Future Canadian Skylines

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Daveography

^ For me it's not so much the Edmonton-Calgary rivalry, as how often someone just feels the need to randomly remind us after that one brief visit that yes, we still have a lot of parking lots downtown, or yes, our China Gate doesn't lead to our actual Chinatown, or yes, our downtown isn't bursting with urbanity. As though we don't already know these things or that they haven't been changing and continue to change.

Pro tip: You're not being being helpful, you're being condescending.

It's especially frustrating because those of us who live here know how bad it was in the past, and how much better it has become, and how many more good things are coming. But despite that, and our attempts to share what we know with our fellow forumers, folks still like to constantly remind us of that one time they visited and saw parking lots.

(Thanks! We didn't know about those parking lots! We'll get right on that for you!)

I wasn't trying to say anything bad. I was trying to talk about how there's so much good, it's just odd for a city to swing between some of the best and some of the worst in a single block. I think Hamilton is the only city close to Edmonton for jarring shifts in urbanity. Both cities have great skeletons, but need more meat on their bones.

[Daveography]

^ Fair enough, and my apologies if you felt singled out. I admit I might be overly sensitive and grumpy after a few recent forumers and posts here and elsewhere in the Canada section.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by middeljohn

Summer last year. It may have been a Sunday though now that I think about it. Did go to 17th Ave same night though and it was lively as per usual.

It's just getting tiresome hearing Calgarians constantly bash Edmonton as if the two cities are that different. They are much more similar to each other than either of them are to any other cities on this planet. Calgary probably has a little more hipster appeal with more artsy neighbourhoods, but Edmonton has a little more functional appeal with a more logical street network and as a result a little bit more multinodal.

It comes down to preference. Calgary wants Toronto's downtown, but to do that all the commercial big-hitters need to be downtown meaning the majority of the population has long distances to travel in the morning. Edmonton's downtown is an appropriate size for its population and as a result has enough big hitters left who can fill up other commercial areas resulting in shorter commutes for a larger percentage of the population.

But the above paragraphs also exaggerates the differences between the cities. The two cities are neck and neck for worst sprawl in the country. Both cities have numerous arterial roads far wider than necessary. And both cities are aggressively investing to change the automobile culture. Both cities have heavily oil-dependent economies. Both cities are built around a river. People in both cities have mostly identical hobbies and common interests. Both cities are in prairie transition areas, although what they transition into is different. The two cities have a very similar climate minus the 30-35 days Calgary gets a chinook. Both cities have overpriced food and underpriced energy. Both cities are magnets in attracting young Canadians. Both cities are fiscally conservative. Both cities have gone through a period of rapid growth and are working towards getting the infrastructure and housing caught up. Both cities are currently building a ring road. Both cities are very young. Both cities have rapidly increased their visible minority populations and are both currently at ~30%.

Edmonton and Calgary aren't identical but they are very very similar and people in both cities tend to forget that and instead focus on the differences, which are far fewer than the similarities.

[O-tacular]

With the exception of the bolded part I do agree with the rest. We are basically Springfield and Shelbyville. The creepiest is our similar looking news anchors.

[Coldrsx]

^haha, totally.

[Gresto]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

The creepiest is our similar looking news anchors.

Aren't all news anchors (or "newsreaders", a more apposite term) basically variations on the same conformist drone? All stiff mannerisms and head bobs; no personality.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Gresto

Aren't all news anchors (or "newsreaders", a more apposite term) basically variations on the same conformist drone? All stiff mannerisms and head bobs; no personality.

To a degree, but I've seen billboards in Edmonton with anchors that were actually doppelgangers of the ones in Calgary. Like Bizarro is to Super-man.

[Black Star]

Originally Posted by Gresto

Aren't all news anchors (or "newsreaders", a more apposite term) basically variations on the same conformist drone? All stiff mannerisms and head bobs; no personality.

Stopped watching the news on T.V for this reason. I don't want to see your shinning personality and fake smile read the news and pawn it off as a show. A lot of lip smacking also...take a drink off water or spit!! (Gord Global) (Darryl CTV)



Internet for my news.

[Gresto]

I still read a daily newspaper. TV "news" has become unbearable.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Gresto

I still read a daily newspaper. TV "news" has become unbearable.

I hate to admit it but I only read a paper now when I travel and my hotel gives me a copy. I do think it's so much better then TV or radio for news.

[Gresto]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

I hate to admit it but I only read a paper now when I travel and my hotel gives me a copy. I do think it's so much better then TV or radio for news.

Newspapers are much better, no question, but they aren't what they used to be. First there's media consolidation, whose outcome is fewer diverse opinions. Secondly, shrinking revenues mean cuts to beat reporters, editorialists, and foreign offices, and more aggregate news items sourced from AP, Reuters, Bloomberg, Canadian Press, et al.

[Jay in Cowtown]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Pretty much. Calgary and Edmonton have been basically the same size for a long time, any time something new starts up in one city, the other usually gets it right after. There isn't much that you can do in one city that you can't in the other, only distinct advantage Calgary has is the mountains and Banff, so there are always more tourists here.

I wish we could saw out Edmonton and place it right on top of Airdrie to become the 2.5 mill metroplex of Calmonton.

Sorry Airdrie & Crossfield... you get moved to the hole Edmonton leaves behind!

[Coldrsx]

^I love Edmonry!

[Boris2k7]

WTF, I stop looking at the forum for a few days, and when I come back it's another Edmonton/Calgary debate?

I, for one, applaud what is going on in Edmonton. It's long overdue. I'll prod here and there, of course. Calgary should be a little taller, a little more dense, a little bigger. It's all in good fun, of course. Despite the bad behaviour of some Calgarians (and Edmontonians), it's really good if both our cities are lifted up. Other decent-sized cities are so far away... it's nice to have another urban destination that you can easily weekend in.

[Pinion]

The future megalopolis of Edmonry will be glorious.

Much better name than Vancattle too.

[Beedok]

Since we're chatting about Edmonton so much, I will say the downtown seemed very similar to Winnipeg in a way. They both had a main street culminating in the tallest Skyline bit, and then another street nearer the river that you could almost miss from the main street that's got nearly as impressive of a canyon with a mix of residential and commercial.

[WhipperSnapper]

Ditch the Flames but, keep the Oilers. Add some flames to the Oiler's crest. Done.




muahahaha

[middeljohn]

How long before the QEII becomes one long (mostly) urban corridor?

[ssiguy]

Never.

It is only heavily populated by Alberta & Prairie standards. Look at Wind/Osh or Mon/QC on both the North and South Shores.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Pinion

The future megalopolis of Edmonry will be glorious.

The City of Champeders