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| Subject: Calgary |
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I arrived last night in Calgary for a conference - haven´t been here for several years. From the air it is a pretty city. The downtown core is a little mound of sparkling buildings on what is otherwise a very flat landscape. The biggest physical feature is the Bow River that seems to cut the city in half (which makes sense from a homesteading perspective).
My conference is for community planners so I will likely hear a lot about boom town Calgary and I will be travelling about so I expect to get a good feel for what is happening here.
First thoughts:
these people have too much land. From what I have seen so far, this town requires you to own a car. Light industrial goes on and on. it is NOT a walking city. Downtown is deserted at night.
Remember, I am from Vancouver and everything is condensed with a huge residential population now living in the core. That is my reference for this discussion.
The hotel is full of men in suits with laptops. :) Think Barkerville or San Fransico in the gold rush days. Services and infrastructure in this town cannot keep up with the influx of people coming to seek their fame and fortune. All that is missing is the Smith and Wesson.
I am at the Hyatt and I suspect that they are having a hard time getting competent housekeeping staff. It is not to the usual Hyatt standards. I think the problem is common here.
If CBV comes online, perhaps we can arrange to meet up for coffee.
[10-09-2008,15:00]
[**.46.110.132]
Sharon |
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(in reply to: Calgary)
sharon, when you come to Toronto, let me know and i shall invite you for a dinner at a nice place.....hope to see u soon....
[10-09-2008,16:51]
[***.50.205.242]
Mike |
(in reply to: Calgary)
after getting lost at least 10 times today, I think I have the north, south, east, west thing worked out. Calgary Tower looks very big and helped me find the hotel several times today.
observation, (don´t misunderstand me please) Calgary is whiter than Vancouver but still has a good representation of visible minorities. Calgary also has better shopping for a rubenesque woman than Vancouver. (when you live in Richmond, dress sizes tend to stop at size 6) All the stores are supersized.
From the stop light at Central and the river, I could see 9 construction cranes. Everything seems to be under construction.
Chinatown is a joke.
time to test out the price of wine and dinner.
[10-09-2008,22:01]
[**.46.110.132]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Calgary)
verdict is in. Calgary is to Denver what Vancouver is to San Fransisco. that required 6 people and 2 bottles of wine to decide.
Also, Alberta beef is better than BC beef. that determination is unanimous.
also, cowbody boots look good on ANYONE.
[11-09-2008,01:54]
[**.46.110.132]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Calgary)
Now we are talking lol.
Alberta beef is awesome!!!! I assume you are going back home wearing a cowboy hat and 5 lbs of meet in your suitcase eh?
I have always pictured Calgary as the Fort Worth TX of Canada!!!! I really like that city.
This is a very rich province, it is amazing how much development is going on.
Cheers
Bill
[11-09-2008,11:52]
[***.34.111.122]
Bill |
(in reply to: Calgary)
Calgary is Ft. Worth to Bill and Denver to Sharon? Interesting. To me, Ft. Worth and Denver have more differences than similarities. Denver is one of my favourite city.
[11-09-2008,13:08]
[***.254.208.246]
DC |
(in reply to: Calgary)
I have never been to Fort Worth. Perhaps Bill is referring to mood rather than geography.
not sure on this part yet... there are those who are doing VERY well economically and then there is everybody else.
off to do more research.
[11-09-2008,13:52]
[**.46.110.132]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Calgary)
I think so too about Bill´s comparison.
Denver with Rocky mountain view is well comparable to Calgary, though economy is not that dynamic. Very quite compared to it´s size which attracts me a lot and the scenic beauty is just awesome. I already planned my retired home in either Boulder or Tenessee.
Ft. Worth is always busy...too busy..with no natural eye catching sight..all concrete.. (sorry to hurt any Ft. Worth fan) at all.
[11-09-2008,14:01]
[***.254.208.246]
DC |
(in reply to: Calgary)
I am refering to the mood more than the geography. I meaning it in a good way though.
Calgary is a cosmopolitan city, with lots of industry mainly focused on oil and gas and as a hobby or sport, rodeo and cowboy life style is the "cool thing to do".
Well yuh´all that sounds like the good´ol Ft. Worth to me.
Most of the head offices of many companies located in Fort McMurray are located in Calgary. The business happens down there, the operations happen up here (Fort Mc).
I thought about living there before finding my dream home in Kelowna.
That is what I love about Alberta compared with other provinces, my customers have DEEP pockets.
Cheers
Bill
[11-09-2008,16:38]
[***.34.111.122]
Bill |
(in reply to: Calgary)
more data:
-Calgary has the second highest number of cranes in operation behind Dubai
-Calgary is the youngest populated city in Canada - average age 34
-Calgary is the most expensive major city in the country to live with average rent cost of $1096 for a 2 bedroom apartment.
-Calgary has 23% visible minorities
- population density - 211/sq km. Vancouver 5,333/sq km
[11-09-2008,18:17]
[**.46.110.132]
Sharon |
(in reply to: Calgary)
calgary population density for Metro is about 211/sq. km but not total density which is 1,360 sq. km
[11-09-2008,19:05]
[***.209.209.129]
Anonymous |
