Posted by: Endurimil
Oh, and too many fucking people.
ABSOLUTELY
Moving to Comox...
Posted by: mammal
Posted by: skooks
I live but don't work in NV. I do commute by bike most days. Made a conscious decision to live close to where we play. Zero regrets.
I could definitely see moving to the Comox Valley at some point. Victoria is nice but too far away from most of the things I enjoy doing.
Same here, except I drive to work. Marine station area is a bit too much of a pedal to/from Upper Lonsdale area for me. Not at all regretting the decision to live close to play, it's paid off in full. Having come from the Island originally, and with housing being where it is, we're due to move back to the Isle in about a year or so (probably Ladysmith/Nanaimo area). I'll miss the literal buffet of trail within 15min of my door, spread across 3 mountains, but I'm REALLY looking forward to a slower pace.
My office moved to the airport last year and it's way further than I want to pedal on a regular basis (32km each way). I've built up an e-commuter and it is working out really well for me. It's approx. 15 minutes longer than driving but so much more enjoyable. The route is actually super nice, at least until you get to Richmond. (Lion's gate bridge, Stanley Park, Beach Ave, Burrard bridge, Arbutus greenway).
Posted by: [email protected]
... I hope to downshift work a few years from now and once I have more time and mental space available I might just find the motivation to get involved in advocacy etc.
Just got back from a beautiful Van Isle road trip to see family.
3 times we saw people in wheelchairs pushing along on a narrow shoulder where there was no sidewalk.
Posted by: Endurimil
Nope. Not enough to draw me back to live there again. Nice place to visit for a week or two but after that like Toronto....best viewed at that point in the rear view mirror.
Oh, and too many fucking people.
Yeah there are a lot of people here, but that's what you get in a large city. I think whether Vancouver "sucks" has to do with what you want out of life and what you make of your current situation. If people want a quieter pace of life and less people then Vancouver (or any large city) is not the right choice. That doesn't mean the city itself sucks, just that it's not the right choice for someone. I don't think there's another city anywhere similar in size (or bigger) that has the same access to recreation amenities, particularly mtb'ing anywhere else on the planet. If there's place with cheap housing, lots of wide open spaces, an incredible trail network at it's doorstep and one that gets explosively better if you are willing to drive 2hrs then I would really like to know where this magical place exists. As far as I can tell the Kootenays is the next best bet - or possibly the best bet depending on what one's priorities are.
Posted by: Hepcat
Posted by: [email protected]
... I hope to downshift work a few years from now and once I have more time and mental space available I might just find the motivation to get involved in advocacy etc.
Just got back from a beautiful Van Isle road trip to see family.
3 times we saw people in wheelchairs pushing along on a narrow shoulder where there was no sidewalk.
Any news subdivisions or roads being built have proper servicing and sidewalks, but in some of the older areas you see a lot of ditches besides roads and no sidewalks. Slowly some of this is being addressed.
There's also a noticeable amount of homeless people, which was very surprising.
Posted by: switch
There's also a noticeable amount of homeless people, which was very surprising.
The ever-growing homeless population has never surprised me. The Island has the mildest climate in Canada, and still enough population to offer some degree of social services and handouts from the general public.
Posted by: syncro
...
If there's place with cheap housing, lots of wide open spaces, an incredible trail network at it's doorstep and one that gets explosively better if you are willing to drive 2hrs then I would really like to know where this magical place exists...
My parents we're thinking of pulling up stakes from the North Shore this summer, mostly why my family and I were road tripping. After a few weeks of wandering I think I'd mostly revise my location priorities:
•Diversity and open mindedness of the town is number one.
•Communities that aren't set around big chain strip malls that require a car to access basic necessities.
•Preservation and appreciation of the natural aesthetics and beauty of a location.
Everything else would be secondary after these requirements. I am middle of the road politically, an avid fisherman and 100% in favor of hunting in good weather, but I'm not living somewhere with even a sniff of backwards ideas.
For all of it's numerous glaring problems, Vancouver mostly ticks off those first boxes handily.
Maybe not the good fishing... ;)
Posted by: Hepcat
Posted by: syncro
...
If there's place with cheap housing, lots of wide open spaces, an incredible trail network at it's doorstep and one that gets explosively better if you are willing to drive 2hrs then I would really like to know where this magical place exists...
My parents we're thinking of pulling up stakes from the North Shore this summer, mostly why my family and I were road tripping. After a few weeks of wandering I think I'd mostly revise my location priorities:
•Diversity and open mindedness of the town is number one.
•Communities that aren't set around big chain strip malls that require a car to access basic necessities.
•Preservation and appreciation of the natural aesthetics and beauty of a location.
Everything else would be secondary after these requirements. I am middle of the road politically, an avid fisherman and 100% in favor of hunting in good weather, but I'm not living somewhere with even a sniff of backwards ideas.
For all of it's numerous glaring problems, Vancouver mostly ticks off those first boxes handily.
Maybe not the good fishing... ;)
Hard to beat the diversity of a city like Vancouver (and I miss that a little bit) but to me the Comox Valley and surrounding area feel reasonably progressive and tolerant. Politically we currently have NDP MP and MLA. There is definitely a small but significant part of the population that leans more towards redneck but IMHO that's part of diversity too. Overall the vibe is pretty laid back, feels like there is a healthy mix of different people with different world views who tolerate each other.
We are in Comox which is pretty small and has a cute downtown and waterfront/marina. I like how everything feels at a more human scale here compared to Vancouver. Courtenay has an old style downtown that is somewhat rundown but has potential but it also has the ugly strip malls / big box stores. One could live here without depending on a car although it's convenient to have one. If you choose the location of your home strategically you can walk to many amenities and cycle to the most/all.
Lots of nature here: mountains, forests, rivers, beaches, islands, wildlife etc. The mountains are scarred by logging, I struggle a bit with that because it looks ugly but I also realize it's part of the economy here (lots of bumper stickers "Forestry feeds my family"). Garbage dumped along logging roads is another thing you do see here every now and then. But overall there is lots of beautiful nature to be found and the best part is that it's almost never crowded.
Posted by: [email protected]
...the best part is that it's almost never crowded.
This is the one ugly truth that cuts across most societal issues facing us today yet rarely gets discussed in any meaningful manner - population growth.
The transportation cycling in the Comox Valley is really nice if you are a competent adult cyclist. Getting anywhere in Comox/Courtenay/Cumberland or surrounding rural areas is easy and safe. That said it's a pretty ad hoc mixture of cycling infrastructure that is not setup anywhere close to optimally. If you are a kid or an adult that's not a competent cyclist it's not great over the whole region or at least more challenging than it could be to figure out the best way to get places and then execute the plan. There are some sub-areas in the valley that cater well to less competent cyclists for trips like getting to school and back or going to the shops. For example there are lots of kids happily riding bikes in my neighbourhood.
Posted by: Endurimil
Nope. Not enough to draw me back to live there again. Nice place to visit for a week or two but after that like Toronto....best viewed at that point in the rear view mirror.
Oh, and too many fucking people.
It's interesting, different perspectives. I grew up in a small town and now live in North van and it's amazing. 90% of my work and riding are also in North van. It has everything I need. It's only overcrowded if I do something dumb and go somewhere I know will be busy at a busy time. Seymour trail network is across the street. I doubt I'll ever even find all of the trails there are up there. Lots of good beer. Fried chicken. Lots of work opportunities. Everything.
When I was in Cumberland I thought the same - fun to visit, but after a couple weeks, I'd be done, that small town life where you start to feel like you live in a glass house just drives me insane.
Last edited by: Kenny on July 29, 2023, 9:18 p.m., edited 1 time in total.
Posted by: Hepcat
For all of it's numerous glaring problems, Vancouver mostly ticks off those first boxes handily.
Maybe not the good fishing... ;)
That's the one thing I really miss - the closeness of lakes and fishing locales. It was great being able to drive to a lake or fishing spot in 15 minutes.
But Vancouver has a ton of positive attributes. I'd never question anyone's desire to live there.
This is a fun thread… lots of tips even for visitors. We enjoyed our trip to the island this summer and will definitely be back. Living on the island would be pretty sweet, but challenging for a dirty American to pull off. But if anybody’s visiting Spokane, I can help.
P.S. These guys have some of the best pastries on the planet.
Vancouver is great if you are fortunate enough to have decent jobs, love the walkablity of our area (Mount Pleasant) and all it has to offer. Feels like a reasonably good place to be raising young kids who are just getting to school age as well. 20-25min each way drive to Seymour isn't too bad. If you took away Seymour, would be a lot tougher sell, my god do I love that place. Road biking is also awesome, so many good rides possible from my house in a 45min-5h duration.
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