Toronto: Love it or hate it?

[FortYorkRifleman]

Yes, but let's not forget that Sarah Palin thinks that Alaska is "Real America". :nod:

And she would know, 'cause she reads all the newspapers and magazines. ;D

If its on the internet then it must be true... especially if its Fox News they're always on top of things

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

You think that's bad, my address was five digits and included Rural Route 1 at one point.

RR1 mail still gets to me here  ;D .

 

[mariomike]

Didn't catch that last part earlier in the thread. I'm curious as to why you feel this way, Mike? I love people watching and when I was a smoker I would hang out in front of the Eaton Centre near Sears and watch the people go by for a good twenty minutes or so. Met all sorts there; tourists, construction workers, crazy people etc. Its a fun spot if you don't mind crowds and the occasional drunk who plants himself there

Are you familiar with PATH?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(Toronto)

The Skywalk connects with the Union Station - Pearson Airport Express, with access to the Island ferry service, and ( I believe ) somehow will connect with the Island Airport pedestrian tunnel.

Regarding the observation deck of the CN Tower. I found it a tremendous help in learning the geography of the city.

Last year, our Chief Planner said, "147 hirise buildings under construction in Toronto. NYC comes in second at 90."
I went up in the Tower not so long ago, and the changes I saw since I retired are staggering.

Back in 1999, they told us that TO had 21 million visitors per year. No idea what is now, especially with the recently opened UP Express.

 

[dimsum]

Are you familiar with PATH?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(Toronto)

The Skywalk connects with the Union Station - Pearson Airport Express, with access to the Island ferry service, and ( I believe ) somehow will connect with the Island Airport pedestrian tunnel.

Regarding the observation deck of the CN Tower. I found it a tremendous help in learning the geography of the city.

Last year, our Chief Planner said, "147 hirise buildings under construction in Toronto. NYC comes in second at 90."
I went up in the Tower not so long ago, and the changes I saw since I retired are staggering.

Back in 1999, they told us that TO had 21 million visitors per year. No idea what is now, especially with the recently opened UP Express.

The thing I have with TO, my hometown, is that aside from the amount of people and the financial/film sector, what does it actually have?  Montreal has the "old Canada" culture (but I think Quebec City is better for that), and Vancouver has the nature and mountains at their doorstep.  I'll say that it has the Multicultural aspect down, but Vancouver is approaching that way too.

I try to tell people what's good about TO, but from my experiences overseas, people outside Canada think of Canada as this untouched pristine nature preserve.  The fact that people have to drive out 3+ hours to Muskoka to experience "nature" is ridiculous. 

 

[George Wallace]

The thing I have with TO, my hometown, is that aside from the amount of people and the financial/film sector, what does it actually have? 

It has its suburbs:  Niagara Falls, Niagara Peninsula vineyards, Wasaga Beach, Horseshoe Valley, etc. and of course Lake Ontario for water sports and relaxation.    ;D

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

The thing I have with TO, my hometown, is that aside from the amount of people and the financial/film sector, what does it actually have?  Montreal has the "old Canada" culture (but I think Quebec City is better for that), and Vancouver has the nature and mountains at their doorstep.  I'll say that it has the Multicultural aspect down, but Vancouver is approaching that way too.

I try to tell people what's good about TO, but from my experiences overseas, people outside Canada think of Canada as this untouched pristine nature preserve.  The fact that people have to drive out 3+ hours to Muskoka to experience "nature" is ridiculous.

I find that one person's TO is different than someone else's. For me, its seeing people of all ages, races, and lifestyle's (hipster, yuppie etc) getting along to the point where I can name one bar/nightclub in every neighborhood and you'll find this mix. You'll find people who will say its the fact they have a neighbourhood of their own (Church/Wellesley, Little Italy etc) but can venture out and explore, people who'll say this is where I can make a career happen, be it entertainment, finance etc or people who feel content here and don't care about what the city actually is.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I'm getting ready to put a stake through the heart of this thread.

What do you hate is fast becoming a kumbaya group hug.

---Staff---

 

[Kat Stevens]

I'm getting ready to put a stake through the heart of this thread.

What do you hate is fast becoming a kumbaya group hug.

---Staff---

Double dog dare ya.

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

I'm getting ready to put a stake through the heart of this thread.

What do you hate is fast becoming a kumbaya group hug.

---Staff---

Not sure what you're expecting out of this thread, recceguy.

 

[mariomike]

The thing I have with TO, my hometown, is that aside from the amount of people and the financial/film sector, what does it actually have? 

Jobs?

Without looking it up, there are probably 10,000 full-time police officers, firefighters and paramedics on the City Hall payroll.

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

Jobs?

Without looking it up, there are probably 10,000 full-time police officers, firefighters and paramedics on the City Hall payroll.

Toronto has some of the best universities in the world, too. I've met so many people, not just from all over Canada, but the world too who struggled and fought to come here to live and learn.

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

Now that the Gardiner has finally seen movement on its future with the "Hybrid" solution I hope the public transit situation will be seriously looked at as well. I think a legitimate criticism about Toronto is the traffic and while the Gardiner is a step in the right direction I wonder how else they're expecting to deal with a city growing at an exponential rate. For all the many condos going up in this town you'd expect there to be equal attention to infrastructure as well.

Speaking of construction I like what they've done with City Hall along Queen going to University. What sucks is the eyesore that was Sears; the scaffolding running along Yonge near Dundas is a pain with only maybe two people able to walk the sidewalk shoulder to shoulder. 

 

[mariomike]

For all the many condos going up in this town you'd expect there to be equal attention to infrastructure as well.

I have been following the Manhattanization of Toronto with interest. The area I live was one of the last two independent "forested" villages to be annexed by the City in 1967. Many of our long-time residents still insist that they are not part of Toronto. 
Nine sites have been identified for re-development as condominiums in the 8 – 12 storey range. ( Not so tall compared to the 80-floor condominium skyscrapers downtown. )
http://www.talkcondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/talkcondo-new-condos-in-toronto-tallest-condos.jpg
I guess that's what they call progress, but you can imagine how unpopular any high-rise proposals are with the local ratepayer's association.

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

I have been following the Manhattanization of Toronto with interest. The area I live was one of the last two independent "forested" villages to be annexed by the City in 1967. Many of our long-time residents still insist that they are not part of Toronto. 
Nine sites have been identified for re-development as condominiums in the 8 – 12 storey range. ( Not so tall compared to the 80-floor condominium skyscrapers downtown. )
http://www.talkcondo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/talkcondo-new-condos-in-toronto-tallest-condos.jpg
I guess that's what they call progress, but you can imagine how unpopular any high-rise proposals are with the local ratepayer's association.

I notice what Parkdale is becoming and think it'll end up being like Harlem; durng the latter half of the 20th century it was a poverty stricken neighbourhood but now its being occupied more and more by well to do folks. I think Regent Park is undergoing the same thing with the new condos being built there as well. I hate the idea that West Queen West will lose a bit of its identity but I suppose its going happen whether people like it or not.

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

I hope Toronto bids for and gets the Olympics. I can't imagine any other city in Canada representing what this country is all about along with representing all those teams that'll participate in the Olympic games. I'm sure every team will have hundreds if not thousands of fans who, although they are Canadian, will take interest in seeing their birth countries team.

 

[FJAG]

Global News article here about howMetropolis Magazine has just named Toronto the most liveable city in the world.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2160910/toronto-ranked-most-livable-city-in-the-world-by-metropolis-magazine/

:cheers:

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I hope Toronto bids for and gets the Olympics. I can't imagine any other city in Canada representing what this country is all about along with representing all those teams that'll participate in the Olympic games. I'm sure every team will have hundreds if not thousands of fans who, although they are Canadian, will take interest in seeing their birth countries team.

Yep, let's let Wynne spend more money we don't have. Anything to prove, once more, that Cabbagetown considers itself the Centre of the Universe :

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

Yep, let's let Wynne spend more money we don't have. Anything to prove, once more, that Cabbagetown considers itself the Centre of the Universe :

Greece hosted the Summer Olympics in 2004.  10 years later they are bankrupt, take it for what it's worth 

 

[George Wallace]

Greece hosted the Summer Olympics in 2004.  10 years later they are bankrupt, take it for what it's worth 

Interesting phenomenon. 

 

[FortYorkRifleman]

Yep, let's let Wynne spend more money we don't have. Anything to prove, once more, that Cabbagetown considers itself the Centre of the Universe :

No one knows what the fiscal state of the Province will be by then. The infrastructure from the Pan Am and Para Pan Am games will still be around. Likely the new stadium in Markham will be built as well. I imagine the city will see a massive amount of tourism dollars from those in the US and elsewhere.

Greece hosted the Summer Olympics in 2004.  10 years later they are bankrupt, take it for what it's worth 

We're not Greece.