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Skateboarding => Travel Guide => Topic started by: Cariuma Executive on January 29, 2022, 07:20:27 PM
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Me and my homies are planning on renting a place together this summer. We are all new adults who are looking to get out and experience living alone. I think we should go to a city with: a low cost of living, good street spots so we can film, a couple decent parks, large-ish population and, an active night-life. Any suggestions? One homie wants to go to Edmonton another somewhere in Quebec. I'm planning on going to school in the fall so I'd like to save as much money as possible. Thanks in advance.
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I'd definitely consider Montreal. I'm not sure if the cost of living has changed all that much, but it's got lots of spots.
I think Calgary and Edmonton might be solid choices as well, as far as street skating.
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not the best by any merit but ottawa has charm.
the shops are cool, birling is the gold standard for a community-driven skate shop but uh, the streets here are pretty gnarly. that isn't to say there aren't some cool spots (archives, marble banks out on laurier, ghost curbs lol)
worst part is you can't skate outside for 3-4 months out of the year. winter months consist of hiding in parking garages and getting kicked is inevitable for the most part.
i digress, not the best skate city but it's what you make of it. countless rippers here. https://vimeo.com/514471194
as for rent, i've managed to rent out a 2 floor house close to downtown w three other homies for 650 a month. make of that what you will.
i've said my piece, go to van, toronto or montreal. or come here, it's skateable.
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calgary is going to be a better option for street skating, but edmonton is alright.
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if you can make it out to Montreal it's everything you're looking for and more, best city in the world from April to November
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A couple people above me said calgary, but I would have to hard disagree with that.
There is some spots like every city has but many of the spots have horrible rough ground. If you ever watch calgary skate videos you will see how crappy the spots are really. Most skaters here want to move to van to skate mosly year round anyways.
I think your best bet would be to live in a surrounding city to Van and just go skate downtown Van when you can.
yea on second that I would just never recommend anyone move to Calgary for skateboarding
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MTL, simply because Toronto and Van aren't affordable which instantly eliminates them.
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MTL, simply because Toronto and Van aren't affordable which instantly eliminates them.
This, unless you’re willing to live 1.5 hours outside those major hubs and transit in to skate and work
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Not Winnipeg (alright parks and sk8 skates is a good local shop) awful ground, long cold winters (-49 f this morning) short hot summers. Worth passing thru to check out the woodsworth building and the plaza at the forks.
I haven’t been to Calgary in the summer for a long time but I really enjoyed this video from there
https://youtu.be/alU0RVw26YM
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MTL, simply because Toronto and Van aren't affordable which instantly eliminates them.
This, unless you’re willing to live 1.5 hours outside those major hubs and transit in to skate and work
Yeah, the only real knock on MTL is that if you don't speak solid french you can end up being relegated to dishwashing type jobs, since it will be tough to get a customer-facing job. But, Toronto and Vancouver simply aren't affordable unless you are trying to cram 4 people into a 1 bed + den condo if you are 4 broke kids working minimum wage jobs.
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If you come to Vancouver…it sounds shitty but I’d consider Surrey….cheaper rent, on sky train…decent parks…
Otherwise….MTL is the correct answer…
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Not Winnipeg (alright parks and sk8 skates is a good local shop) awful ground, long cold winters (-49 f this morning) short hot summers. Worth passing thru to check out the woodsworth building and the plaza at the forks.
I haven’t been to Calgary in the summer for a long time but I really enjoyed this video from there
https://youtu.be/alU0RVw26YM
Calgary is really bad for cold winters and skate stoppers, however if your a creative type its not bad for street and the scene is fairly good, just depends on what you like to skate
aslo living cost really depends on proximity to downtown, so if you don't mind taking a train the living cost can be fairly cheap
that same crew from Calgary had a new video recently as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2zPoXdzNoo&t=4s
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Me and my homies are planning on renting a place together this summer. We are all new adults who are looking to get out and experience living alone. I think we should go to a city with: a low cost of living, good street spots so we can film, a couple decent parks, large-ish population and, an active night-life. Any suggestions? One homie wants to go to Edmonton another somewhere in Quebec. I'm planning on going to school in the fall so I'd like to save as much money as possible. Thanks in advance.
If your going with Alberta don't do Edmonton if you want to live in a more lively skate scene/night life, Calgary has more of a living scene and also has much more parks, people, and local shops.
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I've lived in MTL, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Montreal is the most affordable, the city does a lot of cool cultural stuff, there are lots of cool women out there, and the skate scene is pretty amazing. But knowing French is kind of a must. You can get by as an Anglo-phone, but you are going to miss out on a lot. Also, the healthcare in MTL sucks, the winters are hard, and the Quebec government sucks.
Vancouver is fucking amazing in terms of weather, the parks are super fun, Menu is a pretty cool shop, and BC's nature is amazing and the healthcare is the best in Canada (I think). But, Vancouver is like a pretty girl with no personality. There is little culture there and the people are tech bro as fuck.
Toronto is just a mix between the two cities, but its one highlight is being able to experience so many cultures in a single place. I miss the Polish part of town, the Russian part of town, the Ukrainian part of town, the Dutch areas outside of the city, the Turkish area, and so on. Toronto's multiculturalism is so much fun. However, I feel Toronto lost a key part of its skate culture when Baitshop decided to close down its retail location.
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East Van used to be dirt cheap but you had to watch your back, has it changed that much? Like the smell of that fucking rendering plant was horrible let alone the million junkies who tried to rob you everyday.
Victoria was great also but I imagine price's have gone insane there.
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Like everywhere else, east van has gotten a lot nicer and pricier….I think the chicken plant is still there though..
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East Van used to be dirt cheap but you had to watch your back, has it changed that much? Like the smell of that fucking rendering plant was horrible let alone the million junkies who tried to rob you everyday.
Victoria was great also but I imagine price's have gone insane there.
Chinatown is the worst it has been in my memory, but east van is expensive neighborhood outside of DTES... The junkies have gotten a bit more aggressive after covid too, with there being less tourists and stuff I find I'm getting approached way more than I used to.
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move to montreal, but if you can afford it, come to vancouver for a week or two.
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East Van used to be dirt cheap but you had to watch your back, has it changed that much? Like the smell of that fucking rendering plant was horrible let alone the million junkies who tried to rob you everyday.
Victoria was great also but I imagine price's have gone insane there.
I haven't been there in a long long time. Is wreck beach still a thing?
I used to live in a house across from Pandora park (just off East Hastings). Was pretty sketchy but fun.
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I’ve lived in both Montreal and Vancouver and can say Montreal you will definitely get the most bang for your buck. Good spots, fun city with lots of culture and free events happening throughout end of spring to the end of summer. Hot girls and really good night life. The winters are harsh and long but you can find ways to keep busy and try to find an indoor(is Taz still around?). Vancouver(where I live now) is great but it’s expensive and definitely a lot less going on event wise but still a beautiful city with lots to do just outside of the city. The islands around make for easy(but expensive) little trips during COVID. Lots of fun parks and plaza is always a good time. There’s some decent spots and the weather is great compared to other major Canadian cities.
TLDR; Go with Montreal.
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If you’re just looking for the best place to spend the summer go to Montreal. Nothing compares to Montreal in the summer. The skating is phenomenal and the city is small enough to actually bike and skate to almost everything. There are events everywhere and the restaurant and bar scene is unparalleled in Canada. Sure you might struggle with income by not speaking French, but whatever shitty job you get is just part of the experience.
I’ve lived in on Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Montreal, Edmonton, Saskatoon and now just outside of Calgary. There’s absolutely no point in moving to Alberta until you’re looking for a career and to buy a house, and your friend who suggested Edmonton needs to give his head a shake. There’s also little benefit in moving to Vancouver just for a summer, it won’t be as good as you’re expecting and the mild winter is what makes the cost borderline acceptable.
TLDR: Another vote for Montreal.
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East Van used to be dirt cheap but you had to watch your back, has it changed that much? Like the smell of that fucking rendering plant was horrible let alone the million junkies who tried to rob you everyday.
Victoria was great also but I imagine price's have gone insane there.
I haven't been there in a long long time. Is wreck beach still a thing?
I used to live in a house across from Pandora park (just off East Hastings). Was pretty sketchy but fun.
Last time I went to the beach, it was freezing cold, so the guys walked around with their dicks out, but still wore jackets.
I was impressed with their fortitude but it wasn't exactly the experience I was looking for.
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East Van used to be dirt cheap but you had to watch your back, has it changed that much? Like the smell of that fucking rendering plant was horrible let alone the million junkies who tried to rob you everyday.
Victoria was great also but I imagine price's have gone insane there.
I haven't been there in a long long time. Is wreck beach still a thing?
I used to live in a house across from Pandora park (just off East Hastings). Was pretty sketchy but fun.
Last time I went to the beach, it was freezing cold, so the guys walked around with their dicks out, but still wore jackets.
I was impressed with their fortitude but it wasn't exactly the experience I was looking for.
Hahahaha so no it hasn't changed. Last time I lived in Canada we used to go for mid afternoon beers down there in the summer. Was great craic.
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Hamilton. lots of great spots, much more reasonable rent prices, and very close to toronto. amazing scene. really good shop called "The Local". has an indoor mini ramp for the winter time. there is also an indoor skatepark called CJ'd in Mississauga (next town over) 4 hr drive to ottawa, 5 hr drive to detroit, 5 hr drive to montreal for trips. also a great city for snowskating if you are into that (i am heading there tomorrow). The only real downside id say you probably need a car to live here but I think its possible to get by only with transit.
Montreal would be my 2nd pick. The only real downside is its french as others have said, but there are tons of anglos there. It will be more expensive than hamilton and it can be sketchy. you need to be street smart in both of these cities or you WILL get punked. the transit system there is very good. there is way more culture there than going to hamilton and the spots are top notch. i would say you will get a better life experience going there but if you are really just focused on skating and saving money then hamilton might be bit better bet.
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I've lived in Montréal for 6 years now and I can attest to all the positive and some of the negative stuff said already.
Positives: Beautiful, lively city with no shortage of things to see or do. Gorgeous women, bars and breweries all over the place. The metro and buses go everywhere you'll wanna go. Bike paths all over the island, too. Bonus: Québec City, Ottawa and Burlington are only a 2-3 hour drive away. Portland, Boston, NYC, and the Rust Belt cities of NY state (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany) are a reasonable drive down south (and east/west) for a weekend getaway.
Negatives: The goddamn Metropolitain is one of the worst expressways in the history of paved roads. The Habs are awful this year. November-April are lousy with cold, snow, and rain. Someone mentioned the healthcare system being shit. Emergency rooms do suck but I don't think the healthcare system is atrocious.
I will say, if you harbor any hatred toward Francophones, look elsewhere. Otherwise, download duolingo, watch Infoman and respect your neighbors.
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Hamilton. lots of great spots, much more reasonable rent prices, and very close to toronto. amazing scene. really good shop called "The Local". has an indoor mini ramp for the winter time. there is also an indoor skatepark called CJ'd in Mississauga (next town over) 4 hr drive to ottawa, 5 hr drive to detroit, 5 hr drive to montreal for trips. also a great city for snowskating if you are into that (i am heading there tomorrow). The only real downside id say you probably need a car to live here but I think its possible to get by only with transit.
Montreal would be my 2nd pick. The only real downside is its french as others have said, but there are tons of anglos there. It will be more expensive than hamilton and it can be sketchy. you need to be street smart in both of these cities or you WILL get punked. the transit system there is very good. there is way more culture there than going to hamilton and the spots are top notch. i would say you will get a better life experience going there but if you are really just focused on skating and saving money then hamilton might be bit better bet.
another big downside would be living in hamilton
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Hamilton. lots of great spots, much more reasonable rent prices, and very close to toronto. amazing scene. really good shop called "The Local". has an indoor mini ramp for the winter time. there is also an indoor skatepark called CJ'd in Mississauga (next town over) 4 hr drive to ottawa, 5 hr drive to detroit, 5 hr drive to montreal for trips. also a great city for snowskating if you are into that (i am heading there tomorrow). The only real downside id say you probably need a car to live here but I think its possible to get by only with transit.
Montreal would be my 2nd pick. The only real downside is its french as others have said, but there are tons of anglos there. It will be more expensive than hamilton and it can be sketchy. you need to be street smart in both of these cities or you WILL get punked. the transit system there is very good. there is way more culture there than going to hamilton and the spots are top notch. i would say you will get a better life experience going there but if you are really just focused on skating and saving money then hamilton might be bit better bet.
I've heard about people moving down to Hamilton, but that is just too much of a compromise for me to even consider. I'd rather live in St. Catherine's or even Oshawa.
Quebec City is an option I don't think anyone has mentioned. Life is insanely affordable there. The local park is pretty damn fun and there is an indoor park (I think). The only problem is that it is in Quebec and its always packed with tourists.
Hell, we could all agree to move out to the Eastern Provinces and, as a group, build up whatever skate scene is already out there. Houses are basically free out there and its gotta have amazing nature (despite being damp and cold as fuck).
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The only real city out east is Halifax, and it’s expensive as hell to live in or anywhere near it. But if you can work remotely you could probably live a good life in like Bouctouche, NB or something.
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Depends on how many roommates you want to live with. If there's 4 of you then you can live cheaply anywhere, even Toronto or Van. If you're young I'd say do one of the big 3 (Toronto, Van, MTL) can't go wrong with any, really.
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Holy fuck thanks for all the replies. I convinced the lads that MTL is the play and we're planning on going at the end of April. There's 5 of us now but only 4 really skate. We're looking for a 3 bed near downtown right now but it's hard to find shit that isn't a year-long lease. I forgot to mention that 3 of us were also in french immersion and so we got pretty good french already (needs practice tho haha). I am so fucking hyped for this now so props to you all! Also to the guy that dropped "Weed Is Tight" thanks a ton dude. I loved those guys' first video and had no idea there was a banger sequel out.
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Chiming in from your neighbor down south to say the Canadian skate scene seems sick and I wanna visit MTL and Toronto in the summer!
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Has anyone lived out east? What are the eastern provinces like? Is the cheap housing off-set by high cost groceries and near Quebec level taxes (I don't mind pitching in but Quebec fucking reams my non-married non-kid producing self and their healthcare is crummy for such an important province)? @Coastal Fever what made Halifax so expensive?
I don't know what I want in terms of skating and life, but I know sharing walls on all sides of my apartment in Vancouver, Toronto, or MTL is not going to cut it forever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8oJBDr31A4
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Headed to Montreal in mid-July. Super pumped. Where are the best curb spots? Some of the parks look really fun. I got a cheap airbnb in Mile's End.
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^^ ^^Mile End Park is super fun and the locals are pretty cool.
Rosemont is not far, but, in my opinion, lamest locals in MTL. I don't think I've ever had fun there.
The Pointe-aux-Trembles park is often empty, but it is a hassle to get up there.
The parks in the suburbs south of the island are super fun, but very suburban.
The Verdun park is fun as well. Everything there is small and its gets insanely crowded, but it can be fun.
Quebec City's park is awesome and there a few parks along the way up there that are fun as well.
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^^ ^^Mile End Park is super fun and the locals are pretty cool.
Rosemont is not far, but, in my opinion, lamest locals in MTL. I don't think I've ever had fun there.
The Pointe-aux-Trembles park is often empty, but it is a hassle to get up there.
The parks in the suburbs south of the island are super fun, but very suburban.
The Verdun park is fun as well. Everything there is small and its gets insanely crowded, but it can be fun.
Quebec City's park is awesome and there a few parks along the way up there that are fun as well.
Mile End is also known as Van Horne?
Cant get up to QC on this trip sadly.
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Has anyone lived out east? What are the eastern provinces like? Is the cheap housing off-set by high cost groceries and near Quebec level taxes (I don't mind pitching in but Quebec fucking reams my non-married non-kid producing self and their healthcare is crummy for such an important province)? @Coastal Fever what made Halifax so expensive?
I don't know what I want in terms of skating and life, but I know sharing walls on all sides of my apartment in Vancouver, Toronto, or MTL is not going to cut it forever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8oJBDr31A4
Halifax was booming before Covid and has been way more since. NS was a safe zone with affordable housing so people flocked here. Definitely still cheaper to buy/rent here than the GTA, but it’s creeping up fast. A decent 1bdr is prob $1500/month all in, and small houses, semis even, are going for 400k+, sometimes up to 200k over asking. Taxes are high, food, booze and utilities are high, wages are low compared to bigger cities..
Skate wise there’s a few good parks around, and some street spots to be found if you’re willing to explore. The scene seems to be doing fine, though I’m pretty removed from it now. There’s endless natural beauty and fresh ocean air which is nice. It might not be fast paced enough for someone who considers themselves a “city person”, but I like the slower pace.
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^^ ^^Mile End Park is super fun and the locals are pretty cool.
Rosemont is not far, but, in my opinion, lamest locals in MTL. I don't think I've ever had fun there.
The Pointe-aux-Trembles park is often empty, but it is a hassle to get up there.
The parks in the suburbs south of the island are super fun, but very suburban.
The Verdun park is fun as well. Everything there is small and its gets insanely crowded, but it can be fun.
Quebec City's park is awesome and there a few parks along the way up there that are fun as well.
Mile End is also known as Van Horne?
Cant get up to QC on this trip sadly.
Yeah, the skatepark below the viaduct in the Mile End neighborhood is called Van Horne (Van Horne is the street overhead). The park in Rosemont is pretty close by at Père Marquette high school. Both those parks are always mobbed with people during the day/evening. There's also the Projet 45 DIY on Papineau, a relatively new skatepark in St-Leonard, the Vans park at the Olympic Stadium (where The Big O is) and the Honoré-Mercier park opened last year. There's a bunch of pre-fab parks usually built on shitty asphalt scattered all over the place too.
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got to agree - i started skating again after a long time last year and the first spot i hit was van horne
locals over there are pretty nice and a lot of the members from dime team also skate there
the only problem is that it can get pretty crowded pretty fast but it's really a great park and i can't wait to go back this year
i live just next to the père marquette park and it's actually ultra packed with teenagers as there is a secondary school is just next to the skatepark - it's also usually flooded with scooter kids
but yeah, montréal is a great city - been living here for more that seven years now and i wouldn't want to live anywhere else
the main problem right now is that housing is getting ridiculously expensive, there are some neighbourhoods in the city where rent has increased twice in a matter of a couple years, shit is super fucked
oh yeah also the new vans skatepark that is just next to the stade olympique is really nice, you should go there if you got time!
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got to agree - i started skating again after a long time last year and the first spot i hit was van horne
locals over there are pretty nice and a lot of the members from dime team also skate there
the only problem is that it can get pretty crowded pretty fast but it's really a great park and i can't wait to go back this year
i live just next to the père marquette park and it's actually ultra packed with teenagers as there is a secondary school is just next to the skatepark - it's also usually flooded with scooter kids
but yeah, montréal is a great city - been living here for more that seven years now and i wouldn't want to live anywhere else
the main problem right now is that housing is getting ridiculously expensive, there are some neighbourhoods in the city where rent has increased twice in a matter of a couple years, shit is super fucked
oh yeah also the new vans skatepark that is just next to the stade olympique is really nice, you should go there if you got time!
This seems to be a Canada-wide problem when it comes to the three major cities. Toronto and Van I believe are 2 of the most expensive places in North America on a per-square foot basis behind only places like Manhatten and SF. Montreal isn't cheap, but even with the taxes and increased housing, its significantly more affordable than Toronto and Vancouver.