The Great Canadian Skyline thread for CMAs 1 million and under

[esquire]

Oshawa looks simultaneously bigger and smaller than I would have expected.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by esquire

Oshawa looks simultaneously bigger and smaller than I would have expected.

Bigger footprint, but shorter than I expected.

[JHikka]

Oshawa's got a compact little downtown but it could be much denser and taller than it is. Whitby has a nice little main street section, too.

[905er]

Originally Posted by isotack

Posts a 50 year old photo and then comments on how "wretched" the place he has never been to is.

in fairness .. it still does. ..and I've been. Reminds me of a lot of working class cities in Ontario. The potential is there but overall.. kinda depressing.

[esquire]

What is the overall sense of place like in Oshawa? Is it like Hamilton which has its own character and identity that is very separate from Toronto (despite the proximity), or has it basically taken on the character of a full-on Toronto suburb?

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Gdoggy

i found this Oshawa shot on the web.. don't remember where..

This image is from this summer judging by the construction visible so it's more appropriate than that shot from the 70's.

Oshawa's core feels like a "city" and not a town, but is generally pretty quiet and run down. There is some intensification happening which is making it a bit busier, but we are talking about a town which gloaded about a new costco plaza opening on the edge of downtown less than 10 years ago as a great thing.

[savevp]

If my bearings are correct on the Oshawa pic, it just cuts off the arena on the bottom right of the photo. I believe not far beyond that, there are plans for a new GO Train station, which would be transformative. I think there are also plans for a BRT route running up King Street in the middle (L to R) of the pic.

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by esquire

What is the overall sense of place like in Oshawa? Is it like Hamilton which has its own character and identity that is very separate from Toronto (despite the proximity), or has it basically taken on the character of a full-on Toronto suburb?

More the latter.

I'd say that the city's population of 150,000 has to be split into two camps. One are middle class commuters who have settled in the area in the past 25 years and don't have any affiliation with Oshawa. They are just looking for a place to live in the GTA. The second are longtime, predominantly blue collar residents who live closer to the centre. That means the city's sense of place isn't going to be that of a city of 150,000, but more like a city of 50,000 with 100,000 people who are kind of in 'just visiting' mode. That second group of 50,000 that defines Oshawa isn't growing and is financially precarious, so Oshawa's "brand" is very weak and grows weaker with every year.

Two other anecdotes:

When I was growing up in Peterborough, Oshawa was the place to go when you got your driver's license. It was 45 minutes away and it had a mall with a Gap. That mall is probably worse now than it was back then and Peterborough's shopping options have improved, so Peterborough people don't really go to Oshawa any more.

We also have family friends who moved from Toronto to a new subdivision on the northern fringe of Oshawa. I don't think they've ever been to downtown Oshawa for anything and don't even drive through it. The biggest asset of Oshawa to them is the 407 highway that skirts the city to the north, which gives them direct access to Chinese food in Markham and a quicker access to the city.

[esquire]

^ Thank you for the explanation.

Originally Posted by savevp

If my bearings are correct on the Oshawa pic, it just cuts off the arena on the bottom right of the photo. I believe not far beyond that, there are plans for a new GO Train station, which would be transformative. I think there are also plans for a BRT route running up King Street in the middle (L to R) of the pic.

What is that bulky white building in the middle?

[WhipperSnapper]

It's a federal building.

Oshawa is an interesting place. The poor areas are along the waterfront. The desirable places are at the north end of the city.

Students are perhaps the largest driving force for high rise development in Toronto. It's the same in Oshawa. The university at the far north end of the city is driving high rise apartments and dense stacked townhomes with underground parking in the northern fringe. The developments are still thoroughly suburban but, it's probably now the densest part of the city. The tallest towers are going up there.

There are a few complete blocks that offer a downtown feel for a city of 100,000. (or much smaller than Oshawa's population is) There has been a resurgent in the downtown. The old shutted hotel has been renovated and converted to residential. New towers are being built including a 21 storey tower with 350 units. Student are the driving force as well. I'm not sure where they attend school. It's a long way to UOIT. However, York University is a long way from North York Centre. The driving force for North York Centre development was/is York University students that wanted to live in a walkable,urban neighbourhood.

The Hospital is at the top of the image. It has a good chance of becoming a super hospital for Durham region. That could spur more residential intensification downtown too if the downtown hasn't already been rediscovered at that point.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by isotack

Posts a 50 year old photo and then comments on how "wretched" the place he has never been to is.

look who's back, on the attack. Isotack!

Sorry for insulting your quaint burg. Who hasn't been to Oshawa?

Sure beats Montreal's skyline, AMIRITE?

[Innsertnamehere]

Downtown Oshawa is a fairly short bus ride on a fairly frequent bus from UOIT, and UOIT students get bus passes as a part of tuition from what I remember, so it makes sense. It's a much better place to live than directly off the suburban UOIT campus if you don't have a car.

Like most southern ontario downtowns, it's getting better slowly, but has a decent distance to climb.

If you look on google maps the Costco plaza sticks out like a sore thumb. The plaza is basically the size of the downtown and is literally right next to it, it's ridiculous.

Whitby and Oshawa real estate prices have skyrocketed over the last decade with the opening of the 407 extension, and with it a lot of suburban money. Whitby has long been a Toronto Suburb but Oshawa being one too is a newer thing.

That's also part of Oshawa's issues, it's historic middle class suburbs are split from the central municipality by being located in Whitby and Clarington. It's only recently that large numbers of middle-class suburbs have been getting built in the north end of the city itself.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

look who's back, on the attack. Isotack!

Sorry for insulting your quaint burg. Who hasn't been to Oshawa?

Sure beats Montreal's skyline, AMIRITE?

That would be silly comparing Montreal's skyline to Oshawa. I don't know the reason for posting a 50 year old picture. Perhaps you are unaware of the major strides in automotive design in the last 50 years. The irony is, those views haven't changed as much in 50 years as automotive design except for the Courthouse block. It definitely won't look the same in 2040.

Good bus service. That would do it. works for York U. thanks

[Miska]

Brossard QC. Population heading towrds the 95k

Taken from a realtor listing.



source

[isotack]

It's a federal building

Nope...The Michael Starr Building Ontario Ministry of Finance

[isotack]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Downtown Oshawa is a fairly short bus ride on a fairly frequent bus from UOIT, and UOIT students get bus passes as a part of tuition from what I remember, so it makes sense. It's a much better place to live than directly off the suburban UOIT campus if you don't have a car.

Like most southern ontario downtowns, it's getting better slowly, but has a decent distance to climb.

If you look on google maps the Costco plaza sticks out like a sore thumb. The plaza is basically the size of the downtown and is literally right next to it, it's ridiculous.

Whitby and Oshawa real estate prices have skyrocketed over the last decade with the opening of the 407 extension, and with it a lot of suburban money. Whitby has long been a Toronto Suburb but Oshawa being one too is a newer thing.

That's also part of Oshawa's issues, it's historic middle class suburbs are split from the central municipality by being located in Whitby and Clarington. It's only recently that large numbers of middle-class suburbs have been getting built in the north end of the city itself.

Site of the North plant. Original McLaughlin Carriage Company and later GM.
https://www.communitystories.ca/v2/o...th-plant-1928/

[isotack]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

look who's back, on the attack. Isotack!

Sorry for insulting your quaint burg. Who hasn't been to Oshawa?

Sure beats Montreal's skyline, AMIRITE?

No not really, but any dummy would know that Oshawa is a former industrial town that has seen numerous manufacturing plants closed over the past 70-80 years.

[Hali87]

One thing I find interesting about Oshawa is how closely its history/identity is tied to GM - not just the automotive industry but GM specifically.

Nearby Whitby also has its own downtown core which seems like a bit more of a retail/leisure destination. Downtown Oshawa seemed like a pretty "work-oriented" place when I was there.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by isotack

No not really, but any dummy would know that Oshawa is a former industrial town that has seen numerous manufacturing plants closed over the past 70-80 years.

I know that (who doesn't) and I am no dummy.

Have you ever made an intelligent contribution to this forum? You throw around some insults and make a few ad hominem attacks, then lie low for 5 months, then repeat.

Originally Posted by isotack

Why do people from Montreal feel a constant urge to scratch that inferiority complex that they have? Throwing enough mud at a wall (or posting pictures) does not make it stick.

My experience with Montreal lately has been an embarrassing infrastructure reconstruction necessary because of past corruption. In the city center as well.

Actually Quebec City is by far, the most unique and for the most part "beautiful". Vancouver is also way ahead.

But...please...you guys do keep on flooding this thread with literally dozens pictures that nobody except people from Montreal comment on.

I'll just skip those and look at the others...it's much easier to take in a city's "beauty" a couple at a time.

Originally Posted by isotack

This obsessive "me too please look at me too" Montreal attitude towards Toronto is getting old. Montreal does not have a skyline...there I said it! Now why doesn't Montreal focus on what they do have, instead of being jealous of Toronto all the time.

Originally Posted by isotack

there there Montreal (pats Montreal on the head) don't worry you have a nice skyline too!

qed

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Hali87

One thing I find interesting about Oshawa is how closely its history/identity is tied to GM - not just the automotive industry but GM specifically.

Nearby Whitby also has its own downtown core which seems like a bit more of a retail/leisure destination. Downtown Oshawa seemed like a pretty "work-oriented" place when I was there.

McLaughlin/General Motors Canada has been building cars/parts in Oshawa for the North American market for over a hundred years.

This is Oshawa in the 1920s
https://industryinoshawa.files.wordp.../picture25.jpg
It's just a giant factory

This could be downtown Oshawa. One section is 135 Bruce. The other section is where the Costco was built. Maybe not

https://industryinoshawa.files.wordp...3410.jpg?w=490