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Re: Expo 2015 Public Consultation - Round 2

And another thing is - Expo in the portlands will basically leave behind the infrastructure (transit, roads, utilities, brownfield cleanups, etc) that's needed for future development.

AoD
 
The Olympics or an Expo would confirm to the world what visitors to Toronto already know: Toronto is a world-class city. Announcing a city's world class status is the primary reason for Beijing's Olympic bids an the Shanghai Expo bid. The Chinese national government supports both cities' bids enthusiastically for a similar reason: to announce that China has arrived at its historic geopolitical position-- centre-stage. Canada has never aspired to convey such a role, but it has always resiliently managed to convey its special role in the world and its place among nations. As stated earlier, the Canadian federal government has supported expos in the past. It is imperative that it do so now. I'm confident that all levels of government will support the expo bid as long as it has strong local support.
 
Re: Expo 2015 Public Consultation - Round 2

The Olympics would yield the same results. Indeed, the Olympics would generate a neighbourhood of about 10 000 residents, ready for people to move in a month after the Games.
 
^ Hardly. They'd just be completing the turn around for the Para Olympics a month after the Olympics end. Then there would have to be months of renovations to turn dorms into apartments. They'd also have to have time to actually sell them.
 
Re: Expo 2015 Public Consultation - Round 2

That was not the experience in Sydney, for example. All the units were sold prior to the Games with the clause that they would be used as housing for the duration of the Games and that the buyers would take possesion thereafter.

Regardless of whether its one month or three, people would be living in the Portlands very shortly after the Olympics rather than several years after an Expo at minimum.
 
"All the units were sold prior to the Games with the clause that they would be used as housing for the duration of the Games and that the buyers would take possesion thereafter."

I would imagine buyers would want their units properly cleaned out before taking occupancy - surely blood doping is a messy endeavour and all those massive Eastern European male weightlifters and female discus throwers probably do a number on chairs and bed frames.
 
Ask anybody who has lived in a city that has hosted an Olympics or Expo. I have friends in Sydney, Montreal, Atlanta and Vancouver. Of the 4 people I know from Sydney and Atlanta, all felt very excited to win the olympics, but afterward, everyones opinions had changed, from mildly let down, to completly depressesd, to seriously pissed off. There is a build up of years, then in 2 weeks it's all over, everyone goes home and most people are like "was that it?". Almost nobody got tickets to any major events they wanted to see. People were restricted in where they went, not even able to get close to the Olympic cite and traffic was a nightmare. It seems to me the Olympics have little pleasure for the little guy who has no connections.
On the other hand, all my friends who lived in cities who had World's Fairs, told me it was amazing. First of all, if you get the season pass you can go enough times to see everything. Anyone (who can afford the moderate price) can get tickets. There is a buzz of people from all around the world for half a year and at a world's Fair it just seems that people mix and it's easier to meet people. World's Fairs seem to be about a celabration everyone is invited to, a real party for the city, it's people and the world, where an Olympics is quite exclusive, short lived and intrusive.
As far as I can tell, from the people who have experienced it, it seems a World's Fair is a much better bet. If it leaves behind iconic attractions and buildings, it will have an even greater legacy. A World's Fair done right is amazing, a World's fair done wrong, on the Cheap, can leave a disasterous impression of Toronto on the world, for years to come. Just ask Knoxville!
 
^^ I could not have put it better. (I lived in an Expo city in the years leading up to, during and after the expo).
 
"buzz" being a relative term. I don't recall the last time someone I knew even mentioned the World's Fair short of mentioning the times Canada has hosted.
 
Yeah, I don't know anyone who's opinion of Seville, or Hanover improved because they hosted World's Fairs. Or who even knew they happened. World's Fairs are non-events now.
 
Forget about the "buzz" for a second, I'm thinking about hte people of Toronto right now. A world's Fair would be a hell of a lot more fun then an Olympics, especially for people who are not into sports. (not everybody is a sports fan) A world's fair is a great excuse for a party, and I don't know about you guys but I think Toronto should take every advantage it can to have a little fun. (this isn't Toronto the good anymore)

As for a buzz, that all depends on how Toronto chooses to promote itself. We have to advertise the Expo, as well as the city, so everyone knows about it. If we sufficently fund it, and use our brightest, creative minds, we can utilize this Expo to promote Toronto around the world. Like I said before, if done right, It can have a huge positive impact, not only on the city of Toronto, but the way Torontonians think about this city. (Not that I have a lot of faith in most of our politicians/business leaders, to do it right) I'm just hoping the Mayor has enough control to get the right people in place to lead this thing.
 
When I said "buzz", I meant the buzz created by people on the fairgrounds. When I was at Vancouver's fair, I had a great time meeting cool people from all over the world. (some friendships I still have to this day) People were really excited to be in Vancouver at a world's fair. The buzz is what takes place at the fair when people mix, mingle and discuss what they saw, learned and experienced in all the pavillians. I can only imagine how exciting Montreal's was, considering how much bigger and better it was then Vancouvers. I went to Man In His World, (the aftermath of Expo) years after Expo 68 and I was totally impressed. It left such an impression, that 20 years later I moved to Montreal to experience life in that city for 10 years. I still love Montreal today but it was that first taste of Man In His World that left a lingering fascination for Montreal, that is still with me today. So I totally believe things like World's Fairs can do that, even today.
 
From the Star:

Expo 2015 proposal at committee Tuesday
May 15, 2006. 10:03 PM
PAUL MOLONEY
CITY HALL BUREAU

Hosting the Expo 2015 World's Fair won't come cheap and Toronto is looking to federal and provincial governments for help to cover the costs.

It's hoped the two levels of government will agree to share the $2.8 billion cost of building the site on the derelict port lands.

And the province would be on the hook to cover the projected $700 million deficit.

"So far, so good," Mayor David Miller said Monday. "At the civil service level, so far they've been very supportive. The discussions are going well, but we don't have a final commitment. But the city has to decide first and then hopefully both governments will come on board."

The project is to be discussed at a joint meeting Tuesday of council's policy and finance committee.

City council will decide at its meeting next week whether to ask Ottawa to submit a formal bid to the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) by the Nov. 3 deadline. Also in the running is Izmir, Turkey.

Miller said the diverse nature of Toronto makes it ideal to host of the event, whose theme is "The Spirit of Ingenuity."

"Half the people in Toronto weren't born here, including myself, and almost half are from diverse backgrounds," Miller said. "It's an incredible thing we have in the city of Toronto, and I think it's time to bring the world here to see it."

While the event itself is expected to lose money, governments could reap $5.3 billion in income, sales and property taxes from the jobs and purchases the fair will generate, according to a staff report.

The federal government is projected to take in $2.7 billion; Queen's Park would get $1.8 billion and the Toronto, $300 million, the report said.

"To host a world expo, we'll need to invest about $700 million, but the returns on the investment will be massive," said Councillor Brian Ashton (Ward 36, Scarborough Southwest). "This will ignite an economic boom that will echo for decades."

It's premature for the provincial government to make a commitment at this point, said Ontario tourism ministry spokesperson Gary Wheeler. "We are participating in a feasibility process for Expo 2015."

"At this point, it would be premature to discuss the province's role before the city has decided on its intention to formally bid for Expo 2015."

The federal government will review the report before commenting, said Mike Van Soelen, spokesperson for treasury board president John Baird.

AoD
 
"almost half are from diverse backgrounds"


What does that even mean?!
 
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