Summer in the city

Summer is a time when suburbanites like myself wish they weren’t living in the ‘burbs.

Many say summer is when the city comes alive – but in my opinion, that statement applies mainly to the downtown core.

Toronto prides itself on being a city that offers a variety of events for a variety of people.

But for someone who was born, raised and remains a resident in Scarborough (during my summer break between grad school in Ottawa), it sure doesn’t feel like this is the case.

Understandably, major events like Caribana and Pride take place downtown, as there are better-equipped facilities to accommodate the high number of people attending these events.

But why should suburbanites be restricted to the metropolis for our entertainment? As a longtime rider of the TTC, I appreciate the rocket's ability to get me around the city. But commuting over two hours on a regular basis to attend an event takes the fun out of having fun.

In short, the city should organize more events of greater quantity and quality beyond Toronto's downtown core.

Do a quick search for ‘Scarborough’ on the City of Toronto’s events website, and you’ll find 10 events – give or take – at any given time in Toronto’s east end; and they're typically the same kinds of events week after week.

What's more, local residents are largely unaware of the few events that do take place in suburbia because the city doesn't take the time to advertise them like they do with large scale events that happen downtown.

I, for one, love to be out and about in the city. But as someone who actively seeks out activities to do – especially during the summertime – even I struggle to find interesting local events near my home.

So, inevitably – if I'm not downtown – I'm walking around Scarborough Town Centre for the one-hundredth time.

Don't get me wrong. This isn't the most pressing issue for municipal candidates to consider up to the election. But this is just a friendly reminder to the city that it would be nice for them to think of the millions of people up in the 'burbs when planning future events.

After all, we are part of Toronto too.

About Anita Li

Comments

[Sonny Yeung]

As you wrote there are many events in the East End. The Zoo is a good place to explore and people could even camp out in the Rouge Valley Park. It is a matter of keeping one's eyes and ears open. In the Burbs there are also the Science Centre for the intellectuals and Black Creek Pioneer Village for the historians...

[Tanya Rumble]

Amen! (I am not religious, but it seems an appropriate response to your post.)

Though I must immediately quip that you at least where you live you have access to the TTC. As a Haltonian, living in North East Burlington much of my extra-curricular time is spent trying to get to events in Toronto. There are so many great events that I want to participate in. Unfortunately I often spend as much time commuting, as I do taking in the great arts and culture the city has to offer.

Agreed, large scale events need to occur where there is the infrastructure to support the event and crowds that attend...but not all events need to be so large scale. For example, the great outdoor movies that take place on warm summer nights: http://www.blogto.com/film/2010/06/outdoor_movies_in_toronto_this_summer/ Would love to go, but getting to and from Yonge/Dundas on a week night seems unrealistic, perhaps if the movies were taking place in parks in the West, East, and North ends of the city then more suburbanites would be able to enjoy them.

I also suggest that more coordination between the various transit authorities within the GTA, to ensure that people can get to and from the great events being hosted, without it take 4 hours round trip.

Thanks for bring this topic forward, great post.

[MC]

there is a reason why the suburbs are called 'bedroom communities'
cause after the long commute by the time you do supper ,attend to things
yer too damn exhausted to do much of anything else.

[Transity Cyclist]

Good point Anita. Sadly, traditional suburbs were designed to keep people in cars, thus preventing opportunities for people-people interaction (we get this people-people interaction when people are outside of their cars, walking for many reasons: recreation, errands, etc.).

I personally can't wait for the transformation of suburban streets into vibrant, transit-oriented, bike and people friendly neighbourhoods. Of course, this does not happen over night, but once this does happen, it would be much easier to get a higher turnout to events, and there would be even more justification for the City to publicise these suburban events.

I'm proud to say that I live near one of the few suburban arterials to have street closures every year for festivals, and that's Lawrence Avenue East.

[Jose]

There really is no surprise here. That's why they are suburbs, or in this case, North American suburbs. It's like they were just created to house people, like North America was made to be robotic and just work work work and have no real living and culture. That is also why downtown is downtown and why it is referred as the "centre." This is where points of interest, important things and culture is located, and you can even say downtown is where better city design and planning was done - during the colonial days when there was better architecture and the city wasn't built around cars.
However, it is said that in European cities and those of top developed Asian ones, that their suburbs aren't really suburbs because theirs are accessible and connected by good transit, and their planning and design doesn't stray far from how their downtowns are - at least not like the huge differences between down in the cities of North America. Toronto is stuck because it has always had some strong natural European sensibility and potential, but this has been constantly silenced or pushed away for a while now. Like they're forcing this place to be some stereotypical, bland American city. Too bad. However, not all parts of the Toronto suburbs are bland. Many have their own communities, festivals and events as well, but once again, if you notice, they are in the older suburbs and the ones with better city planning and design. This needs to be implemented everywhere - suburbs or not.

[j mular]

she brings up a very good point..She is a taxpayer and so are her parents...We are tired of the burbs being ignored.....We should have events in Etobicoke and Scarborough...Many of us are not interested in the Gay pride parade... We do not want to travel on the unreliable TTC...She makes a very valid point... Amalgamation has not worked ...when Torontonians in the burbs are ignored....and treated like 2nd class citizens.

[Gabe]

I often say that people live in the city, but only "reside" in the 'burbs. In other words, Suburbs are (and always have been) primarily residential areas (read: Jane Jacobs) and aren't conducive to "touristic" events or even other industries.

Rexdale's near-future planning includes a mega-entertainment complex. It will be a good test to see if the 'burbs can be changed to multi-purpose areas after a multitude of similar Fails. Frankly, I'm doubtful, yet hopeful, that the plan will work - even though as a downtowner, I'll probably never take the time to see it except in pictures.

Finally, when amalgamation was pitched by its proponents, they claimed that the former municipalities had "invisible borders." This article covers only one subject-matter that proves that statement wrong.