Abbotsford bc
 

Hello,

I've got a job offer in Abbotsford BC. Money is ok, but not brilliant. Just wondering what it's like to live there? I've driven though it once on the way to Calgary but never stopped.

Having spent most of my Canadian Residency on the East Coast in Nova Scotia. Any insight would be appreciated?

Any cyclists / mountain bikers on here? Whats it like in that area?

Cheers

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Spent a few years there. The east end of town, up on the mountain is the nicer part. I have a buddy who is an avid cyclist, he does jaunts down to Seattle and back from Abby and around the Fraser Valley.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Thanks Aviator. I'm out of love with the Maritimes at present. Would you mind if I asked why you left?

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

In terms of cycling, Abbotsford itself it pretty flat (apart from Sumas Mountain), so it is good for road cycling. I'm not sure what Sumas is like for mountain biking, but a few miles north you are in to Mission and the mountains and there are some good areas out towards Cultus Lake. You could bike on pretty much flat roads all the way to the coast.

There is a diverse ethnic mix in Abbotsford, with 23% of the population of South Asian origin. Abbotsford has the oldest Sikh Temple in North America and it is a National Historic Site. It is also the main Bible Belt city, with many Mennonites in the population.

What is you budget and requirement for housing?

Abbotsford is cheaper than any residential area to the West and more expensive than any to the East. About 10% cheaper than Langley and about 20% more expensive than Chilliwack and 10% more than Mission, I would say.

Sumas Mountain/Whatcom and Pepin Brook (SW of Mt Lehman) are the nicest areas to live. The downtown core would be at the other end of the list...

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

I'm just going to rent really. I've already checked out the property prices and it's as expensive as I imagined it would be and thanks to the divorce from the wife out of my price range. I was going to use it as a stepping stone to moving out west. It's only a one year contract with the possibility of extension.

I was wondering what it was like there? Busy, sleepy town, a hell hole?

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

it's religious-er out there. more conservative, more christian, more sikh. are you conservative and religious? it'll help.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

I would say neither. It is not a bad place to live, I would take it over anywhere further west anyday. Rents are lower than closer into Vancouver. Chilliwack is 20 minutes drive from Abby and rents are cheaper still. It is an easy drive to Abby, we have employees who come the other way, from Abbotsford to Chilliwack.

Abbotsford is a lot busier than it was 20 years ago, we wanted somewhere more rural. Moved up to Ryder Lake. Still an easy drive to the border, to YXX and Vancouver should it be necessary.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

yep I wouldn't stop if i was driving through there either...

Known as the bible bashing and murder capital of Canada........ most of the "bikers" you see out that way will be hells angels! and are likely best avoided!

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

The 'murder capital' depends on where the gang war happens to be in a particular year. The resulting Darwinism produces natural gang control.

I think Surrey is probably winning hands down for 2015 gun crime and murder rates at the moment.

I haven't seen many 'Angels in the last 12 months either. They probably all live in Kelowna now....or Langley/Surrey.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Maybe it's worth giving this one a miss then. Sounds a bit weird there.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Abbotsford isn't horrible and a decent place for families for the most part, but it's pretty dang boring. Not much excitement out that way.

It is a bit too conservative for my liking though and one reason I moved.

If your looking for quiet suburban lifestyle it's not a bad place, if your more into urban lifestyle it's not your type of city.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

IMO Abbotsford is a meh town in a magnificent setting. But, outside of Metro Vancouver/Capital Region you can say that about most places in BC. Follow the advice above about where to live and you will be fine for a year. Plenty of time for a look around to see if you like it out here.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

You have to see for yourself. You can't live your life around a few throwaway comments.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Undoubtedly Surrey is “winning” this year already!

Great when you hear that all of the stabbing and shooting “victims” are “refusing to co-operate with the police”….perhaps the hospitals should “refuse to co-operate” with this section of the community, and let Darwinism prevail.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

They are?

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Maybe check it out for yourself, I lived there a few years and closeby for 20+ and would take Abby over most other parts of the Lower Mainland.

I would not make a decision based on comments on a web forum, often from folks who have spent little or no time in a place.

Personally I could not be paid enough to live in Vancouver or its suburbs. Each to their own.

In 2013 there were 3 murders in Abby-Mission, 37 in Vancouver
Table 2 – Homicides, by census metropolitan area, 2012 and 2013

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Yeah, I'm going to give it some thought tonight and do some more research. Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Per capita though it was very close. Although I would not be worried about being murdered in either location, most are not random.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Abbotsford is alright, I lived there for a while in 2009 , doesn't have a big nightlife scene though so I guess many people would find it boring. It is in a pretty nice location and I found it a lot more relaxing to live in that surrey or burnaby(never lived in vancouver).. It has everything you need for everyday life but if you like big city life then I think it's not for you.. It does have the abbotsford sports and entertainment arena(although since the ahl team left I think they dropped the sports from the name), which has some interesting shows and events every so often..

as for cycling, I dont know anything about mountain biking or off roading but I used to take the road bike out a lot there and it's not too bad for road cycling, the terrain isn't super interesting, it is very flat unless you go up the sumas hill road which is fairly fun but it is short and very steep(around 15%) and it then turns into a gravel road once you get over the top of the hill.

I live in chilliwack right now but if circumstances changed I would quite like to move back to abbotsford, it's really quite alright and I think when I lived there it was named murder capital of canada that year and I never saw any trouble.

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

There do seem to be some pre-qualifications for being murdered.

Usually 1)being a drug dealer 2)having murdered somebody

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

I would rank Abbotsford as a decent place, with all the amenities you need to live close by. If your job is in Abbotsford, you could live anywhere within a 20 mile radius easily.
Maple Ridge and Mission over the river, Langley and Chilliwack south and everywhere in-between.

It all depends on your circumstances, are you a clubber? probably not the place for you, but if you're a bit older and have more sense, it's has some nice places to live and also some sh1th*les - bit like every town/city in every country in the world. (I live nearby and shop there regularly)

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Yes there are "bikers" there and yes there are a lot of Harleys, but Hells Angels?

More like middle aged men on their weekend toys - think more Ben Stiller in "Wild Hogs"

:rofl:

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

As has been said before, clearly we should all take jovial comments on a web forum with a pinch of salt, and a wry smile!

However historically there were certainly gang (and specifically biker gang) issues in Abbotsford; however this is no different than many other area's around the lower mainland, Langley, Surrey Ect. and indeed any large city or town in north america / Canada.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dail...005406791.html

Re: Abbotsford bc
 

Ditto!

Or indeed any large town/city anywhere in the world.