"Why you all be sipping on Haterade?"
Posted on 07/14/2006 6:45:36 AM PDT by fanfan
When you live in a small town, a day in the city is a big treat -- all those shops, all those restaurants, all those things to do. Where to begin?
My daughter and I used to visit Toronto once a month for a doctor's appointment and spend the rest of the day wandering around, visiting bookstores, shopping along Bloor Street, eating lunch at a nice restaurant.
But sorry, not anymore. We come and go as fast as we can, not even pausing for lunch.
The thought of spending a day in Toronto "enjoying" myself makes me tired. As for my daughter, it frightens her.
She refuses to walk along the street alone because she's terrified of panhandlers and she's barely comfortable even when I'm walking with her. And frankly, I'm nervous about squeegee people, who seem to be popping up all over the place again. Funny, I thought that was illegal now, but apparently not.
And then there's the dirt, the garbage blowing in the streets, the weeds growing up between the cracks, the general air of neglect.
Let's not even discuss the possibility of being caught in the crossfire of a passing gunfight because although the chances may be slight, they certainly exist and that's not attractive either.
And they wonder, down at city hall, why tourism continues to decrease. Which brings us to the latest insanity from the politicians -- the idea of charging 905 residents more to visit the zoo than 416ers. After all, the logic goes, Toronto residents already pay for the zoo through their property taxes, so let's charge GTA residents more. What are they thinking? Don't they want tourists anymore around here?
One big reason why Toronto's zoo always has a huge deficit is it, like everything else in Toronto, costs too much.
A family of four can easily spend more than $100 for a day at the zoo. Admission alone for two adults and two children comes to $60. Parking costs $8. If you take the TTC, you'll spend $2.75 per adult cash fare (which is what tourists often do) and $1.85 per child one way. And then there's food.
And on top of this, they want to charge 905 residents more?
Hasn't it occurred to anyone that we all contribute to the zoo through our provincial taxes? Heaven only knows they whined long enough before they got those provincial bucks.
But then, this is only the latest in a series of tourism-destroying tactics the city has been indulging in.
Remember last year's $4-million disaster -- the "Toronto Unlimited" slogan, which made absolutely no sense? Remember the contests to see how much better people could do for free?
But that was nothing compared to the complaining from city hall a few weeks ago that tourists aren't paying their parking tickets, Albertans being the cheapest of all. How do you suppose that sort of thing sounds if you're a tourist from Alberta? And what do you think the chances are of you coming back?
Sure, we lose tourists for lots of reasons that can't be controlled -- the strong Canadian dollar, the confusion about passport requirements at the border, the price of gasoline. And Toronto politicians aren't alone in shooting themselves in the foot over tourists. The province is pretty good at it too.
Don't forget the millions they poured into the Toronto production of The Lord of the Rings, which is closing in September after an abbreviated run. Seems not enough people were willing to spend up to $125 a ticket. Wow, what a surprise!
Maybe it's time the zoo and the TTC and everyone else in the tourist business -- hello city hall? -- took a long, hard look at themselves and cut prices. And not just a little bit either.
And while they're at it, they could clean the place up, deep-six the weed spray bylaw, get rid of the street people, stop ticketing out-of-province cars and make it a little more pleasant around here. Then the tourists will come.
It worked for New York City and it can work here.
But the Cowboys signed him anyway.
Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.
I posted a football thread?
Who knew?
;-)
I remember visiting Toronto for the first time about 25 years ago, and was really impressed how safe and clean the city felt. The last time I was there (about three years ago), I wondered if my memory was playing tricks - the place no longer felt safe (not for any particular reason, mind you), and it was certainly not the clean city I thought I'd remembered.
Your post suggests I'm not going insane (well, insofar as Toronto is concerned anyway!) - so thank you :-).
(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)
Now, don't think many Americans feel very welcome in Canada. I'll spend my money here in America, thanks.
Your welcome.
I suspect one is safer in Baghdad than Toronto right now.
There were 4 murders in Toronto again last night.
You'd feel comfortable in Ottawa, rural Ontario, and the east coast, or anywhere out west.
Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are like our blue states.
That's too bad. I always liked Toronto, the Royal York Hotel and the underground shops.
Ou comme je le dirais dans Quebecois: Je préfère mon Montréal natal à Toronto. L'île sur où je suis né a un sens intime et dès que vous êtes là, son une sensation familière d'être capable de bouger autour de. Tout est disposé avec l'exactitude Cartésienne française et la vie des noctambules et la cuisine lui donnent une ambiance de Vieux monde. Et après un moment, un oublie completement la présence d'une différente langue.
(The Palestinian terrorist regime is the crisis and Israel's fist is the answer.)
I came back into the U.S. via a small border crossing to avoid the mess at the main one from Vancouver. They practically stripped my car looking for who knows what. I remember seeing them remove the radiator cap and wondering what they expected to find there besides really hot water.
The funny thing is I had rented a room on the U.S. side and that's where my pistol was waiting for me.
They finally handed my keys back saying that they had searched everywhere and hadn't found anything.
I know I was profiled because at the time I had really long hair and a beard. Will CAIR represent me for this indignity?
I visit T.O. at least annually on business. I have found the best view of Ontario's capital city is through a Westjet window while ascending.
When guns are outlawed, only outlaws have guns.
The most of the killings are related to drug trade. Toronto is not only a market for local consumption, it is net exporter of narcotics. Billions are in the game.
Perhaps we are now where NYC was in the 1970s.
Toronto was for years known as "Toronto the Good" because it had so few of the problems that big cities often experience. Toronto residents apparently liked being known for being good, but after Trudeau's election, the liberal media turned it into a negative. "Toronto the Good" became a synonym for boring, bland, unable to have fun....
Well, the liberals have changed Toronto. It's no longer good, and no longer safe and clean. It's also gone from being a conservative stronghold into a liberal one. Toronto is Canada's version of California, where the once Republican-leaning Golden State has been transformed into a socialist rat stronghold that no longer attracts Americans ("California here we come!") but sends them packing.
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