Airborne_Dan

Evening all,

Is there anyone on here who has any experience or knowledge of the city of trail in BC. As a Registered Nurse I am interested in:

1. Job Market and likelyhood of securing a TWP/positive LMO
2. Housing prices (I'm under the impression they are fairly cheap)
3. Schools (elementary particularly)
4. Climate (I hear the summers are hot and dry with mild winters)
5. Crime rate (is it a safe place to live and bring up a family)
6. Things to do (outdoor and family activities, and nightlife)

Any input would be much appreciated!

Siouxie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail,_British_Columbia

http://www.trailchamber.bc.ca/

http://www.workbc.ca/Jobs/

realtor.ca

Nursing Jobs in Trail area

Aviator

Nice area, but is smelt awful last time I went through there, guess you'd get used to it. It is a mining/smelter town.

Inse

Trail is another Kootenay town that I have visited often for work reasons. There is a good hospital there which would suit you fine for work, I guess.
Property can be cheap there, but you definitely need to be choosy. A lot of the homes there are old and poorly insulated and some have water problems in basements. To live in parts of the town you will need legs like a mountain goat as the houses are on the side of a very steep hill. A lot of the houses are fairly typical of those found in any mining town, built to shelter but not to be particularly comfy. However, there are better areas than others, much the same as anywhere really.
The Teck smelter totally dominates the place, but you are unlikely to see this on any promotional material for the town. As Aviator said, there can be a smell. If you Google Teck images then you will get some idea of the size of the place.
The summers are good and hot, winters fairly mild but you will get snow.
There are things to do there for sure. Plenty of outdoor stuff. Rossland is 'up the hill' about 10klms and there is a ski hill there, and plenty of trails too.
To the east of Trail are the towns of Montrose, Beaver Valley and Fruitvale and these might be worth a look too, as the travel time into Trail is only 10-15 mins.

Golden-eye

I live about an hour away, Trail is to B.C. that Avonmouth is to Bristol... Where seagulls fly upside down ~ Because there is Nothing worth ...Sh^^*ing on!!

The plus is that there is Rossland and the ski hill just a short drive away, if you want to settle in the Kootenays then Nelson would be a much better bet.

Trail is dominated by a refinery, you can't grow veggies because of the lead in the ground as well as other toxic waste that for many years was emitted from the smoke stacks...
I don't have a good word to say about Trail, except they have a good Hospital, it's the regional hospital for the area, in the infinate wisdom of politicians they built it there.. Probably due to Cominco $$$ passing their way.

In a nutshell, anyone with some $$$ would live perhaps up in Rossland.. or in Nelson.. If you have a job at the smelter lined up then fine Trail is where you would have to be.. But you couldn't entice me to live there if you offered me a Million dollars!!

I just noticed you are a registered Nurse, try and get a position at the Nelson hospital a few Brits are on the nursing staff there, you also have Whitwater Ski resort close by and a lot more going for it in the way of schools and outdoor activities..

Airborne_Dan

Thanks for your replies, I like the pictures on the links posted.
Goldeneye, on looking at house prices they seem a lot more affordable in Trail, but Nelson is certainly worth a look. All your comments are appreciated!

Lychee

Trail BC is the hometown of singer Rachel Zeffira:

http://o.canada.com/2013/02/20/rache...er-if-you-can/

She wrote a song about Trail called "Silver City Days":

I don't go back anymore
I don't go
But sometimes, when the rain turns to snow
Or when the clouds look like white-capped mountains from home -
I go.

Oh then I go -
I go back to the Columbia

It's early May -
Silver City Days
Beyond the smokestacks
I follow my river back

But I don't go
I don't go
Sometimes, when the sun sets behind the trees
Or when I pass ghosts on the street
From home
I go

I cross the bridge
I pass Bingay Bay
Down Eliza's road
I follow my river home

Also, this video will give you a completely unique perspective of Trail:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/12...n_1142457.html

rwin

I lived in Trail for a short time about 25 years ago (a university work term at the smelter).

It is one of my favorite towns in the Kootenays and if there was the opportunity, I would live there again. I agree it may not be the nicest town to look at but there is more to it than that.

It's been a long time now so maybe its different but its probably something you'll want to experience for yourself rather than make a decision based on anything said here.

When I worked there I lived there but there were plenty of people who commuted from Castlegar and Nelson so if you do hate it but work there, its not like you have to live there.