frinkprof
Apr 7, 2009, 6:45 PM
I feel like an interesting point has just sort of been touched on above:
This is in regards to Plan it and inner city living etc.
I for one, am wondering if Calgarians really do want to see a change. It seems that lots say they do (with letters advocating Plan It and such in the Herald) but is that just a vocal minority with the majority of the population too apathetic to really voice much of an opinion? It was mentioned up above about the kind of people really buying into some of these projects and towers and it does sometimes seem that only speculators looking for a profit are doing so. This profit stemming from the seemingly few that do want to live in such places, but now have more than enough product, so that the demand is no longer there.
Furthermore, I`m wondering that even if it were a majority that want to see Calgary change and it especially seems that way in the youth, that although this may be true, they aren`t overly willing to do anything about it. It doesn`t yet seem that many of them are willing to `sacrifice`the current way they live in order for this change to realistically occur. Nor have they even given any thought as to how they would indeed live differently if they were to actually choose to do so.
I know that I personally want to see it changed as much as anyone on here, but are we sometimes being too hopeful and unrealistic of what the actual situation is. Perhaps it is just from my social circle that I am getting this feeling from.
Thoughts?
Sim posted this in the Construction thread and thought it would be a good discussion.
To be honest, I think most people are apathetic. This is a pet issue for most of us on here, but really most people aren't aware of the changes proposed by Plan It, let alone form an opinion on them. If they are aware, it's only because they are vaguely familiar with it. Not trying to insult people's intelligence, although some people certainly deserve it. A lot of people just care more about their own hobbies like watching Dancing with the Stars, working on the car in the garage, or heading to the mountains every weekend or whatever.
That said, I think that most people won't change their "live in a detached house in the 'burbs, drive everywhere lifestyle." The change will be gradual and over a couple of generations. Most of the people currently living in such developments will have moved into seniors' housing or be long gone by the time Plan It's final goals are reached. More and more first-time buyers will buy into multi-family, as will the increasing number of empty-nesters. I think single family housing will be the choice for the vast majority of people between say ages 30-55 while they are raising a family. The good thing is that even single-family housing is in ever-more dense "smart growth" suburbs.
So in summary, people aren't going to up and change their lifestyles overnight, nor is that realistic. The people 25 and younger are going to be the ones that will have different lifestyles than the norm today.
Just my thoughts. What are yours?
This is in regards to Plan it and inner city living etc.
I for one, am wondering if Calgarians really do want to see a change. It seems that lots say they do (with letters advocating Plan It and such in the Herald) but is that just a vocal minority with the majority of the population too apathetic to really voice much of an opinion? It was mentioned up above about the kind of people really buying into some of these projects and towers and it does sometimes seem that only speculators looking for a profit are doing so. This profit stemming from the seemingly few that do want to live in such places, but now have more than enough product, so that the demand is no longer there.
Furthermore, I`m wondering that even if it were a majority that want to see Calgary change and it especially seems that way in the youth, that although this may be true, they aren`t overly willing to do anything about it. It doesn`t yet seem that many of them are willing to `sacrifice`the current way they live in order for this change to realistically occur. Nor have they even given any thought as to how they would indeed live differently if they were to actually choose to do so.
I know that I personally want to see it changed as much as anyone on here, but are we sometimes being too hopeful and unrealistic of what the actual situation is. Perhaps it is just from my social circle that I am getting this feeling from.
Thoughts?
Sim posted this in the Construction thread and thought it would be a good discussion.
To be honest, I think most people are apathetic. This is a pet issue for most of us on here, but really most people aren't aware of the changes proposed by Plan It, let alone form an opinion on them. If they are aware, it's only because they are vaguely familiar with it. Not trying to insult people's intelligence, although some people certainly deserve it. A lot of people just care more about their own hobbies like watching Dancing with the Stars, working on the car in the garage, or heading to the mountains every weekend or whatever.
That said, I think that most people won't change their "live in a detached house in the 'burbs, drive everywhere lifestyle." The change will be gradual and over a couple of generations. Most of the people currently living in such developments will have moved into seniors' housing or be long gone by the time Plan It's final goals are reached. More and more first-time buyers will buy into multi-family, as will the increasing number of empty-nesters. I think single family housing will be the choice for the vast majority of people between say ages 30-55 while they are raising a family. The good thing is that even single-family housing is in ever-more dense "smart growth" suburbs.
So in summary, people aren't going to up and change their lifestyles overnight, nor is that realistic. The people 25 and younger are going to be the ones that will have different lifestyles than the norm today.
Just my thoughts. What are yours?