It's a concern that spans decades.
https://www.cbc.ca/archives/the-last-days-of-toronto-s-low-r... — This article dates to the 80's and its tone is the very same.
(Canada's lost sweetheart PM hopeful is interviewed in one of the videos when he was a Toronto city councilor. Such a loss. He really had his finger on the pulse)
The difference, in my uneducated opinion: commercial and retail space in those cities goes up. It is not strictly at street level, as in Toronto. Look up and you will see signs for bunny cafes, stationery, restaurants, all kinds of small/odd fashion stores...
All the condo districts in Toronto look the same: a small sliver of retail on the ground floor, invariably Rexall, Rabba's, or Aromas. And that's pretty much it.
Would love to hear from someone more familiar with urban planning on this topic.
Most cities have problems with staying creative in the face of high rents because most artist jobs pay very poorly (unless you're one of the few who makes it big). It's pretty terrible that musicians, writers, painters and sculptors tend to be in salary brackets where they can never retire and never own a home unless they become huge.
The art and culture of a city will suffer greatly if the next generation of artists is entirely forced into corporate jobs with part time on art. This is even more true if those jobs require creativity reducing the creative energy available for art.
Parkdale still has its moments but even it is being hit now and Little Tibet is feeling that sting.
There's constant [sad/angry] joking about every block consisting of Shopper's Drug Mart, Rexall, Starbucks, and bubble tea. It's not at all that bad yet, but it's also not as much of a satire as it sounds, sadly.
These days my partner and I have been strongly considering a move to Hamilton if we can sort it out with our work.
Where are the artists going to?
Where are the places that used to be rich, but are becoming "poor but sexy"?
The savvy ones scrounged up enough to buy property and either hold out their with less of a community, or they sell and move and just do their own thing.
In Ontario, there isn't a cheaper place for quite an expanse. Hamilton or other smaller cities are a bit of the last holdouts. But because of some of the exodus from Toronto (and like cities) they are being bought up and redeveloped as well.
Some escape to small towns, but those usually stay small and grow sleepy even though they're interesting places.
I've always worked a day job, even at my most active, so I've kind of had one foot in both worlds.
Cities were attractive because people were close together—there was variety, word could get around. They were vivacious. It would be terrible to see that completely snuffed out.
oh, you said poor AND sexy...
funny enough though, as oil and gas declines in importance (and loud, oxygen-sucking volume) some new and preexisting voices are getting an opportunity to emerge. We're young, educated and ambitious so despite poor economic fundamentals I'm bullish ...
