What Would You NOT Miss About Edmonton?
In my last post (which I have updated since first writing it), I talked about things that I would miss about Edmonton. In the comments section, the topic of things you would NOT miss about Edmonton came up, so I thought I would write a post on that subject.
If you moved away from Edmonton or, in keeping with the previous post, if the city were destroyed, what would you NOT miss? Here are a few of the things that come to my mind:
- West Edmonton Mall - While I don’t really have anything against the west end’s big white elephant, I don’t particularly enjoy going to WEM. I know a lot of people like it, and it is some what convenient, since it has a lot of stores all in one place (many of which aren’t in any other of the city’s many, many shopping malls), but I can’t stand the crowds and the noise. I’m not generally a claustrophobic person, but when I’m getting crushed by throngs of WEM shoppers, I start to feel like I can’t breath.
- Transient people - People come to Edmonton for work. Generally speaking, they don’t come here for the city or the community. While many who come to Edmonton for work end up staying and raising families (my parents included), they don’t often feel like the city is home. Home is elsewhere, so they don’t truly get involved in the community and culture of the city. Ironically, these are often the same people who complain about Edmonton’s lack of soul and community spirit. While I have been involved in Edmonton’s cultural community for years, and have tried to spread the news about it with this very blog, it gets frustrating to constantly meet people who believe that there is no such thing as Edmonton culture. Moving to a city where people believe in their hometown and its culture would be very refreshing.
- Political hegemony - This is an Albertan issue, rather than an issue specific to Edmonton, but I’m sick and tired of a one-party political system. It’s true, of course, that Alberta isn’t really a one-party system, but it often feels that way. This province has been Tory Blue for longer than I’ve been alive. While Edmonton is probably the most politically diverse area in the province, it’s still incredibly frustrating to live in a climate where political change seems like a far-fetched fantasy, rather than a real possibility. I can’t even begin to imagine how good it would feel to live in a province where the same party hasn’t been in power for longer than most people can remember.
While there are probably a few other things I’d not miss about this city, I think these are the 3 biggies. Overall, I enjoy living in Edmonton, and I would miss a lot of things about the city, if I were to move away at some point.
What would you NOT miss about Edmonton, if the city were destroyed?
The word “Deadmonton”. All of the snow in the winter. All the refineries.
Mack D. Male
24 Sep 08 at 1:53 pm
February. January is still novel, with the bright sun and the crisp cold, and March is already hopeful for the coming of spring. But February sucks, every year.
Idealistic Pragmatist
24 Sep 08 at 4:00 pm
Pedestrian-unfriendly areas like South Edmonton Common. Edmonton’s car culture and sprawling land mass. The fact that fall only lasts at most 3 weeks here.
Sharon
24 Sep 08 at 9:07 pm
The sheer ugliness of the place. You shouldn’t have to drive for 20 minutes so you can go on an enjoyable walk.
Also - *I’m* a transient!!!
sara
25 Sep 08 at 7:14 am
@Mack: I’m not entirely sure you can escape the word “Deadmonton,” although it probably is used less outside of the city than inside.
@IP: Yeah, February is generally pretty miserable, but I think I get a sick enjoyment out of shitty weather, if only because some of the best experiences of my life have happened during the coldest days of winter.
@Sharon: Yes! I would much prefer it if the city were most pedestrian friendly. Downtown and Whyte Ave aren’t too bad but, other than that, it’s almost impossible to get around the city without wheels.
@Sara: Yes, unfortunately, much of the city is unbearably ugly. I never thought much of it until I started traveling a bit more as I got older.
As for being a transient, yeah, I guess that’s true, but at least you get involved with the local culture and community—even if it is largely because I drag you out to everything.
Adam Snider
25 Sep 08 at 8:26 am
Hmmm, not miss.
Lame-ass downtown culture / identity. It’s getting better but still has a long way to go.
1/3 of the population. The city is getting too big for its infrastructure.
Brad Grier
25 Sep 08 at 9:54 am
@Brad: I think the infrastructure issues are as much about a lack of foresight and poor planning in years past as they are about unexpected growth. But, I agree that the infrastructure can’t support the population properly. Driving just about anywhere takes twice as long as it did even just 2 or 3 years ago. It’s quite frustrating.
Adam Snider
25 Sep 08 at 11:26 am
I second South Edmonton Common, and would broaden that to include the hordes of other useless strip malls.
I would not miss the urban sprawl. No, not at all.
allan
25 Sep 08 at 1:34 pm
Urban sprawl is one of my least favourite things about the city, but I manage to avoid facing that reality by restricting most of my life to the downtown core.
Adam Snider
25 Sep 08 at 1:41 pm
SEC, WEM, ETS, -100°,population density, spare a buck?
maurice
25 Sep 08 at 8:50 pm
I think that panhandling situation is something that you’ll fine in any relatively large city. I admit that it’s pretty bad here in Edmonton, but I think that’s partly because we’ve done a terrible job at addressing the root causes of poverty in this city (and in the province at large).
Adam Snider
26 Sep 08 at 4:41 pm
The part about Edmonton’s panhandling that bothers me the most is the young seemingly healthy men. I’ve seen one guy in particular several times who looks clean and kept jogging around downtown asking everyone waiting to cross the street for money. Plenty of people do, and I think that’s the problem.
maurice
27 Sep 08 at 10:17 am
There are a few panhandlers who I’m about 90% sure are not homeless, and are capable of working. There is this one guy, in particular, who is usually at the bottom of the hill on Queen Elizabeth Park Road. His sign says something like: “Traveling. Broke & hungry. Please help.”
Well, if his sign is to be believed, then he’s been “stuck” in Edmonton for at least a year. Personally, I suspect that he’s just a guy who doesn’t want to work, and chooses to panhandle, instead.
Adam Snider
27 Sep 08 at 10:39 am
The poor transportation system. Compared to most other cities, ETS is a joke. And our ONE LRT line is embarrassing.
Jasmine
27 Sep 08 at 11:40 am
[...] you don’t want to miss: Edmonton has been destroyed: what would you miss? and the follow-up, What Would You NOT Miss About Edmonton? Lots of great comments on both. UPDATE: Sunday, September 28th is Free Admission Day at City of [...]
Edmonton Notes for 9/27/2008 at MasterMaq’s Blog
28 Sep 08 at 6:09 am
Starting your car after it has been in -40.
Iris
22 Oct 08 at 11:26 pm
Well, I left Edmonton 14 years ago, and I have to say…downtown. Edmonton had a lousy downtown. I actually miss WEM a bit (heresy apparently); I miss the Fringe the most; but also, just the spirit of the city.
OH, starting a car in -40, yeah, don’t miss that much, either…never gets that cold in Montreal…
damn, now i miss edmonton again…sigh…
Jim Hanna
3 Dec 08 at 12:48 pm
Downtown was quite lousy for a long time. You’re right. However, it’s been getting a lot better over the past few years. It’ll be a while, but eventually we’ll have a real downtown.
Adam Snider
3 Dec 08 at 7:02 pm