Hello BE

We're planning to re-locate to Nova Scotia - noticed a few BE heading that way as well, or already landed.

Anyone living in the Wolfville area/Annapolis Valley wish to share thoughts, opinions thus far?

Or anyone planning a move to the region?

Not long ago saw that some Welsh folks were heading that way, but not seen any postings recently...

OH is British, I'm returning Canadian, not from NS/out East, and been in Scotland 8 yrs.

We plan to rent a house in the area to test the waters first, done short recce visit only to Halifax.

Thanks for any comments.
2NS

We live 5 miles away in Kentville and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. As to what it's like, well thats depends a lot on your own perspective but it is a pretty little university town, the valley in general is scenic and quiet.

Andy

They are lovely looking places but were a tad dull. One thing i know is that Annapolis Royal has the worst Chinese restaurant. Awful, i can still taste it 4 weeks later!

Here 2NS, have alook at this site. Seems to have everything on it.
http://www.downtownwolfville.com/
Hope it helps abit!

Thanks for the info Andy_Sheila, Londonuck & Corky!

We'll be sure to avoid the Chinese restaurant in AR and yes, admittedly, we are both prepared and apprehensive about the 'tad dull' bit - we spent 2yrs in Orkney, and being city folk, it took some getting used to!
But compared to Glasgow, London and Toronto, 'quiet and scenic' becomes more tempting each day - so we're glad to hear that, thanks.
And thanks for the great link.

Corky & Andy_Sheila:
Have you been in the Valley region a long while?
Are you quite happy and settled in?

We're wondering whether any of you folks arranged employment beforehand, or managed to find it, relatively easily, on arrival?

We're also curious to know about the 'wildlife', like black bears, coyotes - any unexpected sightings or backyard visitors in your area? Or do they tend to stay in the 'wilderness areas' of the interior and/or South Mountain?

Londonuck:
Are you planning a move to the Annapolis Valley in the near future?
If so, did your visit make or break plans to relocate there?

Thnx v much again for advice, warts and all!
2NS

Sorry to sound negative it was more a joke really. We went to NS to have a look but it didnt grab us. Unfortunately once you've lived in North Vancouver its hard to go to anywhere else in Canada.

BTW the Japanese in Halifax was superb. Lobster roll... unreal.

No worries, Londonuck

Have you decided to return to N.Van/B.C.?

Have lived in Van & Victoria, and know exactly what you mean; was totally depressed at the sight of my 'home town' [Toronto] on return! T.O. is hugely cosmopolitan with endless action, but sadly it's really showing signs of use and abuse! I volunteered with the T.O Conservation Authority with faint hopes of helping to bring it up to the standards of the West Coast, which made such an impression on me, regardless of Van & Vic's own variety of urban issues.
Anyway, I see in the East Coast something along the lines of a 'new west coast', if you know what I mean?

Good luck in your move, wherever you decide to go
2NS

No we've given up on Canada. Probably heading to Ireland for a few years. I truly hate living in England but i'd miss the European trips if we were back in N. America. I love having several cultures on your doorstep.

All the best to you aswell.

Wolfville ! Sounds like a setting for a horror movie.

Interesting you should say that. I remember happening accross Wolfville last summer on my way home from somewhere else. It was a warm summers evening and I parked up to go for a walk and stretch my legs. Walking alond the really leafy tree-lined main street at night I thought it was such a beautiful small town. Acadia University seems to have assured it has a good few small restaurants and other services and the old victorian architecture was especially pretty. I loved it. Consequently I took my wife and kids there a few days later to see if it was somewhere we would like to live. We parked-up in the middle of the town and sat in the car for a minute. Next to us were a large group of people "hanging-out" in the town square - mixed ages and sexes but they all had someting in common which was that they all looked like they were on day-release from some kind of reform or drug-rehabilitation centre. They proceeded to swear and spit in the street and have nothing much to do except compare tatoos. It really put us off the place.

Having said that though, it was still a big improvement on Rochdale (I used to live there once) - no offence Paulie Wallnuts!

Thanks for pointing that out NSpaul!

As we've never been there, it helps to know what to expect [we'll be renting a place near Wolfville].

Glad to hear good stuff about Halifax. But do you not see any of that 'activity' in Halifax at all? I read the Coast & the Herald every week and 'Pizza Corner' put us off Halifax - after the fact!
First impressions do count for a lot, it must be said. Although we'd only been in Halifax for a few days, we did like it [not sure if we passed by Pizza Corner or not, as we weren't assaulted, and didn't know about it's rep at the time]. We may still end up in HFX if life in Wolfville proves to be too much in-your-face, being a small town, it may be harder to avoid that stuff.

But compared to Glasgow, Wolfville sounds nice! No offence to anyone in Glasgow!

Any other Wolfville horror stories please advise!
Thnx
2NS

Its one of those things that I could have just picked a bad day! or perhaps they were visiting from elsewhere - who knows. If you get to spend any length of time there you would know for sure.

I don't live right in the middle of Halifax and not familiar with pizza corner but haven't ever seen anything scary day or night - my wife and I have walked through Halifax quite a few times late at night and we always felt very safe - never saw dissorderly behaviour like what you get in UK cities.

I guess we can say every city in Nova Scotia or Canada for that matter, has unruly teens or adults! I lived in Dartmouth for years and loved it, but we didn't live in the North End! My kids went to the best elementry schools and junior highs and PA which wasn't bad! I loved Dartmouth but for some reason NSPaul doesn't so I guess it is to each his own...you have to test your own waters! I really like Wolfville but it used to be more of a retirement town but I think recently it is attracting more younger people who want to have a relaxed life.

Thnx for those insights Corky & NSPaul

To be honest, that's the first pro I've heard about Dartmouth, so there you go, it all depends.

That said - even 'quaint' little places like Victoria [well, it used to be, not sure now, as it's just topped Van for most expensive real estate] suffer relatively shocking incidents, so it seems fair to say pretty much any city anywhere has a 'dark side' [and towns, villages and possibly even hamlets, for that matter!] - and from scanning other threads here, everyone has had an experience to match from somewhere!

But it's hard to keep up sometimes, places change over time, likewise the folks that inhabit them [ie 'Toronto the good' - ha!], letting it all hang-out or what have you! I guess the trick is to be in the right place at the right time ... easier said than done ...

But it's all good, any info is helpful info!

So a test-drive of Wolfville and vicinity is in the cards, and we welcome any further comments about the town / Valley region.

[we do like the sound of 'relaxed life' and lack of 'disorderly behaviour' for NS in general!]

Thnx once again
2NS

Pizza corner is only bad after 4am, when all the clubs and bars throw out, same as in UK round the kebab shops!

Until recently I worked nights in the Cambridge Suites, which backs onto Pizza corner, it did get a bit scary at times. I had knives pulled on me a few times, and my life threatened a few times, while trying to eject people from fighting in the lobby, and on the car park, but generally no worse than any other small town centre on a weekend.