lister
Active Member
If this was 100% private money then I'd be all for Pan-Am, Olympics, Commonwealth, etc Games. We all know that's not the case and the taxpayer will get stuck with an enormous bill.
|
|
|
If this was 100% private money then I'd be all for Pan-Am, Olympics, Commonwealth, etc Games.
We all know that's not the case and the taxpayer will get stuck with an enormous bill.
Dan Robson
STAFF REPORTER
All aboard the Pan Am Express – carrying fewer than 20 passengers and at least 1,600 empty seats.
Late last week, GO Transit informed commuters that the 8:07 a.m. train from Port Credit to Union Station would be cancelled yesterday, due to "equipment not being available."
Instead, the "equipment" carried six Pan Am Games delegates and a handful of officials from the committee bidding to bring the Games here in 2015, from Union Station to Hamilton.
The roomy ride was part of a pampered two-day tour of the GTA for the Pan Am evaluators, who make their final decision in November.
GO Transit called hosting the delegates an "honour," but paying passengers called it something else.
"It's stupid," said Delilah DeRose, a regular commuter who took an early train yesterday because of the equipment shortage. "(GO Transit) does whatever they want. They really have us, don't they," she said, waiting for the train home. "How else are we going to get to work?"
Other commuters from Port Credit voiced similar frustrations.
"It doesn't surprise me," said Jodie Hale, adding GO should have at least provided a better excuse.
Hale added she had to go out of her way to get to the train station early yesterday morning because of the special treatment given to the VIPs.
So did GO rider Lisa Williams. "It's an inconvenience," she said.
Bob Richardson, senior advisor for Toronto's Pan Am bid committee, said the exclusive train ride was necessary to show off the region's transportation capabilities.
"It's what happens when you live in a major city, and are competing for a major event," he said, noting that GO Transit did the same thing during the bid to bring the 2008 Olympics to Toronto.
"I would say 99.9 per cent of the population will be supportive," said Richardson, adding the Games would bring $1.4 billion to the GTA.
"I think taking a GO Train out, proportionally, is extremely responsible," he said.
Instead of leaving at 8:07 a.m., Port Credit commuters and others down the line packed into a later train that's usually an express from Oakville to Union Station.
That train arrived at Union at 8:32 a.m., two minutes later than the original train would have, said GO spokeswoman Vanessa Thomas, who called it an "isolated" event.
Thomas downplayed inconvenience caused by the Pan Am visit, saying the impact was "minimal" in part because passenger volumes on GO trains are traditionally low this week, with many people on vacation ahead of the long weekend.
The Port Credit train was back in service for the rush-hour ride home; the Pan Am delegates returned to Toronto in a helicopter.
Apparantly they returned to Toronto by Helicopter....not sure how that showed them, either, how transportation works in this city.
(...)
then cruised escorted along the Lakeshore.....again, giving them a true feeling of how traffic gets around this town!
I think you're mistaken as to the purpose of these trips, TOareaFan -- it was clearly not to give them a true feeling of how traffic gets around this town. Rather, it was a mix of treating them as VIPs and familiarizing them with how some of the participants would move between the facilities.
^ I agree. They should have just isolated the train to one cab for them. Or else travel off peak.
I think the helicopter ride back was necessary because the city wanted to show them the amount of water we have for water sports event. Also, they probably wanted to show off the waterfront to them because we spent so much money on it. It's something to flaunt about I think.
"Bob Richardson, senior advisor for Toronto's Pan Am bid committee, said the exclusive train ride was necessary to show off the region's transportation capabilities. "
Because looking at a map you can't tell how big lake ontario is?
Well, seeing a map and seeing it in person has a totally different feel. Otherwise people wouldn't need to travel. They can just look at photos and say "oh I saw that before"
In terms of pro sports, Toronto is a Leafs town, and every one else is fighting for the leftovers after the Leafs suck up most of the oxygen.The question really is whether Toronto is a big sports city, or just has interest in a few sports like hockey and soccer. History and observation would suggest that Toronto isn't really a great sports town. It's a good hockey and soccer town. That's about it. Basketball? The only team in the whole city that draws a crowd is the Raptors. None of the other teams get any support at all. Same goes for baseball. The Blue Jays draw quite poorly as far as MLB teams go, the other baseball teams are completely neglected. Toronto is a no man's land when it comes to football, yet astonishingly many want a 2nd pro team. Toronto can't even support the one it's got. Track and field, volleyball, rowing, cycling, gymnastics, swimming, etc? Um, better off going to Europe if you like those sports.
Torontonians seem to be living in this delusion that this is a great sports town simply because they have pro sports teams in soccer, football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Well, any city of 6 million could support all 5 with its eyes closed. The true gauge is to ask yourself how many sporting events you've gone to this year? What can you comment on the state of our 4x100m medley teams? What do you think of Jessica Zelinka? Did you think the men's 8s were going to beat the Germans last weekend? How many high school or college sports events have you attended this last year? Do Torontonians know what the oldest pro football team on the continent is? Where was the first documented baseball game played?
A few Torontonians might have a clue, but 98% of us don't, or don't care. That's the damn truth whether people here want to hear it or not.