[Johnny Au]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but Vaughn Mills has security guards asking every car entering to see if they have a pet with them. If they do, security tells them ya, we'll keep an eye on your car (more specifically the pet in your car) and if they show signs of heat exhaustion, they will call the police.

Like your mall pet store idea too.

...or a small child inside a car.

 

[themarc]

I'm happy to see Kensington Market's gentrification, because a lot of the stores 20 years ago sucked. Now we have a much better mix. In my "gentrification" description I include the trendy used clothing stores, etc., not just the addition of Cob's Bread, and the like.

I don't understand why you think it's becoming "all tacos all the time".


I've made a similar comment before. Bathurst in that area is not likely to see real improvement for some time. However, if a Wal-Mart is there already, it's unlikely they'll be inclined to move just because a few condo builders are wanting the space. That said, I'd much rather a Wal-Mart there than right IN Kensington Market. It's an area which seems currently appropriate for a Wal-Mart, and it's far enough away from Kensington Market to not impact the nice aspects of Kensington Market. However, perhaps it will induce an improvement in selection and quality in Kensington Market to get more people to shop there for basic stuff like produce.

Why go to Kensington Market for tomatoes in 2013? It's not as if the stores there have any real draw for that sort of basic stuff, unless perhaps you're talking strictly organic groceries. You go to Kensington Market for the cheese selection and prices, great empanadas, and trendy knick knack stores. If you go to Kensington Market specifically for the non-organic produce, then you're missing out on the better quality and pricing a block away in Chinatown, which incidentally is also better than Wal-Mart in many instances.

Walmart should just take over the Honest Eds site - even swappish.

 

[Torontovibe]

People seem to think that Walmart and Honest Ed's are similar stores, when in fact they are quite different. Walmart has the same merchandise, week after week, while the merchandise at Honest Ed's is always different. Shopping at Honest Ed's is like going to a rummage sale. You never know what kinds of quirky or exotic stuff you're going to find. Sometimes they even get Bill Blass or Valentino designer jackets. I've found some really cool things there, over the years. I'll be quite sad when Honest Ed's closes. Walmart on the other hand, does not attract me at all. I might buy something there once a year, if that. These are two completely different stores.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I think we may have missed this:

Surprise moratorium halts new business on Bathurst St.


Kensington Market definitely won't be seeing work on a proposed Walmart for at least a year thanks to a surprise ban on all new stores and services on a long stretch of Bathurst St. from Queen to Dupont adopted unanimously at yesterday's council meeting.

Expansions of existing businesses beyond the current square footage are also nixed under the new rules that were backdated to 18 July. The embargo was enacted so city staff can undertake a detailed study of bylaw amendments, changes to the official plan, and heritage protections that may benefit the area, the bylaw says.

The Walmart, planned for the west side of Bathurst, opposite Toronto Western Hospital, has been a hotly debated issue in the neighbourhood and the wider city. Over the last few years the proposed three-storey RioCan retail development on the old Kromer Radio lands has been turned back by the city's committee of adjustment, the Ontario Municipal Board, and panned by local residents and the BIA.

Still, the plans continue to live.

The order to halt new retail and services will almost certainly have an effect outside of Kensington, too. Mike Layton says the bylaw isn't meant to target RioCan or Walmart specifically but I suspect many people will see it as a way to rein in the proposed 11,458 square metre commercial building.

What do you think of Mike Layton's bylaw? Will it keep Walmart at bay or hurt local business?

Source: BlogTO

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

It was mentioned in the 420 Bathurst Street thread in the Proejcts and Construction forum.