Walmart shouldn't exist at all, let alone in an area where it will undermine countless nearby independent stores. Walmart cheapness comes from horribly exploitative labour—not only of the sweatshops across the world that make their products, but of the assiduous obstruction of their own employees' unionization, in light of their terrible wages—and they should be driven off the planet, let alone prevented from going in next to Kensington. Why is RioCan such an insidious promotor of Walmart? Can't they profit off of less destructive urban forms, like some rental apartments with small stores underneath? Is Walmart their only option? Such an obnoxious proposal it's ridiculous.
There are a couple of major issues, in my opinion around this proposal, and which have been loosely addressed in the discussion. These are independent questions and can't simply be looped together because of an irrational hatred of big box retail and or wal mart.
1) Will WalMart destroy kensington market? I would argue that this thought train is ludicrous. Even if Wal Mart has gone down the value chain into fresh produce - the type of produce t
Again - Kensington is now known for: used furniture, vintage clothes, organic groceries and unique restaurants. I suspect the clientele would be completely different. One doesn't go to Kensington to pick up a two-four of toilet paper.
2) Do we want big box retail downtown?
I don't understand the fear of big box retail downtown? New York has chased out Wal Mart for arcane reasons, yet - New York is happy to welcome a 300,000 square foot Nordstrom. Besides price-point - what's the difference? Both are large, corporate retail establishments that can easily control supply of product to squash local businesses. New York has HUGE department stores and yet independent retail thrives? My concern with a lot of animosity to Wal Mart is an almost classist reaction. Wal Mart is for poor people who buy their cheap crap. We don't want Wal Mart downtown.
3) Is this proposal, as designed, urban? Does it meet the street in an urban way?
We haven't seen the latest design so who really knows? I think what RioCan did on Queen Street to be a fairly decent and urbane structure. THe condo tower is ugly as f-cuk, but the retail structure meets the street in a fairly successful way. Its created a space for large format retail while staying true to Queen Street's smaller format street level retail format. If anyone
As Toronto grows - and ads population downtown - the fact that Wal mart wants to invest in our city is a sign of growth and dynamism. Chasing out a chain store simply because we don't want a chain store and want to protect local businesses does not make a successful city. The stretch of Bathurst that RioCan has proposed to build on... is to be totally frank, a wasteland. I welcome retail development on a central artery that is well serviced by a streetcar. Again - if you remove the chicken little Wal Mart will ruin Kensington argument (debunked above) and the proposal meets the street - I can't see why anyone would hate this proposal? In fact - it could support the market, by keeping large format retail on major arteries and letting smaller format retail maintain a presence in the market.
Which brings us to the last question:
4) Is Wal Mart a shitty company with horrible labour practices that deserves to be run off the earth?
I mean really... this is a loaded question that, in my mind, has no baring to our opinion of supporting large-format retail to establish stores in downtown Toronto.
As Toronto grows up it needs large format retail to survive and feed its population. This proposal, may not be perfect, but it is an attempt by a corporation to invest and meet the needs of our growing downtown population.
For Toronto to continue to grow - it needs to grow up. BOth literally and figuratively.
