Yonge Street Revitalization (Downtown Yonge BIA/City of Toronto)

[confusion]

Great photos androiduk.
Although it's not seen here, the north-west corner of Yonge & Wellelsey in front of "Not Just Noodles" is the tightest corner on Yonge Street when waiting for a light to change. The angle of the sidewalk needs to be extended out about a foot and/or the light standard & controller moved a few feet further west.

I couldn't agree with you more. This corner and the one south to it as well (At Y&W). They are dangerously crammed sometimes.

 

[TonyV]

I'd hate to see Yonge with wider sidewalks that stymie human interaction - that's what Bay is for. The exception would be if bars and clubs and restaurants (other than take-out falafel places or fast food) returned to Yonge, in which case sidewalks wide enough for patios would be nice (a lane of traffic on each side would do it).

If some clever minds got together and widened the sidewalks in a beautiful way, the result would be a real magnet -- more people boulevarding in that part of town. In other words, the potential for human interaction would be far greater than now.

My picture is otherwise similar to yours -- bars and clubs and restaurants, and much less of fast food and dollar stores.

 

[androiduk]

Yonge north & south from Bloor St.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

If some clever minds got together and widened the sidewalks in a beautiful way, the result would be a real magnet -- more people boulevarding in that part of town. In other words, the potential for human interaction would be far greater than now.

My picture is otherwise similar to yours -- bars and clubs and restaurants, and much less of fast food and dollar stores.

There are plenty of restaurants there now!
A smattering of bars/clubs on Yonge Street from about Gerrard to Bloor Sts. and a few more patios would greatly help bring some animation and nightlife back to the street. Although ideal, I don't think we're going to see expanded sidewalks anytime soon.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If some clever minds got together and widened the sidewalks in a beautiful way, the result would be a real magnet -- more people boulevarding in that part of town. In other words, the potential for human interaction would be far greater than now.

There would not be more human interaction, just a different kind. Working with Yonge's grime and sleaze and whatever else you want to call it - rather than targeting it for replacement by something more beautiful - is the best course of action. Besides, if two lanes are removed and sidewalks widened, the patios belonging to the bars and restaurants would eat up the added width (which is fine).

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

There would not be more human interaction, just a different kind. Working with Yonge's grime and sleaze and whatever else you want to call it - rather than targeting it for replacement by something more beautiful - is the best course of action. Besides, if two lanes are removed and sidewalks widened, the patios belonging to the bars and restaurants would eat up the added width (which is fine).

Where is the "grime and sleaze"?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Where is the "grime and sleaze"?

Oh, you're one of them...

 

[deerparker]

Fantastic photos Androiduk. I like how compact Yonge Street looks.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Oh, you're one of them...

Huh? Is that an insult or a joke that I don't get?

Yonge Street, Gerrard to Queen was absolutely packed today. There was a concert in Dundas Square and I saw Indian food being served around the square. It's terrific seeing the area shoulder-to-shoulder busy and everyone happy, seemingly enjoying themselves. The AMC cinemas looked extremely busy too, from my vantage point inside of Future Shop.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Huh? Is that an insult or a joke that I don't get?

Someone who thinks grittiness is the best thing since sliced bread. Either that or you've never seen Yonge before.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Someone who thinks grittiness is the best thing since sliced bread. Either that or you've never seen Yonge before.

My opinion is, and has been, that Yonge from Bloor to Gerrard is a wonderful mix of... well, I've already stated it a page or two back. Read my opinion if your interested instead of avoiding the question and hurling juvenile insults.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

My opinion is, and has been, that Yonge from Bloor to Gerrard is a wonderful mix of... well, I've already stated it a page or two back. Read my opinion if your interested instead of avoiding the question and hurling juvenile insults.

It's not so much a question as it is a denial of the obvious.

You're going to honestly claim you never knew Yonge had strip clubs, buildings crying for renovation, etc.? (that's not all it has and the fact that it has some grime and sleaze is not a negative, as I've said)

Now I'm really wondering what you *would* consider a touch of grime and sleaze...a condemned row of crack houses with fresh police tape?

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

It's not so much a question as it is a denial of the obvious.

You're going to honestly claim you never knew Yonge had strip clubs, buildings crying for renovation, etc.? (that's not all it has and the fact that it has some grime and sleaze is not a negative, as I've said)

Now I'm really wondering what you *would* consider a touch of grime and sleaze...a condemned row of crack houses with fresh police tape?

Great, now we're debating!
First, I personally don't find adult venues (strip clubs, adult novelty stores, adult cinemas) sleazy - some people do and that's fine but I don't. Sex is a great thing and I have no hangups about it. I think the adult male and female body is a beautiful thing so I don't find what goes on behind a store front of those types of establishments "sleazy".
Second, if you had of read my first post in this thread I acknowledged that some buildings are run down and in need of some TLC - yes, some are crying for renovations and many have been in the last decade if you had of noticed. I'll take almost anything between Bloor & Gerrard "as is" over that embarrassing tin can at Yonge & Dundas.
I don't see an awful lot of "grime and sleaze" in Toronto, not to say there isn't any. I suppose in the end it's all in the eyes of the beholder.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Great, now we're debating!
First, I personally don't find adult venues (strip clubs, adult novelty stores, adult cinemas) sleazy - some people do and that's fine but I don't. Sex is a great thing and I have no hangups about it. I think the adult male and female body is a beautiful thing so I don't find what goes on behind a store front of those types of establishments "sleazy".
Second, if you had of read my first post in this thread I acknowledged that some buildings are run down and in need of some TLC - yes, some are crying for renovations and many have been in the last decade if you had of noticed. I'll take almost anything between Bloor & Gerrard "as is" over that embarrassing tin can at Yonge & Dundas.
I don't see an awful lot of "grime and sleaze" in Toronto, not to say there isn't any. I suppose in the end it's all in the eyes of the beholder.

And all this brings me back to: what was the point of bizarrely asking where the grime and sleaze was? You already knew where it was, and you knew I don't consider it a negative presence on Yonge...you were denying the obvious as a way of ironically celebrating grittiness (hence the smiley). Don't be so defensive - when people agree with you using different words, you don't need to get all huffy and list things you think people haven't read or noticed.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

And all this brings me back to: what was the point of bizarrely asking where the grime and sleaze was? You already knew where it was, and you knew I don't consider it a negative presence on Yonge...you were denying the obvious as a way of ironically celebrating grittiness (hence the smiley). Don't be so defensive - when people agree with you using different words, you don't need to get all huffy and list things you think people haven't read or noticed.

It really wasn't a bizarre question, I was inviting you to offer your views on the comment.
I didn't use "grime and sleaze" to define the area, and I also didn't bring up strip clubs. I simply put it together and expanded on it by adding all adult venues I could think of.
Anyway, after all this I'm happy that we agree Yonge Street has some great buildings needing restoration/TLC and that a few adult venues aren't necessarily a negative presence on the street.