Thesis

[nana]

Hello
I'm doing my thesis this year about the "Raw" Side of Toronto. I wanted to design a travel guide that expresses both positive and negative aspects of Toronto to visitors and residents. I really appreciate it if you could share your experiences in Toronto for me so I can design something that possibly will change the perception of Toronto for visitors and residents, any recommendation? thank you very much!

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Why would you want to include negative aspects of Toronto in a travel guide?

 

[nana]

I am planning to design something for visitors and newcomers to Toronto so they may experience the city like insiders do. I want to reveal the “Raw” Toronto, the parts of the city few of us have seen. My thesis exposes both positive and negative aspects of Toronto to visitors and residents. We all have seen obvious postcards of Toronto that show the CN tower, Casa Loma, City Hall and more. I want to go deeper into the Toronto and showcase unique visual places, objects and spaces that possibly will change the perception of Toronto for visitors. I'm not 100% sure about the travel guide maybe at the end I will just design a book about real Toronto.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

How about something like "Inside Toronto", or "Deep Inside Toronto" which could touch on the usual suspects but delve a little deeper into areas where the average Torontonian or visitor doesn't know much about, nor may never have been. Areas like the Distillery District, the multitude of ethnic neighbourhoods, most of which are easily accessible from downtown via TTC where visitors are likely lodging, the Don Valley Brickworks, Forest Hill Village, Queen West West, Cabbagetown, Harbord Village etc. Just an idea!

 

[Calrissian]

How about something like "Inside Toronto", or "Deep Inside Toronto" which could touch on the usual suspects but delve a little deeper into areas where the average Torontonian or visitor doesn't know much about, nor may never have been. Areas like the Distillery District, the multitude of ethnic neighbourhoods, most of which are easily accessible from downtown via TTC where visitors are likely lodging, the Don Valley Brickworks, Forest Hill Village, Queen West West, Cabbagetown, Harbord Village etc. Just an idea!

The Time Out city guides usually don't hold back any of the negative aspects (to a certain degree) without sugar coating anything... in fact, they often like to ramble off the main attractions that citites are known for first, just to get them out of the way and then say, "now, here's the real city.." and then go into what I think Nana, you are trying to do.. Time Out Toronto, talks about how sprawl here now rivals LA, that transit isn't what it used to be, and that the waterfront has been wasted.. and also identifes the citizens as insecure about city status, etc "are we world class enough?"

And this isn't isolated to Toronto, all of them try to tell it like it is, written by locals...eg:the one for Beijing tell you to avoid the certain tourist traps (like alot of the great wall that most books highlight).. you should take a look at them, read their introductions and get an idea of what they call out.

I know that's not what you're asking for here, but could be something you had in mind and is already done?

 

[nana]

Thank you so much dt_toronto_geek! I will definitely visit these places, these are awesome I never heard of cabbagetown and forest hill village.
Thanks for your comment Calrissian, I went to chapters the other day and looked at all of Toronto's travel guides, they all looked the same with only mentioning the major attractions, I will definitely check times out too, but I'm more aiming to deign a "word of mouth" kind of travel guide which actually people from Toronto talk about their experiences. maybe I shouldn't call my project a travel guide maybe a book about real people in Toronto, do u have any recommendation? I really want to design something unique so I would really appreciate it if you could share your ideas with me,

 

[jn_12]

I think what you're looking to do has kind of been done, as Carlrissian pointed out with the Time Out books. Perhaps your best avenue to take is to interview people and ask them what they would do if they could take people around for a day doing the things they thought were interesting (not the things they think the tourist would necessarily want to see as a tourist). Then map it or put it in a format that makes it easy for people to explore.

Not sure what you're doing your degree in, but my Masters thesis was an examination of British tourism/heritage policy and how Toronto/Ontario could learn from the Brits using our religious sites as an example. Considering their historical, spiritual, architectural and artistic significance they're untapped assets that I think would contribute to what I like to call "the Toronto Story". Currently, we don't do a good job at all of telling Toronto's story. You'd be hard pressed to find reference to Toronto's past while strolling throughout the city and in comparison to many cities of our stature it's a shame. The fact is that our history is a huge part of differentiating one place from the next and we've decided to ignore that and instead promote the world's biggest tower and cultural sites (like the ROM) that sell world culture/history rather than local culture/history. Religious sites are completely off the radar here so I would argue they would be worthy of inclusion

I'll also add that I have a lot of tourism experience... worked in tourism in Niagara Falls, worked for Porter, worked in policy with the Ministry of Tourism and also for the city's tourism department as a researcher and on the team that works inside the InfoToGo tourist information truck so I have a pretty good understanding of our tourism sector and what tourists are looking for when they come here. If there's anything I can help you with, please let me know (feel free to PM me).

 

[Electrify]

If possible, explore Toronto by car, including the downtown. Earlier this year I was a delivery driver in the Vaughan area, and for a couple of days I worked out of the downtown office. The first day I was doing deliveries along the Yonge corridor between Bloor and Eglinton, and it is amazing how much you miss being underground. Second day I was doing deliveries in the west end of downtown (Liberty Village, Queen West, Parkdale), and it is amazing the contrast. While the north is filled with rich homes, newer buildings, and appears much cleaner, the west end has older buildings and far more graffiti (Liberty Village is an exception, as it is undergoing a revival).

Also by car, you can cover far more parts of the city quicker. Plus expand into the GTA.

 

[Torontovibe]

I am planning to design something for visitors and newcomers to Toronto so they may experience the city like insiders do. I want to reveal the “Raw” Toronto, the parts of the city few of us have seen. My thesis exposes both positive and negative aspects of Toronto to visitors and residents. We all have seen obvious postcards of Toronto that show the CN tower, Casa Loma, City Hall and more. I want to go deeper into the Toronto and showcase unique visual places, objects and spaces that possibly will change the perception of Toronto for visitors. I'm not 100% sure about the travel guide maybe at the end I will just design a book about real Toronto.

I wish all travel guides were like that. I'm tired of reading guides that are all about how great a place is. Then you get there and realize it's nothing like you expected. (Miami/Fort Lauderdale) I want to hear about the good and bad.

 

[nana]

Thanks Toronto Vibe for your comment, let me know if you had any bad/good experinces in Toronto, I would love to include them in my travel guide.

 

[nana]

Thank you so much jn_12 for your helpful comment. I showed your comment to my instructor today and he loved your idea and told me to go more into this direction. I would really appreciate it if I could ask you few short questions later. I really want to include them in my book and I will definitely send you the final result at the end. Thank you very much again for your comment.

 

[nana]

Thank you very much Electrify for your comment and sharing your experience with me. I will definitely talk about the contrast in Toronto in my book.

 

[TwoDogs_39]

Jane-Finch...lol

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Also consider taking Bruce Bell's tours, much information can be gleamed from his vast knowledge of old Toronto.

http://www.brucebelltours.ca/

 

[Observer Walt]

Jane-Finch...lol

"lol" aside, why not? And Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, and other areas which have a high concentration of low-income, often "ethnic" persons trying to make their way in challenging circumstances.

I'm a bit surprised at your statement that you have not heard of Cabbagetown. I have to assume that you live outside Toronto. I think your best bet is to spend time in the city, just roaming around and becoming familiar with it.

Edit: Parkdale, a changing area of contrasts if there ever was one, but you would want to give some historic perspective. Perhaps "Little India" on Gerrard Street East.