The crowds that hang out in Gore Park are not exactly the demographic being courted here.
I wasn't talking about the loiterers. I was talking about pedestrians. People walking about between work, transit, parking, home, entertainment, etc. The loiterers were not the target demographic of the Honest Lawyer either, but they seem to be doing fine (packed most evenings, patio packed every sunny day this past season).
And nobody hangs out at Brant/QEW unless you count the car salesmen at Hyundai...
Main Street is basically an expressway, and about as cozy for strolling as the QEW. Hess village is dead during the day, and only comes alive at night when all of the local suburbanites come to get drunk at the bars. It the the 'club district' of Hamilton, and little more.
Main Street is indeed an urban expressway, and I have been a strong advocate for Hamilton changing its one ways for a long time. But Brant and the QEW is even worse. At least Main Street in Hamilton is peppered with high density housing and has a potential to be a true urban street. Brant/QEW is mostly highway right of way land that will never be developed as long as the QEW is there. It is a dead end location -- what you see *now* is what you get *forever*.
Regarding Hess, it is actually quite well populated by high class as well as "urban hip" restaurants that are busy for lunch (especially in summer) and dinner.
Hamilton isn't exactly Toronto, Vancouver or Victoria. Hamilton is a city of one-way road arteries that are designed to move vehicles, not welcome pedestrians. I know, I lived downtown Hamilton for a year and it was dismal. There is next to no reason to go downtown, unless you like porno palaces, dollar stores and bingo parlours. The Eaton Centre and the street-killing black hole that is Jackson Square are pretty much retail wastelands, and there is little by way of convenient public transit. The Hamilton I know, and love, is not exactly full of people who enjoy biking around town.
Burlington isn't exactly Toronto, Vancouver or Victoria. Burlington is a city of stripmall-lined arteries that are designed to move vehicles between single use suburban housing developments, not welcome pedestrians. I know, I lived between downtown Burlington and Burlington mall for three years and it was dismal. There is barely even a downtown to speak of, and what does exist offers very little to anyone wanting to spend more than a few minutes walking by the lake. The two suburban malls have killed any chance of retail development in "the core", and there is little by way of convenient public transit. The Burlington I know is not exactly full of people who enjoy biking around town.
My point being, Burlington's downtown is worse still than Hamilton's. The only thing it offers is some lame sense of "safety" because all ne'er do wells have been made unwelcome. Besides enjoying the sterility, there's nothing to do there. And any area more than 2 blocks from the lake are even WORSE. If MEC was locating near downtown Burlington my criticisms would be lighter, but they've chosen to be within spitting distance of the QEW, so they won't get any marks from me as far as location goes.
I challenge you to ride a bike down Centennial Parkway (if you want to compare apples to apples).
For the record, I *have*. But I know I am in a minority. Regardless of that, I don't understand your point. I never once suggested Centennial Parkway for MEC, and I never would. I am talking about them locating in a suburban wasteland instead of a truly dense urban downtown area only 10 minutes down the highway from their bad, bad choice.
Your eco-consiousness is lovely, but how do you suppose that all those urbane Hamiltonians are going to get to the MEC? Guess what, they will be *driving* there... after they've cashed their welfare cheques, bought their two-four and had their mullets coiffed at the salon.
This paragraph basically makes you look like a closed minded fool who relies on stereotypes to back up your arguments. Maybe you aren't -- I don't know you. But it's a good basis for my assumption. Have you been to Hamilton lately? I live in Hamilton, within walking distance of downtown in fact. I am not a crackhead, I have no mullet, I walk and ride my bike everywhere, I'm not on welfare, and I buy more wine than I do "two fours". I am professionally employed and I am exactly within the MEC demographic. And guess what, 60% of my neighbours match my profile. 39% are very close, but happen to be older than MEC's target (but they are probably also a lot better off than I am). The remaining 1% might possibly represent the beer-swilling crowd you mention.*
I also wonder what the point of your entire response was? You are clearly against Hamilton as a potential MEC location. Are you fighting for the Burlington location? Or do you favour a different place altogether? Or would you prefer they don't move outside of Toronto as all?
It appears that you are arguing for argument's sake. Come back when you have an argument for a reasonable alternative. Try being positive instead of focussing on the negative. Really, what was the point of your response? To bash Hamilton? To bash me? You have suggested NO alternatives at all!
*these are estimates, but not exaggerated