Quote:
Originally Posted by hipster duck
In Ontario, I'd say that the rank of busiest downtowns doesn't really reflect population size, at least after #1 Toronto and #2 Ottawa, which really are the province's only "big city" downtowns.
The "third best" downtown in Ontario could variously be Kingston, Hamilton or London. My nod goes to Kingston given its small size, but also because it has architectural landmarks and things like middle class chain fashion retail (Lululemon, Gap, Urban Outfitters) that neither Hamilton or London has.
On paper, downtown Kitchener almost has Richard Florida's wet dream: LRT, tech jobs and burgeoning residential development. It may eventually be the third best downtown, but it still feels very sleepy. It used to be a terrible downtown, though, on par with what you'd find in the worst rust belt town in the US.
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And, if you're as old as me, it used to be a busy, vibrant downtown (before it was a terrible, rust belt one). With 2,500 new apartments under construction in DTK, I suspect it will look considerably busier in two or three years time (if current events don't kill development).