Quote:
Originally Posted by highwater
I am a woman. I go downtown frequently and have never had a problem. I don't doubt your wife's experience Rousseau, but you shouldn't generalize about downtown based on one individual's experience, and I certainly don't need you to ride in on your white charger and pretend that you're the only one in this discussion who is standing up for us poor, defenseless women.
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Right on, highwater. (I am another female and a former resident of Toronto). Have I encountered unpleasantness downtown? Sure. In downtown Toronto, St. Catharines, Buffalo, Hamilton, Philadelphia, and any other downtown I have visited. Hamilton's no different in that regard, and I certainly don't feel any less safe walking around here than anywhere else.
Does any individual encounter bother me? Nah.. it really not too bad. But I don't make a point of going to sit in Gore Park to encounter the same kind of thing six or seven times in one hour.
I love Hamilton, much more than Toronto - rough edges and all. I live here, and I don't plan on moving. But Gore Park is not fine as-is. It is a far stretch to say Gore Park is a desirable hangout for any meaningful cross-section of the population. That is particularly shameful, as it was noted this is the center of downtown. And unless intentional action is taken to change that, nothing will happen, and people who see that as one of the first things in Hamilton (and don't bother to check out Flar's photo tours or actually walk around the downtown themselves
) will continue to form their impression of Hamilton based on that.
It's not an issue of cultivating a "boring" downtown like a wealthy bedroom community would have, kicking the poor to the periphery, or saying the rich automatically bring with them better character to a downtown. I grew up lower middle-class. I've met many spoilt, selfish rich and have worked my way through university and grad school solely to get a good job. I've met tons of hardworking "poor" and I am friends with many. I respect them far more than the Mac or Mohawk kids with an undeclared major and no plans to grow up until they're thirty-five. (Of course, those are the extreme examples).
But downtown... who do
businesses want? Who has the money to spend, and who do they want to attract? The rich ones, (unless you own a Tim Hortons or a Money Mart, perhaps) (Attracting artists and those who bring a positive impact without necessarily spending money is a bit of a different issue). The term "dilution" was used here. If you want revitalization, the proportions of people downtown cannot and will not stay the same.
I agree with those who would raise their kids in Hamilton, just the way it is, instead of a suburb. I'd rather my kids see the reality of hard work and that human nature isn't perfect, than to "safely" grow up enmeshed in materialism and status.
But the "character" of Gore Park has obvious problems.
The drugs need to stop - absolutely, increase police patrols and light the heck out of the place.
The unemployed by choice need to get off their heinies. I have little compassion for those simply unwilling to work and loiter in a public place.
And yes, we need to be aware and compassionate to the mentally ill, the injured, the disabled, the young mothers without support, and the rest who would be there no matter what -- of course, all people need respect, they need help if possible getting back on their feet and dignity no matter what their status.
However, it is not a fine thing when Gore Park is a gathering place primarily for those with nowhere else to spend their time and no money to pour into the economy, and to suggest that everyone else needs to ignore that fact and immediately feel comfortable there is silly. Its not easy for anyone to feel comfortable when encountering people who ask them for money, proposition them, harass them, try to sell them drugs, or cause noise. Even if it doesn't particularly bother you, most people won't spend time where they know they will encounter these things several times in an hour, and dismissing that type of thinking as unenlightened is unrealistic.
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