jim McLennan, to fully appreciate what a resource the Bow River really is. Anglers travel from all over the world to fish the Bow.

How is the burbot fishing in the beautiful N. Sask?? Sweet slough shark!!

Yeah, the sewage treatment really brings out the flavor.