What Happened to Calgary?
Posted on 04. Jan, 2010 by Ryan Northcott in Calgary, Canada, Rants
Do you like this story?
When I lived in Los Angeles, I used to yearn for Calgary…I remember the people were nice, the city was vibrant and the traffic was good. It was a pure city. That has drastically changed.
Since moving back to my birth town, I have seen this city infiltrated with money-hungry douchebags clogging city streets with their cars, changing the nightlife and making it darn near impossible to get around. This town needs an enema. Here are a few long gone memories I have of the Calgary I used to love:
I remember when customer service actually included service…even with a smile.
I remember people letting you in when you signaled for a lane change.
I remember when people signaled.
I remember a Calgary where people were looking for good fun, not poser douchebaggery at the Met.
I remember when Moxie’s, Earl’s and Joey Tomatoes were places you didn’t need to dress up to attend.
I remember when you watched Flames games because you followed the team…Even the Young Guns.
I remember when men weren’t more concerned about how they looked than the women.
I remember when driving a pick-up actually meant you used it, not just compensated for misgivings.
I remember when we had a spirit.
I remember when we had a real Mayor.
I remember when people said hello to you on the street.
I remember when people were proud of where they worked, no matter where it was.
I remember when we used to talk to people.
I remember when we spent time with our families instead of spending the day at Chinook.
I remember when we weren’t so cocky and we had humility.
I remember when we walked our head high, not planted in a mobile phone.
I remember chivalry.
It’s sad to see all of those things are mostly gone or long forgotten. I used to love this town, but somewhere along the way we got caught up in ourselves and stopped looking around. Who knows, 100 years from now, when the oil and gas dries up and we never planned for it – an exodus will bring us back to the real days of innovation, community, humility and togetherness. Otherwise…it’ll be the crammed, selfish, money hungry city we’ve come to love hate.
baxterpoo
Sep 1st, 2010
That’s why I left. Now I’m in a place that’s 500,000 and people do say hello in the street and you actually bump into people you know. I’ve seen more old friends from Calgary here in Victoria then I saw in the last 10 years in Calgary.
Ryan Northcott
Jan 29th, 2010
So true Alan…so ridiculously true.
Alan
Jan 27th, 2010
I may only have landed in Calgary to make my way to Canmore, but they weren’t exactly torch wielding villages with a lack of manners to boot lol
I think its just the sign of the times Ryan, what you’re accustom to will always change, especially when you really don’t want it to. I think I’ve turned into the oldest 26 year old, bitching about stuff such as the students who occupy the best seats near the big screen at a bar when some game is on. Even though I used to do it when I was a student I still seem to be able to justify my opinions…no room for hypocracy haha!
But as for most of the things you described, that just the difference between how you were brought up and the p*ss poor job some parents are doing today. Hell, they invented the Nintendo WII Fit just so they can get fat kids to actually do something physical….go figure