Toronto - the Good, the Bad or the Ugly?

[Andit]

SDiddy posted a thread asking for impressions about the east coast, which got me thinking (a rarity, I know ). What do folks think of Toronto?

I was born & raised in Toronto (born downtown & raised in Scarborough to be exact), so I think of my hometown in a certain way. I happen to live across the street from a tourist attraction, so I tend to play tour guide to strangers on almost a daily basis (especially once the warm weather is here). What I find interesting is that most folks I talk to have a certain idea of what a big city is & are surprised that Toronto doesn't quite fit their stereotype.

One of the gals from the theatre just moved here from Vancouver. She was expecting a cold city with people too busy to stop & say hello. Instead, she found a network of smaller neighbourhoods with friendly folks.

Yes, we have our share of criminals & not-so-nice people, but that seems par for the course in a big city. What really sets Toronto apart from larger US cities is our greenspace. We have parks right downtown, trees & flowers along the sidewalks.

We also have some really ugly statues! & some nice ones too.

Better stop now before I keep gushing about my hometown.

[Andit]

Here are some pics I took last week (for Torontonians, I was standing near Yonge/Front when I took the shots).

[Andit]

The first pic is the Flatiron building - it's a triangle shaped building with the cool mural on the west end. The little park is called Berczy Park & is less than a 2 minute walk from the train station (so literally downtown).

The second is outside the Hockey Hall of Fame.

[Andit]

& this is the tourist attraction across the street from me (the Distillery - yep, I live in what used to be a gin, er, whiskey mill ).

[Natalka]

I've never been there, and know only what I do from the media - good and not so good, I suppose.
I just could never live anywhere that big; 250K here in Saskatoon is even a bit big for me.

I must say that I find it very confusing when people say they are from Toronto, but it turns out they are from somewhere different nearby. That's SO odd.
I mean, if I live in Saskatoon, that's where I live. If someone lives in Deslisle (20 min away) or Borden (45 min away), they don't say they live in Saskatoon...
So what's up with that?

[JD in Van]

I'm in Vancouver but I grew up in Winnipeg and I think, generally because the rest of the country doesn't really look or feel like here it's easy to get a very us and them mentality out here. That said, that's NOT unique to Vancouver at all. I used to spend my summers working for my uncle in PEI and I felt that there perhaps more than any of the other provinces but Quebec (I've been to all of them now, still haven't hit the Territories though).

There's things people seem to misunderstand about all of the Provinces. I could rant and rant.

Vancouver is though more expensive (I promise you) then you've been told.

Natalika that has to do with regions and things. Like here we have the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District). My city falls in that area, when I talk to people out of BC I say 'I'm from Vancouver' and they know where that is. If I talk to people from BC I say 'I'm from Coquitlam' and they know what that means.'

[Natalka]

JD, I understand that, I just think it's an odd thing to lump it all into one. I'd rather know if someone lives in Vancouver proper, or the name of their city/town.

[karen0382]

I'm about 3 hours west of Toronto and we go once or twice a year. I think it's a great city with tons of stuff to do, shopping is excellent. Could I live in Toronto, no I could not. It's just far too big and I'm used to my small town of 5000 and 2 traffic lights. I'm happy to visit, but happy to come home too.

[Andit]

I've never been there, and know only what I do from the media - good and not so good, I suppose.
I just could never live anywhere that big; 250K here in Saskatoon is even a bit big for me.

It`s funny, I grew up in the suburbs & it was my dream to live downtown. When I bought my condo, I was torn between 2 choices - where I am now (about a half hour walk from where I took those pictures) or a block north of there. What made me decide on this building was the view - hard to see the city if you`re in the middle of it.

I don`t do well in smaller places - I find it too quiet. I remember spending summers with my grandparents in Europe (big city, but they lived in the burbs) - I couldn`t sleep cause it was too quiet. & they lived down the street from a hospital!

I must say that I find it very confusing when people say they are from Toronto, but it turns out they are from somewhere different nearby. That's SO odd.
I mean, if I live in Saskatoon, that's where I live. If someone lives in Deslisle (20 min away) or Borden (45 min away), they don't say they live in Saskatoon...
So what's up with that?

Part of it is so people have a geographic reference point. Barrie, Pickering & Mississauga are cities beside Toronto that most folks who are not from these parts have never heard of, so it`s easier to just say they are from Toronto, or the GTA (Greater Toronto Area).

When I say I grew up in Scarborough, it`s really Toronto, just a suburb. Toronto is made up of a whole whack of smaller towns & villages that were swallowed up by the big city.

Where I live now is technically downtown Toronto, but the street signs say Distillery District (some of our street signs have a little note for tourists - Distillery District, Garment District, Old Town, etc). We used to be part of Corktown, but the neighbours got their knickers in a knot & thought that wasn`t fancy schmancy enough.

[papillon]

I don't want to go on a huge rant here, so I will keep it short - I dislike Toronto and avoid it at all costs.

Edit: I mean no offense to anyone who lives there

[orv]

I love toronto, I havent spent TOO much time there, but I have gone to quite a few places (most tourist attractions). I love the hussle and bussle of the city, I love the multiculturalism and I LOVE that you can walk down the street and NOT KNOW EVERYBODY!!!!! There is LOTS to do. But I do feel more of a threat walking down a street in toronto at night, than I would walking down a street here in miramichi at night.

[VeeVee]

I think Toronto is beautiful..so much to do and see..yes it has its ugly moments (crime etc) but what city doesn't...
I wouldn't live in Toronto but I don't live far from it (Mississauga)

[me@t k@tie]

I live here and am not really a fan, haha. I find that people are generally very rude and always overly rushed.
I do appreciate that there is lots to do here though. I came from a place with absolutely nothing (no movie theatre, no tim hortons, not even traffic lights, lol) to this, so it's a pretty major adjustment for me. I am living in a condo that overlooks Lake Ontario, and I do enjoy being able to go for evening walks down the harbour front with my bf. It's actually pretty quiet where we are compared to our old place which was basically right in the centre of the city.

[DiamondLil]

I've never visited Toronto (only a brief stop over when we were visiting family overseas). But I really dont like big cities. I dont like crowds and I really hate heavy traffic. I'd like to visit it for the shopping and sight seeing, but to live there - I'd have to say no.

BTW - love your pictures Andit!

[Andit]

When I mentioned neighbourhoods earlier, this is the sign on my street (well, the nearest intersection actually). Sorry it`s not very clear - I just took the shot from my window (they`re filthy from the construction going on around me).