The Great Canadian Transit Thread - Page 287

Elmira Guy · #**5721** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 1:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Sauga

I think his point is that KW will continue to grow into the GTA and become less of an independent city.

I think such a thing though is quite a long ways off, especially with the "green belt" in between.

However, he did state that Waterloo Region will "continue" to diminish. That wording implies that it has been diminishing, and I'd like to know what his basis for that assertion is, because to this resident, it seems to be doing quite well, and has been for the past number of years.

ssiguy · #**5722** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 5:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Sauga

I think his point is that KW will continue to grow into the GTA and become less of an independent city.

Yes, that was my point.

Hamilton is definitely on the way back and Waterloo is a world renowned high-tech centre, a feat it should be very proud of.

KWC however is not the merger of 3 cities but rather 5 as Cambridge is the merger of the 3 smaller cities which grew into one another namely Galt, Hespler, and Preston. KWC and Hamilton are both important cities but being a regional centre is more than just that.

I think Hamilton and Kitchener will continue to grow and prosper but at the same time I see their relative importance as shrinking. As Toronto continues to expand as does it's influence Central Ontario has become more synanomous with the GTA. The stronger commuter rail links help to reinforce the idea that both are becoming more of Toronto suburbs than strong independent cities.

Yes I have been to KWC and Hamilton several times and I admit to having a bias due to being born and raised in greater London but I still think it's true.

If you that mythical Toronto province was to become reality and a poll was taken as to which city should be the capitol of the new Southern Ontario I bet the over whelming majority would automatically say London.

Elmira Guy · #**5723** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 4:10 PM**

Okay, fair enough.

And again, don't misunderstand me. I'm not making this a London v Waterloo Region kind of thing. There's more than enough of that d*** measuring kind of thing going on on this board. And if in the unlikely event Toronto becomes a separate province, I couldn't care less if London were selected as the new capital.

While there will be more growth westward by the GTA, I think it will be a long, long time before there is anything remotely recognizable as physical connection. Over my lifetime (more than 40 years), there has been no significant growth that has brought Guelph and K-W closer to one another insofar as a merging of urban presence is concerned.

Also, until not too many years ago, London was a larger city than KWC with regards to population. However, this is no longer the case. So I continue to question how you feel KWC has been, and will continue to diminish.

Lastly, you are quite correct. Not only is KWC a merging of three cities, but Cambridge itself is a merging of three. However, I think it can be easily argued that while Galt, Hespeler and Preston have all retained some of their individuality, Cambridge is more and more becoming a unified city, and I think this is bound to continue. So, even if the fact that it was a merging of three cities is a negative issue, I think this will continue to be less and less of a problem.

And just to keep this post on point with the subject of the thread, by what I know of London traffic, they definitely need to do something with regards to rapid, or at least improved transit. I don't profess to know the city well enough to be able to suggest routes or systems, but I do know from the times I have been there that traffic can be bloody annoying.

I cannot begin to express how thrilled I was when LRT was approved for Waterloo Region, and how the last (hopefully) of the efforts to stop it was quashed in the last mayoral/regional elections. LRT is already having a positive effect on K-W, and will continue to do so. It will be even better when Cambridge is brought online when Phase 2 is completed.

MolsonExport · #**5724** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 5:57 PM**

I live in London. And I must regretfully concede that KWC has passed London by, in most metrics that matter. And I think the gap will continue to widen. Partly due to geography, partly due to economic restructuring, and partly due to the fallout from many years of (extremely) inept leadership in London.

Beedok · #**5725** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:05 PM**

To be honest if Hamilton turns into the artistic hipster suburb of Toronto it would probably massively raise it's national standing. Compared to Winnipeg or Quebec City it's basically forgotten at the national level.

Elmira Guy · #**5726** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I live in London. And I must regretfully concede that KWC has passed London by, in most metrics that matter. And I think the gap will continue to widen. Partly due to geography, partly due to economic restructuring, and partly due to the fallout from many years of (extremely) inept leadership in London.

London has always struck me as a large city (in the Canadian context) sort of in the middle of nowhere, at least within an Ontario context. It's an hour from Waterloo Region, and almost two hours to Windsor. Of course there are lots of towns and villages around London. but whereas Waterloo Region has some decent sized cities within relatively close proximity (Guelph, Brantford), London does not. And I have to think that while it's distance from Toronto could be a boon for London in some ways, it also seems to be detrimental. Maybe not. Just a thought.

le calmar · #**5727** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:27 PM**

^ I agree. I think London is the only city in Southern Ontario that is not part of a metropolitan area or a suburb of any kind... Along with Chatham Kent maybe, if it qualifies as a city. It looks ridiculously big and is mostly a rural area so that's weird. Oh and I forgot Sarnia.

1overcosc · #**5728** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:43 PM**

Chatham-Kent is the result of a municipal merger. Chatham is a city, Kent County is the rural area & small towns around it. City of Chatham and Kent County were merged in the late 1990s to create the single municipality of Chatham-Kent.

1overcosc · #**5729** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:47 PM**

A prototype of the Confederation Line train has arrived in Ottawa and it's now on public display at Lansdowne Park until the end of March.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Introducing the LRT Mockup:

@mpearson78

@JonathanWilling

@JonathanWilling

Video of the inside of the mockup:
http://live.ottawasun.com/Event/LIVE_Ottawa_provides_first_look_at_new_LRT_trains/143052654

That's our mayor giving that weird glare at the camera in the last picture. In almost every picture of him ever taken he has an awkward/weird facial expression. Somewhat bizzare lol.

Beedok · #**5730** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:47 PM**

Everyone forgets Sarnia. Poor Sarnia.

Acajack · #**5731** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 6:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

^ I agree. I think London is the only city in Southern Ontario that is not part of a metropolitan area or a suburb of any kind... Along with Chatham Kent maybe, if it qualifies as a city. It looks ridiculously big and is mostly a rural area so that's weird. Oh and I forgot Sarnia.

London actually is its own metro (CMA). The CMA has about 100,000 more people than the city does.

Elmira Guy · #**5732** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 7:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beedok

Everyone forgets Sarnia. Poor Sarnia.

I did realize after I posted that I had forgotten about Sarnia. It was not intended as a slight to Sarnia, or its residents.

It is my preferred border crossing for going to Michigan and points west.

le calmar · #**5733** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 7:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

London actually is its own metro (CMA). The CMA has about 100,000 more people than the city does.

It is indeed. What I meant is it is not part of another extended urban area like every city in the GGH, or like Windsor is part of the Detroit-Windsor metro area.

333609543 · #**5734** Posted **Jan 29, 2015, 7:36 PM**

The Detroit-Windsor CMA does not exist. It is only the Windsor CMA.

TorontoDrew · #**5735** Posted **Jan 30, 2015, 12:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

That's our mayor giving that weird glare at the camera in the last picture. In almost every picture of him ever taken he has an awkward/weird facial expression. Somewhat bizzare lol.

Hey it could be much worse.

Posted on: www.sickchirps

Beedok · #**5736** Posted **Jan 30, 2015, 12:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elmira Guy

I did realize after I posted that I had forgotten about Sarnia. It was not intended as a slight to Sarnia, or its residents.

It is my preferred border crossing for going to Michigan and points west.

Sarnia would probably have to add half a million people for anyone to pay attention to it.

Elmira Guy · #**5737** Posted **Jan 30, 2015, 12:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beedok

Sarnia would probably have to add half a million people for anyone to pay attention to it.

:-D Oh I don't think that's true. Use to go there fairly often to play hockey against them. And in Clearwater.

I just didn't consider that it was close enough to London to be considered within it's sphere. Maybe it is. I've never lived in London so I don't know what kind of connectivity there is between communities.

No offence was intended.

ScreamingViking · #**5738** Posted **Jan 30, 2015, 5:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

If you that mythical Toronto province was to become reality and a poll was taken as to which city should be the capitol of the new Southern Ontario I bet the over whelming majority would automatically say London.

Maybe Barrie... slightly better balance for the north

GlassCity · #**5739** Posted **Jan 30, 2015, 5:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Maybe Barrie... slightly better balance for the north

I'll admit I live almost as far away from Toronto as possible and I've never been there, but I feel like Barrie would be included in a mythical Toronto province. Though I don't ever want a Toronto province to happen anyway.

ScreamingViking · #**5740** Posted **Jan 30, 2015, 6:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I'll admit I live almost as far away from Toronto as possible and I've never been there, but I feel like Barrie would be included in a mythical Toronto province. Though I don't ever want a Toronto province to happen anyway.

Well, it's in the GGH, so some may feel it's guilty by association and not worthy of capital status for the current rest of the province.

Maybe we need to carve Ontario into several fantasy provinces... Torontoland, SouthWestario (capital London), Easternario (capital Kingston), and the north can be one or two provinces with capitals in Sudbury and/or Thunder Bay.