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Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Old Jul 8th 2012, 12:21 am
  #61  
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by chrisbrockhurst
Oshawa - specifically downtown. Part of the reason it is so bad downtown is because there are two meth clinics with 1 minute walk of it, one north, one south. It brings out the crazies/disgustingtons/ on a daily basis. I see it everyday.
Oshawa gets a bad rap....isn't that the case for downtown anywhere though, you think downtown NY, Chicago, LA, Peterborough ON, Trenton Napanee, Belleville is any different?
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Old Jul 8th 2012, 1:43 am
  #62  
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by ultrarunner
Oshawa gets a bad rap....isn't that the case for downtown anywhere though, you think downtown NY, Chicago, LA, Peterborough ON, Trenton Napanee, Belleville is any different?
NY and Chicago are nothing like Oshawa. LA is nothing like Oshawa and famously doesn't have a downtown. These comparisons are just bizarre. In what way would you say Manhattan resembles Oshawa?
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Old Jul 8th 2012, 8:38 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by dbd33
NY and Chicago are nothing like Oshawa. LA is nothing like Oshawa and famously doesn't have a downtown. These comparisons are just bizarre. In what way would you say Manhattan resembles Oshawa?
You missed the whole point, and yes LA does have a downtown
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Old Jul 9th 2012, 12:55 am
  #64  
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by ultrarunner
You missed the whole point, and yes LA does have a downtown
Do please spell out the point for me. In what way does the, rather rough, centre of Oshawa, compare to Fifth Avenue?
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Old Jul 9th 2012, 3:19 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by Kiwilass
Um, this thread is also about Vancouver. Gastown has some beautiful heritage buildings, for instance.

Actually I think a lot of Toronto has more interesting buildings and neighbourhoods - the Annex for instance. A lot of 19th century/early 20th rowhouses.

But out in the urban sprawl - blech.
that sums up my view of To too. It's older and has a lot more older victorian hoods. Vancouver went directly to a inner suburb desgin with most living in detached homes downtown as land was plenty and cheap (seems laughable today), think the west side of vancouver or Strathcona.

Downtown was over-built by the late 50's with all the detached houses, no row houses and few apartments which could not be greater than 5 floors in height.

When the city started to expand into the 70's, it was apparent that the houses had to go. Many had become rundown boarding houses to meet the demands of the growing population and there were plans to level entire areas of the city (which happened downtown) , due to the efforts of locals, strathcona and the west side largely was spared the wrecking ball.

As for the sprawl in Toronto, it's way worse than greater vancouver.
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Old Jul 9th 2012, 3:21 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by Kiwilass
I agree with you about Fort Langley.

The rest of Langley, however? Blech.

I'd rather live in Whalley.
i had this view but now having spent time around the campbell valley area, i've revised my outlook. Lovely, semi rurual area.
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Old Jul 9th 2012, 3:31 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by Kiwilass
Agreed. One thing I will never understand is why the built environment has to be so freaking ugly and functional. It's also often extremely impersonal - huge blocks with massive buildings. There seems to be no expecation of buildings being interesting or pretty...they got it in the 19th Century, why not now?
Form over function. After teh second world war there was a need for mass produced housing, factories and offices. Skilled labour was in short demand, such as stone masons, and money was scarce....many see this as the end of creativity. Not to mention, higher standards, babyboom, higher wages, increasing land values, etc

Also with the move to more people living in apartments, creative buidling shapes became inpractical, as max use of floor space was needed, outside balconies were in high demand which created busy building designs. Office buildings actually gave the designer more scope.

The rise of cooperate america gave rise to standard buiidling designs for varius outlet stores which were/are mass produced.

Sure there were pockets such as contemporary modernism and a bit of a re-birth of the art deco movement in the 50's but the 70's through now were largely appalling. look at the west end...typical 70's.

I do think there is a trend starting to better design. Look at some of the newer buildings being built, with creative twists etc.
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Old Jul 9th 2012, 3:32 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by dbd33
Do please spell out the point for me. In what way does the, rather rough, centre of Oshawa, compare to Fifth Avenue?
no point arguing with him, he takes things out of context, spins them around, and wont conceede anything.....I know what you were saying, and so does he.....
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Old Jul 13th 2012, 9:21 am
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Hello, have returned to the UK after struggling to find anywhere we liked in vancouver and where we could afford. We are so glad to be back in the UK in the home counties.

We stayed in kitsilano which was really nice but unaffordable. I also used to live in toronto and quite liked streetsville in mississauga although it has now doubled in size since i lived there.

We travelled through alberta to bc. Every town was flat box, boring and homogenous. If i had to live in vancouver it would be kitsilano renting. Buy a home in the suburbs and rent it out and then live where you want. Everyone is now buying as far out as chilliwack which is a lovely place but once again boring as hell. Langley was pretty also. However nothing to do except outdoor stuff.

If you move to vancouver then live in vancouver not the suburbs you may as well be anywhere with the distance you have to travel.

We ended up hating the place in the end. We went mad with the boredom.

Hope this helps
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Old Aug 18th 2012, 2:39 am
  #70  
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Thumbs down Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Says it all. I would add Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering as well, and further out Barrie.

No problem in Ajax or Pickering, Oshawa has been badly hit by closure of GM

Are you enjoying being the only English speaker in Richmond Hill ?...
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Old Aug 19th 2012, 4:32 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by el_richo
Maple Ridge cos it's a dirty shithole and faaaaaar away from Downtown Vancouver if commuting.

Abbortsford and Mission because they're dirty, poor, even further a commute downtown, and has a high population of gangsters, wannabe gangsters, druggies, chavs, and people who look very homeless. Cheap housing though.

North Vancouver cos it rains so much more than everywhere else and my wife hates that

Parts of Surrey cos they're shitholes and there's an issue with Indians pissing in the streets and gardens going on at the moment.

Richmond cos you'll probably be dead or in a heap of trouble during a decent sized earthquake

Coquitlam because its a whole load of ugly ****ing urban sprawl

Pitt Meadows because there's absoultely nothing there other than a bridge and a strip mall.

DTES because i've seen what happens in zombie movies

Westside of Vancouver because i don't have a a spare $5M to by an over priced property and not worry about it.

Anywhere else my wife tells me i don't like
So where are the nice places in Vancouver?
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Old Aug 19th 2012, 4:43 pm
  #72  
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by foreigngirl
So where are the nice places in Vancouver?
Where I live now

Coal harbour is also nice in a fairly boring sterile way
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Old Aug 19th 2012, 5:22 pm
  #73  
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by el_richo
Where I live now

Coal harbour is also nice in a fairly boring sterile way
So where do you live?
Coal Harbour should be ok for 6 months, shouldn't it?
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Old Aug 19th 2012, 6:26 pm
  #74  
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by foreigngirl
So where do you live?
Coal Harbour should be ok for 6 months, shouldn't it?
I live on the sea wall on false creek.

Coal harbour will be fine. Not my top choice but it'll be nice.
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Old Aug 19th 2012, 6:49 pm
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Default Re: Worst suburb in Greater Vancouver/GTA

Originally Posted by el_richo
I live on the sea wall on false creek.

Coal harbour will be fine. Not my top choice but it'll be nice.
False Creek is on our list too, but probably after the initial 6 months.
I really need to feel safe. I don't go out at night on my own, but really need to feel safe in the daytime.
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