Thinking about the city from the perspective of a child is considerably challenging given the fact that I couldn’t possibly tell you specifically what would have been considered note worthy back then. Honestly, I can’t even remember what I did of significance just yesterday. So I’m going to abandon ship on that idea and rant about something more relevant.
Getting to discuss the ways in which Edmonton can be interpreted with a variety of different people today was really refreshing. There were an array of perspectives, but what I found surprising is the way in which people from the same area of the city interpret things around them in a similar fashion. Memory, and sense of a location, is one part personal and one part collective. Mistakenly I was anticipating that everyone would share a very similar sense of the city’s spaces. Not really the case at all. Reading Ian McGillis’s A Tourists Guide to Glengarry really made me reflect on how a section of the larger picture of Edmonton as a city could feel so different to different people. It really makes you question your perspective when looking at something as familiar as your neighborhood.
When we were asked to personify Edmonton, at first we couldn’t come up with a definitive answer. That is simply because Edmonton doesn’t know who the hell it is.
One serious case of multiple personality disorder.
All of the different parts of town have their own distinct personalities (or perceived personalities). Downtown core: gluttonous man in a business suit. Whyte Avenue: hipster. Garneau: University student. 118 Ave: hobo (or as I have become accustomed to calling them: urban outdoorsmen). Bonnie Doon: I think Bevin and I settled on old person (???). I might also suggest someone stuck in time, as I’m positive nothing has changed in the 21 years I’ve lived in the area. West End: mom who drives a mini van… The list could go on and on.
So I’m wondering, how would you personify other parts of Edmonton? (Feel free to offer up other suggestions for the ones already mentioned as well).
Your comment, "what I found surprising is the way in which people from the same area of the city interpret things around them in a similar fashion," resonates. I was struck by that over and over in Thursday's discussion - esp as regards North vs South Edm. Well put, Jamie.
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