Living off Campus or On Campus?

[Philosophy]

Hi, I am not from Edmonton and I know almost nothing about living there so I had some questions. 

I was just wondering if it is feasible / recommended to live off campus right above the North Sask. river. (~20 minutes walking distance, 5-10 minute drive)

I won't have a car so I'll have to walk, bike, or use public transit. However, I've been reading so many horror stories about the LRT that it makes me hesitant to take public transit.

 

1. Is the LRT really that terrible?

2. Is walking / biking from off campus a reasonable method of daily transport, especially during the winter? 

3. If living on campus is more recommended, for those that have lived on campus, how did you find the general living conditions / amenities / etc. to be?

 

Thanks in advance. 🙂

[Albertaapplicant]

I went to UofA for my undergrad degree and I took the LRT. I was always within walking distance of an LRT station and I never had any issues with it. It runs frequently and is more reliable than the buses. From some areas, the LRT is faster than driving because traffic around downtown Edmonton can be slow. The downsides are that it can be pretty crowded and there were a few times that it was delayed. It is super easy to use though and I normally got some reading done on the ride there and back, so it didn't feel like any time was being wasted. I didn't think it was terrible.

Walking is definitely feasible, but it gets really cold in the winter so a person just needs to dress warm. The places I lived were a 10-20 min. walk from an LRT station, so I was still walking during the winter, but I just really bundled up and it was fine. I have a friend who lived by Whyte Ave, and they walked about 20 min. to the university. 

I never lived in residence because I found that you could get good deals on apartments close to an LRT station with more value (my sister has a pretty nice one bedroom 5 min from Macewan LRT station for only $650 whereas a friend in university rented a bachelor suite with a UofA residence for somewhere around $1000 a month). Obviously though, on campus living does have the benefits of convenience and cutting back on transportation time. My friend did not think their place was worth what they were paying, but they thought the convenience of getting to class so quickly was worth it.

[Ital]

6 hours ago, Albertaapplicant said:

I went to UofA for my undergrad degree and I took the LRT. I was always within walking distance of an LRT station and I never had any issues with it. It runs frequently and is more reliable than the buses. From some areas, the LRT is faster than driving because traffic around downtown Edmonton can be slow. The downsides are that it can be pretty crowded and there were a few times that it was delayed. It is super easy to use though and I normally got some reading done on the ride there and back, so it didn't feel like any time was being wasted. I didn't think it was terrible.

Walking is definitely feasible, but it gets really cold in the winter so a person just needs to dress warm. The places I lived were a 10-20 min. walk from an LRT station, so I was still walking during the winter, but I just really bundled up and it was fine. I have a friend who lived by Whyte Ave, and they walked about 20 min. to the university. 

I never lived in residence because I found that you could get good deals on apartments close to an LRT station with more value (my sister has a pretty nice one bedroom 5 min from Macewan LRT station for only $650 whereas a friend in university rented a bachelor suite with a UofA residence for somewhere around $1000 a month). Obviously though, on campus living does have the benefits of convenience and cutting back on transportation time. My friend did not think their place was worth what they were paying, but they thought the convenience of getting to class so quickly was worth it.

I second this. I took the LRT for my entire undergrad at UofA. It was very convenient and I rarely ran into issues. You'll have to be cognizant of when the LRT slows down service (very early in the morning and later at night) if you are wanting to study late on campus. The frequency of when it runs is not always consistent throughout the day but during core business hours (7am-5pm), you should have no issue catching one. 

Peace officers often patrol the stations within downtown limits as there tends to be an increased presence of individuals experiencing homelessness. If you take the LRT during core hours, you should be more than fine. If you decide to stay on campus late, I believe there is a volunteer-run service that pairs you up with someone to walk you around campus if you ever feel unsafe going from one point to another.

[SK1373]

9 hours ago, Philosophy said:

Hi, I am not from Edmonton and I know almost nothing about living there so I had some questions. 

I was just wondering if it is feasible / recommended to live off campus right above the North Sask. river. (~20 minutes walking distance, 5-10 minute drive)

I won't have a car so I'll have to walk, bike, or use public transit. However, I've been reading so many horror stories about the LRT that it makes me hesitant to take public transit.

 

1. Is the LRT really that terrible?

2. Is walking / biking from off campus a reasonable method of daily transport, especially during the winter? 

3. If living on campus is more recommended, for those that have lived on campus, how did you find the general living conditions / amenities / etc. to be?

 

Thanks in advance. 🙂

Similar to the other two replies, I've done both my undergrad degrees at UofA and in all these years I can't recall a 'horror story' about my experience with the LRT. Like the others said, you'll experience delays here and there, mostly in the Winter, but nothing crazy. And as far as housing goes, I would definitely recommend living off campus and walking to school...I, myself, have not lived in residence but I have a few friends who did and they would not stop complaining about the house conditions...i.e. rat infestation at HUB mall...but that could just be HUB so I guess if you really have to live on campus, avoid HUB at all costs!!!! 

[Whist]

1. I’ve never had an issue on the LRT personally, but it’s always good to keep your wits about you. If you use it during core hours, you should be fine. It’s highly reliable during the usual times you’d need to get to and from class. You should avoid certain stations like Coliseum, but from the area you’re describing living in, you won’t need to go there.

2. Biking won’t be very doable during the winter. Walking is doable (I do a lot of it) but make sure you are prepared for the cold well in advance. I once forgot to wear any layers under jeans for a five minute walk in -30 and it hurt. 

3. I’ve never heard good things about living in HUB. I’ve heard the grad residences are clean and quiet but expensive. The one-bedrooms for undergrads in East Campus are expensive and tend to be noisy. I’ve heard good things about International House but rooms are tiny. You can find a reasonably priced studio or one bedroom off-campus, so I’d recommend that option. 

[Ribbons]

1. I walked in on the scene of a stabbing before the police arrived so my personal experience with the LRT is skewed (way worse during peak pandemic than when busy tho). Keep headphones in, pretend other people don't exist and you'll be fine. I take it every day when its cold and I bike when its warm (i live near government centre station for reference)

2. I walked from my first apartment and I bike but definitely not during winter. 

3. Everyone i know who lived on campus during law has disliked it, its incredibly expensive and not worth it.  

[Philosophy]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your replies. I truly appreciate your time. 

I guess I will be living off campus if I attend the U of A. 

 

Also, the LRT horror stories I mentioned were more to do with the fact that on r/edmonton there seems to be a lot of posts about homeless people apparently just openly smoking crack / going to the bathroom / carrying knives on the trains rather than the reliability or functionality of the LRT itself. Interestingly, the experiences posted here are mostly positive, while on r/edmonton it seems to be overwhelmingly negative. 

 

Thanks once again everyone! 

[Lilbb19]

Graduate residence is decent, but overpriced. 

[CleanHands]

Edmonton Transit is horrendous.

This video from 2014 just went viral on reddit yet again as it does every now and then: https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/tuwxad/i_love_how_she_went_chill_shes_probably_possessed/

It says a lot that it's interesting and unusual enough to most people to go viral, and yet it is an every day occurrence on the LRT. In a few years of regular ETS use I witnessed at least a dozen incidents comparable to this--assaults, uttering threats, open illicit drug use, people out of their mind tripping balls and screaming randomly, etc. If others in this thread did not have this experience that's great, but I'm extremely surprised. This isn't just based on my anecdotal experience; Edmonton consistently has one of the highest crime severity index scores of any city in Canada and crime rates in LRT stations are three times higher than the rest of the city.

Edited April 3, 2022 by CleanHands

[user789]

I wanted to add to this conversation. As a born and raised Edmontonian who took Edmonton transit from grade 7 - grade 11 (drove to highschool when I got my license) but took transit when I began university, I have nothing but negative things to say about our transit system. I was with my boyfriend taking the LRT to campus when I witnessed a stabbing at the south campus station (https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4828032 I can even see our shoes in the background of the cover photo) since that day I haven’t stepped foot on any sort of ETS as I generally fear for my safety.  I spent the last 2 years of my degree driving to school. So if you are looking to live off campus, I would recommend somewhere close enough that you can walk or bike, or drive if you can afford it. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by user789
I can't spell

[PsychologicalBug]

On 3/26/2022 at 8:39 PM, Philosophy said:

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your replies. I truly appreciate your time. 

I guess I will be living off campus if I attend the U of A. 

 

Also, the LRT horror stories I mentioned were more to do with the fact that on r/edmonton there seems to be a lot of posts about homeless people apparently just openly smoking crack / going to the bathroom / carrying knives on the trains rather than the reliability or functionality of the LRT itself. Interestingly, the experiences posted here are mostly positive, while on r/edmonton it seems to be overwhelmingly negative. 

 

Thanks once again everyone! 

I think there certainly is an issue with homelessness, mental health, and addiction in our city, and the province and city could be doing a lot more to help. I personally have never had a negative experience in transit and have used the services regularly for about a decade. However, this does not invalidate those who HAVE had negative experiences. Stuff happens. One needs to keep their guard up in any larger city.
 

Also, it makes sense that we see more posts about horror stories and problems with transit on r/Edmonton. If there is something noteworthy to post about, it’s likely going to be negative. No one is going to post being like “hey everyone I was on transit today and nothing bad happened!” Haha 😊 

[Whist]

I’m sorry to hear that @user789, that’s terrifying. 

To continue on this topic, the worst I’ve seen on the LRT are sometimes people clearly on drugs, but not bothering anyone. However, I tend to walk places or hop on the bus for short parts of the route. Someone who takes the LRT regularly would be more exposed than I am. I also tend to avoid the east end of downtown when I can. 

I spent time growing up in a few places that had similar or higher crime severity than Edmonton, so it’s not enough to turn me off staying in the city (although of course, Calgary is only a little while south and safer). I acknowledge my opinion would change if I had to witness a stabbing or regularly be exposed to threats though. I’ve only been worried for my safety around Edmonton twice. Once, I was on a bus and a passenger started violently slamming his bag against the windows and walls for several minutes before he got off, and the second time, I was walking around a bit of a sketchy area and a person swung at me empty handed threatening to stab me. I know I’m getting into the city’s broader safety here and not just transit, but I feel it’s worth mentioning.

If you can find a place off campus where transit is accessible but walking is feasible if you choose, that would IMO be the best deal. 

[Rusty Iron Ring]

I attended ages ago, so my experience may be dated.  But I would strongly recommend living south of the river if you can pull it off.  There was lots of good off-campus housing to the east and south of the law buildings, either in houses or in some of the rental apartments in that area.  The student life is (was?) fantastic, and being able to walk back and forth really came in handy. 

I also moved to Edmonton site unseen. Ended up renting a room in a house full of non-law students. And eventually rented a house with classmates. Made some lifelong friends!

I don't know what kind of weather you're used to, but I wouldn't have wanted to bike in an Edmonton winter. But walking from within 15-20 mins was almost always fine if you dressed properly.  There would be maybe 2 or 3 days every year that were so miserable that I just stayed home. 

[Lilbb19]

Biking in edmonton in winter would be beyond heinous. You see people doing it though. I almost died daily just walking 1 min to the law centre 

[Radio_Edit]

Add my voice to the chorus: if it's an option for you, take the LRT (not the bus) and keep your wits about you while you're there. South of the river is better than north of it. Look into the housing immediately to the east and southeast of the law building.

[Philosophy]

Hi guys, I was about to live downtown before this post but everyone here convinced me otherwise. Super thankful. Most of the advice given here seemed to be echoed on other forums / reddit as well. 

I will be living south of the river in McKernan as its considered a good neighbourhood and walking distance to the Law centre. 

Thanks everyone again for your insight! Really really appreciate it. 

[PsychologicalBug]

4 minutes ago, Philosophy said:

Hi guys, I was about to live downtown before this post but everyone here convinced me otherwise. Super thankful. Most of the advice given here seemed to be echoed on other forums / reddit as well. 

I will be living south of the river in McKernan as its considered a good neighbourhood and walking distance to the Law centre. 

Thanks everyone again for your insight! Really really appreciate it. 

Great neighbourhood, in my opinion! I’m just to the south in Parkallen. All the best with the upcoming move! 

[Radio_Edit]

22 hours ago, Philosophy said:

Hi guys, I was about to live downtown before this post but everyone here convinced me otherwise. Super thankful. Most of the advice given here seemed to be echoed on other forums / reddit as well. 

I will be living south of the river in McKernan as its considered a good neighbourhood and walking distance to the Law centre. 

Thanks everyone again for your insight! Really really appreciate it. 

Great choice!

[OswaldtheRabbit]

Has anyone ever lived up near the CommonWealth stadium and attended the UofA? Is this location too far away or does the LRT make the distance pretty much irrelevant? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Ital]

1 hour ago, OswaldtheRabbit said:

Has anyone ever lived up near the CommonWealth stadium and attended the UofA? Is this location too far away or does the LRT make the distance pretty much irrelevant? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I did not live near Commonwealth Stadium, but I used the park and ride system for my entire undergrad. The living area itself isn’t the best - quite the homeless presence around the football stadium and surrounding area. The LRT from Stadium to the University is very convenient though - 15 minutes and you’re right on campus.

[OswaldtheRabbit]

3 hours ago, Ital said:

I did not live near Commonwealth Stadium, but I used the park and ride system for my entire undergrad. The living area itself isn’t the best - quite the homeless presence around the football stadium and surrounding area. The LRT from Stadium to the University is very convenient though - 15 minutes and you’re right on campus.

Thanks for the advice! In your opinion, what would you say is a good commute time to get to the UofA? 

[Ital]

3 hours ago, OswaldtheRabbit said:

Thanks for the advice! In your opinion, what would you say is a good commute time to get to the UofA? 

All depends on you! If you take the LRT and are able to get a seat, you can usually use that time to study if it’s a long commute. Same could be said for the bus system, but I found the LRT way more convenient. I’d say anything less than 30 minutes is an easy commute to campus. 

[Whist]

Just wanted to add: if you have the opportunity to house/apartment hunt in person, often there are places available for rent not posted online (mine wasn’t posted online). The landlords just stick a sign out front of the building. It’s worth taking a stroll through neighbourhoods you like and seeing if there’s any like this. Of course, if you can’t, don’t feel like you’re missing out too much because there’s still lots of options for ones advertised online.