India’s cultural centre in Toronto to rival London’s

[JasonParis]

Some of that vacant land around Six Points could work. Also, Exhibition Place, Portlands and Scarborough Centre are possibilities. Gerrard India Bazaar would make some sense, but doesn't have subway (or highway) access and is pretty-much fully developed. I can't see where it would go on that stretch and the India Centre is likely not big enough.

 

[Tewder]

I think this could/should be a focus of Toronto's tourism strategy. While drawing on the ethnic communities in diasporsa throughout North America, we build our own ethnic cultural institutions into a cultural destination.

We should embrace these groups and encourage development of their cultural industries. Along the lines of Caribana or Pride, we could have Indian, Chinese, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Philipine, Polish, Russian, German...Oh don't forget British Expats, the Irish, French...
We have many of these already but building them to the point that they are of their own tourist draws, would benifit the city as a whole. Traffic would suck, more than it sucks now, neighbourhoods will have to deal with large influx of people but in the end, I think it would do more to build Toronto Tourism than any brick and mortar building you can create.

So essentially we turn Toronto into Epcot Centre? Sounds derivative to me and mind-numbingly boring. I would much rather see the differing cultures of Toronto melting together here to create something new and original, rather than than relying on nostalgic cliches or harkening back to the former glories of other places. We will aways be a cheesy second-rate version of the original so what's the point?

 

[adma]

And besides, we already did that in the 60s and 70s. It was called "Caravan".

 

[TOareaFan]

And besides, we already did that in the 60s and 70s. It was called "Caravan".

There is a differnce between a short term cultural exhibit/fesitval and in permanent facility.

If you miss Caravan....it lives on in the burbs.....http://www.carassauga.com/ ............... http://www.carabram.org/

 

[jaycola]

So essentially we turn Toronto into Epcot Centre? Sounds derivative to me and mind-numbingly boring. I would much rather see the differing cultures of Toronto melting together here to create something new and original, rather than than relying on nostalgic cliches or harkening back to the former glories of other places. We will aways be a cheesy second-rate version of the original so what's the point?

This not about creating anything other than a means to attract business and tourists to the city. The citizens of ethnic enclaves in cities throughout North America would flock to Toronto to join in celebrations of their culture.
It is no different from attracting Sci-Fi geeks to "Fan Expo", book fans to "Word on the Street" or dog fans to "Woofstock". Think of it as attracting convention trade rather than cultural/ethnic reflections of our country. If Toronto's restaurants, shops and hotels benifit from tourist traffic, it's a good thing for everyone.

 

[TOareaFan]

This not about creating anything other than a means to attract business and tourists to the city. The citizens of ethnic enclaves in cities throughout North America would flock to Toronto to join in celebrations of their culture.
It is no different from attracting Sci-Fi geeks to "Fan Expo", book fans to "Word on the Street" or dog fans to "Woofstock". Think of it as attracting convention trade rather than cultural/ethnic reflections of our country. If Toronto's restaurants, shops and hotels benifit from tourist traffic, it's a good thing for everyone.

Yes...and it is part of an economic/tourist strategy.....it does not become THE economic/tourist strategy. So you develop the other things that visitors (either business or personal travellers) look for in a city to visit (shops, restos, museums, ripley aquariums, stadiums, neighbourhoods, etc) but perhaps where we differ from other cities is that we can attract this sort of ethnic-tourist destinations that plays upon one of the great characteristics of our city and serves to draw people in through that door.

We sometimes view things that come up too much in isolation as opposed to part of the bigger picture.

As I said before, we have many of the things people look for in cities to visit but so do many other cities.....this sort of thing will give us an edge with some people when they are compiling those "things to do/see" lists before they pick the city they are going to visit.

 

[rdaner]

Any update on this initiative? The death of one of India's great modernists has me looking through my pix of India (to hopefully post here later) and this came to mind.