I went to Edmonton to cover the Alberta United Conservative Party official leadership race debate from August 28 to 31. I begged Western Standard publisher Derek Fildebrandt to let me go to Edmonton to cover the debate on August 30, and he sent me on a workcation. .READ MORE: Alberta UCP debate sees candidates argue, condemn each other.The Western Standard’s team loves to insult Edmonton, describing it as a dumpy city. I was confused about these comments, as I enjoyed my time in the city. .Here are five reasons why Edmonton is not lousy..5- Edmonton Valley Zoo is cheaper than the Calgary Zoo .Admission to enter the Edmonton Valley Zoo (EVZ) is lower when compared to the Calgary Zoo. .I paid about $16 to enter the EVZ — about half the price of what it costs to go to the Calgary Zoo. This amount was reasonable for seeing animals. .There was a decent selection of animals in Edmonton. My favourite animals at the zoo were the tiger, zebras, and elephant. .4- Funny drug addicts .I enjoyed laughing at the drug addicts roaming around downtown Edmonton, as they were crazy. .Calgary’s drug addicts are tame, walking around stoned out of their minds without bothering people. These drug addicts do not want to annoy people. .One drug addict who I saw walking around Edmonton was cackling. She told me she had smoked too much cannabis, leaving me wondering if she had taken any other drugs. .3- Calmer atmosphere.I found Edmonton to be more relaxed, with people avoiding flashy lives. .Calgarians can be showy at times, hustling to be successful. While not like Toronto where I am from, I noted on August 28 select Calgarians are driven by being the best rather than being virtuous. .READ MORE: BRADLEY: 10 observations about Calgary this Toronto boy has made.Edmonton seems like an ideal place to raise a family. People want to have simple lives. .2- Green onion cakes .Green onion cakes became Edmonton’s signature food in 2015, and they are tasty. .Calgary has great beef and bison dishes, but the city does not have a renowned pastry. I love trying new foods, and I was disappointed to learn Calgary does not have a signature pastry. .Green onion cakes consist of a doughy pastry filled with a combination of sliced green onions, oils, shortening, and salt. I found them to be chewy and flavourful. .1- West Edmonton Mall rocks .I was obsessed with West Edmonton Mall (WEM) when I was in Grade 4, and 14 years later, I went to it. .I have not explored Calgary’s malls much, but they come across as not as exciting as the ones in Toronto. The amount of stores seem limited. .WEM had an American Eagle and Hollister with fashionable clothing. There are other fun activities to do in WEM, such as the high ropes course at Galaxyland and playing mini golf at Dragon’s Tale. .I cannot understand why people hate Edmonton. When I asked one source I know who lives in the city about activities to do, he told me to “stay in your hotel and lock the door.” .There are other activities I am hoping to go back to Edmonton to do. These include going to the Art Gallery of Alberta, visiting Fort Edmonton Park, and seeing people I know. .If you have any suggestions on other activities I should do in Edmonton, please email me at jbradley@westernstandard.news.
