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What can other cities learn from Toronto?

 
Main streets. Toronto's main streets are vibrant public spaces that go on for kilometres across the city.

Streetcars. The city knows how to build and operate streetcar infrastructure cheaply with the largest network in North America. Streetcars are cleaner, quieter and have higher capacities than buses. People generally prefer them to buses.

Public housing. Toronto pioneered successful mixed-income housing with the St. Lawrence projects of the 1970s. Mixed-income housing promotes social cohesion and sustained civic investment in neighbourhoods. The rebuilt Regent Park looks like another success story.

Suburban density. Most of the city's suburbs have high-density nodes and transit. Most have apartment and condo buildings. Suburbs seem to strive to be city-like in spite of initial sprawl.

Land reclamation. A good part of the downtown was built on land reclaimed from the lake. In the Port Lands, these lands have created new economic opportunities and large new parks like Tommy Thompson Park.
 
Great social cohesion among the classes? You've gotta be kidding. Mention you're a renter in a yuppie setting (house warming party) and you're met with silence. Then mention your job--not a professional--and you're back out in the cold.

Income and social segregation is what I see daily.

Buses--more streets have buses than streetcars. I'm gonna argue buses are really just streetcars with rubber tires.;)
 
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urbandreamer said:
Great social cohesion among the classes? You've gotta be kidding. Mention you're a renter in a yuppie setting (house warming party) and you're met with silence. Then mention your job--not a professional--and you're back out in the cold.

Income and social segregation is what I see daily.
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Humans being human, I doubt distinctions based according to certain lines, be they race, class or whatever, will cease to exist within our lifetimes. That said, I do believe Toronto is quite excellent at creating a general sense of social cohesion and inclusiveness.
 
I'll add some controversial items:

-Our low-rise / high-rise built form has it's advantages vis-a-vis mid-rise built form

-sometimes reserved is better than outwardly friendly or vibrant

-Having a cold weather season has distinct advantages in an urban environment

-Visual and auditory pollution is exciting but it actually detracts from standard of living as much as environmental pollution

-Private green spaces have advantages over public green spaces

-Emphasizing security and when private property and business owners emphasize security it doesn't make a city safer, it can make a city less safe

-Economic diversity has advantages over global economic specialization
 
urbandreamer said:
Great social cohesion among the classes? You've gotta be kidding. Mention you're a renter in a yuppie setting (house warming party) and you're met with silence.
Click to expand...

A lot of "yuppies" rent. I don't think homeownership vs. renting is the primary criterion in determining what constitutes a "yuppie" or not.

Then mention your job--not a professional--and you're back out in the cold.
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While Brits can spot your class by how you speak, North Americans saying "what do you do?" serves the same function. I don't think anybody here is saying class distinctions and prejudice have been completely eroded.

Income and social segregation is what I see daily.
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Yes, this is increasingly a concern. The divide between the "two Torontos" - the central corridor vs. the periphery - is increasingly a concern. Toronto is not the leader it was in terms of housing etc. as it was in the 70s. But I think we do see more mixed income communities and social cohesion than you do in most major cities.
 
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I have a Facebook friend who lives in Watauga, near Fort Worth and many areas have no real access to transit. You have to get around by car. As much as I complain about bus service, at least the burbs here have it!
 
Unfortunately, what other cities are likely to see Toronto as these days, is a cautionary tale regarding the electing of unbelievably stupid politicians, and the devastating effects it can have on even one of the world's greatest cities.

Our reputation as a somewhat enlightened city has taken a fatal blow I'm afraid.
 
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