Grit and Great Architecture in Brantford, ON

[M II A II R II K]

Yes the downtown was a tad disappointing.

[softee]

I noticed that Downtown Brantford seems to be somewhat lacking in tall buildings for a city of it's size. Those high-rise apartments, that 5-6 storey modern office building, and one more tallish red building down the street from the office building are the only ones shown in the pics. There are several 4-5 storey older buildings, but not much in the way of more modern mid-rises or high-rises. Anyway, just an observation.

[Hozay]

Gritty, too bad about the abandonment because it could be really nice.

[boden]

Reminds me a bit of Belleville, although our downtown is in a little better shape. Miketoronto is absolutely right though,the malls have killed the smaller downtowns, and in Brantford's case, almost completely.

[SpongeG]

yeah it reminded me of belleville some too

i hope this is temporary

[flar]

Thanks all.

I completely agree that suburban shopping malls and power centres have hurt downtown Brantford, but that's true across N. America. The question is why does Brantford's downtown look so bad? There are many shops and businesses downtown, it just looks worse than others because the downtown is relatively huge for a city this size.

I look forward to going back to Brantford sometime because I've only scratched the surface on this old and very impressive city.

PS softee: good observation, Brantford is notable for its lack of scrapers!

[LSyd]

great tour. the grand old Victorian buildings and some of the gritty shots remind me of parts of Glasgow, good and bad.

-

[crisp444]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

Probably the worse inner city in Ontario.

Wow. You guys are lucky up there if THIS is the worst inner city! (Compliment, not insult).

[soleri]

Originally Posted by crisp444

Wow. You guys are lucky up there if THIS is the worst inner city! (Compliment, not insult).

Ditto. I looked at the pictures and saw nothing but opportunity. In the states, most of those buildings would have been torn down and replaced with a few nondescript high-rises, generous surface parking lots, an arena, and a "festival marketplace". Keep the faith, baby. Your day may return!

[dubiousmike]

Wonderful grit. Looks like a place just waiting for a major renaissance.

[clynnog]

Originally Posted by flar

Thanks all.

I completely agree that suburban shopping malls and power centres have hurt downtown Brantford, but that's true across N. America. The question is why does Brantford's downtown look so bad? There are many shops and businesses downtown, it just looks worse than others because the downtown is relatively huge for a city this size.

I look forward to going back to Brantford sometime because I've only scratched the surface on this old and very impressive city.

PS softee: good observation, Brantford is notable for its lack of scrapers!

Having visited Brantford through my sister in law and family living there, I've come to the conclusion that people in Brantford don't care. Never have I seen such apathy in a town. As long as there is a Wal Mart with free parking why bother with downtown. My wife's family avoid downtown like the plague and have basically written it off as a viable entity. They prefer to shop etc., on King George Hwy or Wayne Gretzky Pkwy, both streets of the ugliest most banal architecture and typical sprawl. There seems to be a real movement that to get a lot out in the country and build your 1 acre McMansion with lawn surrouding it is the only way to go.

As well, with the box stores in Ancaster and Cambridge 20 minutes away, why bother with the CBD.

[Braddale]

I totally agree with the previous post, I live in Toronto and would love to retire someday to a small city like Brantford, but the downtown is a wreck.

My Dad used to work there when he was very young and it was a great little city, very vibrant.

The was a article in The Toronto Star a few years ago saying to effect the Brantford had the worst downtown area in all Canada.

[gatt]

i like the architecture very much.first timme i see photos of this city.

[salvius]

Might as well drop a nuke on the whole thing; poster above is right--the residents don't give a crap. They'd rather pretend they're a suburb of Hamilton than have their own city. Considering that, I don't even think it's a shame; when those LIVING in the city are so willing to neglect it so much, why should we give a crap?

Originally Posted by miketoronto

We can come up with all the excuses we want for Downtown Brantfords decline.

But the economy did not cause downtown Brantford to decline. The downtown did not decline because its to big for the pop of the city.

Downtown Brantford declined because suburban malls where built on the fringe of the city, and now power centres.

That is why downtown is dead, and nothing else. Brantford made a decision to support the fringe instead of the core, and now they are paying for it.


One of the only things helping downtown and a jewl in the ruff, is the Sanderson Centre, which is a historical live theatre.

Sorry Miketoronto, but I don't agree with you on this one. I live in Cambridge, and we have WAY more suburban shopping than Brantford does. Nevertheless, our downtown hasn't declined anything remotely close to what Brantford's has. Even still, Cambridge's downtown has been steadily improving in more recent years because of successful conversions and residential infill. I really think such decline in Brantford is the result of the economic decline of the city during the 80s and 90s. Before 1990, Brantford did not have access to a 400 series highway, and we all know that very little manufacturing in North America will export products by rail. The reason I believe the city as a whole has made some degree of a comeback is the construction of the 403. Brantford now has commuting accessibilty to Hamilton and the GTA, as well as an efficient way to get its products to larger markets. Unfortunately, these manufacturing and distribution companies want to be by the highway, not downtown. Suburbanization of employment often brings similar suburbanization of housing and retail. With such a stark inner-city decline, it will take years to bring it back. Brantford is fortunate to have so much beautiful architecture, and unlike Galt (in Cambridge), the downtown does have a large footprint. Will Brantford be able to come out of its funk? I think so. But it wont happen overnight. The hardest part is to get the ball rolling. Because it's in such bad shape, downtown is a risky investment. There is hope, as more people are starting to get bored of the same ol suburbia and the 'back to the city' movement fluorishes. Perhaps the picture will be much better 20 years from now.

[rousseau]

Brantford is the home of Wayne Gretzky and Alexander Graham Bell.

Off-topic correction: Alexander Graham Bell lived here for one year, in 1870 (i.e. claiming that the telephone is a Canadian invention is a stretch, to say the least).

[flar]

Alexander Graham Bell settled in Brantford with his parents and it is true he only lived with them for a year before moving on. However, he frequently returned to his parents estate there, and it is believed he came up with his ideas and wrote his patent applications in Brantford. He also made initial tests of his phone in Brantford and the first long distance call was from Brantford to Paris, Ontario on August 10, 1876. Brantford is officially known as "The Telephone City".

[Millstone]

Colborne and Dalhousie are one-way couplets that were created post-WW2 like most in Ontario (King & Main, St. Paul & Church/King, etc.). The original two-way route for Highway 2 used only Colborne St.

While Hwy 403 did improve access (and sprawl) for the region, you could still get to Hamilton easily on (former) Hwy 2 & 53. In fact nowadays there's usually less congestion on that road now that all long-distance travel takes the 403.

[Jasper and one o nin]

lots of historic buildings - no people

[flar]

Originally Posted by Jasper and one o nin

lots of historic buildings - no people

Yes, that's why they filmed the movie Silent Hill in Brantford. It's one of the hardest hit downtowns in Canada, there aren't that many places for people to go in downtown Brantford.