Death of Clubland (aka: Is Adam Vaughan trying to kill the Club District?)

[adma]

Here is some info on this fellow.

As a member of City Council Vaughan sits on the Planning and Growth Management Committee, Affordable Housing Action Committee, The Toronto Arts Council, The Art Gallery of Ontario Commission, Artscape Board, The Board of Trustees for the Art Gallery of Ontario, The Layman's Council, The Heritage Board, The Harbourfront Centre Board, The Water Board, and The Library Board. The first term councillor is also the Vice Chair of The Toronto and East York Community Council. Additionally he sits on the city's Heritage Board, Preservation Board

How is that to be held against him?

 

[Hydrogen]

Looks like Vaughan's a pretty dedicated guy. Good for him.

I guess that upsets Automation Gallery who just prefers to see tall buildings put up unopposed in communities he doesn't live in.

 

[T.O.Fanatic]

As for "world class" nightlife, I'd suggest a closer look at some of these venues. "Class" is not a word that instantly comes to mind.

Of course! Anyone can see that many venues are seedy and are not an asset to our city. Again, No reason to shut down the law abiding venues. Mr Vaughan had unfairly labled every dance club as a haven for crime.

 

[Hydrogen]

The venues that follow the law are not being shut down, are they? You'd be surprised how tough it is to close a club.

 

[T.O.Fanatic]

No they arent, as far as I can tell. Only the dirty/shady venues are closing at this point, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Usually the more upscale clubs have better security and a dress code, which makes it safer in general. Perhaps the city could impose a mandatory dress code.......it's hard to smuggle weapons in if you can't wear excessiively baggy clothing. The only problem with this is that it would force everyone to wear outfits from Urban Behaviour etc, thus making clubbing VERY expensive.

 

[unimaginative2]

Who changed the title of the thread?

 

[Mike in TO]

I believe so.What i dont understand is why Adam Vaughan is promoting new development in this area to bring in families,then when these condo proposols are summited to the city he is the first to to start a resistance and reject most plans. I figure this guy dont like clubs or tall buildings.

Not sure what the point you are trying to make is as the actual situation is essentially the opposite of what you've suggested... Mr. Vaughan is actually working very closely with the development community in the area. His strategy is very clear, he's trying to get more development in the area as a method of eliminating the clubs. Developers are getting a bit of an easier ride from Mr. Vaughan in situations where proposals would result in a tear-down of a club and the added residential density is often at odds with existing land-use patterns, which over time will increase pressure to further transform the community away from the larger "super-clubs" to a more "mature" pattern of high-rise residential and more upscale restaurants and lounges. He has a clear strategy (anti-club/pro-development) and it will likely be successful over the long-term (whenever the market rebounds).

 

[Hydrogen]

I believe so.What i dont understand is why Adam Vaughan is promoting new development in this area to bring in families,then when these condo proposols are summited to the city he is the first to to start a resistance and reject most plans. I figure this guy dont like clubs or tall buildings.

Automation Gallery is fixated on two items: tall buildings and clubs. That prevents him from understanding (or wanting to understand) what is happening in the area, and the approach that Vaughan is taking.

The councillor wants to attract families to living in his ward and to living in the downtown. To that end, he has worked closely with developers to include more units appropriate for families. More children in the area will mean that schools won't have to be closed, as a number of schools in the area are already underpopulated. Vaughan would also like to see a more diverse range of retail and services attracted to the Entertainment District and adjacent neighbourhoods. He has been working with developers and local residents to bring in appropriate development to the area. So it's hard to see what is wrong with this approach.

Some clubbers like Automation Gallery are upset because they perceive that their exclusive spot is somehow being taken away from them. However, the district was never an exclusive club district to begin with. If anything, the problems generated by so many large clubs in such a confined area have overshadowed the fact that this is a downtown neighbourhood right next to the financial districts, and that it is essential that it be developed in a way so as to be to be both vibrant and diverse in terms of the qualities that it will offer to the city.

All Automation Gallery has to do is to show up on a Friday afternoon at the end of the month for Vaughan's constituency meeting and ask him what he doing for the area. That will help him to be more informed and to understand the efforts of one of the city's better councillors.

 

[JasonParis]

Who changed the title of the thread?

Not sure. What did it used to be?

 

[ShonTron]

It used to be "Adam Vaughan Trying to Kill Club District". I didn't change it, but I prefer the current title myself, as it is a matter of opinion than fact, even though I kind of agree with unimaginative's rant.

 

[T.O.Fanatic]

All Automation Gallery has to do is to show up on a Friday afternoon at the end of the month for Vaughan's constituency meeting and ask him what he doing for the area. That will help him to be more informed and to understand the efforts of one of the city's better councillors.

I went to one, and he simply brushed off my complaints, basically telling me that since I go to clubs, I am somehow undesirable or a criminal. Very undemocratic behaviour.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Automation Gallery is fixated on two items: tall buildings and clubs. That prevents him from understanding (or wanting to understand) what is happening in the area, and the approach that Vaughan is taking.

Some clubbers like Automation Gallery are upset because they perceive that their exclusive spot is somehow being taken away from them. .

Hey i can groove with dance music but I am a little older than that,my hang outs like Larrys Hideaway,Piccadilly Tube and the Gasworks are all gone and the days of listening to Led Zepplin and Deep Purple is a thing of the past.But one thing with this city is that when certain miserable politicians dont like something they get rid of it,for example the hippies out of Yorkville the punks
out of Kensington Market the rockers out of Yonge street and now the clubbers out of the Entertainment district.
And yes i do like tall buildings but i also like heritage old buildings and i also
dont think its fair that certain forumers are always critizing me for speaking my mind.

 

[Hydrogen]

I went to one, and he simply brushed off my complaints, basically telling me that since I go to clubs, I am somehow undesirable or a criminal. Very undemocratic behaviour.

Sure you did. Funny thing is that I've received a different answer from Vaughan than you have. Nope, he does not like the tons of nightclubs in the area, but then neither do many of the residents. Vaughan does want to see the area become an engaging and diverse neighbourhood, with a wide range of amenities. He also wants to see more families call downtown home. I guess to the fixated clubber, that can only be seen as a threat.

I also live at Eglinton and Bathurst, and so am not a suburbanite at all. I go to university (York to be specific)

So you don't live in the district in question, but you want your opinion to matter so much more than the people who do live in the area.

The idea that vocal opponents of Vaughan so want to remove him from office on the basis of his effort to reduce the excessive number of clubs in a downtown neighbourhood strikes me as a very limited point of view.

 

[Hydrogen]

And yes i do like tall buildings but i also like heritage old buildings and i also
dont think its fair that certain forumers are always critizing me for speaking my mind.

That's actually funny. So you only you get to criticize others, but no one should be allowed to criticize your opinions.

 

[T.O.Fanatic]

Very caustic post Hydrogen! No I don't think he should be removed from office, he was elected fairly, and there he will stay until the next election. As well, I do believe that there are an excessive amount of clubs in one or two blocks in that district. However, what I've never heard from Vaughan is a promise he will not try and have them ALL shut down. That is my major issue.