RRhodes

Its only been 8 days but 8 days of 'what have I done' so far! We cant seem to find anywhere in Ottawa that we would want to live. Its either just full of houses crammed in together (Orleans, Kanata, Barrhaven etc) or just too remote to live in if you need to work. We are applying for jobs and expect that we would have to work in the city (if we can get jobs that is) - hence the need to live commutable distance (hate the rush hour traffic already) and the cost of parking / transport is extreem. We miss the UK!!

I dont think I can take much more of driving to areas and finding them without parks / trees or any amenities etc but surely I have to give it longer than a week right????

I hate the fact I traded quaint green Britain for a concrete and weatherboard existence. I knew the exchange rate wasnt great (my PR visa was running out so decided it was now or never to give it a try) but wasnt banking on just how expensive everything is. I mean $6 for a beer and $9 for cereal!!

Anyone else in Ottawa cant settle or moved somewhere that I may like? Without jobs we are stuck living with my brother who loves Orleans but then he hasnt lived in the UK for many many years so probably just got used to it. At this stage I would happily leave today!

Are there any areas we havent tried that maybe have more space / parks / forests etc and that you can actually get jobs nearby? We dont have to live near the centre but need jobs to enable us to move. Yesterday we went to Kemptville but I didnt even get out of the car! HELP!!

Tangram

Auld Yin will be along shortly to help you out.

ireland2canada

Door. Out.

ireland2canada

On a more serious note, if the OP has landed in Ottawa and sees absolutely no redeemable features then perhaps that is that. If you don't like the city itself (where you will likely go for work), or any of the outlying areas, then maybe the place is not for you.

As you have the luxury of staying with family, I'd invest in a couple of trips to other places. Stay a couple of days and see if you hate it all, or if it's just Ottawa.

dbd33

It's called the Glebe innit? The nice block of Ottawa.

Oh, and there's a park in Manotick. I assembled some sort of children's climbing frame there as part of a "community" effort.

wolstie

We've been here now for 20 months, and it was hard at first but now we're getting used to it (I'm sure the missus will be along later with her side of things).

Definitely stay away from Barrhaven, Kanata and Orleans, they are miles away and even with the excellent transit available, the commute time really adds up.

We are in the Hunt Club Park / Greenboro subdivision and really enjoy it. Great bike paths connecting the parks and communities and easy access to Downtown via the Transitway. It is a bit 'crammed in' but the greenspace around kind of makes up for it. If you don't want to be 'crammed in' you'll need to look at more established neighbourhoods such as Riverside Park / Mooney's Bay and Alta Vista, but then you'll pay alot more rent / mortgage.

With regards to the Glebe, it's over rated. Extortionate rent / house prices and very dense. If you are looking for open space, this isn't for you.

We are looking at maybe moving further out of the City when our PR eventually comes through (and brings with it access to decent morgage rates...). You definitely get a lot more for your money, but then you spend a lot more time commuting, so you need to find the right balance. We have friends in Arnprior, and really like it there - it's alot friendlier than Ottawa and about an hour and a bit away so that is definitely on our list. Check out Carp, Kinburn, Dunrobin and Carleton Place.

With regards to Kemptville - it's a really nice town in the Summer with some great little pubs. This town was also on our possible to move to list, but we struck it off as kids facilities such as beaches and parks were non-existant. Excellent Chinese restaurant there though.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat more.

pdarwin

Perhaps try some other places in Canada. Ottawa is certainly a bit dull, but is livable. We live in Kanata and I find that OK for traveling into town to work as there are many express buses available. Ottawa's bus service has its flaws but it's far cheaper and quicker than driving.
Yes, the houses are quite close together but the house we have we could never afford that in the UK.
If you're paying $6 for a beer then stop drinking those European imports. If you're paying $9 for cereal then switch to cereal that normal folks eat.
Think about the reasons you chose Ottawa and not, say Toronto or Vancouver.
BTW - there are something like 90 parks in Kanata.

iaink

$9 for cerial? Whats that all about?

RRhodes

We will check out some of the areas you have mentioned later today. Fingers crossed! Thanks ;0)

cheeky_monkey

I wasnt aware Fortnum & Mason had a store in Ottawa..you live and learn.

JamesM

8 days......

Well at least you gave the place a chance.....

macadian

RRhodes wrote
"I hate the fact I traded quaint green Britain for a concrete and weatherboard existence".

Love it! No rose tinted specs in evidence here then.....

Welcome to the 'collective', though in your case, resistance may be far from futile.....

Best of luck

Atlantic Xpat

Good job you haven't seen the wastelands of the GTA then otherwise you'dve turned straight around and got on a plane back to UK.

The Glebe is an older, but pricy area of Ottawa. My S-i-L used to live there. She now lives in Stittsville which is to the West & is another sprawl of sub-divisions but she tells me she is in the old part that has more character.

Sadly, your problem is more that you are experiencing North American suburbia in all it's hellish glory. That's going to be difficult to move beyond.....

Piff Poff

Maybe Ottawa isn't for you, is family the reason you chose Ottawa? Give elsewhere a chance first, there must have been some reason that made you decide to go through all the stress and expense of emigrating, you can't give up straight away (well you can but...). Do you think maybe the reality of what you have done has just set in?

iaink

I cant help but think that somewhere around Ottawa has to be a neighbourhood thats OK.

I look at google maps and there are certainly parks around, lots of them

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=ottawa&...h&z=15&vpsrc=6

Traffic is a consideration in any big city these days isnt it? How is Ottawa for transit, I thought it was pretty well sorted for busses and the like?

my bosses kid works in the city, she and her husband comes in from around Vernon or Metcalfe every day, its not too onerous a commute AFAIK.