Why Calgary Sucks - REPOST
Andrew Morgan
5 years ago.
I think Calgary would be a great "bedroom community", like Oakville or
Pickering outside of Toronto. Clean streets, decent schools, modern
infrastructure, etc. The only problem is, Calgary's a bedroom
community to nowhere.
Calgary's media, arts community, shopping and "fine" dining are
inadequate, hickish, and limited.
Although Calgary's infrastructure is modern, it's also inadequate. Cheap
C-Trains running on traffic-snarling tracks that should have been buried
or elevated, numerous new subdivisions with no schools, buses running
only hourly during non-rush-hours, inadequate medical facilities, sparse &
ineffective traffic signage, and traffic merging lanes that are way too
short & unforgiving of driver inattention.
There is no decent east-west traffic thruway, the city doesn't bother
clearing snow off the roads in the winter and flying gravel & stones have
cracked every 4th car's windshield.
Much of Calgary's greenspace is unimproved & inaccessible, PIP is
overcrowded, littered with goose shit, and, most weekends, sectioned off to
admission-charging festivals.
Calgary's river system is wasted. Other than at Eau Claire, if a Calgarian
wanted to buy a place within easy walking distance of the Bow River and live
in a
better-than-average neighbourhood, he'd be fuct. Bowness, Victoria Park,
Southview, West Dover, LynnWood, Ogden, etc. are not exactly upscale
addresses. Sure Douglasdale & the other deep-south communities
are OK, if you don't mind the big commute downtown every day. Meanwhile,
Edmonton's North Saskatchewan River is adjacent to many really nice
neighbourhoods that are a short commute to downtown.
Speaking of real estate, Calgary's stock of reasonably-priced apartments is
drying up and becoming monopolized by Boardwalk equities. Many Boardwalk
tenants (I'm not one of them) will agree with me when I say Boardwalk
buildings
are, mostly, over-priced, run-down or "renovated" with cheap materials &
workmanship, and run by incompetent on-sight property managers. While Sam
Kolias is probably a decent guy, his delegates have a lot to learn about
service.
I hope Boardwalk will start unloading some of their Calgary stock at
inflated prices
before things go "bust" here again.
Calgary's bylaw officers are overworked, impotent & bound by haphazard
bylaws. They outlaw concerts & buskers at PIP and try to license
panhandlers,
yet allow some tree-hugger in Ogden to keep a horse in her backyard despite
complaints from neighbours. Complaints to the city typically take weeks
to process, and nobody there seems to be doing anything about RV's littering
the neighbourhoods, dogs running wild pissing & shitting on people's lawns,
and
people parking their cars in the middle of cul-de-sacs. Kudos to the new
sign bylaw!
Calgary shopping sucks, too. Malls everywhere, pawn shops everywhere,
liquor stores everywhere, and hapless parents who drag their bored kids into
shops
& let them run around, touch everything, and whine about everything. While
most
people working in the stores are OK, there's still a significant percentage
of white
trash who would rather gossip on the phone or with other clerks instead of
attending
to the money-spending customers.
Then there's that crappy Peters Drive-in. Dozens of air-polluting cars
backed up in
a residential neighbourhood so the already-fat drivers & passengers can pick
up another
load of greasy slop. Gotta love those TV commercials, though. Piles of
greasy, fattening junk
food floating by atop sappy elevator music and a dreamy male voice using
words like
"wholesome" and "family dining".
If someone took away the mountains and closed the bars & gyms, there'd be
nothing to
do in Calgary. Calgary's reputation for volunteerism has probably less to do
with altruism
and more to do with bored housewives and seniors trying to maintain their
sanity.
Calgary's zoo is a disgrace. I've been there twice and both times I saw a
15-foot-long crocodile
in an 18-foot-long concrete indoor cage decorated with only a few short logs
and a bare
light bulb in the ceiling. The poor elephants I saw were confined to a
crappy little place
more suitable in size to a gorilla. Lots of tacky fiberglass dinosaurs,
though.
Speaking about animal cruelty, what's the first thing people see in the
Calgary airport
as they go to pick up their luggage? A tacky, barbaric display of stuffed
animals & birds.
Then there's Calgary's biggest international embarrassment - Stampede. Here
we have a group of fat, balding, spitting cowboys who put on their overly
tight
jeans, tie up the genitals of horses & cows, jump on back, then yell YEE-HAW
as the
animal tries to shake its wang out of the painful apparatus wrapped around
it. No
wonder easterners call it "The World's Greatest Outdoor Freak Show". Oh
yeah, the
Stampede Breakfast. Every year I laugh at the downtown business people who
line
up an hour to get 99 cents worth of free pancakes & sausages.
In closing, I think the biggest threat to Calgary's long-term growth
potential is the existence
of that giant native reserve west of 37th St. This place is 18 miles wide
by 6 miles "high",
and, as Calgary continues to sprawl, will become more & more central to
greater Calgary.
This place will continue to geographically separate the far NW from the far
SW, and is occupied by a group of unco-operative natives who are led by a
chief
(Roy Whitney) who recently appeared on Calgary media to gloatingly threaten
about
possibly building "a giant pig farm so as to deliberately send foul odours
into the air
blowing east into Calgary" if city council didn't start co-operating over
the construction
of the Sarcee extension. Nice, really nice.
Like many former Easterners, the minute things start turning sour
economically for
Calgary, I'm taking myself (and my money) back to Toronto. I see Calgary as
becoming
increasingly split along socio-economic and ethnic lines and have noticed an
increasingly
selfish & hostile attitude in the people who use Calgary roads. If Calgary
is facing the
same big-city problems facing Toronto, I might as well enjoy the many
advantages Toronto
has over Calgary.
Finally, I believe many of the advantages Calgary had over Toronto 5 years
ago have
evapourated, see most of the "wealth" here as being financed with borrowed
money,
and believe the inevitable return to high consumer interest rates will,
ultimately, be the
big killer of Calgary's prosperity. Calgary lacks the "old money" found in
Toronto, way
too many of Calgary's well-paid people are consultants working on short-term
contracts
(like me), and most Calgarians have no concept of humility, proportion or
moderation.
Long live the Center of the Universe!
One In A Million
getting warmer with less snow for a while now . Don't like it here either ?
Go live in Winterpeg . Now that place gets cold .
I made a comment here about 3 months ago stating that as long as lived here
( all my life *pop.around 152,000 *) it has seemed as Calgary is always
10-15 years behind the times . By the time the L.R.T. was built , it was
obsolete . Hospitals ! Well, that's a real joke . I still think Ralphy lost
his marbles with what did about that situation . Other hospitals should have
been built with GROWTH in mind . Al non- DUERR the Mayor ! What has he
really done ?
Council members 50-50 good to bad over the years .
Efficient use of land. That's a joke !
At times it makes me sad that things have gone the way they have . But,other
things have gone great . Like the 88-Olympics (10)
The street cleaning situation is the way it is because we have chinooks that
blast the snow ,and ice away without cost .
Drivers just have to learn to drive better.
Some of us like a slower life than being
zoooomed around Ont.That's why we stay.
Why do people come out west ? To work i suppose . So, I guess it can't be
that bad being here can it ?
-- Dennis
Another Day , Another Dollar,
Million Day , Million Dollar !
"Marco" <ma...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:xilr5.260$c73.1...@news1.telusplanet.net...
> I can live with most of the mentioned B.S.(minus the bible thumpers, which
> are plentiful),
> the only thing that really pisses me off is that it is so fu*&ing
> cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> Long live warmer climates and the occasional melanoma,
>
> Marco
>
>
>
> snip.snip.
> Andrew Morgan <andrew...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
> news:X2lr5.355$Ld....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
Marco
are plentiful),
the only thing that really pisses me off is that it is so fu*&ing
cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Long live warmer climates and the occasional melanoma,
Marco
snip.snip.
Andrew Morgan <andrew...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
news:X2lr5.355$Ld....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
yyup
people like you that continue to add to the hostility in the city
taking away from all the friendly people that enjoy living here.
You act like a typical person from Toronto (my apologies for stereo
typing) but any whining complaining person I have heard usually
resided in Toronto. get out if you don't like it. Put your money where
your mouth is if you are so unhappy here leave period.
yyup
Andrew Morgan
he
once lived in Glasgow, on a street named "Rotten Row". Is there such a
place?
Although I've never been to the UK, I've heard many people say things
similar to
what you've written here. When did things get so bad there?
Here are some replies to your replies ...
ce...@pleasedontspam.mailandnews.com wrote in message
<8ola7q$11...@edrn.newsguy.com>...
>>Calgary's media, arts community, shopping and "fine" dining are
>>inadequate, hickish, and limited.
>
>I don't think you've seen "inadequate" mate. I've been to many places in
Europe
>and US but only in Glasgow I was served a chargrilled chicken from a
microwave.
>It was the Antipasti at Sauchiehall St.
>
Having lived in NYC and Toronto for so many years, I'm probably spoiled
when it comes
to restaurants.
>>Although Calgary's infrastructure is modern, it's also inadequate. Cheap
>>C-Trains running on traffic-snarling tracks that should have been buried
>>or elevated, numerous new subdivisions with no schools, buses running
>>only hourly during non-rush-hours, inadequate medical facilities, sparse &
>>ineffective traffic signage, and traffic merging lanes that are way too
>>short & unforgiving of driver inattention.
>
>Ever seen the Glasgow tube? No? Shut up then.
>
I would bet the Glasgow tube (subway?) was probably adequate when they
built
it (long ago?), but has since fallen into disrepair/obsolescence. On
the other hand, Calgary's
C-Train was built <15 years ago, so they have no excuse.
>>Much of Calgary's greenspace is unimproved & inaccessible, PIP is
>>overcrowded, littered with goose shit, and, most weekends, sectioned off
to
>>admission-charging festivals.
>
>Most of Glasgow's parks are free to enter for everyone at any time thanks
to the
>150 pounds of Council tax which we have to shell out every frigging month.
This
>means the parks are densly populated by drunks and drug abusers as well as
drug
>dealers. Attended parks are a good idea mate. Take my word for it.
>
OK, I will.
>>yet allow some tree-hugger in Ogden to keep a horse in her backyard
despite
>>complaints from neighbours. Complaints to the city typically take weeks
>>to process, and nobody there seems to be doing anything about RV's
littering
>>the neighbourhoods, dogs running wild pissing & shitting on people's
lawns,
>>and
>>people parking their cars in the middle of cul-de-sacs. Kudos to the new
>>sign bylaw!
>
>If I complained about dogs crap to the council in Glasgow they'd laugh in
my
>face. The street lights in my area have been dead for about a year now and
the
>council are still "looking into it".
That's really too bad -- people paying property taxes but getting little
in return.
>[pathetic whining snipped]
>
>>Gotta love those TV commercials, though. Piles of
>>greasy, fattening junk
>>food floating by atop sappy elevator music and a dreamy male voice using
>>words like
>>"wholesome" and "family dining".
>
>The only thing worse than junk food is all those healthy eating morons
>complaining about it all the time. If you don't like it don't buy it!
Remember,
>life without a coffee cake just SEEMS longer.
>
My concerns about Peters Drive-in are more about the adverse effect it
has on the neighbourhood, and less about the junk food they serve.
>[more whining snipped]
>
>>Speaking about animal cruelty, what's the first thing people see in the
>>Calgary airport
>>as they go to pick up their luggage? A tacky, barbaric display of stuffed
>>animals & birds.
>
>You're being real pathetic now you know. Are you a vegan by any chance?
>
What's a "vegan"? Vegetarian? FYI, many people agree with my comments
about the airport's taxidermy display there. We consider it to be in
poor taste,
unnecessary, and very passe. What's next, ivory & zebra skins?
>>too many of Calgary's well-paid people are consultants working on
short-term
>>contracts
>>(like me), and most Calgarians have no concept of humility, proportion or
>>moderation.
>>
>
>This is what most countries/cities now aspire to! Short term contracts are
an
>indication of a vibrant economy.
I disagree. I see short-term contracts as a sign of corporate
uncertainty, and
believe way too many contractors have overlooked/forgotten the
transitory
nature of the paycheques they rely upon.
Would you rather have a couple of shipyards and
>a coal mine with thousands of unemployable blue collars and inadeqaute
managers
>bowing to trade unions until the place goes bust or the government pumps
more
>money into it. Have a look at some of the 'success stories' of the British
>economy of the seventies with those huge factories employing entire towns
(eg.
>Rover). Today the businesses are on the brink of extinction threatening to
leave
>tens of thousands of unemployed and unemployable people who were led to
believe
>they had "jobs for life".
UK towns have a long-standing reputation for booming & busting as the
major
employer booms & busts. Why is this allowed to happen?
>
>Putting it bluntly go back to where you came from if you can't appreciate
what
>you have.
>
Like I said, I'm outta' here once it "jolly-well" suits me. As far as
"appreciation" is
concerned, I am very grateful for what I have, but think Calgary could
benefit from
a little constructive criticism.
>Thank you,
>
You're welcome.
>CG
>
One last point about Calgary vs. GTA. Calgary's population is currently
around
950,000. GTA's population is nearly 5,000,000. Although it's unfair to
expect a
city of 950,000 to have the same cultural advantages as a city of 5,000,000,
most
of the advantages GTA enjoys have existed for >30 years -- when the GTA
population
wasn't much more than Calgary's population of today. The only reason
Calgary
doesn't have many cultural activities to offer its citizens is because the
city planners
and newly-arriving entrepeneurs HAVEN'T BOTHERED.
Don Kozlowski
Andrew Morgan wrote:
[...]
> Like I said, I'm outta' here once it "jolly-well" suits me. As far as
> "appreciation" is
> concerned, I am very grateful for what I have, but think Calgary could
> benefit from
> a little constructive criticism.
When you come up with some *constructive* criticism, be sure and let us
know...
henry
I think if people tried to live in other places they would not
complaint so much against Calgary. London is just plain
awful. And the UK in general has been that bad for
ages. "Too many fereines (foreigns )" they say.
And when you are flying back from europe to Calgary,
and the pilot announces "10 min to Calgary", he almost
receives an standing ovation.
On Thu, 31 Aug 2000, Andrew Morgan wrote:
<snip>
>
> Although I've never been to the UK, I've heard many people say things
> similar to
> what you've written here. When did things get so bad there?
>
<snip>
Andrew Morgan
Hector Wilson wrote in message
<4Wyr5.34453$T5.5...@news1.rdc1.ab.home.com>...
>Hey Calgarians,
>
>I say Andrew Morgan for mayor. Here's why:
>
>> After having lived in Toronto and NYC, I moved to Calgary almost
>> 5 years ago.
>
>An opening statement such as this is designed to have the rope belt-wearing
>masses feeling less superior or less sophisticated than Andrew. This
>common, but sure fire, political tactic is used by would be leaders the
>world over to gain a foothold in the collective hillbilly consciousness.
>
>"Well, I'll be! Mayor Morgan saze theyse a world outside this here trailah
>park. And you knows what? He done seed it with hees own 2 eyes!"
>(SPITOON SFX)
>
>> Speaking of real estate, Calgary's stock of reasonably-priced apartments
>is
>> drying up and becoming monopolized by Boardwalk equities. Many Boardwalk
>> tenants (I'm not one of them) will agree with me when I say Boardwalk
>> buildings
>> are, mostly, over-priced, run-down or "renovated" with cheap materials &
>> workmanship, and run by incompetent on-sight property managers.
>
>Once again, Mayor Morgan's worldly experiences serve him well. Toronto and
>New York City have been known throughout history as the two most affordable
>cities in which to live.
>
>> Calgary's media, arts community, shopping and "fine" dining are
>> inadequate, hickish, and limited.
>
>Andrew's use of terms such as "fuct", "tree-hugger", "white trash" and
>"bored housewives", shows that he is forward-thinking in a down home sort
of
>way. He speaks our language. I call it the "I'm One of You" approach to
>politics and is one of the oldest political strategies in history.
>(Sometimes known as the "I Feel Your Pain" approach)
>
>> Like many former Easterners, the minute things start turning sour
>> economically for
>> Calgary, I'm taking myself (and my money) back to Toronto.
>
>In closing, Andrew Morgan is Calgary's only hope for tomorrow. Let's give
>Andrew a sincere, "I feel your pain," before he sucks another paycheque out
>of our community. (translation: takes his ball, looks back--hoping that
>SOMEBODY says, "No, Andrew, don't go, Calgary needs you," and goes home.)
>
>So, hitch your horse to the Morgan for Mayor wagon. We cannot afford to
let
>this Calgary ambassador and political dynamo get away.
>
>Hector Wilson
>"Morgan for Mayor" Campaign Manager
>
>
>
>"Andrew Morgan" <andrew...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
>news:X2lr5.355$Ld....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
Uzi
>
>One last point about Calgary vs. GTA. Calgary's population is currently
>around
>950,000. GTA's population is nearly 5,000,000. Although it's unfair to
>expect a
>city of 950,000 to have the same cultural advantages as a city of 5,000,000,
>most
>of the advantages GTA enjoys have existed for >30 years -- when the GTA
>population
>wasn't much more than Calgary's population of today. The only reason
>Calgary
>doesn't have many cultural activities to offer its citizens is because the
>city planners
>and newly-arriving entrepeneurs HAVEN'T BOTHERED.
>
>
and entrepreneurs expect to make money, not piss it down the hole on
things to keep you entertained, bucko. As you know so much about
cultural events why don't you get a couple of your eastern pals
together and educate the rest of us by putting on a show. You can
demonstrate to us the great cultural contributions that Toronto has
given us poor deluded peasants out west here. Please do as I am
drawing a complete blank trying to think of any. NO WAIT! "The King of
Kensington", I knew if I thought hard enough something would come.
(Dammit, I said to myself, "Don't respond to this troll, but noooo.
Hooked like a bass, crap!)
Dave B
hoemsick of NY, just run behind a bus and take a deep breath of the exhaust
pipe to revive yourself. And cold? If you ain't lived in Eastern Canada (not
Ontario, that is central) don't complain, it's wet cold, you can't cover up
from it.
JD Burchill
"Andrew Morgan" <andrew...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
news:X2lr5.355$Ld....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
Chris
"Andrew Morgan" <andrew...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
news:X2lr5.355$Ld....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...