Walmart coming to Port Credit?

[c_mcarthur]

Hey everyone from Port credit or the surrounding areas lol
Apparently Walmart wants to open a location right here in port credit!
A lot of people are against this, saw the article online:
http://www.topca.net/news/news.htm#Walmart

what do you guys think?

Personally I'm all for it.
It's job opportunities for those who want them/need them. I don't see how its taking from the community, if anything I think it'll expand the community.

[ederer]

I am in Clarkson and would love a walmart to open in Port Credit. I hate going to the one on ErinMills. So many times they don’t have advertised specials or they forget to mark the sale and you have to run around looking for a self scan.

[gourmetsue]

Sad to see it happen to be honest. I like the small down feeling of port credit. I've lived here for 9 years and it's the biggest draw for me. I think it will just cause a traffic nightmare down there.

[lotus]

I really hope this plan is scrapped, I personally don't think port credit is the place for a walmart. to echo sue above, I love the small town, community feel to PC & a big box store like walmart would not only bring in masses of unwanted traffic, it could have devastating effects on all our local business around here, & I feel PC prides itself in those, as we should. I'm not a fan of the idea at all.

[taylyn]

As much as I hate the Erin Mills locations, I really don't see Port Credit being a good location for a Walmart. There are enough big box stores within a 5 mile radius to serve people. It does not have the road infrastructure for a downtown location.

[Candini]

Hmm not sure how I feel about this.
Used to live in PC and its very small. The idea of wm coming i like, the space, it doesn`t work.

[VeeVee]

Just saw yesterday at Dundas and Dixie (across from the Swiss Chalet) they are building a walmart. That is a great location I think , but Port Credit No way...it would ruin the cozy feel PC has.

[Candini]

Really??? No way! I live like right there and never seen anything.
Ugh would LOVE this. Walmart would be like a 10minute walk from me

[Trizi]

Sad to see it happen to be honest. I like the small down feeling of port credit. I've lived here for 9 years and it's the biggest draw for me. I think it will just cause a traffic nightmare down there.

What "small town feel"? It's been gone ever since those tony waterfront condos and town houses went in. Right now the east end of Port Credit (the proposed retail site) is nothing but an ugly shell of an industrial building that I've been wishing someone would tear down. It's an eye-sore and a blight on the community. That whole area is depressed and full of chain-store fast food outlets. Private businesses continue to open and close after just a few months.

Good for Wal-mart. They're staying out of the centre and this'll bring a great boost to a main street in area that lost the small town feel long ago.

[ederer]

I was reading the other day that two stores are interested in that spot in PC, Walmart and Target.

[Eli_Playter]

Good for Wal-mart. They're staying out of the centre and this'll bring a great boost to a main street in area that lost the small town feel long ago.

I'm not sure you're in touch with the conventional usage of the phrase "small town" (unless you're didactic and associate it with the likes of Creemore or somesuch).

To plop a Walmart (or any other out-of-scale retailer of the like) into that area might bring traffic but it certainly wouldn't bring trade to the main street and would very quickly throttle the very essence that people find appealing about the area as is. You have nearly a dozen Walmarts within an easy drive if saving a nickel on your soap is the extent of your horizon.

Eli

[Trizi]

Eli Playter - Shame on you! Lowering a debate to sarcastic, personal insults is disrespectful of others point of view. It doesn't win an argument; never has.

To bring the conversation back in focus, take a look at the plans. It looks great and has a similar streetfront feel as the new townhouses on the south side of Lakeshore at Hurontario.

At the risk of repeating my previous point, take a look at the new high-rise glass condos in Port Credit. The idea of a retaining a small town feel is now dreaming of past times. It's gone.

Local retailers need to win business by being customer-centric, staying open after work hours, and by offering interesting product that can't be had elsewhere.

Take a look at the Walmart in Oakville and you will be surprised at what kind of offerings are possible - much better than "saving a nickel on soap".

[lotus]

"Port Credit Business Association - January 30, 2012

Public Meeting regarding 501 Lakeshore Rd. E. and large format retail.

Trinity Development Group has brought forward a proposal to re-develop the former Inglis site into what they are calling "The District of Lakeview". The plan, 14.5 acres of land at the northeast corner of Lakeshore Rd. E. and Enola Ave., is to open either a Walmart or a Target as part of a phased, mixed-use development. See the Town of Port Credit Association's webpage for details about this development by clicking here.

The Port Credit BIA supports appropriate development and residential intensification but does not support large format retail in the Lakeshore community and feels that the vision of the residents of Port Credit and Lakeview should be a priority in planning.

CALL (Citizens for a Liveable Lakeshore), whose mandate "is to give voice to the citizens of Lakeview and Port Credit who feel that a large-format retail store does not fit the community's long-standing plan for revitalization" is organizing a two-kilometre protest march. It starts at 5:45 p.m. and proceeds from the Port Credit Lighthouse (105 Lakeshore Rd. W.) to the open house location. Community members are invited to participate.

The meeting or open house is on Wednesday, Feb 1st - 6-9pm and will be held at 501 Lakeshore Rd. E in unit A-10. A brief 15-minutes presentation will be made at 7:15pm.

Links:
TOPCA
Mississauga News Article re March
The District At Lakeview
Facebook - No Big Box Outfits in Port Credit and Lakeview
Facebook - CALL"