Comment 41307

By jason (registered) | Posted May 30, 2010 at 20:59:29

The following comment by Jason summed up a rather south end elitist attitude that exists:

"Try convincing a home buyer in Strathcona or Kirkendall that they could get twice the house for the same price north of Barton, east of Wentworth. 99% will say 'no thanks'"

I wouldn't call it elitist, but yes it does sum up what many folks in other parts of the city think about the prospects of living in that area. My point is, that area has a whole lot more to overcome than a nice streetwall or two-way traffic. Heck, I'd LOVE to have Barton's streetwall downtown or on York. The potential is staggering. My only real guess on the subject is that once downtown streets are booming away like Locke, the cheaper rents of Barton will lure more shops and businesses there.
Just on King St in the Wentworth-Sherman area alone I've noticed some new businesses in the past year - Heart of the Hammer cafe, some Music Therapy place (not sure what they do, but the storefront is beautiful), Guiseppies Italian Cuisine and Pizza and Asil Taste. A two-way King with LRT would sure go a long way to adding more business, but my point is, things will gradually migrate east. I know many young couples now living in Ward 3 who wouldn't have dreamt of moving there 10 years ago. If many of them can stay and see themselves as part of the solution (the way folks in Strathcona, the North End and Kirkendall did) that neighbourhood very well could rebound in our lifetime.

By the way, it's Sunday around 9pm and I'm very excited to see construction start tomorrow on York! Spec be darned. This is a great news story for the city and hopefully a springboard to many more conversions just like it downtown.

Comment edited by jason on 2010-05-30 20:00:07

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