Seven ways to make Toronto a world-class city again

[niwell]

Ummm... I'm as much a fanboy of Toronto as anyone on UT, but I think you got your cities transposed in the above commentary.

Not at all, actually. This is one of the major comments I have consistently heard about Paris from many sources. I'm not talking about food or fine dining, but about bars and small clubs. Also it's apparently suprisingly hard to find a good late-night meal (think Bar Isabel, not the Lakeview).

A quick internet search shows that this may be a recent phenomenon, in the last 10 years or less.

 

[the lemur]

I think the definition itself, and endless arguments over whether we are or not is tiresome, but the concept of how a city is positioned in the world hierarchy of political/financial/technological/cultural power has never ever been a more important issue considering how glocalized we are as a civilization.

Well, with all our global interconnectedness, maybe the question of whether a city is world class is, or ultimately will be, irrelevant? I find the nebulous definition of world class is a big part of the problem. It's one of those 'I know it when I see it' judgements. We're supposedly not world class because we're missing something, but that something varies depending on who you talk to, and we should pursue certain things and not others because their inherent worldclassness will rub off on us, maybe.

 

[the lemur]

Not at all, actually. This is one of the major comments I have consistently heard about Paris from many sources. I'm not talking about food or fine dining, but about bars and small clubs. Also it's apparently suprisingly hard to find a good late-night meal (think Bar Isabel, not the Lakeview).

A quick internet search shows that this may be a recent phenomenon, in the last 10 years or less.

When you say you need to be in the know to find good small bars and clubs in Paris, is it because there are few of them or their existence is hidden by insiders? Do Parisians generally not go to them, in favour of other kinds of places? Or do you as a newcomer need to be initiated into some kind of social circle? I've heard of expats settling in Paris and trying to work up some kind of social life by inviting neighbours and colleagues to do things, go places, etc., only to be either shut out of existing groups or have invitations rebuffed with things like 'Sorry, we already have enough friends'.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Well, with all our global interconnectedness, maybe the question of whether a city is world class is, or ultimately will be, irrelevant? I find the nebulous definition of world class is a big part of the problem. It's one of those 'I know it when I see it' judgements. We're supposedly not world class because we're missing something, but that something varies depending on who you talk to, and we should pursue certain things and not others because their inherent worldclassness will rub off on us, maybe.

That's what I meant by tiresome - world class because of we have ______ (the tallest skyscraper?) is not very useful; "world class" (ick) because we our city region command x% of the economic output in whatever; that we lead in the y indicator for technological research and there we have a z% brand recognition in whatnot. That multi-dimensional power (however it is measured) is what's important - not the label per se.

AoD

 

[the lemur]

That's what I meant by tiresome - world class because of we have ______ (the tallest skyscraper?) is not very useful; "world class" (ick) because we our city region command x% of the economic output in whatever; that we lead in the y indicator for technological research and there we have a z% brand recognition in whatnot. That multi-dimensional power (however it is measured) is what's important - not the label per se.

That's all true. Even those surveys about the most livable cities are based on specific metrics.

 

[Tewder]

To my mind the essence of 'world class' is really just excellence, or the widely shared perception thereof. It's the idea of the cream rising to the top. In other words lets be more concerned about achieving excellence rather than pursuing 'world class' status. One will pretty much lead to the other anyway.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

To my mind the essence of 'world class' is really just excellence, or the widely shared perception thereof. It's the idea of the cream rising to the top. In other words lets be more concerned about achieving excellence rather than pursuing 'world class' status. One will pretty much lead to the other anyway.

Exactly.

AoD

 

[SunriseChampion]

1977

Wasn't that the year our central city reached peak surface parking lot levels? World class asphalt, right here!

 

[wild goose chase]

I think we will be world class once we stop worrying about how to be world class. I think trying too hard unfortunately gives the impression one isn't quite there yet.

Plus, I do wonder this about the cities that we now consider world class -- did many of them themselves have the same preoccupations (wanting to compare themselves to larger and more prominent cities) when they were smaller and still growing? After all, New York itself outpaced London at some point, and Rome at its peak of a million in late antiquity of course was hot stuff in western civilization, but culturally looked to Athens too at some point.

 

[MisterF]

I think we will be world class once we stop worrying about how to be world class. I think trying too hard unfortunately gives the impression one isn't quite there yet.

If this is the standard then there's no such thing as a world class city.

Plus, I do wonder this about the cities that we now consider world class -- did many of them themselves have the same preoccupations (wanting to compare themselves to larger and more prominent cities) when they were smaller and still growing? After all, New York itself outpaced London at some point, and Rome at its peak of a million in late antiquity of course was hot stuff in western civilization, but culturally looked to Athens too at some point.

Yup, these debates happen in every city, including New York and London.

 

[junctionist]

You have to have ambition to reach the top. Rarely does it just work out that way without working at it. World class cities have more achievers who set their sights on being the best. To say we shouldn't think about being world class if we want to be world class is foolish.

 

[the lemur]

You have to have ambition to reach the top. Rarely does it just work out that way without working at it. World class cities have more achievers who set their sights on being the best. To say we shouldn't think about being world class if we want to be world class is foolish.

I don't think anyone's saying we should stop aiming to be our best (or the best, whatever). We can work on improving without being so self-conscious and continually asking whether something makes us world-class or not.

 

[junctionist]

I don't think anyone's saying we should stop aiming to be our best (or the best, whatever). We can work on improving without being so self-conscious and continually asking whether something makes us world-class or not.

A world class city is characterized by having many leading businesses and cultural and educational institutions in the world. So it's important to have ambitious achievers in all sectors.

 

[the lemur]

A world class city is characterized by having many leading businesses and cultural and educational institutions in the world. So it's important to have ambitious achievers in all sectors.

I'm not disagreeing with that. Let's make it possible for ambitious achievers to create those institutions and businesses here. But for their own sake and with a view to excellence, not 'because that would finally make us world class'.

 

[junctionist]

I'm not disagreeing with that. Let's make it possible for ambitious achievers to create those institutions and businesses here. But for their own sake and with a view to excellence, not 'because that would finally make us world class'.

That's a good point. It would be naive to think that just one stadium or one big infrastructure project would make the city world class (as some suggested in the past about certain projects). It's a matter of consistently seeing the most successful businesses and institutions in the world created here, along with the greatest public investments. A strong economy creates an environment for strong institutions like museums and universities, which then contribute even more to the economy.