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How can the nightlife of the largest city in the country be boring? How can any city with over 5 million people have a nightlife that is boring?
Quite simply it isn't 'boring' - There's lots to do obviously but people have a narrow definition of fun and boring. Toronto has lots of options.. The biggest problem I have with Toronto when it comes to this is its rather dated last call times - they should be later but some vocal ninnies will have none of it. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Quite simply it isn't 'boring' - There's lots to do obviously but people have a narrow definition of fun and boring. Toronto has lots of options.. The biggest problem I have with Toronto when it comes to this is its rather dated last call times - they should be later but some vocal ninnies will have none of it. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
How do you think it would affect nightlife in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada if they completely scrapped last call times and you could drink as late as you wanted to?
How do you think it would affect nightlife in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada if they completely scrapped last call times and you could drink as late as you wanted to?
I'm all for scrapping last call times wherever. I think it is a dumb concept. The ninnies here are afraid that if you go later people will become more drunk and get into fights. Like hello - Montreal has later last calls and it isn't falling apart - just having fun longer. Besides, people trickle out over a longer period of time with later or no last calls so really - I think the potential for a bunch of drunks leaving all at onvr at 2 am is worse - much worse. Toronto is notorious for 2 am post bar fights and even killings and guess when that occurs. It is time to take the 'b**t plug out of our arses on this. I feel like looking Adam Vaughan or Ninny City Counsellor in their face - grabbing them by their ears and yelling in their face take that b**t plug out of your arse.
The problem is our leaders here - probably in other jurisdictions too - apparently not so much Montreal on this issue is that they take some vocal ninny complaints as gospel that everyone feels like the ninnies or nimby's.....
I'm all for scrapping last call times wherever. I think it is a dumb concept. The ninnies here are afraid that if you go later people will become more drunk and get into fights. Like hello - Montreal has later last calls and it isn't falling apart - just having fun longer. Besides, people trickle out over a longer period of time with later or no last calls so really - I think the potential for a bunch of drunks leaving all at onvr at 2 am is worse - much worse. Toronto is notorious for 2 am post bar fights and even killings and guess when that occurs. It is time to take the 'b**t plug out of our arses on this. I feel like looking Adam Vaughan or Ninny City Counsellor in their face - grabbing them by their ears and yelling in their face take that b**t plug out of your arse.
The problem is our leaders here - probably in other jurisdictions too - apparently not so much Montreal on this issue is that they take some vocal ninny complaints as gospel that everyone feels like the ninnies or nimby's.....
Don't you think that a 2am last call just reflects the attitude of the majority of GTA residents? After all, we live in a democratic society with free elections etc.
4 years ago, while I was living in Thailand, there was a coup there and the military imposed a 8PM curfew, that was supposed to last for a couple of months. All the entertainment venues had to close very early. However, that was met with much opposition from the population, so after a few days the curfew hours were cut to 12:00PM and very soon completely lifted.
Once I visited a small city of Nong Khai (about 70,000 people) - it has more vibrant nightlife than entire GTA. And it is not even a touristy place.
So I believe the last call is a consequence of general lack of "fun factor" among the population. People prefer to spend time at their homes.
Don't you think that a 2am last call just reflects the attitude of the majority of GTA residents? After all, we live in a democratic society with free elections etc.
4 years ago, while I was living in Thailand, there was a coup there and the military imposed a 8PM curfew, that was supposed to last for a couple of months. All the entertainment venues had to close very early. However, that was met with much opposition from the population, so after a few days the curfew hours were cut to 12:00PM and very soon completely lifted.
Once I visited a small city of Nong Khai (about 70,000 people) - it has more vibrant nightlife than entire GTA. And it is not even a touristy place.
So I believe the last call is a consequence of general lack of "fun factor" among the population. People prefer to spend time at their homes.
The main difference I find with Thailand and Canada/N.A in general is that life is on the streets there. So nightlife would appear to be 'better' there but its just that people hang out outside more. Here, people go to clubs or bars or other venues with a specific intent. Part of the reason is and let's not be naïve - a lot of Thai's are out all hours of the day and night to make a buck. We work our nice 9-5 jobs. We don't have to sell cheap wares or sell street meat at night on the street after work to feed our families. If not doing this, Thai's love to eat and they are far more likely to eat on the street multiple times a day with friends or family. Here, parents are lucky to get their kids probably to eat dinner together at home one time a day. It is a different culture there and not sure it is fair to compare N.A cities to Thai cities - just not very corollary.
Toronto's nightclub and party seen is actually pretty healthy - especially for electronic/dance music. In the summer especially, the city is alive with International DJ's performing at venues or festivals so i'm not going to jump on the Toronto is boring bandwagon - it is just a first world city in a primarily Anglo country and how we party is a bit different. It is more money oriented. I'd actually say the nightlife scene here is quite broad and varied.
As for last call times at Bars and Clubs - those places are normally not zoned in residential areas in the burbs. Toronto city is a bit different because of its urbanity. As for whether or not most people in the GTA care or not about last call times - i'd be on the side that they don't really care and the topic just doesn't really come up for the majority of people who are 30-40 somethings raising families - they're done with paryting for the most part and are just indifferent. It is really young people most impacted by this and I think they simply don't use their voice as much as the ninnies. I think if they did make their voice heard there would be some traction on this. I think its more a reflection that our young people don't get involved politically enough. They also may be more apt in this day and age to be techies and social media junkies.
Nightlife to me doesn't have to be bars or clubs either. It can be things like live theatre, opera, symphony, eating out and other entertainment pursuits so personally I don't find the GTA or Toronto lacking in options - you're not going to see Ana Bolena at an opera house in Nong Kai i'd imagine - I just find that the 2 am last call should be revisited.l
Quite simply it isn't 'boring' - There's lots to do obviously but people have a narrow definition of fun and boring. Toronto has lots of options.. The biggest problem I have with Toronto when it comes to this is its rather dated last call times - they should be later but some vocal ninnies will have none of it. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
The 2 am last call absolutely leads to a 'boring' nightlife. Also, while the city isn't that big, alot of the different night life areas are spread out I find. Pockets really, that are separated enough it doesn't converge to one real eclectic happening area. Aesthics is also lacking. No public squares, outdoor patio area (Esplanade prob comes closest, but it's in a fugly location and has too much of that touristy feel). Then you have a bunch of people living in the 905 that like to stay up in the area and 'nightlife' there.
Plus, our culture is more about 'how am I going to get home'. Pick-up scene in Toronto is also known to be one of the most challenging/small townish thinking. So that mutes that type of energy since that's what the nightlife is essentially about.
I will say though, if you were around 19-25 from the mid-90s to mid-2000s, Toronto's old clubbing district was something to behold. If that is your definition of nightlife, it was probably the best or biggest in N. America.
Also, while the city isn't that big, alot of the different night life areas are spread out I find.
.Aesthics is also lacking. No public square.
Doesn't Toronto have so many big popular squares like Yongue and Dundas and Nathan Phillips square? Also Toronto "isn't that big" is an incorrect statement, it is huge and part of the reason everything is spread out is because how big it is.
Doesn't Toronto have so many big popular squares like Yongue and Dundas and Nathan Phillips square? Also Toronto "isn't that big" is an incorrect statement, it is huge and part of the reason everything is spread out is because how big it is.
I wouldn't call them popular really. Especially later at night. Touristy yes. But does not give off the vibe of a place to gather as a launching point type thing. I remember certain outdoor areas in Miami, South America that has more stuff like that. But of course their weather is warmer so maybe it's not really a fair comparison.
You are right from square footage point of view. I should have clarified that that we aren't really that big in terms of density. Especially with the urban sprawl. Also, we're not really a major 'party' tourist destination as other cities that adds to the buzz of the nightlife, shows, restaurants, etc. I think if somehow, the city was centered around an area like Yorkville, it would create that better buzz and concentrated energy. Then again, 2 am in this city feels like it's already shut down.
The 2 am last call absolutely leads to a 'boring' nightlife. Also, while the city isn't that big, alot of the different night life areas are spread out I find. Pockets really, that are separated enough it doesn't converge to one real eclectic happening area. Aesthics is also lacking. No public squares, outdoor patio area (Esplanade prob comes closest, but it's in a fugly location and has too much of that touristy feel). Then you have a bunch of people living in the 905 that like to stay up in the area and 'nightlife' there.
I will certainly agree that the last call naws at club/bar nightlife. I think I've been pretty clear about that. Toronto's club scene as a whole is still very healthy but mostly on weekends. We are a 9-5 m-f society with that pretty engrained in our culture. As long as the culture is like that - club nightlife will be very weekend oriented. As for aesthetics and nightlife - I think that's b.s quite frankly. I'm in Bangkok as I write this and I must say - the city aesthically is pretty damned ugly. Some of the highrises are nice but that's it - street level aesthetics - Toronto and many N.A large cities like Boston, Montreal, Philly etc are way better aesthetically. That said, t hey are dead boring compared to BKK so no, aesthetics and vitality aren't linked - BKK is crazy more better in terms of nightlife and street vitality. Culture and way of life is the main driver of street level vitality and nightlife - NOT squares and aesthetics as BKK has neither of those plentifully.
More to show Toronto's aesthetics are not the issue imo - Boston has some of the most aesthetically beautiful architecture in N.A - kinda monotonous so if you like that stuff - you'll love it (T.o is more mish mash architecturally with not as much a dominant form) - but point is aesthetics are overatted in buzz and energy in a city by a long shot because Boston certainly isn't a more 'exciting' city than Toronto. Culture, way of life, urban design and density plus transit coverage/frequencies are all way more important than whether you have more monotonous pretty brownstone rowhouses with mostly boring rich/wealthy westerner's living in them. These people are more likely at the Opera or Symphony than glowsticking at a club at 3AM lol.. As a N.A city - I find Toronto's street level vitality better than most N.A cities but that ain't saying much because we live in probably the most boring continent for street vitality in the world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blistex649
Plus, our culture is more about 'how am I going to get home'. Pick-up scene in Toronto is also known to be one of the most challenging/small townish thinking. So that mutes that type of energy since that's what the nightlife is essentially about.
Speculative and relative to individual. Uber is available 24/7 in T.O - weak argument that doesn't resonate with me - esp small town thinking - Toronto is a big city lol - pretty much everyone would agree with that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blistex649
I will say though, if you were around 19-25 from the mid-90s to mid-2000s, Toronto's old clubbing district was something to behold. If that is your definition of nightlife, it was probably the best or biggest in N. America.
I would agree with this. The club district in the entertainment district in the 90's and early 2000's was better. Part of the trade off of attracting professionals and young families to the DT core and surrounding areas is taking a pretty big hit to that district. People who moved DT are more eclectic in their nightlife choices and more broad based and mature/sophisticated. Nightlife as I said, isn't just about getting plastered and getting laid after the club. Toronto in that sense has evolved and there are tons of choices if you have a broad based definition of nightlife. If young people want more of a voice in how nightlife Is defined in the city - they need to get off the cell phone or FB/Instagram/Snapchat etc and get involved politically to create more exciting nightlife for their demographic. Middle aged families in T.O/GTA are not going to be their voice - they are too busy with practical realities of life such as feeding the family and working to pay for an expensive mortgage and saving for their kids education. Do you think these people care about whether Toronto doesn't have the club scene like in the 90's...
Last edited by fusion2; 03-29-2018 at 04:31 PM..
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How can any city with over 5 million people have a nightlife that is boring?
