Toronto Four Eleven King Condominiums | 149.04m | 45s | Great Gulf | KPMB

sparkoflife said:
Yeah, I don't see the point with hating on the hostel, that place is just starting to gain an identity in toronto.
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I don't mind the hostel, but the poor building needs to be restored. The roof is sagging in at least two places, and the paint is horrendous. I wouldn't mind to see a property management firm purchase it and restore it to a more dignified condition.
 
It would be a shame if a one-story structure were to be placed at this intersection.... I'm sure Chris Hume will have a huge rant like he did with the one-story Davisville LCBO.
 
Re the Backpacker's Hostel, I think it "gained more of an identity in Toronto" back when it was the Spadina Hotel, venue for local bands and artsies et al. Not to knock the present function; just that it's got a little of that "hostel-itis" traveller's entropy thing going (cf. that Simpsons episode where they turn their house into a hostel and have to deal with backpacking ultra-eurotrash, etc).

sparkoflife said:
For real, it should be illegal to even drive into Kensington Market. No cars should be allowed.
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Believe it or not, there's a certain Jane Jacobite POV that would *disagree*, on congestion-is-good grounds. (At least when it comes to service trucks and their like.)
 
The six storey building at King and Spadina is wonderful in its scale. If only we had more wide streets like Spadina. It's a grand street and deserves to be clean and lined with our best midrise buildings.
 
King & Spadina is one of my favourite intersections in the city and I don't think an LCBO at the corner is going to enhance things. They'd be better off in one of the buildings farther west on King. It would add some pedestrian traffic and they would have on street parking. I'd rather see something like a boutique hotel at that corner, maybe 10 storeys.
 
junctionist said:
The six storey building at King and Spadina is wonderful in its scale. If only we had more wide streets like Spadina. It's a grand street and deserves to be clean and lined with our best midrise buildings.
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I agree that Spadina is by far the most beautiful north-south arterial in the city.
 
grey said:
LCBO carries a far, far superior selection to anywhere I've been where alcohol is deregulated. But there's already a thread about this in Toronto Issues. I'll save you from reading it by saying the pro-LCBO arguments are the most compelling.
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Wow you have got to be kidding me. I didn't think any sensible person supported this government regulated monopoly.

All I know is myself and the thousands of people living around me have to walk a ridiculous distance to buy liquor, and the price I pay for CANADIAN liquor is ironically about twice as much as I can buy it for OUTSIDE the country.

But yeah, hey, nice selection... they are great :rolleyes:
 
To be fair, the price has nothing to do with the LCBO. Our alcohol taxes are a lot higher and that wouldn't change if liquor were sold in convenience stores.
 
Well, go see how well deregulation worked in Alberta. They have less selection and higher prices. Economies of scale works in the LCBO's favour. It has lower operating costs and requires a smaller rate of return on their capital costs than privately-owned retail outlets.

The decision to privatize the LCBO can't be made on the basis of political ideology (typically neocon b.s.) and generalized faith in the private sector. It is naive to argue that markets are inherently more efficient than some alternative arrangement (if they were, big corporations like GM would subcontract most of their operations to smaller firms).
 
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gei said:
I like the way the LCBO is on Front and Church. It keeps the heritage structure intact on the outside and inside it has a great selection of booze to sift through.

All I know is myself and the thousands of people living around me have to walk a ridiculous distance to buy liquor, and the price I pay for CANADIAN liquor is ironically about twice as much as I can buy it for OUTSIDE the country.
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That's why you need to make friends with people of questionable morals. They may have access to alcohol at reasonable prices. *wink
 
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Well, go see how well deregulation worked in Alberta. They have less selection and higher prices.
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Booze is pretty cheap in Alberta. Are you suggesting it used to be even cheaper? (still prefer to pay a bit more for a much, much better selection)
 
It depends in Alberta. If you go to places like Loblaw-owned Real Canadian Liquorstore, it's a little cheaper. If you go to a corner store, it's much much more expensive.
 
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