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By just don't get it (anonymous) | Posted December 13, 2011 at 15:09:03 in reply to Comment 72139
I said there was not enough money downtown to support a 24 hour grocery store or a full service store such as Fortinos or Metro. Do you really believe that those stores are built on a whim? Or because some poor blogger has decided that the city needs a NICE store downtown? Nobody can be that naive can they?
Money available downtown has nothing to do with bike lanes, those are a necessity, especially on the busier roads. Although I doubt even that will make much of an impact on the cycling volume. You have got your cause and effect all mixed up. Those cities do not have high density because of cycling lanes they have cycling lanes because of high density. I know it is a difficult distinction to grasp but it is a very important one.
Downtown is not just a neighbourhood it is where the thoroughfares are that transport so much of our traffic east and west across the city. Those commuters are the people with money, the ones who pay the taxes to give the welfare for the many who live downtown with the druggies and whores. In this city just like in every other city and in fact in every organization the decisions are made by and for the people with money. Anything else is financial suicide.
There are very few people who live in the city who are close enough to work and amenities that cycling is a real option for all their basic needs. If you fall into that group then count yourself as one of the lucky ones. I am sure that you made some conscience decisions and sacrifices to get yourself there. (like living downtown instead of a nicer neighbourhood)
If you want to get more money downtown then the place needs to be attractive to the portion of the population who have money. They do not want small old houses. They want larger nicer abodes with all the amenities. They do not want to live a stones throw away from industry. It is not a matter of making it just livable it needs to be ATTRACTIVE to people with money. People who are willing to buy a home for upwards of $300,000. Look at the places in the city where the money lives now. Ancaster, Dundas, South Mountain, Stoney Creek and the like. What do you have downtown that would entice anyone to sell their beautiful home there to buy a shack in the inner city? Nothing, absolutely nothing. So you have to give them something and a liveable street just is not enough. It is barely enough to keep the poor sods that are already there. If you want to attract people from where they are now to the core you need to give them the type of homes that they are used to and that they want. How are you going to do that?
Look at all the cities that have the heavy cycling like Montreal, Paris, or NYC do they have industry in the city? In the heart of what you want to make attractive to people with money? Even if you get rid of the industrial presence who is going to clean up the aftermath? The City? It cannot even afford to clean up the land it has already expropriated. Bulldoze it and cover up the contamination just like they are doing in the harbour? Cover up the crap and pray that a layer of dirt over top will keep us safe. Even then would you live there? I sure would not choose to. All those cities are also where destination points are. A nice Zoo, a real museum, a top caliber sports team, fine dining, world class doctors and the like. There is nothing like that in Hamilton because it is all in Toronto just down the road. Hamilton is not Paris, Montreal, or NYC and never will be so stop trying to be something you are not, or at least stop trying to turn this city into something it is not. Give you head a shake and get a grip on reality.
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