My Favourite Place: Chelsea & Hillhurst/Sunnyside, Calgary

HILLHURST/SUNNYSIDE


For my favourite place I have chosen a somewhat unlikely bit of the world, especially considering the wonderful cities the other contributors are writing about. I wanted to take this opportunity to profess my love for my neighbourhood of Hillhurst-Sunnyside in Calgary. I have recently been struggling with whether or not to make Calgary my more permanent home so the chance to consider my feelings about this place could not have come at a better time.
When I was approached by Kait to share my favourite place in the world Calgary did not initially spring to mind.

 I have traveled throughout North America, Europe and Australia, lived for a year in Florida and spent last summer in Montreal. I love to explore and have seen many beautiful places, but I’ve acquired a passion for Calgary that is somehow different than that fleeting love a person feels for an unfamiliar city. I am a born a raised Calgarian yet for the majority of my life I have lived here somewhat begrudgingly. The decision to be here was governed by my mom, my job or my school. But now, for the first time in my life, I am confronted with the choice to stay or to go. University is over, my job is temporary and I don’t have a mortgage, a spouse, kids or a dog to tie me here. When I started school the choice to eventually leave was obvious. My plan was to finish my studies, sell my possessions and travel the world, likely never to return. Now the decision is more difficult as I have truly learned to love my little corner of Calgary.
The emotional shift occurred a few years ago. I was living with difficult roommates, working at an uninspiring job and single…again. I was itching to get out of this town but was only halfway through my degree, a graphic design program unique to my university, which would not allow me to transfer elsewhere. I was stuck. I needed a change. The change came in the form of a teeny-tiny bachelor suite bordering Hillhurst and Sunnyside. I sold my car, gave away most of my furniture and signed a six month lease for my new home. At the time I figured I wouldn’t last much longer than that given my previous track record but the move ended up being one of the best decisions I have made. I ended up falling in love with the place and here I am nearly two years later, for the first time as an adult I feel at home.
Some of the illustrations are probably obvious to anyone who has hung around the area, others are just for me, and all have played a special role in making this neighbourhood my home. There are many, many charming bits of Hillhurst and Sunnyside but those that I chose are by far the most representative of my lovely little life here.
One of my closest friends lives by the mantra that “home is wherever the soul finds its space”. After confronting my feelings about Calgary for this project I am no closer to figuring out where in this world my life should be lived but I do know that whether I decide to stay or I decide go I have found my space here and will take that with me wherever I end up.

Find up what Chelsea is up to at YYC Disloyalty and Chelsea Watson.

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