Does Toronto's urban structure have more in common with large US Midwest Cities or large US Northeast Cities? (people, Chicago)

[_OT]

Originally Posted by joey joe-joe

Maybe because you haven't been to both cities?

Wallahi, just asked my Toronto pal does Toronto remind him of Philly, he responded "Lol No."

I'll be in Philly soon, in need of some Jim's or Max's. But like I said before, I honestly can't see the comparison between Philly and Toronto. What are they?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Montreal, minus the French, has more in line with the Northeastern/Mid-Atlantic cities.

This is true to a point about the US NE and Mid-Atlantic cities that have some similarities with Montreal, but this still made me laugh.

It's like saying "aside from African-Americans, Detroit is quite in line with (insert name of city with low AA population"...

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by Acajack

This is true to a point about the US NE and Mid-Atlantic cities that have some similarities with Montreal, but this still made me laugh.

It's like saying "aside from African-Americans, Detroit is quite in line with (insert name of city with low AA population"...

I should have worded that better. I meant people speaking French.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Atticman

Yeah, Cleveland and Detroit are much closer to Toronto the the big Bos-Wash cities, but they aren't really popular destinations for Torontonians in terms of places to go for vacation. Pittsburgh is fairly close to Toronto as well (5 hour drive), and it seems to me that it has become somewhat more popular lately as a place to visit, I think Torontonians are more intrigued by it than they are by Cleveland and Detroit.

Western PA has always been a popular place for Ontario residents to visit thanks to the Grove City Outlets though more probably keep heading south to the city now with the positive press Pittsburgh gets and its own high end mall (Ross Park). At Grove City, it's not uncommon for a quarter or more of the plates in the parking lot being from Canada. Last month when I was at the outlet mall, I saw the most Blue Jays gear I've seen since the last time I was in Toronto . Pittsburgh also offers very affordable NHL ticket prices and you do notice more than a few Leafs fans around the city when they're playing here.

When I went to Toronto last year, we went to the CN Tower and when we told the person operating the elevator we were from Pittsburgh, she asked us how close we were because she said they get a decent amount of Pittsburghers visiting.

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Western PA has always been a popular place for Ontario residents to visit thanks to the Grove City Outlets though more probably keep heading south to the city now with the positive press Pittsburgh gets and its own high end mall (Ross Park). At Grove City, it's not uncommon for a quarter or more of the plates in the parking lot being from Canada. Last month when I was at the outlet mall, I saw the most Blue Jays gear I've seen since the last time I was in Toronto . Pittsburgh also offers very affordable NHL ticket prices and you do notice more than a few Leafs fans around the city when they're playing here.

Really? The Niagara Falls outlets are so much better.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

I should have worded that better. I meant people speaking French.

OK, I get it, but it's still a huge "minus" (you said "minus the French"). Don't get me wrong, I am not offended. Just a bemused given that it's such a significant part of the character of the city.


Another metaphor would be "winters in Montreal are usually nice and warm except for the sub-zero temperatures and snow"...

[Othello Is Here]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

IMHO, Toronto feels like a mashup of St. Louis (albeit and significantly larger version) and Chicago. I get the Philly references a bit, but I'd go with it has more in common with the Midwestern cities. After all, Toronto is a Midwestern city...

Wow.I swear I was typing the same thing you just said about St.Louis.Toronto is very much like many Midwestern cities.Its no contest.
Kennsington Market is a good example of a Midwestern neighborhood.

[Atticman]

Originally Posted by Othello Is Here

Wow.I swear I was typing the same thing you just said about St.Louis.Toronto is very much like many Midwestern cities.Its no contest.
Kennsington Market is a good example of a Midwestern neighborhood.

Say whaaaa? I defy you to find any neighbourhood in the midwest that looks like Kensington Market.

https://goo.gl/maps/r2GLnZFfLuT2

With its narrow streets, ramshackle graffiti covered buildings and psychedelic rowhouses, the last place that comes to mind is a typical midwestern neighbourhood.

[r small]

Originally Posted by Atticman

Say whaaaa? I defy you to find any neighbourhood in the midwest that looks like Kensington Market.

https://goo.gl/maps/r2GLnZFfLuT2

With its narrow streets, ramshackle graffiti covered buildings and psychedelic rowhouses, the last place that comes to mind is a typical midwestern neighbourhood.

That neighborhood reminds me of parts of Pittsburgh.

[King of Kensington]

Originally Posted by Othello Is Here

Wow.I swear I was typing the same thing you just said about St.Louis.Toronto is very much like many Midwestern cities.Its no contest.
Kennsington Market is a good example of a Midwestern neighborhood.

Kensington strikes me as very un-Midwestern. The Italian Market area of Philly reminds me more of Kensington than anywhere I've seen in the US.

If we want to compare Toronto to places in the US, I'd say it's a mix of Queens NY, Chicago and a bit of Philadelphia.