Being in Toronto reminds me of a game of Sim City. Things are in the strangest of places, and the development of the roads, apartments, restaurants, power stations, and other facilities almost seem to be placed at random, with the newer areas showing a more organized design. The older you go in the city, the more convoluted things appear to be.
b5media’s offices are on Spaldina Ave, a street that isn’t right on the main roads, but has an interesting and diverse culture. You can see many smaller shops, as well as old brick buildings right across the road from new fancier brick, glass and steel buildings. IT is an interesting site, almost like the road separates two different towns.
With WiFi permeating the entire city, you would think I would feel more connected, but because the service is a pay service, and isn’t everything these days, I find myself looking around feeling like a tourist from another area of the world.
It is so much busier in feeling than Ottawa. Such high traffic levels, in the early afternoon, is insane to me.
There also feels like there is a strong dichotomy here. There are many people that don’t look well off, and then there are people driving around in the latest Audi’s and high cost BMW’s. Where are the middle class people? Maybe I don’t notice them as much as the poor and the rich.
There is also a strong odour in this city. It stinks like a big city. Pollution, cigarette smoke, and a bit of what smells like the paper factories of Cornwall, Ontario. That bitter, burning smell that many of the largest cities seem to have. Is it pollution as well, or smoke from a factory, I am not sure, but it isn’t the clean air that I am used to in St. Thomas.
I wouldn’t mind working here, but living here for an extended period of time feels like something I am less and less interested in doing.
Mom Said,
April 15, 2008 @ 11:23 am
My suggestion: Move back to Ottawa LOL!
Leila Boujnane Said,
April 18, 2008 @ 5:49 pm
David: it seems you had quite a trip to Toronto! The area where the b5 offices are located is a lot of fun. Queen and Spadina! I am a big Queen street fan actually. I both live and work on Queen street. Toronto is an awesome city. Very cosmopolitan. For us city folks imagining life outside of TO is *impossible*. I mean where could you find Ethiopian, French, Italian and Portuguese food all within walking distance. Don’t get TO wrong: the city has great history and each neighborhood has an identity and its own rhythm. Spend more time in TO; you will see you will get to love it! See you around next time!
James Mann Said,
April 26, 2008 @ 11:14 am
Toronto rocks.
I think the Toronto area started as much smaller communities and as they grew they joined together with other communities to make one big community so it appears to be built in a patchwork way.
I lived there more than 30 years ago, when it didn’t smell like a big city and there wasn’t nearly as much pollution.
Mark Wood Said,
May 12, 2008 @ 1:10 pm
I agree with your Mother on this one. Move back to Ottawa, or even Kingston for that matter!
MoneyEnergy Said,
May 23, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
Nah, I travelled through Europe recently and have to say Toronto is still one of my favourite cities. So much character. Canadians are too hard on it. We should be proud. Of course there are things to improve about it, but like James Mann says, Toronto ROCKS. If we want to pick on a Canadian city, it should be Windsor:)
Gerard Said,
June 19, 2008 @ 5:51 pm
Toronto is my favorite city! Its also where I live Haha.
But there’s one thing that annoys me: The Old city hall is looks better than the New city hall. Just because the new one is tall and circular!
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