The truth about Vancouver

[Senna4ever]

As a third generation Vancouverite, I personally cannot imagine living anywhere else. Yes, the farther east you go, the people do tend to be more friendly towards strangers. Go for a morning walk on the dykes in Maple Ridge or Mission - almost everyone says, "Good morning!" to each other. That really shocked me the first time.

[snowball]

Originally Posted by JSS

not necessary IN downtown, but something closer to downtown coming from the east to bypass all the lights on 1st ave and have on/off ramps into downtown and then heading south to bypass granville and oak connecting to 99 and to get people to the airport. you really like being in stop and go traffic on oak on a fucking SUNDAY AFTERNOON?

im no city planner and i know a majority of tree huggers would hate this and alot of people are opposed to a highway through the city, but had it been done 50 - 60 years ago they could have easily designed a simple 4 lane non stop highway, planned communities around it and planned it for noise abatement/not to look so ugly and all the necessary stuff needed to deal with a highway in a populated area.
not to mention the millions of small details im over looking, but this is just my take on things.

obviously way too late now and were permanently fucked for traffic. couple a decent highway in with the skytrain that does a decent job of bringing people working downtown into the core, congestion wouldnt be as bad.

Highway through rich neighbourhoods? Nah, they'd shift everything over 3kms east like they did with the Canada line

[Shades]

To the people who bitch about the weather, Vancouver is paradise. In other parts of the world, people die in the winters and summers.

In Vancouver, one can still wear runners and sneakers in the winter. In Europe, once your feet are wet, it's game over.

I'd much rather have rain more often than the extremes of temperatures.

[jasonturbo]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

Vancouver is awesome.

See, where I came from, you had to roll in bulletproof cars, many friends had armed security guards/drivers, cameras in the house, bars, electric fence, you couldn't do anything nor go anywhere for fear of getting kidnapped, killed or worse. And most of us were not ballers, mind you. Just middle/upper middle class.

Based on what you are saying about where you come from, wouldn't all of Canada be pretty Awesome?

Originally Posted by Mr.C

You guys take for granted some important things, like liberty, mild weather, the ability to go anywhere you want at any time you want without worry.

Some of us don't take those things for granted, and Vancouver is not the only city in Canada with mild weather, but it does happen to be a city with with very little sunshine.. sure the mild climate is nice, but I kinda like seeing the sun once and a while...

Originally Posted by Mr.C

If you want to make six figures plus really easily, go freeze your ass off in the oil sands and stop whining.

Seriously.

Working in the oilsands hey??? Now it's personal lol

Well, if you have half a brain, you can make six figures plus really easy, and sit in a nice warm office all day, buy a truck with command start so you never have to get in a cold vehicle, and build a resume managing mega projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars that will likely result in you landing some cushy corporate job with an oil and gas company based in a major city. I have put on my work boots three times since January of this year... every time I had to put gas in my truck. (Now I just have one of the field lemmings do that for me, why should I waste my time lacing up boots when I can be posting on Revscene?)

Working 12 hours a day doesn't bother me, compare it to the people who commute from Abby to DT everyday, between the 8 hour workday and the time they sit in traffic.. they basically work a 10-12 hour day... but still only get paid for 8 hours.

I work less days per year than the average person, consider that I usually work 14 days on, 7 days off... in that same 21 day time period most people only get 6 days off. Additionally, when I have my 7 days off, the world is my oyster, everyone is at work so getting errands done is a cakewalk, not like "the weekends" when everyone is off, malls are packed, banks are closed, etc.

I can go on vacation anytime I please, becuase I always have at least 7 days off in a row every single month, plus I have the cash to go wherever my little greedy conservative heart tells me to go.. like maybe Texas or Saudi Arabia.

Sure it's colder in Albeta, but it's sunny and to be honest it can be a really nice break from the grey skies of Vancouver, especially after one of the rain marathons we get from time to time.

The best part though, the best part is this, I will spend a total of say 10-15 years in the oilsands when I am ready to pull the pin and I will basically be retired/semi retired at 40.. where as most of the people who grew up in Van to middle class families and didn't have mommy and daddy pay for everything, will finally enter the work force at say 24 (After getting some horrid arts degree or MBA) making 40k per year, sink themselves into some 500k mortgage, and still be broke as fuck at 40 years old. Most people living here can't afford to pay the premium it requires and still be making some kind of financial progress in their lives.

So on the subject of taking things for granted, I would say you are taking the oilsands as an employmnt sector for granted, there is a lot of Americans in financial hot water who would kill for a job in Northern Alberta just to free them from their financial shackles... if you think it's easy to get sick of cold weather, it's probably a lot easier to get sick of being stressed out about money constantly.

Just wait till the interest rates start rising...

[niu99]

Canada’s Best Places to Live 2012
According to Moneysense, Vancouver is ranked #56 behind Ottawa (#1), Calgary (#14), and Victoria (#35).

[Durrann]

Vancouver is getting crowded lol

[!SG]

the core of vancouver is becoming less and less friendly compared to say 5-10 years ago.

step outside of downtown, less densely populated area's, and you really experience what ppl say about vancouver being one of the friendliest cities around.

[tipy]

.

[PepperThyAngus]

Originally Posted by Iceman-19

I'm a huge slut

[JD¹³]

Having lived and traveled all over the world, yeah, Vancouver sucks. The cost of living is ridiculous, housing is completely unaffordable, the people are pretentious, employment opportunities are weak at best, the weather sucks, and the government is incredibly poor.

My groceries just cost me $120 and that lasts me about 10 days. I'm not out buying premium steaks and high end TP, I'm just buying average shit from the cheapest outlets that I can. I don't care how you slice it that is absolutely ridiculous. When we go racing in Las Vegas we feed five men like kings for five days for less.

The provincial government and those who put money in their back pockets have corrupted this province beyond measure. They are robbing citizens blind while lining their own pockets and the accountability is non-existant. The whole province is an old-boys club and backroom handshakes. Not to mention they are stripping us of our civil liberties and infringing on our rights as Canadians with policies like the impound and forfeiture laws, gun laws, and illegitimate taxation. Meanwhile the true criminals can literally get away with murder, laugh at the bureaucratic bullshit of a justice system we have, and do whatever they want. It's too hard to go after them, so they rape the ones who are easy to entrap: the rest of us. The theme of BC is GREED.

I won't get started on the people and the weather, but both certainly aren't selling features. Vancouver is not a world class city, and BC is not the most beautiful place on Earth. This city is in the stone age when it comes to infrastructure and social dynamics. I cannot fucking wait to leave this city and this province and never come back. It's a prison.

[penner2k]

Originally Posted by Yodamaster

Vancouver proper is a fucking joke, the further out you get, the easier and better the quality of life is.


I visited Austin, Texas a while back when I was picking up a car, and I swear, it's the happiest place on earth. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I had the chance. Warm weather, nice people, and nice (CHEAP) land.

Austin is supposed to be one of the best cities in the states. Its on my list of places to go in the next couple of years.

[MG1]

Been here in Vancouver longer than most people on RS. All I can say is, Vancouver will never be what is was.

So, all you people who are complaining, don't let the door hit you on the way out.


So, yes, get the word out that Vancouver really sucks ass. Stop people from coming here and destroying it and yeah, if you're one of those whiners, GTFO. No matter how bad it gets here, this is still my city and I'm damn proud of it.

Oh, and not all of GVRD is represented by you guys.

There are a lot of people who have made the GVRD their home and love it. Like I said, nobody is stopping you. Just leave. Plain and simple. Start your families elsewhere and don't come back. Serious!


BTW, four generations of my family have called this place "Our Home".

[penner2k]

btw... just got back from Saskatoon for the weekend. The city itself is old and small but the people are awesome there. The girls are actually for the most part pretty good looking and there are a lot of nice pubs/lounges. Funny thing is people consider paying $6 for a drink expensive. Me and my buddy had a decent amount to drink last night and our bill came to $100.
Oh yah and for some reason there was a lot of cougars with big fake titties out last night. haha

[Everymans]

I'm late to the party but I wanna put some insight on these subjects

Originally Posted by Verdasco

is a highway really necessary in downtown? when i went to seattle for the first time, i was surprised on how their downtown was so different compared to ours. Thoughts?

There was a proposed highway that would come off highway 1 around grandview highway(hence why it's called a highway) and it would travel through the ravine that the skytrain currently sits. hippies rejected it and now traffic is aweful and 1st ave has turned into a nightmare for anyone not in a car. Good job hippies. Also, granville is part of highway 99, yet it goes right through a bunch of suburban neighborhoods and there's traffic lights every 5 blocks. And people live on the friggen street too. This city is gorgeous and all, but it's terribly planned transportation wise. Even in the grid system. for some dumbass reason they staggered them in places so the intersections don't line up.

As for op. It's all a matter of perspective. I love this city because there's so much going on and the weather is nice(right now). And There's a good car culture, good skate culture, Good snowboard culture, and there's plenty of major sports teams in the city and area. And it's so lax and entertaining. The other day I went for a bike ride with some friends around town. Drink a beer at the convention center, met some randoms at crab park for a massive bonfire, took a skate down ontario... I can't do this in edmonton. Hell, it snowed there last week! But I'd much rather start a family and settle down in the prairies. A lot chiller and way easier to survive.

[cliffhanger33]

Man I'm gna miss Vancouver, most likely going to be living out in Kingston or London, Ontario soon for about 4 years coz of school

Friend told me how much she took Van for granted after living in London, Ontario for a year

[jasonturbo]

Originally Posted by MG1

BTW, four generations of my family have called this place "Our Home".

So I take it you and your family don't have a lot of experience living in other parts of the country?

GVA is an awesome part of Canada, trouble is that our generation, a much younger generation than yourself faces a much different set of variables than your generation did, primarily economic variables.

You can deny that there is a difference, you can accept it, you can say you understand it, but without being in "our" position, I don't really think you can see this side of the argument for what it is.

Van is not a prison, if you don't like it here you are free to leave any time. So far, I haven't been able to find a reason to leave.. So maybe I will stick around and complain for a little while.. seems to suit the typical BC attitude to bitch about everything anyway so I should fit right in.

PS: Austin TX, awesome city, a rare jewel in a southern cultural shithole lol.

[bing]

Originally Posted by penner2k

btw... just got back from Saskatoon for the weekend. The city itself is old and small but the people are awesome there. The girls are actually for the most part pretty good looking and there are a lot of nice pubs/lounges. Funny thing is people consider paying $6 for a drink expensive. Me and my buddy had a decent amount to drink last night and our bill came to $100.
Oh yah and for some reason there was a lot of cougars with big fake titties out last night. haha

Yeah might be fun while your there for a week or two. Going to pubs everyday gets old. Girl in one of my classes who has lived there her whole life says its one of the most boring places and the weather sucks. She likes Van.

[!e.lo_]

Guys here seem pretty cool, haven't slept with any of them yet

Uhm, what? Jason?

[Mr.C]

Originally Posted by jasonturbo

So on the subject of taking things for granted, I would say you are taking the oilsands as an employmnt sector for granted, there is a lot of Americans in financial hot water who would kill for a job in Northern Alberta just to free them from their financial shackles... if you think it's easy to get sick of cold weather, it's probably a lot easier to get sick of being stressed out about money constantly.

Just wait till the interest rates start rising...

Hit a nerve there, eh? Problem is, I wasn't criticising the oilsands at all. I would suggest in which you go back and re-read my post.

Working there is not easy, and nowhere I implied that. What I want is for people to stop bitching about job availability here, as there are tons of jobs in Alberta and elsewhere. I basically said what MG1 said. If you don't like it here, than gtfo.

And no, the rest of Canada isn't much better. While in Brazil I had to deal with a frenetic lifestyle and extremely hot weather, most of Canada, with the exception of Toronto, I'd have to deal with extremely cold weather and absolutely nothing happening. Pass.

[jasonturbo]

Originally Posted by Mr.C

Hit a nerve there, eh? Problem is, I wasn't criticising the oilsands at all.

Lol i'm not exactly sensitive, just involved in a discussion sir

If i could legally work in Cali, i would be gone for good, so far that opportunity hasn't been available to me... But it's coming...

[Excelsis]

Originally Posted by Yodamaster

Vancouver proper is a fucking joke, the further out you get, the easier and better the quality of life is.


I visited Austin, Texas a while back when I was picking up a car, and I swear, it's the happiest place on earth. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I had the chance. Warm weather, nice people, and nice (CHEAP) land.

brb running out of water soon, if they don't find a better way for irrigation systems and to fill their groundwater resources texas is going to be gone

[epicbeardman]

1 more semester of school and I'm taking my ass to the greatest city on Earth: Montreal.

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by epicbeardman

1 more semester of school and I'm taking my ass to the greatest city on Earth: Montreal.

Shitty winters, crumbling infrastructure, the worst taxation regime in Canada, and language politics?

But, enjoy the easy women!

[belaud]

I'd love to move to Hong Kong after my career & bored with the car, simply put, its not friendlier then Vancouver, but the food, pricing & simply atmosphere are just more attuned for what I would call "enjoyable". Also because I want to own an S206!

For reference, I was born in Calgary & moved here, and Calgary is hella boring, cold, and downright depressing weather. Vancouver is a step up, besides the 50% increase in living expense.

[MindBomber]

Originally Posted by smarv

you either don't follow the news or your retarded because im a skilled trades worker and theres lots of work here. have you heard of Seaspan a company that received a government contract to build ships well there looking to hire around 5000 skilled tradesman full time for the next 30+ years including: Welders,Fabricators,Mechanics,Plumbers, and pipe fitters. We also have one of the largest forest and mining industries, and everything that goes up to the interior is made down here which is why we have the largest Fabrication shops: Ebco (canada's second largest industrial fab shop) , CanRon, etc... we also invest in our infrastructure more than other places: Portman & Golden ears bridge, our hydro dams, our water pipes, and our highways. so to say not to come here for work is a lie and you should jump off one of our new bridges.

Originally Posted by Iceman-19

If you want to be paid a good wage you go elsewhere.

As stated by Smarv, great jobs are plentiful in Vancouver for those who choose to pursue them. I've earned over $20 per/hour since I was 19 and I'm in university, I've had offers that pay over double should I choose to fully commit to a company. You don't earn $120k+ a year to change the oil on big machines, but that's not a good wage, that's a ludicrously high union inflated one (props to you for earning it though...).

Originally Posted by Yodamaster

Vancouver proper is a fucking joke, the further out you get, the easier and better the quality of life is.

I visited Austin, Texas a while back when I was picking up a car, and I swear, it's the happiest place on earth. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I had the chance. Warm weather, nice people, and nice (CHEAP) land.

Originally Posted by Yodamaster

What's stopping me from what?

My second post wasn't a retraction, it was the reasoning behind my first post.

It's all money, and it's hard to get enough to get a reasonably sized home without breaking your back here. My point was that in Austin, it's easy, a mansion on three acres of land was $200,000.

You believe life is better further East of Vancouver Proper and are disgruntled by the housing costs West of the Fraser, so why do you live in Burnaby?

I get the impression people believe if they move to Langley, or god forbid, Abbotsford, they'll need to become Mennonite dairy farmers. That's not the case though, it also doesn't take that long to drive into downtown to enjoy the amenities you often only actually take advantage of on weekends anyway.

Originally Posted by Senna4ever

As a third generation Vancouverite, I personally cannot imagine living anywhere else. Yes, the farther east you go, the people do tend to be more friendly towards strangers. Go for a morning walk on the dykes in Maple Ridge or Mission - almost everyone says, "Good morning!" to each other. That really shocked me the first time.

Totally true. You also might be stunned, because when someone passes in front of you at a store, you'll often hear "excuse me". I always at least smile at people when I walk past. Everyone here is complaining about how unfriendly people are, but how many of you are making an effort to be friendly?