fortbc

Trying to choose the best place to live without a chance to recce is proving bewildering. Can I ask you wise Vancouverites (is that even a word?) which area would you choose to rent in between the two. We have 10 & 8 year old kids. I can see positives to both areas - Kits has beaches, lots of shops/cafes within walking distance; Nth Bby has more planned activities for the kids & perhaps more to do at varied parks? Schools - can't find anything on Bayview in Kits except that it's a very old building; Gen Gordon will have a new school by mid 2016; Bby seems to have a number of good schools in the North area...

Are there any major differences that I won't come across while researching online or does this come down to personal preference??

Oink

You've got to be mad if you'd choose Burnaby over Vancouver. The only reason people live in Burnaby is that they can't afford to live in Vancouver, especially if you have children. Its the difference between the 21st and 20th century in regards to education.

fortbc

so they don't follow the same curriculum Oink? wrongly assumed it'd be set BC wide.

Novocastrian

I'll take the 20th century anytime over the present crap.

Dogs.

ExKiwilass

it comes down to personal preference

ExKiwilass

interesting, in what way? Only I've heard different - not compared to Vancouver, but that bby schools are all about 21st century learning

nativenewyorker

Don't know about schools but for everything else if I had to choose one it would definitely be Kits.

Oink

Sure, if you want to reminisce about the old days but if you're a parent who wants their child to get a meaningful and useful education, you might take a different view.

Its about resources and vision. Education by its very nature is a conservative entity, it transmits and imparts the values and perspectives of the community. Vancouver compared with other lower mainland districts is more progressive. Although, tbh that's not saying much.

Oink

Slogans and mission statements are one thing but you still have the same old cadre of people running the show.

ExKiwilass

could it depend on the school? one of the parents at kid's school teaches at a posh DT private, and according to her our school is right on the cutting edge even compared to private schools. But I take your point about Vancouver's school progammes being progressive - it seems like whatever happens there happens in Bby a few years later.

having said all that, BBy is changing (as is Vancouver) with demographic shift. It could well be the reverse in 10 years.

ExKiwilass

Kits is great, with the caveat that if you plan to move permanently it will be very hard to buy there - it is super $$$. Though BBy is now too

Oink

Here's the problem, with a cultural philosophy that is based on farming and resource extraction, where's the energy, motivation and urgency to implement this type of reorganization?

ExKiwilass

That is a good question. I see things changing though. Don't forget Burnaby has BCIT & SFU in it and the school district is already working with BCIT to bring joint technology programmes to school kids (I am a BCIT fangirl though). And we have a decent technology sector in Burnaby too for a city of our size - it's not just resource extraction or forestry for us.

I think the school district gets a fair bit of pressure from the parents who are, as the city changes, more likely to be well-educated professionals than the working class bees of yore. But, I'm in it so I probably don't have the wider perspective you have. I also think Vancouver schools are very under-resourced on the east side compared to the west side which is a problem, whereas ours aren't (as much). That's an impression I get based on talking to parents on the east side - our schools seem to have far more programs/extra activities than theirs, it seems there's still apathy on the east side about pushing for change.

Oink

You're going to get decent enough education in any of the bigger public school systems in BC, its just that if I had the choice and to answer the OP, I'd put my child in a Vancouver school.

I find it depressing when I go into a school, I still see breeze block buildings with rows desks, the curriculum and schedules are still controlled by inadequate and conservative adults. Modern schools should look like a tech firm, where children, parents and teachers interact and design the learning environment cooperatively. But then again its about resources, its cheaper to keep them corralled in a traditional form.

Novocastrian

Been there done that.


Dogs.