Kingston Apts on base..... Your experience?????

[gixxergurl]

Has anyone lived in them before? Just found out that I am posted to the school as an instructor and of course seeing that I am single with no kids, I get only offered the apts.  So as it stands I will have to sell my washer/dryer, and half my furniture just to move into the apts.  Most of it new furniture.  So if you lived in them, what was your experience like?  Could you hear your neighbours?  I also own a treadmill and enjoy doing my runs on it when it is too cold to be outside, are the neighbours going to hear me running on it?  I lived in an apt years ago and never heard boo from anyone mind you it was all cement, not sure how these ones are built.  Do you have to pay to use the washer/dryer???

 

[PMedMoe]

Why not look into renting off base?  PMQs aren't your only option..... 

 

[gixxergurl]

I prefer living on base.  I like having the option of walking to work if there is a snowstorm (not a great winter driver)  or riding my bicycle if I can. 

 

[Loachman]

"Off base" is not very far away.

 

[PMedMoe]

Not to mention, depending on which school you are posted to, the apartments aren't all that close.

 

[gixxergurl]

I grew up in Kingston so I know the city well.  Off base apts means crossing the bridge and a half hour drive at least to work.  My question I thought was pretty simple lol.  just looking for anyones experiences in the base apts. Not looking for advice on where to live thanks. 

 

[aesop081]

My question I thought was pretty simple lol. 

And the responses were pretty reasonable.

Seems to me that you have situated the estimate and only PMQ apartments will do. That being the case the answers to your questions is pretty irrelevant.

 

[armyvern]

I grew up in Kingston so I know the city well.  Off base apts means crossing the bridge and a half hour drive at least to work.  My question I thought was pretty simple lol.  just looking for anyones experiences in the base apts. Not looking for advice on where to live thanks.

Hmmmm, don't know how many decades ago that was, but there's a couple pretty honking large, tall apartments buildings right outside the highway 15 gate ... no bridge, no 1/2 hour drive. Heck my off base apt way up highway 15 is only a 5 minute drive and no bridge.

So, if you don't want advice on where to live, perhaps the addition of the grief over getting rid of furniture, washer, dryer etc wasn't required ... as it's you making that choice to do that. Some of the posters are just trying to spare you some grief of "must" give that stuff up by pointing out to you closer civilian apartment options.

I'm actually surprised you're even getting an apartment given the zero PMQ vacancy rate here ... with married troops getting "none available" notices. I wouldn't be complaining - especially being single.

 

[gixxergurl]

that apt building off hwy 15 is not available to rent for us youngins,it is a retirement geared toward low income, I don't qualify. I didn't ask where else to live, just was asking everyone's experience who have lived in them.  Guess no one has, yet people keep responding lol.  Wrong place to post I guess.  Will just phone buddies in Kingston and ask them as this is useless.  If you haven't lived in them,why keep responding to my question regarding what they are like to live in? 

 

[armyvern]

that apt building off hwy 15 is not available to rent for us youngins,it is a retirement geared toward low income, I don't qualify. I didn't ask where else to live, just was asking everyone's experience who have lived in them.  Guess no one has, yet people keep responding lol.  Wrong place to post I guess.  Will just phone buddies in Kingston and ask them as this is useless.  If you haven't lived in them,why keep responding to my question regarding what they are like to live in?

Hmmmm interesting given that quite a few of my single, young troops currently reside there (and it's more than one big, tall building - I guess it has been a while for you.).

Guess you didn't like the answers; CdnAviator nailed it, the estimate was situated well before your post. It doesn't matter what the PMQ apartments are like because even if people told you they were the shits, you're living there anyway as you've stressed.

Have fun.

 

[gixxergurl]

again no answer to my questions.  But thanks for your input. 

 

[PuckChaser]

There is room for your washer/dryer in the apartments, hookups are in the basements. They aren't "bad". I lived in one for 7 years in the 90s, my parents and their 2 kids fit in the 3 bedroom. It was cozy, but was alright. If you're a single person, I don't think you'll mind them at all. Make sure you do a real good inspection, some of them are in a poor state of repair but CFHA will have anything you pick out fixed. Never had any of my friends complain about them, other than the lack of space. If you're used to apartment living, you won't mind these.

PS. Its steam heat still in those places, so if you're unlucky CFHA may ask you to move so they can replace the boilers. My buddy got lucky and had his new apartment right across a field, but they didn't even suggest that it was their responsibility to move his F&E as they were evicting him for 6 months.

 

[gixxergurl]

what about noise?  Did you hear the neighbours real clear or was it more difficult.  I am currently in Ottawa self help housing and let me tell you I can repeat word for word my neighbours arguments lol.
And thanks for your answers. 

 

[Strike]

The reason there are so many suggestions outside of RHUs is because of your initial posting talking about how you're going to sell off so much stuff, you're worried about your treadmill, etc, etc.  People were offering you other options that could result is your NOT have to sell that stuff, especially since the vacancy rate in the Kingston RHUs right now is 0%.  Also, the apartments are all two-bedroom or more, meaning that, if someone comes along that needs it more than you, you may get bumped down on the waiting list.

Have you thought about looking north of the base for houses that may be up for rent?  this would equal space and privacy for you, and would be close enough that you could bike, walk or run year round to work.

Trust me, it's not as far as it seems.  I used to live in the west end and would bike in to work during the summer months.  It was only 10 km one way which, on a bike, isn't all that far.

As for winter driving, if you're going to live in the Qs, you're going to have to drive everywhere to get any errands run like, ohhhhh, groceries.

 

[PuckChaser]

what about noise?  Did you hear the neighbours real clear or was it more difficult.  I am currently in Ottawa self help housing and let me tell you I can repeat word for word my neighbours arguments lol.
And thanks for your answers.

Walls are pretty thick, mostly made of concrete so its hard to hear a lot of talking but if someone has their TV or stereo up loud, it echoes. I used to live in Self-Help too, and its better than those.

Biking to work in Kingston is great, can avoid all the traffic snarls. Its not worth it in the winter, though. I used to live in an apartment downtown. Good day, 7 minute drive. Bad day, 30 minute drive. Much easier and actually cheaper to just move into a PMQ. More space for roughly the same rent, I just pay for heat and hydro instead of it being all inclusive.

 

[LineJumper]

I used to party a lot with buddies that lived in the apts (mostly in the early 90's) no one seemed to have any issues(Pet and K-town). I didn't hear anything, but when half a dozen Lnm and some others are aboot, can't hear much anyway. Self help Ottawa? Loads of complaints and hearing of neighbors, but there we just tried to quiet down some before 2200(see Lnm comment prior) or go hit the Outback.

It's a concrete structure, pad any exercise equip and should be good to go.