drone
Active Member
I hope Mr. Vaughn succeeds in his efforts.
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Death of Clubland (aka: Is Adam Vaughan trying to kill the Club District?)
- Thread starter unimaginative2
- Start date
Automation Gallery
Superstar
gristle
Senior Member
Neighbourhoods change. It's only a matter of time before the so-called "club district" is altered by the continuing arrival of more condos and the businesses that cater to the people who live in them.
Some clubs will go on of course, but it will be the ones where the owner understands who the cliental is - and who can adapt to changing tastes - that will survive. As the overall number of clubs drops off, many of the problems related to such a concentration will inevitably be reduced.
Some clubs will go on of course, but it will be the ones where the owner understands who the cliental is - and who can adapt to changing tastes - that will survive. As the overall number of clubs drops off, many of the problems related to such a concentration will inevitably be reduced.
Towered
Senior Member
Unfortunately, that is so true. When Circa opened I was genuinely confused about Gatien's business strategy - opening a Walmart-sized club catering to artsy, cool, alternative crowds in the middle of Clubland? Promoting Randomland Fridays as a gay friendly club night, surrounded on all sides by the testosterone fuelled, intolerant frat boy/gino douchebag hordes?? I knew even back then the place had zero chance of lasting, and by the time he bailed and the new management sold out to the typical crowd barely a year later it was too late. What was he thinking? I'm guessing through sheer ego he believed he could single handedly inject the area with a bit of culture, but he sadly underestimated what a stubborn, resilient pest The Douchebag is.
To hell with these cavernous, hangar-sized clubs...they belong in the windswept wilds of suburbia surrounded by oceans of parking so that their typical patrons can happily drive 10 minutes and park their ridiculously cheesy souped up imports to participate in one giant circle jerk. And don't even get me started on the airheaded bimbos who are into these assholes.
gristle
Senior Member
You made me laugh out loud.
You're absolutely correct in my opinion. There's nothing worse than the mass meat-market venues.
drone
Active Member
Why...will that be good for the neighbourhood.
I hope that in the future,a club can open wherever it wants downtown, all things being equal, limiting clubs to one area is too restrictive and creates problems because it's oversaturated
taal
Senior Member
While I understand most of the resentment toward Vaughan one should give credit where it's due ... or at the very least appreciate his persistence / dedication.
For the most part, I agree with his end goal but not necessarily the methods he's using to achieve it.
Forgetting clubs altogether for a second. One needs to understand all Vaughan really wants is for more families to live in his riding ... a dense, urban, well served by transit riding, downtown riding. Something not common in most if not all North America cities ... families living 'downtown'. Toronto has been overly successful in attracting *people* to live downtown ... more so then almost all North American cities (the exceptions can be listed on one hand). But this does not imply families have been moving downtown. This is a nobel and very deriable goal.
To achieve this, however, he's going against what in his mind is one of the larger deterrents ... not clubs per say ... but what they attract at night, the noise, the crime, the garbage ... so on.
Again, his method of simply eliminating all clubs / pushing them out isn't the way to go, but the end goal is quite desirable some way or another. Also, looking at all of the 'current' downtown area - I do think this is one that families can be most attracted to. 'current' as the new waterfront area should be good as well.
For the most part, I agree with his end goal but not necessarily the methods he's using to achieve it.
Forgetting clubs altogether for a second. One needs to understand all Vaughan really wants is for more families to live in his riding ... a dense, urban, well served by transit riding, downtown riding. Something not common in most if not all North America cities ... families living 'downtown'. Toronto has been overly successful in attracting *people* to live downtown ... more so then almost all North American cities (the exceptions can be listed on one hand). But this does not imply families have been moving downtown. This is a nobel and very deriable goal.
To achieve this, however, he's going against what in his mind is one of the larger deterrents ... not clubs per say ... but what they attract at night, the noise, the crime, the garbage ... so on.
Again, his method of simply eliminating all clubs / pushing them out isn't the way to go, but the end goal is quite desirable some way or another. Also, looking at all of the 'current' downtown area - I do think this is one that families can be most attracted to. 'current' as the new waterfront area should be good as well.
adma
Superstar
Maybe what all of this highlights is how Gatien's idealism wound up being a relic of the 80s--something that died with Jean-Michel Basquiat, or something...
tkip
Active Member
Interesting....
If these clubs are full of bimbos and their douchbag, fratboy intolerant boyfriends now then all I can say is that this exactly the same type of behaviour I witnessed 20 yrs when I started clubbing. I think this is a mass generalization though of the typical clubber.
Young people are young people no matter where you go. They get together, party, drink too much, swear and dress and behave in ways that are usually shocking and then at some point....... people grow up and move on.
God, I can't count the number of girls I would make out with on the dance floor or the groping that occured on those friday nights.
But what pisses me off about Vaughan is that these clubs were here first, before the condos started moving in and no one in their right mind would willingly have moved their family to clubland knowing this was a district where people came to party.
So he's being a bully, chasing legit businesses out of a non-residential zone that specializes in this type of night entertainment and hopes to replace it with wholesome and quieter adults who will be home and in bed before midnight.
Sounds quite boring to me.....
If these clubs are full of bimbos and their douchbag, fratboy intolerant boyfriends now then all I can say is that this exactly the same type of behaviour I witnessed 20 yrs when I started clubbing. I think this is a mass generalization though of the typical clubber.
Young people are young people no matter where you go. They get together, party, drink too much, swear and dress and behave in ways that are usually shocking and then at some point....... people grow up and move on.
God, I can't count the number of girls I would make out with on the dance floor or the groping that occured on those friday nights.
But what pisses me off about Vaughan is that these clubs were here first, before the condos started moving in and no one in their right mind would willingly have moved their family to clubland knowing this was a district where people came to party.
So he's being a bully, chasing legit businesses out of a non-residential zone that specializes in this type of night entertainment and hopes to replace it with wholesome and quieter adults who will be home and in bed before midnight.
Sounds quite boring to me.....
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BobBob
Senior Member
However, this isn't just any zone: it's the biggest chunk of west downtown, one of our most central areas with tons of untapped potential (already evidenced by interest in aforementioned condos, including luxury ones like Shangri-La). It can do so much better than being a public vomitorium, and that would be good not just for that area, but the city as a whole.
gristle
Senior Member
The area has been slated for residential development for over a decade. And as for "clubland" there is no such a designation. There is the Entertainment District, but that is far more than clubs.
Why shouldn't there be families living downtown?
tkip
Active Member
My two cents....
Is that I remember those clubs being there 15 yrs ago and there were no condos yet. Now condos are going up in the same area and supposedly a war is being waged with Vaughan being the champion for the cause.
I still say that if you move into a area known for late night entertainment where tens of thousands of people descend upon every night, then you have to accept this reality or move elsewhere.
If you don't mind and have no problem raising kids in this kind of area then fine. I still think Vaughan has a dislike for night clubs and just wants them gone. I don't buy for a minute that he's trying to bring balance to the area. He wants the clubs gone, period and replaced with well behaved citizens.
Is that I remember those clubs being there 15 yrs ago and there were no condos yet. Now condos are going up in the same area and supposedly a war is being waged with Vaughan being the champion for the cause.
I still say that if you move into a area known for late night entertainment where tens of thousands of people descend upon every night, then you have to accept this reality or move elsewhere.
If you don't mind and have no problem raising kids in this kind of area then fine. I still think Vaughan has a dislike for night clubs and just wants them gone. I don't buy for a minute that he's trying to bring balance to the area. He wants the clubs gone, period and replaced with well behaved citizens.
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
I know. It's why I prefer to party in fields and under bridges. No risk of attachment to a particular venue only to see it shut down or be over-run by pirates. That, and the number of douches is restricted to the number of cokeheads present.
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adma
Superstar
But how long has it been "known" for said entertainment? Not terribly long; and certainly not so long that it needs to be (or requires being) engrained as such, in its present form, permanently...
urbandreamer
recession proof
The club district has really just moved another (big) city block west--to around Queen and Dufferin/WQW/Ossington area and into Parkdale. Condos are only starting to go up there (WQW), meaning the area still has another 10 years left before the area is fully gentrified--meaning the bars will move elsewhere--St Clair and Weston Rd area would be a good area for them, or perhaps even jump to New Toronto/Mimico areas?
It's just a natural evolution of the city and the club scene--from Yonge St, to Spadina, Bathurst, Dufferin, etc...
It's just a natural evolution of the city and the club scene--from Yonge St, to Spadina, Bathurst, Dufferin, etc...