AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
From Spacing Wire:
http://spacing.ca/wire/2008/07/16/toronto-from-a-san-franciscans-perspective/#more-3374
AoD
http://spacing.ca/wire/2008/07/16/toronto-from-a-san-franciscans-perspective/#more-3374
AoD
I think a lot of us get spoiled in Toronto, particularly if we were raised here. We tend to have a world-city mentality, and compare ourselves to the NYC/London/Paris's of the world, and that's not really fair. I'm just as guilty of this as anybody. Something that I love about Toronto is that unlike the places mentioned above, it is far easier to afford to actually live in the city (Old Toronto). Try finding a studio apartment in manhattan, or London or Paris for under $1500/month.
Toronto isn't perfect, but it's still a great city. Try going downtown on a weekend in the summer and not stumblign on the (insert occasion here) festival. We have a portion of the city for just about every ethnic group under the sun, and the second highest proportion of foreign-born residents in North America after Miami, as well as the the largest streetcar network (by far). By Canadian standards Toronto has a low crime rate, and by American or world standards it's even lower.
Having visited these so-called world class cities, I was a little disheartened by the fact they were so huge and lively 24/7, with their massive transportation systems included. My attitude changed a little after having visited the Winnipeg/Seattle/Calgary's of the world, where the permament downtown population is about the same as Cityplace once it's complete.
I've walked the streets at night in L.A., Chicago and New York
You walked through Compton, the south side of Chicago or the south Bronx at night and didn't feel scared? Try walking in those areas and then tell me Jane Finch is scary at night.
If anyone thinks Toronto's suburbs, or any parts of the city, really, are scary, they haven't done much travelling.
That's my point: downtown Manhattan, downtown Chicago, downtown Toronto are safe. It's the suburbs that are becoming scary.