The Beach(es)

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

Maybe they're all hoping to take those empty buildings and sell to condo developers?

 

[King of Kensington]

That's a good point. I always felt like the Beaches were a streetcar suburb that had the sensibility of a modern suburb. I reckon most families in the Beaches shop at the big boxes on Leslie or Laird rather than support what remains of the small businesses on Queen.

I had dinner recently at Carters Landing, a creation of one of the many 'premium casual' hospitality groups that have taken over suburban power centres. At my table I felt like I was in Oakville or Vaughan, not the old quaint Beaches I recollect from as recent as the 90s.

Is the Beaches demographic and lifestyle closer to Yonge and Lawrence or to the Annex?

 

[christiesplits]

Is the Beaches demographic and lifestyle closer to Yonge and Lawrence or to the Annex?

I would say somewhere in between, but increasingly towards North Toronto. I think you can see similar trends in hoods like Riverdale and High Park. As the granola munchers perish, the accountant family with the two SUVs move in.

 

[King of Kensington]

I would say somewhere in between, but increasingly towards North Toronto.

Yeah, that's my feeling, it's become "North Toronto-ized."

 

[King of Kensington]

Looking at CT data, over 50% of Beaches residents drive to work, similar to much of North Toronto. In contrast it's about a third in Riverdale and High Park/Roncesvalles.

 

[christiesplits]

Looking at CT data, over 50% of Beaches residents drive to work, similar to much of North Toronto. In contrast it's about a third in Riverdale and High Park/Roncesvalles.

This definitely supports my "suburb within a city" hypothesis, but I'm sure bad transit connections don't help.

 

[christiesplits]

Ghost town on the Beach: businesses struggle on Queen Street East
It's a tough slog for retailers on what should be the prettiest stretch of Queen Street

https://www.toronto.com/news-story/...queen-street-east/?s=n1#.WuIDLEHOgUY.facebook

 

[Skeezix]

MMM makes a good point in that article. Residents who want an interesting commercial thoroughfare need to stop fighting every patio proposal and application for greater density.

 

[JasonParis]

There's really no reason to go to this stretch of Queen St E anymore unless, of course, you are going to the beach itself. NIMYs are biting that hand that feeds basically.

 

[Northern Light]

MMM makes a good point in that article. Residents who want an interesting commercial thoroughfare need to stop fighting every patio proposal and application for greater density.

I agree on the patios completely, and have no quarrel w/somewhat greater density, although I wouldn't want to see the area go hi-rise, but a gradual shift from 2-3floor to 4-6 floor would be welcome.

That said, I don't think density is the issue here, the area is more dense than it ever has been, but less busy, in the off-season than it has been in quite awhile.

I think there's a mixture of issues at play.

Limitations on restaurant size have inhibited some investments in better establishments.

Greedy landlords, have taken a vacancy rebate rather than rented for less than top-dollar.

For locals, transit is problematic east of Woodbine on Queen, while parking is quite limited west of Lee Avenue.

The Beach parklands are not set up to draw off-season, they still do decently, and it would fall off no in cooler weather regardless, but there are missed opportunities in retail, (the snackbars are all closed off-season), the absence of a great leisure skating trail, warm place to put skates on, and access washrooms etc.

The main strip along Queen has also had next to no streetscape investment. No pedestrian lights, trees are absent on some blocks and in tiny pits or boxes on others.

The Foodland near Queen/Lee does a good job of attracting and meeting the needs of locals for grocery, but they're one grocer.

The Valu-mart further east, could charitably be described as dumpy and entirely inappropriate for the neighbourhood. It should have been 'Bloor Street Market-ed, years ago.

There also needs to be more effort to reduce car use by locals.

But to do that, you have to raise permit parking rates substantially, get carshare into the area in a big way, address woeful transit service on Kingston Rd and excessive irregularity on Queen, you need to find a way to shelter transit stops on Queen too. (canopy off of existing buildings?) , and you have to reduce the car-orientation of near by shopping (Shopper's World, Freshco, Loblaws on both Victoria Park and at Lakeshore/Eastern.

Once folks are driving, its hard to retain the shopping locally.

 

[christiesplits]

One drawback of The Beaches, as noted by my foodie friend, is the lack of high quality and rave reviewed restaurants.

 

[Towered]

It's also a chore for westenders to get to. I've never ventured there outside of the summer months.

 

[innsertnamehere]

access is a huge part for sure. It's a pain to drive and especially take transit to.

 

[Skeezix]

It's also a chore for westenders to get to.

This, of course, is key to the charm and appeal of the Beaches on a nice summer day.

Sort of like how people like beach holidays in Cuba because it's hard for Americans to go there.

 

[DSC]

The Star reports on the Tuggs mess at:

Mayor upset about ‘continuing disaster’ at Beach restaurant site:

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...inuing-disaster-at-beach-restaurant-site.html

Interestingly, the original 2007 decision -, which was clearly the wrong thing to do - was supported by some quite sensible Councillors and opposed by some not!

Adoption of the Item, without amendment:
Yes - 21 Councillors: Augimeri, Bussin, Carroll, Cho, Davis, De Baeremaeker, Di Giorgio, Fletcher, Grimes, Hall, Kelly, Lindsay Luby,
Mammoliti, McConnell, Mihevc, Moscoe, Palacio, Pantalone, Perruzza, Rae, Vaughan

No - 14 Councillors: Ainslie, Ashton, Del Grande, Ford, Heaps, Holyday, Jenkins, Lee, Minnan-Wong, Nunziata, Parker, Shiner, Stintz, Thompson

Carried by a majority of 7.