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Joy is what Toronto hasn’t done too well

jaycola

jaycola

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I found this article interesting.

http://www.newgeography.com/content/00416-toronto-the-action-where-you-make-it

The author discusses that Toronto has a "fetish for regulation". Describes how the "natural expression of exuberance is left crippled" by the "regulation and protocol that define the city’s ethic".

I agree that there seems to be more and more regulation by the city over how we use and enjoy our streets, public places and retail areas. The city needs to take action to get people out of their homes and enjoying the city. An increasing list of limitations as to how we can use and enjoy the city does stifle the life and energy of the city.
 
It's undeniable - we have a reflex to regulate.

I remember - decades ago - seeing a Scarborough city council session on the cable community channel. They were debating regulation for hot dog vendors: the need to map out where they would be allowed to setup their carts.

Hot dog vendors had only recently appeared in downtown Toronto. There were certainly none in Scarberia at the time (are there now?). But the city council clearly grasped the urgency of getting ahead of this threat with some regulations.
Otherwise...well...there might be...someday...an awkwardly placed hot dog cart!
WHAT THEN!

We don't think about joy. We like order, utility, safety, fairness, economy. If you're joyful, well you're probably taking more than you deserve and you'll get your commuppance.
 
The writer of the article names off a typical list of regulations found in many cities, and hardly unique to Toronto.

Altogether, the piece is very vague on specifics.
 
I guess the cliched example would be the ethnic food carts debacle. Where starving Indians and Vietnamese have succeeded at providing delicious street food, a group of 44 highly educate city councilors and an entire brigade of regulator failed. Dismally. Our liquor laws are too puritanical as well. I find the 'social responsibility' mandate of the LCBO to be a bit patronizing. Do we really need a government owned booze jockey to tell us how to live our lives? The seen at the 'tailgate' party for the Buffalo Bills game at the Skydome felt vaguely Stalinistic. Cops everywhere, streets shut down, no booze. Heaven forbid the masses have a party, they could do something we didn't plan for!
 
I think preventing riots is worth foregoing booze for an afternoon.
 
The Urban Joy Institute released a study this week, that showed that Toronto had 14% more joy since the last study was conducted two years ago. It's position on the North American list of joyful cities increased four places, putting it ahead of Minneapolis and Seattle for the first time. The top ranked cities in the North America List were as follows:

New Orleans 81.6
New York 80.3
Saskatoon 79.3
Montreal 75.6
Macon, GA 75.5
Dallas 74.2
Burlington, VT 71.1
Toronto 70.8

What a silly article. Frankly, the very essence of joyless is passing through metal detectors to get into Public Libraries, which is what I've had happen in the States right now. I know our liquor laws are plain silly, but give me a break.
 
TOinTO said:
It's undeniable - we have a reflex to regulate.

I remember - decades ago - seeing a Scarborough city council session on the cable community channel. They were debating regulation for hot dog vendors: the need to map out where they would be allowed to setup their carts.

Hot dog vendors had only recently appeared in downtown Toronto. There were certainly none in Scarberia at the time (are there now?). But the city council clearly grasped the urgency of getting ahead of this threat with some regulations.
Otherwise...well...there might be...someday...an awkwardly placed hot dog cart!
WHAT THEN!

We don't think about joy. We like order, utility, safety, fairness, economy. If you're joyful, well you're probably taking more than you deserve and you'll get your commuppance.
Click to expand...

Actually, having location for setting up carts would stop arguments and fighting. Let's say you set up a cart there. Then someone decides to set up a cart right beside you which takes away your business. Would you get mad? Yell at the guy to move over but he says, I have a right to set up my cart anywhere I like. Where does it say I can't set up a cart here? etc etc.
 
Archivist said:
The Urban Joy Institute released a study this week, that showed that Toronto had 14% more joy since the last study was conducted two years ago. It's position on the North American list of joyful cities increased four places, putting it ahead of Minneapolis and Seattle for the first time. The top ranked cities in the North America List were as follows:
Click to expand...

The Urban Joy Institute? Hardly a reliable source. I believe they create their rankings by counting the number of photos of smiling children on the front page of local papers. I think a better source would be the Center for the Study of Joy in the Urban Landscape and Environment at the University of Phoenix.
 
W. K. Lis said:
In Brampton it can be worse, "selling ice cream or any other products from the road is a contravention of Traffic By-Law 93-93. Enforcement Officers patrol and lay charges against owners of these vendors for this contravention of the by-law".
Click to expand...

They're definitely killing the joy there. Also, the skating ban on local ponds is another unfortunate move. Sadly, accidents will happen, but pond hockey is so Canadian, and the ban means that anyone at anytime skating in the neighbourhood can be reported by some paranoid neighbour. There could be a pond a short walk from your house, but if you'll have to drive to some rink.
 
Joy, my foot
gloom.jpg
 
afransen said:
I think preventing riots is worth foregoing booze for an afternoon.
Click to expand...

That kind of belief is part of the problem though. Rather than allowing for a real impromptu celebration, we're concerned (maybe convinced) that it will be a dangerous riot instead :)

It's a firm belief in all the negative aspects of humanity, and a skepticism towards anything positive.
 
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