Charles St GRT terminal redevelopment

[Kodra24]

Nobody is suggesting that there would be zero impact on downtown businesses. We are all discussing the degree to which it affects businesses, and the otherwise lost opportunity cost of doing so.

To dismiss these points as "silly" or "ridiculous" does not a healthy debate make. It suggests that folks aren't even willing to understand the points being made here.


If it only cost 150-200 million to renovate, that would be a fraction of the cost of a new development downtown, that being said, I suspect it would cost more to renovate, but this doesn't mean we shouldn't do so, our society is far too eager to demolish and build new.

As for the 125-150 events per year, I do not believe that it hosts 125-150 sold out events per year, I know, I used to live in London, it was pretty clear when it was empty or near empty at the arena. I don't know the specific nature of their schedule, but the arena is often very quiet.

Again, this is not a case of zero impact, this is a case of opportunity cost, and about thinking about what actually makes a place successful.

I guess it is a matter of perspective as I definitely wouldn't bring my children there, it's funny you mention cars but not the hoards of addicts - I guess we see a different reality

Just curious as to if this is based on you visiting downtown frequently or just on what you hear about downtown. My wife and I don’t live downtown and not really in the suburbs either. I like to think of us as inbetweeners. We visit frequently in the summer for events and to walk in Victoria park. Never felt unsafe. We sometimes take our adult children downtown for dinner when they are in town They grew up here and are surprised by our downtown. And they both live in Leslieville in Toronto.

I too am an inbetweener and do go downtown for errands (bank/lawyer etc)

I have young kids and had a few run-ins by myself with strange people approaching me - to be frank if my kids were with me things would have ended up differently for the person involved and I'm sure for myself as well and I wonder about that

I mean come on, there is so much riff raff there, it's night and day compared to Uptown and I have ZERO patience and sympathy with those types of individuals - we are ALL dealing with issues and I don't need anyone coming up to me in a negative, threatening manner - I'm just sick of it