Toronto: Love it or hate it?

[tomahawk6]

I liked a bar & grill called the Monkey Bar.Good food.

 

[my72jeep]

As a charter bus driver Toronto is horrible, every year there are less and less spots to park a bus downtown. Then when you find a "bus parking spot" it's been rented to a movie crew or construction crew. I was ticketed this June $250 for stoping to pick kids up at the Victoria resedince during morning rush hour. I spent more time getting the ticket from the bike cop then I did loading the 22 kids.

 

[Old Sweat]

One advantage of Toronto is that there are no hassles getting playoff tickets in April-May.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

One advantage of Toronto is that there are no hassles getting playoff tickets in April-May.

Trying to get a golf club membership is very challenging though  >

 

[tomahawk6]

Would Islington work for you ? They have a join now and play 2015 for free.

http://islingtongolfclub.com/Membership.aspx

 

[mariomike]

Other than pandering, there is no valid reason to provide fire/police/EMS with enhanced pension benefits.  The uncontrollable spiral of pay & benefits for emergency services is nearing a tipping point for many communities.

I didn't reply because we already have "Topic: Civilians complaining about Police/Emergency Services' Pay"  5 pages.

But, since this topic is about Toronto, in my ( admittedly biased ) opinion, I believe - because of the Call Volume - that Toronto's emergency services earn their  pensions.

For example:

Metro Police dispatched 902,355 calls in 2010.

Toronto Fire Station 332 responds to over 5,000 calls a year. It serves the CN Tower, Air Canada Centre and the Skydome, not to mention scores of downtown condos, the theatres, restaurants and bars.

Toronto Paramedic Service is only funded for the city's residential population. One-third of Canada's population is located within a 100 mile radius of Toronto. One-half of the population of the United States is within a 1 day's drive of Toronto. It is Canada's #1 tourist destination. It is Canada's gateway to the international marketplace with accessibility via highways, air, rail and urban transit.
As non-residents of the city, these out of town residents are not included in the funding. But, all come into the city expecting the same emergency response time and level of service as its residents.
Between 2005 and 2011, Toronto Paramedic call volume increased 36 per cent. During that same period, the department saw only a one per cent increase in staff.

 

[s2184]

I used to live in GTA for 14 years, then moved to Hamilton & lived there for a year.

Differences?

I found better employment opportunities in Hamilton. There are so many other opportunities in Hamilton in terms of money/finance/personal development, and so on.

But, I am coming back to GTA. 

Reason?

I need people around me in  my life. After you grow little bigger you want to go back, and hug the people who are there with you from the beginning.  ;D

I would strongly suggest Hamilton to new immigrants, and students (especially new graduates). I regret not to move to Hamilton long time ago. 

 

[Old Sweat]

Would Islington work for you ? They have a join now and play 2015 for free.

http://islingtongolfclub.com/Membership.aspx

We'll excuse you for missing the irony. Drew was making the point that the Maple Leafs spend the playoffs on the golf course.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I need people around me in  my life. After you grow little bigger you want to go back, and hug the people who are there with you from the beginning.  ;D

Now THAT tends to be true, no matter where you come from.

 

[dimsum]

We'll excuse you for missing the irony. Drew was making the point that the Maple Leafs spend the playoffs on the golf course.

I thought he got it, and sarcastically tried to extend the joke  :nod:

 

[mariomike]

I guess it really is 2016. 

They just killed a 40-year tradition in this town. They say it's in bad taste for this day and age. No doubt the Pride parade will go on as per usual.

CHIN cancels its long-running bikini pageant
http://www.citynews.ca/2016/06/07/bikini-contests-wont-be-part-of-chins-50th-anniversary-picnic/

Mayor Ford must be spinning in his grave.

 

[QM]

Just remember that people in New York look down their noses at Toronto - small, bland, nothing to do, provincial. Just like people from Paris look down on New Yorkers. Just like people from Moscow look down on Parisians. Just like people from Hong Kong look down on Muscovites. etc.

 

[cupper]

Just remember that people in New York look down their noses at Toronto - small, bland, nothing to do, provincial. Just like people from Paris look down on New Yorkers. Just like people from Moscow look down on Parisians. Just like people from Hong Kong look down on Muscovites. etc.

Yeah, but TO has it's own special problem. Every city in Canada looks down their noses at Toronto.  ;D

 

[mariomike]

Every city in Canada looks down their noses at Toronto.  ;D

But as our emergency planners used to tell us, "Approximately ten million Canadians - one third of Canada's population - live within a 160-km (100-mile) radius of Toronto."  ;D

 

[cupper]

But as our emergency planners used to tell us, "Approximately ten million Canadians - one third of Canada's population - live within a 160-km (100-mile) radius of Toronto."  ;D

But we no longer have the Cold War and the nuclear threat, so no need for you to live in fear.  [

 

[cavalryman]

But as our emergency planners used to tell us, "Approximately ten million Canadians - one third of Canada's population - live within a 160-km (100-mile) radius of Toronto."  ;D

Which would explain PM Trudeau and Premier Wynne.  I think I like it better when those voters had to live in fear  [Xp

 

[mariomike]

Incidentally for anyone above that has/had the attitude that Torontonians feel that they are the centre of the universe; well we sure had the attitude back in the 1960s that everything that mattered in the world was situated south of the 401. Not really sure if that has changed any.

:cheers:

Probably not much,

"I found it interesting that those fire fighters with many years experience with a full-time fire department elsewhere were willing to leave to pursue there ( sic ) “dreams” as they put it and work for Toronto Fire. It made me feel a little bit special that I have been a part of an organization that others envy and want to be a part of as well."
https://www.torontofirefighters.org/wp-content/uploads/firewatch/Spring2009.pdf

 

[CBH99]

Born & raised southern Alberta. 

Fairly multi-cultural.  I didn't learn French though...and none of my friends from BC or Sask did either.  When people from Ontario learn that, they seem to be surprised.

I'm biased, just because of where I grew up & what is familiar to me.  West is Best.         


I've never really "experienced" Toronto.  My only experience is landing at Pearson & driving down the 401 in what always, always appears to be a post-apocalyptic scene.  Every single time we land & drive to my grandmothers house, its always cloudy, smoggy, and those condo buildings NEVER END....LIKE EVER.  You can drive & drive & drive, and the buildings JUST KEEP COMING 

 

[dimsum]

Born & raised southern Alberta. 

Fairly multi-cultural.  I didn't learn French though...and none of my friends from BC or Sask did either.  When people from Ontario learn that, they seem to be surprised.

I'm biased, just because of where I grew up & what is familiar to me.  West is Best.         


I've never really "experienced" Toronto.  My only experience is landing at Pearson & driving down the 401 in what always, always appears to be a post-apocalyptic scene.  Every single time we land & drive to my grandmothers house, its always cloudy, smoggy, and those condo buildings NEVER END....LIKE EVER.  You can drive & drive & drive, and the buildings JUST KEEP COMING 

I'm born and raised in TO, but now live in Vancouver Island.  When I visit home, it's for the multicultural food, languages and cultural life.  If my family and some of my close friends weren't there, I wouldn't visit at all.

 

[FSTO]

Born & raised southern Alberta. 

Fairly multi-cultural.  I didn't learn French though...and none of my friends from BC or Sask did either.  When people from Ontario learn that, they seem to be surprised.

I'm biased, just because of where I grew up & what is familiar to me.  West is Best.         


I've never really "experienced" Toronto.  My only experience is landing at Pearson & driving down the 401 in what always, always appears to be a post-apocalyptic scene.  Every single time we land & drive to my grandmothers house, its always cloudy, smoggy, and those condo buildings NEVER END....LIKE EVER.  You can drive & drive & drive, and the buildings JUST KEEP COMING 

Like you, I'm from the west, love the west, love big sky, open spaces and few people. Now living in Ottawa and the project I'm on I've been to Toronto a few times now. I cannot imagine living in the burbs and having to drive anywhere for work in that place, wow!

Great place to visit, cannot imagine any reason that I would live there though.