Do you feel happy living in the Okanagan?

[southy]

Unfortunately change is inevitable. I have lived in the valley for many years, yet I find myself wishing for the good old days. Maybe I'm just getting older and don't want to admit it. There was a different pace to all three cities. There was something called community which I do believe today has become somewhat diminished. As many have posted it seems a good number of a valley residents have become a me first group. Not saying they all imported just that the attidude has changed. With more people moving in traffic has become ... well chaotic to say the least. Property values are stupidly increasing and crazier than that people are actually paying the asking price. Who would have ever thought the wine industry would become wine tourism. Ski resorts have grown - I suppose this is a good thing. We now have major concerts throughout the valley - bonus. We have helped the sale of spandex with all the triathalons and other running and cycling events. Who would have ever thought that something called Three Blind Mice would be anything more than a childrens rhyme. Mountain Biking on this trail system has grown leaps and bounds and has become another form of tourism. Today, going to wine lounge is like when we used to go to the pub for a draft ... hum .. not sure I like that one. Going out to higher end restaurants has become common place as have those higher end restaurants. Flying somewhere and flying to here has become the norm ... just look at the expansion of Kelowna airport. You can be anywhere you want in approximately 4-5 hours. Students actually want to come to the Okanagan to further their education unlike the days when students couldn't wait to head to the big city. Yup, things have changed and like it or not ... what is is and change will continue that's a given. Try and enjoy it.

[jimmy4321]

Sometimes the place that makes you happy makes no sense on paper.

As far as people not liking how this place has changed i think don't take into account that everything is great when your young.

[Urban Cowboy]

Sometimes the place that makes you happy makes no sense on paper.

As far as people not liking how this place has changed i think don't take into account that everything is great when your young.

In my opinion I believe that many who don't like the change, tend to overlook the fact that change is inevitable and it happens everywhere.

I recall my last trip out east a number of years back, I grew up there but didn't recognize much of anything it all changed so dramatically.

As far as what Canada has to offer, I'm hard pressed to think of any better place one could go to.

[youjustcomplain]

I love it here. I'll never move away from the Okanagan unless maybe I win the lottery and spend half a year in Hawaii. :)

Climate, youth, location.. I love Kelowna

As for the cloud and fog for a month straight... Well, I moved here from Victoria. That was common place for four seasons of the year.

[Urban Cowboy]

As for the cloud and fog for a month straight... Well, I moved here from Victoria. That was common place for four seasons of the year.

I'm sure with you there.

Once you've lived in a place where it can be -40°C for several months straight, being socked in by cloud in the Okanagan for a few weeks, seems like a piece of cake.

Besides truth be told, those who are bothered by that regular occurrence here in the valley, could easily enough remedy it by taking a drive up to Big White or such, now and then, where the sun is shining.

[MAPearce]

I love it here. I'll never move away from the Okanagan unless maybe I win the lottery and spend half a year in Hawaii. :)

Climate, youth, location.. I love Kelowna

As for the cloud and fog for a month straight... Well, I moved here from Victoria. That was common place for four seasons of the year.

I can't say I agree with that ... I too came from " Victoria" ish ( Saanich) and for the 35 plus years I lived there , I can't remember being fogged in for a month straight....

[Urban Cowboy]

I love it here. I'll never move away from the Okanagan unless maybe I win the lottery and spend half a year in Hawaii. :)

Climate, youth, location.. I love Kelowna

As for the cloud and fog for a month straight... Well, I moved here from Victoria. That was common place for four seasons of the year.

I can't say I agree with that ... I too came from " Victoria" ish ( Saanich) and for the 35 plus years I lived there , I can't remember being fogged in for a month straight....

I can't remember being fogged in for a month straight here either if we're going to be honest.

[Frisk]

On average, Victoria actually has more sunshine hours per year when compared to Kelowna.

Victoria: Average of 2193.3 hours of sunshine per year. Total of 319.6 hours from November 1st - March 1st.
Kelowna: Average of 1948.9 hours of sunshine per year. Total of 206.3 hours from November 1st - March 1st.

[MAPearce]

On average, Victoria actually has more sunshine hours per year when compared to Kelowna.

Victoria: Average of 2193.3 hours of sunshine per year. Total of 319.6 hours from November 1st - March 1st.
Kelowna: Average of 1948.9 hours of sunshine per year. Total of 206.3 hours from November 1st - March 1st.

I told ya so .....

[Urban Cowboy]

I didn't suggest that we don't get socked in somewhat November and December, but saying it's for the whole month is a bit of an exaggeration, and if it's happened it would be rare.

Sounds like more of a task for Glacier.

[lightspeed]

On average, Victoria actually has more sunshine hours per year when compared to Kelowna.

Victoria: Average of 2193.3 hours of sunshine per year. Total of 319.6 hours from November 1st - March 1st.
Kelowna: Average of 1948.9 hours of sunshine per year. Total of 206.3 hours from November 1st - March 1st.

Does Victoria have a sunshine tax?

[WalterWhite]

The inversion is but one piece of the puzzle - and a minor one in comparison.

[Poindexter]

The silver lining in our inversion is it provides great motivation to head above the cloud where the real fun is come winter.

[Catri]

I used to live up north of PG.
This in comparison, is the tropics.
Beaches - orchards - farmers markets everywhere.

No real winter to speak of, when compared to the north.
Have to laugh out loud, when I hear some wimpy person, who has never left the valley, whine about -20.
Try 3 weeks in Jan of -40 with a steady wind.

PG doesn’t get the depressing low cloud for 2 months like we do here. I’ll take the sunshine and -40 with winds thank you

And the pulp mill stink? Will you take that too?

[Lady tehMa]

I haven't lived many places in my life, all in BC. Furthest north was Clearwater.

Over the years I have discovered that happiness is a state of mind. I have extra challenges with clinical depression and a few other health issues. But when I look for things to be grateful for, I'm happy. When I look for things to be unhappy about, I'm miserable.

I was miserable during the heavy smoke (asthma issues) but then coworkers told me to suck it up (in a nice way). They said where they have lived (Toronto, Hong Kong) the air quality was similar, but ALL the time! So I am very grateful for the fact we have good air for most of the time. We don't have noise pollution or parking issues of the same levels, as well. I am grateful for my (older) home, my chunk of land to garden on. I'm grateful to be near family and to get fruit and veg directly from orchards.

This place has changed - all places do. I may miss the slower pace but I can always move out of town if I want. Not for a while yet, though. There are people who hate this place, and I'm sad for them. I hope they can learn the skill of being happy where they are; it makes a real difference.