I should have known when Business of Leaside columnist Glenn Asano wrote in our May issue about the City’s consultations on the ‘night economy’ and what that might mean for Leaside that we’d hear about it. “Opportunity or threat for Leaside?” was how he phrased it.
Well, email letter-writers have come down unanimously on the side of…threat!
Here are just two of the more printable comments (edited for space) that we received:
“In brief, my opinion is ‘absolutely no!’ Actually, I’m beyond perplexed that anyone would think of a ‘nightclub or two in Leaside Business Park.’ Perhaps another place like The Local, but only in line with the growth of local population and not to attract folks from other parts of the city. You want to go to a club or a place that’s open past 11 p.m.? Please feel free to go to Yonge & Eglinton or downtown. Mayor Chow should consider developing Toronto Waterfront if she wants more clubs…Imagine your Friday night, trying to relax in your Divadale or Stickney Rd. home and you hear the bass coming from the Leaside Business Park’s nightclub. I can go on and on.” Or this one:
“I am not a fan of this idea for Toronto at all. But, more importantly, NOT FOR LEASIDE whatsoever. I think the hours that are set, and the days, are just fine here in our city. We do not want to become like some of the USA cities where people never sleep. Let’s keep our communities, and our ‘neighbourhoods’ even more so, a place of peace during the night hours. People need times of calm to rest. There is enough chaos in our world as it is.”
There were enough comments sent to us that Glenn has chosen to take another look at the issues around the night economy. Will he still see opportunity? Read on to find out.
