Raise the Hammer

Hi Jason, while I am happy you spent time in our city's farmer's market I have some points to make about your commentary.

Our family of five can never find a table because all of them are bolted down furniture with a maximum of four seats, and they are always taken. We always end up with a kid sitting on our lap.

According to StatsCan (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil40-eng.htm), the family average is 3.1 for a husband-wife household. You are above the average.

Get rid of the white tables and chairs downstairs and in the front foyer area and replace them with a lot of Paris-style chairs and round tables. People can have a table for two, or assemble a group of ten together if they want.

The round tables are certainly not easy to have a large group sit around since they don't line up nicely. Ever taken a look at Lime Ridge in the food court where this is, say, near the washrooms? It's a nice thought, but no. Go with smaller, square tables.

Speaking of which, I notieced this when the renovation was complete, and sure enough it has become a real problem: the market still doesn't open to the street.

You're mistaken. I went there near every weekend this past summer and they open at street level. Lets a nice breeze in, easy to go from inside to outside.

the ambiance in the front glassed-in foyer is dead. It's like eating lunch in a hospital cafeteria. Perhaps it was the time you were there, I've seen that area busy with people eating, talking, enjoying life.

Each Saturday, the curb lane of York should be closed and filled not with trucks

I thought they piloted this? I remember seeing street vendors in the curbside lane (or at least their trucks) with stalls on the sidewalk.

Think Byward Market in Ottawa. We go there all the time and there are tons of lunch options.

I trust you're taking public transit on these trips, as well as to the market, since you are such a vocal proponent of the bus lanes and public transit?

While I agree with a lot of what you've said - having a nice area to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, read the paper, have a bite to eat, catch your breath with a full load of groceries - there were some factual errors in your article, or basing an opinion on a single time you were there.

Comment edited by TheDude on 2014-01-28 21:20:39