Firstly, I'd like to say how great this forum is. I'm no architect, but in recent years I developed an interest in buildings and neighbourhoods. Particularly since I started working in commercial real estate. The Amazon second HQ announcement is what brought me to this site.
So many of the topics on this forum really appeal to me. And I rarely have anyone else to talk to about these things.
Though as with any forum, there is often too much bickering, though it does make for some good entertainment until it strays too far off topic and becomes tiresome. Gotta take the good with the bad!
I've passed through a lot of towns over the years on my various roadies through ON, QC and 35 different states. Plan on doing out east in the near future!
Only in the past couple of years have I really started to pay attention and appreciate the intracacies of each town and neighbourhood, good and bad. Whether it's the downtowns or old neighbourhoods of the GTA suburbs or the main streets of small towns I pass through or stop in.
Last couple of years did a lot of driving through the cottage countries of Kawarthas, Muskoka, Huron from Kincardine to Sauble, up the Bruce Peninsula from Wiarton to Tobermory, and Georgian Bay from Owen Sound to Parry Sound.
As well, took various routes to Erie that took me through different towns like Dunnville, Smithville, Delhi, Simcoe, Waterford, Beamsville, etc.
Then there's some very interesting towns from KW and Amish/Mennonite country through to Stratford and St. Mary's.
And also passed through a few towns along Lake Ontario through to Prince Edward County and Bay of Quinte.
So many fascinating little places. The downtowns that are most intriguing to me are on the two extremes.
Charming places like Elora, Stratford, St. Mary's, Niagara on the Lake. Or in the GTA: Downtown Oakville and Burlington, Bronte Village, Streetsville, Unionville, etc.
And real dumpy, almost abandoned places, which I won't name. Though that's more in the Rust Belt and Appalaicha. Not good for the residents but fascinating for visitors.
Now the most bland downtown I drove through, which was two weeks ago, was Lucknow, ON. It was neither charming nor dumpy. This is not a knock on the place. It was not run down at all. Just an observation. Some towns don't even have a downtown, and so there's nothing worth noting.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.96050...7i13312!8i6656
It got me thinking, what makes a downtown of a small town "charming"? Here's what I think of:
- Old, but well maintained buildings/houses with character. Including an old church.
- Very low vacancy.
- Unique and colourful storefronts/facades all different than the next one. Whether they're original or fake.
- Ivy growing up some buildings helps.
- Sidewalks are lined with trees/bushes, big or small.
- Lamp posts have hanging flower baskets.
- Not too many franchised stores but rather some individual cafes and boutique stores.
- Narrow streets, which adds to the intimacy. Bad for driving in bigger places but fine for small towns as traffic is not an issue.
- Cobblestone would help but most places are not Old Quebec or Montreal.
- Overhanging sign or banners. Like a sign with the town's name on it or banners promoting festivals. Even having some wires crossing over the street adds to the closeness and intimacy IMO.
Anything else to add?
And as for Lucknow, I understand it's a very small place and is surrounded by farms. And to add the things I mentioned above would cost money to implement and maintain. And I'm sure there are more important things to pay for.
But I wonder, if a place did want to add the trees, flowers, overhanging signs, etc., is it the town council that pushes that agenda forward to try and improve the town's image or the local BIA to try and attract more shoppers to Main Street?
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