nat 1

Hiya, just curious to read about some of the things that you do and don't like about nelson bc. We are currently living in australia and we were originally gonna move to canada but changed our minds. If we did decide to move, nelson could be in the running. Just wondered what your views are on the place.
cheers nat.

Aviator

Depends what you want or need to do for a living. Nice small town, a long way from all major centres. Nice to visit, but could not imagine living there.

Rich_007

Hippies
Granola
Grow ops
Cash businesses
Artsy
Tie die clothing
Grow ops
Quaint
Draft dodgers
Grow ops

R.

agr

Good brewery, as I recall. But definitely not cosmopolitan. Handy for the mountains, but not handy for any city of meaningful size.
Really curious to know what you would be doing for a living? Backcountry ski guide?

Rich_007

Gardener



R.

Canada2006

Kootney Co-op radio produces the Canadian Voices series.

nat 1

Thanks for that everyone. Husbands a bricklayer and i'm a teaching assistant but after reading some of the more recent posts on here i think we'll go over for a holiday and check some of the places out before rushing into moving over. Got 4 kids in tow as well so don't want to make any harsh decisions. Good luck to everyone though who's going through the process of emigrating.
nat.

Rich_007

In all seriousness Nat you should go and check out the place. Esp if you have 4 kids to consider. Nelson is a long way from a long way from anywhere. It's just "different" ya know and not for everyone. Winter is totally different from summer in a lot of ways and not jut weather wise.

It may be a lot of expense but in hindsight call it an investment in making the right choice. The cost of not checking it out (money+hassle+stress) is a lot more than a few grand spent on a vacation.

R.

kb33

Reminds me of the Lake District

Rich_007

You really have no idea.

R.

kb33

Shut it Hippy

Rich_007

Noveau-hippy if ya don't mind.

R.

Inse

Have to second this Rich.
Myself and Mrs Inse stayed in Nelson for our reccie trip to the Kootenays. A good place to visit but we felt that we just wouldn't be able to settle there. Summers are good but the winter is a different kettle of fish. The locals will tell you of the low lying cloud cover over the lake and that it can be quite depressing as it can be like this for long periods.
You will also need good, strong leg muscles as everything is on hills, steep hills.
As far as the bricklaying goes, I was also a bricklayer (in my past, stressed out life) and there is very little, if any, bricklaying work there. As far as I know.
I went there today on business and it was snowing hard. The drive home over the Kootenay Pass was interesting

JonboyE

Nelson is in an incredibly beautiful setting by Kootenay Lake and it is close to some incredible mountain playgrounds. Surprisingly for an interior BC town, it has a very pleasing townscape. It is the regional headquarters for the East Kootenays and so has more services that you could realistically expect in somewhere such a long way from, well, just about anywhere else.

Nelson used to be on the hippy trail and in summer it is still full of backpackers staying in the many hostels. You can't walk from one side of the street to another without tripping over a group of unwashed 20 somethings playing pan pipes or having a happening. On a still night the smell of marijuana smoke clings to the town. A friend moved to Nelson several years ago and loves his life there. He is an artist and designer so I guess he fits right into the town's vibe.

My old employers did business with a Nelson based company so I have traveled there several times. I always looked forward to the visit, but I would think carefully before deciding to live there - mainly because I see very restricted employment opportunities.

Did anyone mention the numerous grow ops?

Rich_007

A happening ? WTF I'm driving out right now if there's a happening happening.

R.