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Suburban Health Hazard

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Fri, 01/04/2008 - 12:47 by darren

The Globe gives us another reminder of the health problems associated with living in the suburbs. The reporter talks to a cardiologist who follows his own advice by cycling year round to two Toronto hospitals.

When he and his wife Amanda chose their home, a three-storey detached, they needed a place that had space enough for their three children and was close to a good school. But a prime factor was the timing for Dr. Connely's trip to work.

"I believe in practising what I preach," he says. "I cycle for the health benefits, and if you have to spend too much time, you tend not to do it. Twenty or thirty minutes gives me a decent ride every day."

As many of us have just finished visiting family and friends living in different cities and suburbs, this article might help reassure us of the value of our small apartments and condos, or old creaky houses.

Tags: 
suburbs
health

Comments

Aidan

Urban ex-suburbanite

Fri, 01/04/2008 - 17:18

I grew up in Georgetown more than two decades past, and couldn't enjoy more living in an "old creaky" walk-up in Montreal at university. Though a mere pedestrian, I got into much better shape too.

I spent a year in Brampton with a car, and six months in Brampton without, as an adult. The 'burbs without a car is the closest thing my lapsed-Catholic mind can imagine as purgatory. The 'burbs with a car gave me less exercise, but at least let me driveinto the city for somewhere interesting enough to go for a walk! Stupid, but necessary for my mental health. On balance, equally enervating, but the car cost much more.

If you live in an old small place in the city, and own fewer or no cars, your expenses are the same or lower, and your quality of life is farhigher. People don't mind small places in the city, because they can go out often; people mind small places in the 'burbs, because there is nowhere you'd want to go out often. Gilded cage or not, I don't want to be a fat shut-in.

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