Independent Restaurants as a Sign of a Growing Local Economy

On July 23, 2016 I got to host a small but intimate group of Instagrammers from Toronto on a tour of downtown Hamilton in search for some amazing local food. It was my first time hosting an Instagram event and was fun. With a combined total of almost 5,000 followers it was a great way to spread the word about Hamilton's fast growing independent restaurant industry. Which got me thinking about how the local food scene really started here. It wasn't long ago when the city was considered the "armpit" of Ontario with the numerous steel mills and chemical plants belching out tonnes of emissions into the atmosphere. But now most of that are gone leaving the city the ability to finally fulfill its destiny with a more diverse economy. 

Hamilton, especially in the lower city, is blessed yet cursed from a food problem. It has very few food stores that sells fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. However, it has a lot of fast food joints selling stuff that really cannot be consumed on a daily basis. I am not exactly sure when the local restaurant scene really started to explode, but there was certainly a few factors.

Firstly, Hamilton can be regarded as a "black hole" of franchised establishments. Other than Tim Hortons (which had its first store here) there literally had no large and well known restaurant chains in downtown Hamilton. If you wanted to eat at Milestones, Kelsey's, Boston Pizza, and other restaurants, you would have to go to the suburbs like Ancaster and Stoney Creek. So without the fierce competition from the big chains, the local restaurant scene was able to slowly foster their skills in the kitchen and the business.

Secondly, with the changing local economy from a manufacturing to service one, Hamilton has shifted gears and start opening their own business. With some skills holding a butcher knife and some sense of balancing the books, many started opening up not only restaurants, but other retail stores too. Eventually, dowdy streets like James Street North, Dundurn Street, Locke Street, and Barton Street are being revitalized in some fashion. People don't wait for the next Stelco to open. With some assistance from various levels of government, they opened their own shops. They ain't wealthy but it creates a sense of self worth and community. 

This growth in the local restaurant industry continues to expand in some of the established commercial streets, but over the next several years it will expand elsewhere as new entrepreneurs look for cheaper rent. Before you know it, I'll be doing more foodie tours and explore more places to eat in Hamilton.

Success of a Suburban Downtown

The Greater Toronto Area is generally identified as a polycentric urban area with a central core and smaller suburban downtowns. Downtowns in Oshawa, Hamilton, and Burlington were created within the urban fabric over time much like Downtown Toronto. Others such as Mississauga, Vaughan, and Markham have been artificially created on greenfield sites. The success of suburban downtowns are very subjective and each are successful in their own ways. In this article it is opinionated that one of the most successful greenfield downtowns is in Mississauga, which for decades have attracted office and residential towers prior to the recession of the 1990s, and today the thousands of new residents that make downtown Mississauga their home. There are a few reasons why downtown Mississauga is so successful:

• Square One: Most Torontonians have probably heard of this gigantic mall and may have even been to it. It is this mall that have made Mississauga the stereotype it is today; a suburban lifestyle unmatched anywhere. Little can be introduced about how it has shaped the downtown as a destination. True, without it, downtown Mississauga would not successful as it is now. Like other malls in the GTAH, Square One has seen a renaissance through numerous expansions to its building footprint, and increased its relevance with high class shopping. Where in the world can you have a Walmart and a Holt Renfrew in one mall? Probably nowhere. And even today, most visit downtown not to work or visit a resident, but to shop.
• Transit Hub: Mississauga's transit system is best described as a "spoke and hub" where the system's busiest bus routes end up at the MiWayBus Terminal located just north of Square One, and has been bursting at the seams for quite some time. Poor riders have no choice but to be forced to ride the bus to Square One only to transfer to another bus to the destination. Add to the madness, the Square One GO Bus Terminal is a short walking distance from the municipal bus terminal. With the new GO Bus Terminal building opened earlier in 2016, it will surely be well used as this is the second busiest bus terminal in the system after Union Station with 20,000 daily passengers. The synergies are incredible since the two bus terminals are essentially in the same location. Add to the large number of residents who have moved into the downtown area in recent years, you can only imagine the increase in ridership.
• Celebration Square: Located right in front of City Hall and atop an underground parking garage, this may be considered one of the most successful public squares in the 905 area. Built in 2011 as a result of the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF) by the Federal Government to spend out of the 2009 Great Recession for $40 million, the square has been a tad pricey but the result has been worth it. With events happening every weekend including ethnic celebrations and movie nights, this public square has been a place of activity. The City of Mississauga has a website devoted to a schedule of events (see link HERE). With a large television screen, it has broadcasted live the World Cup in 2014 and the Eurocup in 2016. This public square has no doubt brought people together and created friendships and a close-knit community. 
• Sheridan College: With its main campus in Oakville, Sheridan College in Fall 2014 opened its Mississauga located across the street from Square One. Taking up a city block, it has defined the area as a source of higher education. Although not as large as other university campuses, it still is home to thousands of students. With Phase II of the development set to open in Fall 2016, the campus will take up another block.This will no doubt contribute to the hustle of activity during the day when most residents have rush to work, contributing to the overall pedestrian activity of the area. 
• Condo Development: There has been a plethora of condominium development blossoming in the area since 2000, creating a new vertical community. There may be too much of a good thing, as now some roads are congested as they are unable to expand anymore while at the same hundreds move in every time a new building is registered. Furthermore, this condo boom has reduced the number of vacant land appropriate for office buildings. Sure the demand isn't there, but there still have to be important landmark locations for employment. But the benefits still outweigh the lost opportunities (at this time). The skyline is impressive with dozens of buildings over 30 storeys. Some landmarks such as the Marilyn Munroe towers, are now synonymous with Downtown Mississauga.

The success in Mississauga will not be the same in Vaughan, where they are realizing their dream of a corporate centre as the subway system will be extended there in the future. Or Markham, where they have been working with a prominent developer in seeing their dream turn to reality. But an inspiration it is to create a unique community that thousands call home.

Pokemon Go Increases Social Interaction?

Like millions of others who have been sucked into this whole Pokemon Go craze, I too have had the opportunity to experience the thrill of being a Pokemon trainer and catching those little creatures myself. But as I wander aimlessly around my home trying to look for Pokestops, I thought of something quite substantial. 

Video games have generally been known to contribute to a generation (or two) of sedentary children who would rather engage in first person shooting games or watch their favourite movie than go outside and play ball hockey. Although there have been a few video games that have encouraged active living, the vast majority requires the gamer to sit still and watch the screen. So when I wandered around my neighbourhood on one fine Sunday evening with my Pokemon Go on the phone screen, I was astonished to see dozens of young adults walking around. Most were centred around a community park that on a regular day saw the odd dog walker and children playing by the bronze sculpture. Granted, they were looking at their phone screens to see if any Pokemon would show up, but its a good first step nonetheless. The game, even in its infancy at the time of writing, has achieved the following benefits from an urban planning perspective:

• The game has forced the player to leave the house and walk around the neighbourhood and extend beyond that to the city. Without leaving the house you can't really go far with the game because you will run out of Pokeballs to catch wild Pokemons. Furthermore, your ability to battle is non-existent if you don't walk to a nearby gym.
• The game has allowed players to visit Pokestops, which are real life landmarks such as public art, historic buildings, gathering places, and memorial sites. For better or for worse, it has educated players on little tidbits of their city. 
• The game has allowed opportunities for complete strangers to interact with one another. Since everyone is playing the same game, people are comparing notes, tips and tricks, and showing off the Pokemon with the highest combat power or hit points. Over time, friendships emerge out of these social interactions. 
• The game, because it has forced so many people to leave the house and go for a walk, enforces the idea of "eyes on the street" where in certain areas there are so many people, that surveillance has increased safety and security. 

Whether these benefits have outweighed any costs as broadcasted over the media recently, time will tell whether this game will have any lasting effects on the population as a whole. Fad it might be now, so we might as well enjoy the sudden liveliness it has created in our communities.

Revamped!

I have been on this blog for many years, posting tidbits of my life. But as I contemplate what to do about this precious digital space for a few years, I have finally been able to find the inspiration and do a clean sweep of this site and start new. 

This site will be devoted to one of my passions, and that is urbanism. Sure anyone can be an urbanist. Wasn't Jane Jacob one? Or maybe Richard Florida? Or what about James Howard Kunstler? The most important link amongst all of the urbanists are their passion in making urban spaces better places for all. Whether its supporting the opening of a corner store in every neighbourhood, or building a new community that is walkable and organic. 

This site will be devoted to that very topic and through the lens of an urban planner (yes a real one and not someone who pretends to be on by playing SimCity all day) going through a journey of discovery and exploration. Follow me and hope you will learn something new with each post. 

Cheers
Village Mayor