Off Off Topic: Cool Toronto People's Thread

[Zach6668 513]

That's good. That's another major push that's coming through. Something like 70% of kids walked to school 20-30 years ago, and now it's like 15%. Planners are trying to find ways to re-introduce this. Big problem is land-use around schools. They tend to be on arterials, usually on the edge of new developments, rather than in the center, so they're usually farther away than they should be, and far more dangerous to get to for children.

[mrdannyg 274]

That's good. That's another major push that's coming through. Something like 70% of kids walked to school 20-30 years ago, and now it's like 15%. Planners are trying to find ways to re-introduce this. Big problem is land-use around schools. They tend to be on arterials, usually on the edge of new developments, rather than in the center, so they're usually farther away than they should be, and far more dangerous to get to for children.

 

One of my co-workers grew up in Goose Bay. He lived less than 200 metres from the school, but took the bus almost every day. When I asked why, he said that he had to cross a field to get there, and since it was -40 half the year, it was too dangerous that he could slip or something and be frozen before he could get anywhere. So he took the 20+ minute bus ride every day.

 

This isn't relevant to the discussion, just thought it was funny. Oh, and when I told him I was amazed they would hold school at -40, he said they did have a temperature limit for when they'd cancel school...if it got to -55. Celcius.

[Babying 613]

I walk my girls to school every day. Takes me 30 seconds. Yes I live across the street from the school and we are still late sometimes.

[mrdannyg 274]

Love that you guys walk your kids to school. I'm sure it seems like a hassle sometimes but those are awesome memories I bet. We live a 10-minute walk from the grade school and I definitely plan on walking Owen (though probably it'll be my wife because work times will suck, but a guy can dream!)

[Babying 613]

I walk my girls to school and I also volunteer as the treasurer. My 2nd year and yes it does take a bit of time preparing treasury reports for our monthly meetings. The only perks I have is that a few of the mothers are extremely hot.

[serge 904]

I walk my girls to school and I also volunteer as the treasurer. My 2nd year and yes it does take a bit of time preparing treasury reports for our monthly meetings. The only perks I have is that a few of the mothers are extremely hot.

 

I'm the president of the fundraising committee for Adrian's hockey team. As you know volunteering isn't easy. But fun

[Zach6668 513]

I was looking for an article I read recently about kids being too sheltered nowadays, but I can't find it. Something along the lines of like, how it's so much different than when we were kids. Like, playtime was just us going outside with our bike or hockey stick, etc, be back when the streetlights come on and now it's like the kids have to be constantly supervised, etc. It also alluded to parents not letting their kids walk to school. A lot of this is how we designed the cities, we prioritized traffic over people, we made neighbourhoods dangerous for everyone, really. I'm not particularly interested in getting into a parenting debate I'm significantly ill-equipped for, but I found it interesting nonetheless.

[Zach6668 513]

3,000 is a lot more words than I thought it was.

[Zach6668 513]

Hey, I found it:

 

A City With No Children

[Zach6668 513]

200 ways to find a prostitute in Sudbury, report says

[Zach6668 513]

I am told Ontarians spend $8 billion on the gas tax annually, but receive only $3 billion in spending to the road systems.

 

I'm working to find out where the rest is spent. I would hope drivers would see that some of the spending being used on transit would be be beneficial to people who would rather drive, but I can't imagine that's where the entire $5 billion goes.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

I am told Ontarians spend $8 billion on the gas tax annually, but receive only $3 billion in spending to the road systems.

 

I'm working to find out where the rest is spent. I would hope drivers would see that some of the spending being used on transit would be be beneficial to people who would rather drive, but I can't imagine that's where the entire $5 billion goes.

 

all taxes just go into the general provincial government revenues. Nothing is separated out to say since X amount of tax was collected on Y then X amount of money will be spent on Z

[Zach6668 513]

Is there a published budget for Ontario anywhere? And would it be easy enough for a layman to read?

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Is there a published budget for Ontario anywhere? And would it be easy enough for a layman to read?

 

http://www.fin.gov.o.../papers_all.pdf

 

http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2013/

[Babying 613]

Yes there is if you are into reading over 1,000 pages. I have a hard time reading it but I really don't read much.

[Babying 613]

Nice find Bob. That is the layman version. Never saw it before.

[Zach6668 513]

welp, i'll probably never read that... i'll wait until my municipal finance course next year, lol. thanks, though

[Zach6668 513]

Now someone is trying to tell me that Section 6 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms entitles everyone to congestion free highways. Twitter is interesting today.

[gruven 530]

Really good discussion. I have a varied viewpoint on most of this, but in essence I agree with Zach, not based on my own wants and needs but based on whats best for my kids and their kids.

I grew up in Hamilton. That city was the scene of some massive urban sprawl. Short sighted city planners encouraged it and made it easier for people to move out to the outskirts. Then the downtown core completely died. They have spent over 20 years trying to recover it, and they simply can't.

I also live in a nice suburban area. I enjoy my house, with the creek next to it. I also enjoy the schools. I work downtown, and I can tell you beyond the shadow a doubt, we are on the cusp of traffic disaster. When I started on the fire department, we would run fire calls through the downtown core at speeds pushing 80-90 KMH. Now, we can barely scrape 50 and more and more you hear trucks radioing in saying they are gridlocked and they should dispatch an additional vehicle. I'm all for dedicated street car lines, and subways, although I'm not completely sold on the subway to scarborough.

I also lived on the Danforth, and with access to the Danforth subway line, I used my car far less. It was infinitely easier to use the subway, and far more convenient. When I was covering the leafs, I would subway to and from the games, and be home from the ACC in minutes after a game. (Well, 20 minutes).

Because I'm a confused individual, I also love my cars. I enjoy driving them, so long as it's not in traffic. That being said, we purchase carbon offsets to compensate for the mileage we drive. Because I want a planet for my kids.

And, for the record, as someone that spends a lot of time in other peoples houses and condos (wearing a fire department uniform, not as a B & E artist!), Zach is right. There are far more families in the downtown core. Most of them seem to be more modern families: older parents, 1 or 2 kids at the most, but they are there. The demographics we grew up in are changing. I know from fighting city hall last year on budget for Toronto Fire that in something like the past 9 years, there are 330,000 more people living in the downtown core than there used to be. That's a skyrocketing population.

So I hope that cleared up a lot.... .LOL

[Zach6668 513]

The thing about dedicated streetcar lanes, is they can (and are currently) used for emergency vehicles. A lot better going around a few streetcars (rarely will you find two side by side blocking the entire width) than fighting rush hour traffic.

 

Chris, you work in downtown Toronto?

[gruven 530]

The thing about dedicated streetcar lanes, is they can (and are currently) used for emergency vehicles. A lot better going around a few streetcars (rarely will you find two side by side blocking the entire width) than fighting rush hour traffic.

 

Chris, you work in downtown Toronto?

Yup, my station is at Bathurst and Queen. I started in Regent Park. I've spent my whole career in the downtown core.

[Babying 613]

Chris I think there is a slight difference between Hamilton and Toronto downtown. While I commend you in taking the TTC while living on the Danforth, I don't use TTC and many of my neighbours don't either.

 

TTC sucks.

[Zach6668 513]

Welp, Chris, I hope you at least work staggered hours so you're not stuck in rush hour traffic both ways.

[Zach6668 513]

Chris I think there is a slight difference between Hamilton and Toronto downtown. While I commend you in taking the TTC while living on the Danforth, I don't use TTC and many of my neighbours don't either.

 

TTC sucks.

 

Not by any metric I've ever come across.

[gruven 530]

Chris I think there is a slight difference between Hamilton and Toronto downtown. While I commend you in taking the TTC while living on the Danforth, I don't use TTC and many of my neighbours don't either.

 

TTC sucks.

I'm willing to bet you that many more of your neighbours do use the TTC than don't...