I recently wrote a post about my new found appreciation for the City of Edmonton but DAMN I’d be lying if I didn’t say I LOVE the city of Vancouver a little more :). On an aesthetic level and for natural beauty, Vancouver definitely wins, sorry Edmonton but the River Valley just can’t compete with the ocean, mountains, awesome parks and a beautifully designed downtown. Vancouver is a wonderful city and more than anything, it’s the people there that win me over the most.
It’s kind of funny because the reason I’ve been enjoying Edmonton so much lately is for the community of people, not so much the “city” itself. It goes to show that no matter where you are and what you’re doing, the experience is more defined by those you’re doing it with and not so much by the environment. It makes sense that I love the city where my best friend as well as some of my favorite people live… although there is a little more to it than that.
Let’s imagine for a moment that your best friends live in Acme, Alberta. Town population 656 people, sorry, Village population, haha, need more people than that to be a Town. Anyway, picture that your best friends live in Acme and are trying to convince you to move there to be closer to them. Now that, is not nearly as enticing as being asked to move to Vancouver, best friends or not. Hell, at that point Airdrie or Sherwood Park is an amazing upgrade, unless maybe it’s just me and I’m to much of a city boy at heart.
What can I say? I like to embrace the benefits and convenience of the 21st century, and cities seem to offer a lot more of them than small towns. I like being able to shop at a grocery store at 3 am and be in a place that never sleep. I’m a technology junkie who thrives by learning new things and constantly being on top of what’s new and exciting no matter the hour. Cities seem to foster this sentiment for experience far beyond what town life can ever offer, and Hollywood North probably does this better than any other city in the country, Montreal might be at a close second but I’ve never been.
So yes, I am an Edmontonian and feel that I have finally embraced the beautiful City of Edmonton, but just because I’ve embraced it, doesn’t mean I can’t strive to one day become a Vancouverite.
Go Oilers Go!
Unless you’re playing the Canucks.
– Shane Lamotte
Shane Lamotte 