Urban living in Edmonton

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by kcantor

maybe it is unfair to expect perfection but maybe it is fair to wonder if this is partly why full fare revenues have dropped 10% in the last 5 years while ridership has dropped by 2 million a hear.http://https://www.google.ca/amp/s/edmon...ommendations-to-improve-city-transit/amp

And costs have gone up. waaaaaaaaay up.

[christopherj]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

I'm offering life lessons that I learned the hard way.

You strategically didn't comment on the social engineering part though. Urbanites loooooove that.

And I'll offer my life lesson on why living close to the core is important to me - it's all about family. I did the math - if I lived in the burbs I would lose 9.5 *full* days (as in 24 hours) a year with my family (about an hour difference in daily commute, 5 days a week, 46 weeks of the year when you exclude holidays/vacation). By living central I found 230 more hours a year that I could spend with my family. A number of years ago we made the move from the burbs to live more central, and found ourselves happier.

Now obviously not everyone works downtown. And I know many who do that still choose to live in the burbs for other reasons. Hence why I said everyone has their own proprieties.

So maybe take your pretentious attitude and recognize everyone has a reason for their choices.

As for your social engineering comment, it's a bigger discussion - and one that works both ways. Just like many like to focus on central urban planning and talk about the benefits of that, there are just as many that talk about how downtown (not just Edmonton by in most cities) is dead and only focus on the burbs, hey we need a new highway, how about another ring road, etc. It works both ways.

[Xelebes]

Posts were moved from the construction thread.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by christopherj

So maybe take your pretentious attitude and recognize everyone has a reason for their choices.

Having done both the downtown life and the now suburb life, I'm constantly amazed at how my life choices are judged, especially now that I've moved to the suburbs. Yes, I know most of the jabbing has happened on 'the other forum' but the same characters post here, and coyly jab at suburb life every little chance they get, and then get crazily bent out of shape when constructive criticism of downtown is offered.
It's really sad when an international retailer or business moves to Edmonton, and some shove their noses up because it didn't move downtown. We need to support our WHOLE city, not just downtown.

I can and do play devils advocate on both sides of the debate, because I love to try to get people to think outside of their boxes, even if that means a negative reaction to what/how/why I post.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by christopherj

And I'll offer my life lesson on why living close to the core is important to me - it's all about family. I did the math - if I lived in the burbs I would lose 9.5 *full* days (as in 24 hours) a year with my family (about an hour difference in daily commute, 5 days a week, 46 weeks of the year when you exclude holidays/vacation). By living central I found 230 more hours a year that I could spend with my family. A number of years ago we made the move from the burbs to live more central, and found ourselves happier.

One of the great things about Edmonton is that, unlike Vancouver, it doesn't have to be one or the other. If we were in Vancouver, I would agree with you. For us to be able to afford an SFH down there we'd probably be looking at Coquitlam or Maple Ridge to afford the type of house we have here. So yes, If that were the case and all things being equal other wise, my commute would be horrendous, we just wouldn't do it. We'd sell two of the three cars and make do with a 1+den in a tower downtown. But here in Edmonton you can enjoy the benefits of living in the suburbs, as we do, and still only have a 10 minute commute. Heck, my commute to work by car from our single family rancher on a 50' lot on a cul-de-sac is faster than it took me to walk from the condo in McKay that we had to my office. So it's not like there aren't a multitude of different options, and you're not resigned to a condo if you want to have a short commute, even to downtown.

Obviously different people have different priorities. A lot of people do seem to really value a new build in a new community. There's a reason that the SW area of the city is growing faster than any other area population-wise by a significant margin. For the young folks in our office, it's all about having a new house with a warranty and no issues, safety, proximity to schools and being around people that are in somewhat of a similar life situation as them. That's why all our young folks who have started families live in places live Windermere, Spruce Grove & Lewis Estates

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by 240glt

One of the great things about Edmonton is that, unlike Vancouver, it doesn't have to be one or the other. If we were in Vancouver, I would agree with you. For us to be able to afford an SFH down there we'd probably be looking at Coquitlam or Maple Ridge to afford the type of house we have here.

Its extremely unfortunate that there is such a loud vocal group trying to eliminate SFH's as an affordable option for the masses.

With the rise of housing costs across the country and the fact that Edmonton has no real barriers to growth, we should be promoting Edmonton as a place where your employees can raise a family in a safe neighborhood with a backyard, two car garage and a 15 minute drive to your suburban office while still enjoying the amenities associated with a 1.5ish million regional population.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by feepa

n and do play devils advocate on both sides of the debate, because I love to try to get people to think outside of their boxes, even if that means a negative reaction to what/how/why I post.

You can and do play devil's advocate, but you end up acting in surprise and rage when people don't take the position you. . . want?

[Harrison]

So I have a couple options for houses - an older house that needs some work on a decent sized corner lot OR a brand new half duplex with a much smaller lot (half of an RF3).

The older house is right on 97 St in Spruce Avenue and the duplex is on a quiet street in Alberta Avenue. Duplex is listed at 60k more than the older house and both have detached garages.

Both locations are the same distance to work. I like both, but I'm torn.

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by Harrison

So I have a couple options for houses - an older house that needs some work on a decent sized corner lot OR a brand new half duplex with a much smaller lot (half of an RF3).

The older house is right on 97 St in Spruce Avenue and the duplex is on a quiet street in Alberta Avenue. Duplex is listed at 60k more than the older house and both have detached garages.

Both locations are the same distance to work. I like both, but I'm torn.

if you're at all handy you could accomplish quite a bit for 60k in the older home.

for me, the choice would be the single family home - we've lived on a minor arterial in the past and found the noise levels not much different that where you would think it would be a lot quieter. that's partly because there isn't much traffic during the night and what noise there is travels a lot further into where you think it would be quieter at night.

you mention that the house is on a corner lot so it probably has future redevelopment options that the duplex won't which may be attractive long-term. you don't mention whether you have children or not so your back yard and it's potential lack of privacy might be more of an issue with the home.

at the end of the day, the deciding factor for me might be where the bus stops are relative to the home. if they're close to you, their acceleration after dropping off and picking up passengers will likely be the most intrusive noise concern you might have to deal with (and it's low-level/penetrating noise). pick a couple of times a day including early morning and evening and "hang around" for 1/2 or more and see if you could be happy with what you hear.

[Coldrsx]

Twas a very cute sight this morning.

Three families with 2 each were having a picnic in 🞵🞵🞵🞵 Mather and playing on the new playground.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by Xelebes

You can and do play devil's advocate, but you end up acting in surprise and rage when people don't take the position you. . . want?

I don't rage. but keep on being that mod. You must be fun at partys.

[feepa]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Twas a very cute sight this morning.

Three families with 2 each were having a picnic in 🞵🞵🞵🞵 Mather and playing on the new playground.

Awhhh a little slice of normal every day suburban life but a big deal when it happens in the core. How cute.

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by feepa

I don't rage. but keep on being that mod. You must be fun at partys.

not to be argumentative feepa but you do rant and rave and rage.

you may prefer to think of it as being a devil's advocate but a devil's advocate posits an alternative perspective in a positive fashion.

too many if your posts simply come across as anti-something (personally as well as topically) and too many if them come across as angry (personally as well as topically).

behaviour that also wouldn't be very much fun at parties.

[feepa]

Maybe you read too much into a post that isn't there. Text is pretty hard to get rage from unless you have some preconceived notion that i'm raging.
Perhaps my posts could have more time spent on them to eloquently express myself better, but I really don't have time, nor do I have an energy to be raging at people.
Yes, many posts here and that other place are simply too easy not to ridicule, but I'm calm and collected, and mostly just posting while waiting for a process to finish. I'm not paid to spread my opinions here and there, unlike some.

[Landlocked]

Originally Posted by feepa

Maybe you read too much into a post that isn't there. Text is pretty hard to get rage from unless you have some preconceived notion that i'm raging.
Perhaps my posts could have more time spent on them to eloquently express myself better, but I really don't have time, nor do I have an energy to be raging at people.
Yes, many posts here and that other place are simply too easy not to ridicule, but I'm calm and collected, and mostly just posting while waiting for a process to finish. I'm not paid to spread my opinions here and there, unlike some.

Most people, including myself, need to be better at eliminating the us vs. them attitude. Someone's choice, opposite your own, to live downtown, or in the suburbs shouldn't elicit ridicule. This isn't the Borg, where we all conform to a single way of thinking and evolution. With that said, I hope we can continue to raise concerns, and question the accuracy of statements without incurring the wrath of those who take offence.

Using 'Shofear' as an example, he posted with the purpose of sharing something he learned the hard way. Unfortunately he also added "before you grow up and move into a house."

That took solid advice about how kids can screw up the ability to get reno projects done in a timely manner into a post about how anyone who chooses to live in an apartment or condo hasn't grown up yet. I think that triggered a rather heated exchange where the 'us vs. them' came out in force.

I have no doubt that you could pick through posts I have made and pulled out attacks. Again, I'm going to continue trying to post in as respectful a manner possible, and hopefully I succeed more often than I fail.

Cheers to all.

[Coldrsx]

www.edmonton.ca/downtownpublicplaces

Draft Downtown Public Places Plan Update
The Draft Downtown Public Places Plan has been refined since the last public engagement in November 2018 and is now available for public review. Send in your questions and comments to [email protected] by September 6, 2019.

Draft Downtown Public Places Plan (June 2019) (11.2MB)

The plan includes the following:

Guiding Principles
Strategic Directions
Downtown-Wide Recommendations
Place-Based Recommendations/Big Moves
Implementation Plan
The plan identifies 9 visionary and high-level Big Moves for the Downtown public places network. These long-term visions will guide future projects, and related development.

Please note: these Big Moves will require prioritization, funding, detailed planning, additional public review, and council approval in a separate process.

[Coldrsx]

A very successful inaugural High Level Line Day yesterday; great to see so many out and about.


https://twitter.com/peasantvision/status/1170167079187517441
@peasantvision


https://twitter.com/IanOyeg/status/1170516111181279232
@ianoyeg


https://twitter.com/DShepYEG/status/1170437114023952385
@DShepYEG

[MacLac]

Was the station expansion ever done this year? Thought it was going to cross Gateway?

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by MacLac

Was the station expansion ever done this year? Thought it was going to cross Gateway?

I heard from ERRS on Saturday that the City is being difficult with the crossing of Gateway Blvd. My hunch is that the type of signalling is the issue - crossing arms, flashing lights, etc.

[adam-machiavelli]

Solution: take out the westerly-most lane on Gateway and run it down the west side of the street to Whyte.