I was talking with one student on the bus today who lives east of downtown and has commuted through it since the beginning of the semester.
She related stories of driving around with her family for half an hour downtown, not knowing where a good place to eat would be, not knowing where to start.
What struck me was her desire to know the downtown, wanting to find great places and having an open mind, but not knowing where to begin at all. We both agreed there were a lot of great places in Hamilton, but they were hidden, and hard to find off the bat. That's what has to change.
She had never been to Locke Street (didn't know about it at all!) or Hess Village (had gone by, never had the time to visit. We talked about a few cafes, restaurants, and more, giving some possibilities.
She had even walked around downtown many times and felt intimidated because it was so different than her hometown (which I had been in several times, and personally I feel less safe in!) We talked about some of the statistics for both cities, and all the cities I'd lived in... and she was surprised to hear a lot of the numbers.
It just reinforces for me that usually people just need is an introduction - a pointer in the right direction. Recognizable chains may not be the most exciting thing nor give true character to a downtown, but the aspect of familiarity can prove helpful. If things aren't made easy, very few will have the time or knowhow to figure it out for themselves, but if there's a push given and information made available, it's a lot easier for people to start somewhere.