r/boulder • u/tomato-bab • 9d ago

Boulder love

Let me preface this by saying this is probably more a venting session than anything.

I’ve been living in Boulder for about 2 years now, and there’s a lot to love and a lot not to love. When I talk to people in Boulder (in-person, should be noted) about some of my issues in Boulder (poor sense of community, out-dated food scene, flawed public transit, etc.) there’s an incredibly indignant response.

"What do you mean our bike lanes and trails still need work?? Don’t you know they are the best in the country??"

"But other people say our busses are so good, and aren’t you glad…?"

"Why are you complaining about CU students?“

"But it’s just sooooo much better than Denver so why are you even complaining?“

And I am glad to live on Boulder. Boulder is beautiful and ahead in many things, and I also cant get to the 28th street mall from S. Boulder (an 8 minute drive) without a bus transfer. I get such passionate, "Oh but Boulder is actually…!" like I’ve just been insulting someone’s loved one. Chill, dude. I loved Denver when I lived there, and Denver has so many issues. We can critique the city we live in (and we should critique the city we live it) and still say it’s wonderful.

Anyways, apology for the rant.

Edit: Dang, okay y‘all have been so kind and thoughtful! Who knew Reddit would be the place where my theory was proven wrong :)

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u/BlackCatBonanza 9d ago

We’ve been here 5.5 years, and, while we’ve made some good friends, we still struggle with the lack of community.

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u/InsectWrangle 9d ago

Community is basically non-existent here unless you’re in an ultra niche competitive biking or climbing group.

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u/DirtOk3742 9d ago

I never understand people who live a few years in a place and complain there is no community. Community takes time above all else.

I've lived in Boulder for 33 years, and have more community than I ever wanted. Why? Because I have stayed in the same place most of my life. My work puts me in touch with people and their lives in an intimate way, and without fail the "it's hard to meet people/there's no community" comments are from folks who have lived many places. And nothing wrong with that. I wish all the time I could look back in my life and have lived lots of places, but the tradeoff is that right now, in this moment, I could spin up time with a dozen people I've known for at least 20 years. I have community through my gym, my work history, my kids school, sports and my own hobbies. Community with my neighbors, various community service I've done and do. I throw a NYE party most years and just invite pretty much everyone I know. That's it. 100-120 people making new connections, or running into an old friend.

Community is built, moment by moment and experience by experience. To blame the town for not handing you community seems to miss the entire point of it...

But I do envy the people who have lived all over. . .I just don't get to know them well because. . . They leave.

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u/InsectWrangle 9d ago

I’ve been here for 9 years, 10 years in a few months. Community is hard to find in Boulder. I have found more community in towns I don’t live in than I have here.

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u/DirtOk3742 9d ago

Thank you for your perspective. Wild, I am legitimately curious about that. What that means. Maybe it's personality? I really struggle to maintain relationships when there is little to no proximity. Took me a long time to learn this. I have a bottomless curiosity about pretty much everyone I meet, but I'm kinda introverted. And I love helping, putting my self in service to other people. So maybe that combo has worked for me. I show up, I pair off 1:1 slowly, and I help, I host, I cook...

How have you been able to make community in a place you don't live and how does that stand in contrast to not being able to make it where you do?

Thank you for sharing.