Carless in Calgary

Could you live without a vehicle in Calgary?  That was the lifestyle choice that the Tombrowski family made in 1998 when they sold their vehicle, and became foot and transit travelers in Calgary. Yes, for 10 years they have managed to raise a family and live busy, productives lives without the use of a vehicle.

The Tombrowskis say the greatest reward of being vehicle-free is the freedom. “We are not immediately affected every time the price of gas goes up; we have no vehicle payments, maintenance, repairs, or insurance to worry about; a further bonus is having no concerns about finding empty parking spaces! Instead, our responsibilities include planning our trip well, dressing ourselves appropriately, donning a backpack with food and water, and heading out onto the uncrowded sidewalks. There is a definite freedom in walking around our city, unrushed and confident in our competence.”

The Tombroskis have written an entertaining and informative book about their experience:  Urban Camping: a testament to living without a vehicle.

Another Calgarian who has taken up the challenge of living without a vehicle is CBC's Arts and Entertainment Producer, Allan Boss. You can follow his experience on the CBC blog, Carless in Calgary.

Even though it was announced last week that Calgary has the highest per-capita level of vehicle ownership in Canada, there is a growing community that is taking to the streets on foot, bicycle or transit. If you're one of them we'd love to hear from you! Tell us the joys and the challenges of being vehicle-free in Calgary.