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S U B U R B I A !

It's not the sameness of suburbia that bothers me, it's that you have to take your pickup truck onto the highway to go anyway.

There's plenty of sameness in old urban neighbourhoods.
 
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These pictures are great!

You have really captured everything about Suburbia that I hate, understand and live in. Those photos of Hamilton's 'burbs are a spectacular insight into the mentality and lifestyle of suburbia.

If you want the exact definition of the term "suburbia", drive 20 mins. east on the QEW to where I live - Oakville. This "town" is nothing but the cookie-cutter houses and big box stores littered throughout your pictures.

However, unlike Hamiltoin, in Oakville there is no real downtown, business districts or anything except a mall, big houses, nice cars and Toronto-based pay cheques.
 
I would agree; Oakville has a mainstreet that is quite attractive and busy.
 
I don't deny that Oakville has a nice downtown - my place is actually only a one minute walk away from its quaint shops, restaurants and specialty stores. I just don't see Oakville as land of opportunities for a 20-year old like myself. If I had a wife, two kids, a small dog and some money it may be more appealing. However, at the moment I'm not into the Suburbian Scene it exemplifies. And IMO Oakville is suburbia to the extreme - even ifit does have a nice, small downtown.
 
MG22 said:
I just don't see Oakville as land of opportunities for a 20-year old like myself.
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You're right about that, I think the others were commenting on the built form of old Oakville, not the experience or lifestyle, which is certainly upper middle class suburbia.
 
Streetsville, the Good and the Bad

Streetsville is an example of what it could be like, and what went wrong.
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The village of Streetsville has street front stores with sidewalks and street parking in the older part of the town. The even have their own Santa Claus parade.

But just to the north is an asphalt desert of a shopping centre. They could have expanded the downtown northward and create a town square with low-rise buildings surrounding a meeting place.
No, they just made a parking lot where one has to use the car to get to. Why weren't the stores placed beside Queen Street South, with the car parking behind out of sight.

It is interesting that when they advertise downtown Streetville, they show the older part of town, and avoid showing the (un)improved newer part.
 
MG22 said:
I don't deny that Oakville has a nice downtown - my place is actually only a one minute walk away from its quaint shops, restaurants and specialty stores. I just don't see Oakville as land of opportunities for a 20-year old like myself. If I had a wife, two kids, a small dog and some money it may be more appealing. However, at the moment I'm not into the Suburbian Scene it exemplifies. And IMO Oakville is suburbia to the extreme - even ifit does have a nice, small downtown.
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All I can say is try to see the bright side of things. You've got reliable train service to downtown Toronto, one of the best downtowns in the GTA with a selection of restaurants and coffee shops, and access to the lake.

You might not be in Toronto or even Hamilton, but you're in one of the best places to be outside of those cities. At least you didn't have to grow up in a hamlet of 200 people where you literally need a car to get anywhere.
 
MG22 said:
I don't deny that Oakville has a nice downtown - my place is actually only a one minute walk away from its quaint shops, restaurants and specialty stores. I just don't see Oakville as land of opportunities for a 20-year old like myself. If I had a wife, two kids, a small dog and some money it may be more appealing. However, at the moment I'm not into the Suburbian Scene it exemplifies. And IMO Oakville is suburbia to the extreme - even ifit does have a nice, small downtown.
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Though Oakville in recent years has been more aggressive than most in pursuing the New Urbanist approach to suburban planning--note the street patterns around Dundas & Trafalgar, f'rinstance.

Also highlights the failings of New Urbanism as a superficially-applied model, if we go by the comments in this thread...
 
Mustapha said:
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"I'm gonna get me a NICE house, with BIG-GGG windows!! They're gonna be OVERSIZE windows. It's gonna look like a CHATEAU inside!!!! I'm gonna get me a BIG ASS cool truck!!!. It's BLACK, with TINT!!!! Fack man, ... it's the DARTH VADER of trucks!! It's gonna TOWER over the other vehicles!!! I will LOOK SO COOL getting out of it and strolling through the Air Canada Centre parking lot to see a Leaf game. I'm wearin' my official Leafs jacket man; it's got the felt body and white LEATHER sleeves; FEEL IT man; I'm LOOKING GREAT in this jacket!!! I'm guessing that DARCY TUCKER probably owns a truck and jacket JUST LIKE MINE!!! The Friendly Divorcee across the street from my chateau will dig this truck!! She's always smilin' at me. I KNOW it's the WHEELS, man!! If I could loose 80 pounds and firm up a bit I bet I could stand a chance with her; know what I mean; but the job at Mississauga Tool and Die has just been crazy and I haven't had time to work out; know what I mean, and I got to put in overtime to pay for this house, ya' know?? BUT, FACK MAN!!! I have ARRIVED!! I am LIVING THE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS LIFE!!!!:)
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