TJ O'Pootertoot
Senior Member
The small handful of heritage areas that exist are a tiny oasis of charm in a city of endless suburbia. Kleinburg is probably the prettiest of the three but I never got to visit it yet because it's located in a far flung corner of Vaughan where the primitive YRT transit system is especially useless. As much as I would like to see it, it's much easier to get to Unionville or old Richmond Hill, both of which have more streetlife than anywhere in Vaughan (aside from the parking lot at Canada's Wonderland).
Like I said, Vaughan's a mess! But it's no better or worse than most suburbs developed during the same period, anywhere in North America. Probably a bit better than Brampton, about on par with Mississauaga and not as good as Markham. But that's a all a function of history and timing. Of course it's built form is terrible, on par, compared to Toronto. But cherry-picking a few photos to make the point just doesn't do much. Nor does pointing out there's a lack of transit access to Kleinburg which, yes, is "far-flung." Even I go to Unionville more often
At least Tory has good justification to talk about Toronto being "world class", given the international recognition. But that hasn't stopped him from also being honest about the issues such as traffic congestion, transit, and lack of affordable housing. He talks about that all the time.
Yeah, but not in the same context of the Bevilacqua quote you pulled. And yes, Toronto's surface parking is going the way of the dodo now but obviously - historically and economically - Jane/7 is not, King/Bay or whatever. Assuming he wasn't being ironic, TigerMaster made the point - it's all one big urban whole and different parts of it were built in different times and most of it looks more like Vaughan than downtown.
People in Toronto like ordering their stuff from Amazon and having it show up the next day, which is grand. But it's all those industrial fields in Brampton and Missisauaga that make that possible.
I'm amazed, looking at pictures of Toronto even 15 years ago, how much empty parking there was downtown. It changed. and it'll change over time in the 905 too.
I apologize for the lack of substance in my bashing of your fine city. But when Vaughan generates so much hot air about how vibrant and world class it is when it so obviously isn't, while feeling the need to shove the word "metropolitan" down our throats, I can't help but feel compelled to mock it.
Apology accepted there is much to mock. But, like Ed Keenan wrote that article a few weeks ago and brought up "The City Above Toronto," thing. It was cutesy in 1984 and now it's embarassing - but the city also ditched it several years ago. So let's make sure we're making fun f them for stuff they deserve to be made fun of.
But other then NYC sports teams all the other things are downtown NYC as well.
Every urban centre has a CENTRE. That's par for the course. But the zoo is in the Bronx, Brooklyn has substantial museums, parks and other arts attractions; even Coney Island. Queens...well, maybe there isn't much there or Staten Island the point is that ALL of it is New York City (not to mention the the larger commutershed in Jersey [where both NYC football teams play], Long Island and even Conneticut) and it all ultimately functions as a single hole; just like your torso has the heart, lungs and a bunch of other important stuff, but you still need your arms and legs too.
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