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<title>blogTO Recent Comments: Neighbourhood Watch: Trinity Bellwoods</title>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/feed/recentcomments/?3570</link>
<description>Comments recently made in this post on blogTO</description>
<copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
<lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:06:45 PST</lastBuildDate>
<item>
<title>Don L</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Gentrification is fantastic! Most of downtown Toronto was a dump until about 10 years ago. I had to go to New York to go shopping or go to really great restaurants. Downtown Toronto was pretty depressing.

I'm all for the upscale chains like Pottery Barn, William Sonoma, Whole Foods, Zara, Crate & Barrell (opening in Toronto in 2008), Restoration Hardware, Sephora etc having stores in downtown.  

The fact that these chains have opened stores in Toronto signifies a healthy economy. Soho and Greenwich Village have these shops and they are fantastic neighbourhoods.

I'm glad I can finally get cool things  in Toronto instead of having to fly to New York to do my shopping!!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c132865</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c132865</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 06 Apr 2007 00:26:33 PDT</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Melsky</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Thanks for using my flickr photo in your blog.

I used to live in San Francisco and was also struck by the resemblance of the Trinity Belwoods area to the Haight.  In fact I used to call Queen Street Haight Street on accident some times.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c92905</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c92905</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:00:00 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>slumber</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I was forced to leave Claremont St last year because my landlady decided to sell the house (thanks!).  Over the last 10yrs the neighborhood had changed a bunch, and to be honest I was resenting the yuppy factor, but whatever.  I'm as much a part of the gentrification process as the yuppies are, just an earlier stage.

Recently I had a good laugh at the peeps around the Drake complaining about condos and gentrification.  That area was a DUMP just 5 yrs ago.  Please.

Now I live in High Park/Parkdale and it's pretty and boring.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c71882</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c71882</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:46:09 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>awardtour</title>
<description><![CDATA[
i think people worry a wee bit too much about gentricification in toronto. even if every small shop was kicked off queen west just think about how many piece-of-crap retail locations exist just a 5-minute walk north on dundas.

but even then, how many chains are there west of bathurst on queen street other than pizza pizza and starbucks? and this can be contrasted against the fact that there are several other coffee shops and pizza places on the same street (including terroni's which has EXPANDED in recent years).

On top of all this, even in the most gentrified section of queen west you still have an independent bookstore, lots of locally owned restaurants, and places like active surplus. think about that for a second. active surplus sells electrical parts in bulk just 100 meters from the center of muchmusic and advertises via a stuffed gorilla and a dude who constantly yells "active surplus, you never know what you're going to find". If queen west was really turning into an all out mega-corp retail location, a place like that wouldn't last 10 minutes.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60423</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60423</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2006 12:57:04 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>ramanan</title>
<description><![CDATA[
When I was in high school, Queen West was full of the sorts of expensive-ass boutiques that seem to have have made their way west into Queen Way West.  So maybe in 10-15 years Trinity Bellwoods will be more boring, as those expensive boutiques get replaced with Gaps and Blue Notes.  Though, I can't imagine the area changing into a clone of Queen West, if only because Queen West is a block away.  Trinity Bellwoods is also a lot more residential than Queen West, which must have some effect on the area.  

I remember when the area west of Bathurst was a good source for vintage clothing shops.  Those are the only shops I really remember being out there, along with fabric shops and empty store fronts.  It's totally different now.  I think the neighbourhood has improved, as it is clearly a safer and cleaner place to live, but I am sure there are people that read your piece and miss the way it was; people who *already* see the way it is now as a reflection of Queen West. 

Anyway, there is nothing wrong with hoping a place you like remains a place you like.  (I'm just no fan of people who fear their neighbourhoods losing 'indie-cred', which you do not.)]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60415</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60415</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2006 11:53:23 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Beth</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Thanks for your feedback ramanan.   I did not live in the area 5 years ago, so I don't have that perspective for point of comparison.  I did start visiting the area some 7-8 years ago, and I DO remember there being very little west of Bathurst apart from random cool galleries and mom & pop shops.  And a lot of boarded-up windows.  So I guess my point is that gentrification brings both good AND bad, and that even though a lot has changed already, that gentrification is <i>still happening</i>.  It's not that I don't want yuppies to enjoy it (I'd be a hypocrite if I denied fitting that demographic myself), I'd just hate to see the neighborhood fill up with cheap chain stores and ugly commercial facades that push all the (current) independent designers out.  I didn't come right out and say it in the peice but I'll say it here - in the back of my mind I held the stretch of Queen east of Spadina as what I DON'T want Trinity Bellwoods to become. 

And re: suckingalemon, she was, is, and will always be an enigma to me (her post was sort of an inside joke, as appropo as it may be.)]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60399</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60399</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2006 10:31:56 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>ramanan</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I think suckingalemon's comments is a little bit funny, since many of the things that appeal to you about your neighbourhood really didn't exist there 5 or so years back.  (When my cousin lived near the park, there was no Clafouti, Magic Pony, Fresh Collective, and a slew of other little shops that are now in that stretch.  He thought I was an idiot when I told him I would venture out to Trinity Bellwoods to get croissants.)  You moved into an area that had pretty much gentrified, and are now worried the yuppies also want to enjoy it?  That doesn't seem nice or fair.<br />
<br />
I wonder how people in Parkdale feel about hipsters and artists moving into their neighbourhood.  I wonder if they would lament the westward movement of art galleries and expensive coffee shops.<br />
<br />
Regardless, very nice write up of the area.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60395</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60395</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 06 Nov 2006 10:14:00 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Beth</title>
<description><![CDATA[
...only if I could be closer to YOU.

cheers.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60177</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60177</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 05 Nov 2006 17:30:21 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>suckingalemon</title>
<description><![CDATA[
......................and now you hate it and want to move.

cheers]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60140</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/city/2006/11/neighbourhood_watch_trinity_bellwoods/#c60140</guid>
<category>Toronto, City</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 05 Nov 2006 14:11:11 PST</pubDate>
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