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Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Old Nov 1st 2019, 4:36 pm
  #46  
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by dbd33
I suspect the Rockies are a barrier to outdoor entertainment rather than an asset. They're outside cities so one needs a car to get to them. Even from Calgary a trip up the Rockies takes all day so you need a day when you're not working; that's great if you're a student or retired but not so probable if you've recently started a job. For example, my informant in Vancouver, which is quite close to some mountains, skied every (winter) Friday while in university but hasn't since due to working all the time and not being able to afford the bus without the student discount. By contrast, someone living in, say, Wrexham could take a coach and walk up Snowdon both days of every weekend if they so chose. They could do so in a flat cap while working as a cobbler or car mechanic or some other ordinary type of job.

I accept that the Rockies are pretty to look at but question the idea that they contribute to an "outdoors lifestyle" unless you live in a ski resort. Four hours in a car going to and from is not being outside.
There is transit buses to and from the Rockies from Calgary that are accessible to anyone that can access the C-train. The cost to do so isn't prohibitive. I accept that one needs a pass once they get to the resort, but I would imagine that that is the case for those that live in Europe too.
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 4:57 pm
  #47  
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by Shard
Skiing/boarding has a price tag, but there are plenty of other outdoor activities in the mountains that are enjoyable.
Well sure, but one can trudge along in the Pennines or on Dartmoor and some people enjoy that. It does rather get on my tits when people suppose that moving to Canada will cause them to be constantly dressed in spandex whizzing up and down mountains on various appliances. Most people will be sat in an office all day and then go home to the TV same as they would in the UK. Not me, of course, I go outside every day to feed me chickens, I'm as outdoorsy as a pigeon fancier.
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 5:31 pm
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by dbd33
I accept that the Rockies are pretty to look at but question the idea that they contribute to an "outdoors lifestyle" unless you live in a ski resort. Four hours in a car going to and from is not being outside.
I'd say that _enjoying_ any kind of lifestyle by definition excludes people on a budget. It's all about the options available to people that have discretionary income in relation to their hobbies. Don't underestimate the 'availability of opportunity' effect (I'm sure there is some terminology for it). Knowing that you can do something should you wish to - even if you don't - can create a much sunnier disposition towards life, as opposed to not being able to regardless. Some times it's more about having the option that makes you enjoy life rather than any material difference.

In addition to that, people with a low paid job in UK who plan on coming to an equally low paid job in Canada should not expect much of a change in lifestyle, unless they are after something niche that Canada somehow offers in spades over UK. Anything else is "grass is greener" thinking.





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Old Nov 1st 2019, 5:43 pm
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by london.2014
I'd say that _enjoying_ any kind of lifestyle by definition excludes people on a budget. It's all about the options available to people that have discretionary income in relation to their hobbies. Don't underestimate the 'availability of opportunity' effect (I'm sure there is some terminology for it). Knowing that you can do something should you wish to - even if you don't - can create a much sunnier disposition towards life, as opposed to not being able to regardless. Some times it's more about having the option that makes you enjoy life rather than any material difference.
I don't know, I would think that having skiing, for example, on the doorstep but not being able to ski for want of funds/time might be worse for a skier than not having the proximity. So near and yet so far. I do think there's something gained in sense of opportunity though. I suspect that, had I stayed in the UK, I would not have thought myself able to take up sailing, and especially not horse riding, because those were not the sort of things people like me did. Here I don't perceive any such barriers.
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 6:32 pm
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by london.2014
I'd say that _enjoying_ any kind of lifestyle by definition excludes people on a budget. It's all about the options available to people that have discretionary income in relation to their hobbies. Don't underestimate the 'availability of opportunity' effect (I'm sure there is some terminology for it). Knowing that you can do something should you wish to - even if you don't - can create a much sunnier disposition towards life, as opposed to not being able to regardless. Some times it's more about having the option that makes you enjoy life rather than any material difference.

In addition to that, people with a low paid job in UK who plan on coming to an equally low paid job in Canada should not expect much of a change in lifestyle, unless they are after something niche that Canada somehow offers in spades over UK. Anything else is "grass is greener" thinking.
Your two paragraphs contradict each other.
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 6:39 pm
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by dbd33
I don't know, I would think that having skiing, for example, on the doorstep but not being able to ski for want of funds/time might be worse for a skier than not having the proximity. So near and yet so far. I do think there's something gained in sense of opportunity though. I suspect that, had I stayed in the UK, I would not have thought myself able to take up sailing, and especially not horse riding, because those were not the sort of things people like me did. Here I don't perceive any such barriers.
"the shut out effect"

Not a red trousers man then...?
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 6:41 pm
  #52  
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by Shard
"the shut out effect"

Not a red trousers man then...?
http://lookatmy****ingredtrousers.blogspot.com/

You will, of course, have to fill in the missing letters.
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 6:42 pm
  #53  
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

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Old Nov 1st 2019, 6:44 pm
  #54  
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by Shard
Doesn't open
I edited. Those aren't actually four asterisks but four letters, three of them are U C and K.
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Old Nov 1st 2019, 6:49 pm
  #55  
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Default Re: Living Alberta - small towns, Calgary neighbourhoods and commuting

Originally Posted by dbd33
I edited. Those aren't actually four asterisks but four letters, three of them are U C and K.
Oh, duck, ok, will try that.
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