Moving to BC

[Northendzone]

^ man that must be awful to live in vranbrook and have a cabin in whitefish.....

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I would think if you are into some non-mainstream activities (I am thinking of that activity with an Asian sounding name that involves running up walls and jumping) you may have to drive to a larger city.

I have no idea what sport you are speaking of but it sounds fun.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

^ man that must be awful to live in vranbrook and have a cabin in whitefish.....

Might need to move that post to the Avocado/Millennial thread.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by bossy22

Have friends who moved to Cranbrook from here and they love it. They are big mountain bikers and skiers. They found they were always going to BC to do the things they love, so they moved there. Longer bike season, and way better skiing. They spend a month at a time at cat skiing. Plus it's closer to Whitefish, where they have a cabin. They're pretty outdoorsy, and they hated Calgary life. They have been retired since their mid 40's mind you. People I know around my age used Calgary for opportunity, but as soon as they can leave, they do. We will be the same.

Life is easy when you have a ton of money.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Life is easy when you have a ton of money.

Stinking teachers.

[bossy22]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Life is easy when you have a ton of money.

Life wasn't easy. Grew up in a trailer. Had a job since I was 13 for the town, then the local golf course. Moved to Edmonton to go to college. Worked at Safeway and the sherwood park golf course. Finally scored the IT job as a summer student while in college. Worked my butt off so when 2nd year started my manager asked if I could work part time to help with school, and help them out in evenings and weekends. I'd read my vmail (Vax mail for us old timers) and do my tasks. Moved to Calgary, slept on an air mattress and had no furniture. I had a little tv. Eventually got married had twins. Always volunteered for oncall because it paid extra time. I was on call one year 43 out of 52 weeks. That was my life for a long time. Worked hard. Worked extra. Moved up. It wasn't until I was in my 40's that things started coming together.
My wife who is way smarter than me, and works way harder than me moved up her corporate ladder and now we are very comfortable.
It's come at a price though that I won't get into.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by bossy22

Life wasn't easy. Grew up in a trailer. Had a job since I was 13 for the town, then the local golf course. Moved to Edmonton to go to college. Worked at Safeway and the sherwood park golf course. Finally scored the IT job as a summer student while in college. Worked my butt off so when 2nd year started my manager asked if I could work part time to help with school, and help them out in evenings and weekends. I'd read my vmail (Vax mail for us old timers) and do my tasks. Moved to Calgary, slept on an air mattress and had no furniture. I had a little tv. Eventually got married had twins. Always volunteered for oncall because it paid extra time. I was on call one year 43 out of 52 weeks. That was my life for a long time. Worked hard. Worked extra. Moved up. It wasn't until I was in my 40's that things started coming together.
My wife who is way smarter than me, and works way harder than me moved up her corporate ladder and now we are very comfortable.
It's come at a price though that I won't get into.

Anyone who cat skis for a month at a time (at least $1000+ a day), lives in Cranbrook, has a cabin in Whitefish, and retired in their mid-40's has a ton of money and isn't in the same position as a lot of people.

Not sure what you are going on about as you prefaced your other post with "have friends".

[bossy22]

Hmm, think I'm getting threads mixed up. Regardless, I think the point I was trying to make, but failing, was that this couple, who could live anywhere in the world, chose Cranbrook, and they love it.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I have no idea what sport you are speaking of but it sounds fun.

Parkour is the sport/activity I was thinking of

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by V

I don't know about that. I have 4 acres just outside of the city (Edmonton). 25 minutes into work (26 km for squiggs) downtown, and under 15 minutes to any kind of shopping. I have a nice quiet property in a quiet little subdivision with access to city living. That seems to be everything you're looking for.

This solution costs $$$, though. A few acres plus house within 20 minutes of Calgary is $1M+. A few acres in the more rural small town setting is half that. Or less.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I love Sylvan, as do my wife and kids.

I think there is just as much to do in a small town as a city.

I will say the one thing I notice is education, while the schools are excellent, and my kids know their teachers/principals on a personal basis, there could be more offered.

I think the available activities might depend on the town. As someone else mentioned, they took dance for awhile in their small town, but then the dance teacher moved away and that was the end of that.

We actually looked into moving to Cranbrook for awhile - it's not even really that small - 25,000+ people I think? But in Calgary, whatever you and your kids might want to do is available. Music lessons in any instrument. Gymnastics, dance, soccer, hockey, Martial arts of any kind, swimming (multiple pools, all kinds of lessons, variety of swim clubs), diving, golfing, you can even do luge here (I had a friend that did skeleton growing up). I could go on. Parkour. Giant indoor trampoline warehouses (lol). Drama and art classes. Literally almost anything you could think of to do, you can do in a city with $1M+ people.

Cranbrook is awesome for many reasons but even the swimming lesson options are really restricted, for example.

It's not the critical deciding factor for most people, but it is just one aspect to consider.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I think the available activities might depend on the town. As someone else mentioned, they took dance for awhile in their small town, but then the dance teacher moved away and that was the end of that.

We actually looked into moving to Cranbrook for awhile - it's not even really that small - 25,000+ people I think? But in Calgary, whatever you and your kids might want to do is available. Music lessons in any instrument. Gymnastics, dance, soccer, hockey, Martial arts of any kind, swimming (multiple pools, all kinds of lessons, variety of swim clubs), diving, golfing, you can even do luge here (I had a friend that did skeleton growing up). I could go on. Parkour. Giant indoor trampoline warehouses (lol). Drama and art classes. Literally almost anything you could think of to do, you can do in a city with $1M+ people.

Cranbrook is awesome for many reasons but even the swimming lesson options are really restricted, for example.

It's not the critical deciding factor for most people, but it is just one aspect to consider.

Calgary is a pretty unique city, in that I think there is maybe only 1 other city in Canada that can offer Luge/Skeleton to the yutes of today.

One of the things that makes Sylvan so nice is within the town of 14,000 you can do:

Music lessons in any instrument
dance
soccer
hockey
Martial arts of any kind
swimming (the town has a swim club)
Drama and art classes
Lacrosse

In a 15 minute drive to Red Deer you can do a poop load of the other activities, Bounce 360 is a trampoline jumping around place.

There is a difference between rural and remote. Life in Sylvan is rural, but not remote. A place like Cranbrook is more remote.

[Peanut]

Sylvan has a harp teacher? And you can do Brazilian jiu jitsu?

i imagine Sylvan has one indoor pool the same as Cranbrook does. There's just not a lot of options.

I'm not surprised you're arguing with me because that's your thing. I'm not knocking on Sylvan. I'm sure it's great. I'm just saying that a town of 14,000 people does not have the same multitude of options that a town of $1M+ does. Period.

[undercoverbrother]

Those are two pretty specific requests.

Originally Posted by Peanut

Sylvan has a harp teacher?

Wait does anywhere offer harp lessons?

They might at:

https://www.sylvanhouseofmusic.com/

Of course you could drive 15 mins to RDC, I think they might.

But again, Harp???

And you can do jiu jitsu?

http://arashido.com/location/sylvan-lake

Who knew?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by bossy22

Hmm, think I'm getting threads mixed up. Regardless, I think the point I was trying to make, but failing, was that this couple, who could live anywhere in the world, chose Cranbrook, and they love it.

I'm glad your friends like Cranbrook but it isn't anything special. Best thing about it IMO is the close proximity to the US border.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I'm not surprised you're arguing with me because that's your thing. I'm not knocking on Sylvan. I'm sure it's great. I'm just saying that a town of 14,000 people does not have the same multitude of options that a town of $1M+ does. Period.

It isn't my thing (nice shot, because you don't agree with me).

It is a rural v remote discussion.

Sylvan is a Rural town. Red Deer is 15-20 mins away and has near everything that you would expect a city of 100,000 to have. Airport, Costco, speed skating oval, ski hill.

Cranrbook is a remote town (well city). It is the biggest centre within what a 3-4 hour drive.

[Peanut]

What is your point ucb? That we should all move to Sylvan Lake?

My point is that, for a person living in Calgary considering moving to a smaller town, there will be less options for activities. That's all. If you don't agree, cool. I think most probably would.

And yes. My kid is interested in harp and enjoys Ninjitsu with her Dad. I didn't even bring up that form of martial arts because it's so obscure.

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

It isn't my thing (nice shot, because you don't agree with me).

It is a rural v remote discussion.

Sylvan is a Rural town. Red Deer is 15-20 mins away and has near everything that you would expect a city of 100,000 to have. Airport, Costco, speed skating oval, ski hill.

Cranrbook is a remote town (well city). It is the biggest centre within what a 3-4 hour drive.

I guess you're having a rural vs remote discussion with yourself. I was making a comment about how we considered moving to Cranbrook and that small towns don't have the variety that large cities do.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Peanut

What is your point ucb? That we should all move to Sylvan Lake?

#### no, that is the last thing I want.

My point is that, for a person living in Calgary considering moving to a smaller town, there will be less options for activities. That's all. If you don't agree, cool. I think most probably would.

My point is that there is a difference between rural and remote.

You can move to any number of smaller rural areas but still be within 15-30 mins of a large area. Driving 30 mins for an activity isn't a big deal, often the travel within a city like Calgary for example is greater than 30 mins.

Remote, you have what the community offers and that is it.

And yes. My kid is interested in harp and enjoys Ninjitsu with her Dad. I didn't even bring up that form of martial arts because it's so obscure.

I am happy your child enjoys common interests with their dad, it is important.

Have a good Friday Peanut.

[Hemi-Cuda]

I grew up in a small town in the Okanagan, and while my childhood was pretty good, high school years were terrible and I couldn't wait to get out. Didn't have many friends and had no opportunities to meet new people I could get along with, ended up becoming very reclusive and spent all my time inside playing video games. Moved to Calgary after for school/work and it took many years after that to break out of the shell I had built up. Now I could never move back, and I don't want my kids growing up in such a limited environment

And one thing that hasn't really been mentioned much as a downside for small towns is the lack of diversity. Growing up the only non-white people in town were the Asian family that owned the token Chinese restaurant, the first time I saw a Black person was in the Kelowna Costco, and I had never tasted any kind of ethnic food until moving to Calgary. One of my favorite parts about living in Calgary is meeting people from all over the world and sharing experiences, you just don't get that from small town life