It's not just the Wallmart that has me up in arms over the development, it's every other store plus the 2000 car parking lot that they are looking to put in Leslieville. I don't know how anyone could call that a "SmartCentre". The 6 lanes of entrance and exit that have to cross the bike path are a hazard at best, it promotes more car culture and will be detrimental to the small businesses that currently exist in the area. I can't blame local residents for being PO'd over the strong arm tactics that this developer is using. I'm also betting that you wont see any photo studios, antique stores, local hardware shops, family run eateries or anything else 'local' in these shops due to astronomical rent. Yup. Plan on seeing a subway, rogers store, la senza, gap, urban barn, a few banks...

There goes the neighborhood.

Wow.....what are brilliantly researched and factually accurate opinion peice {/end sarcasm}

There are points againsts Wal-Mart, but this was just weak.

Those complaining against the bigbox store in leslieville are a bunch of Nimby screaming limousine liberals.

In fact I've heard some of these folks say, they don't want Walmart because of the [poor] people it attracts.

Bring on the big boxes. And get rid of the yuppies.

This response is funny.

1) Sending profits stateside -- well, okay, but please provide a list of stores that have no American ownership or products -- oh wait. And after comparing Toyota and Honda to GM and Ford and the CAW, I'll take a bit more of life without unions -- just like small businesses do.

2) the TV ad. Yes, you may want to be non-conformist, but I think the ad is actually funny, as it goes over the top to show that kids, damn them, actually want to wear the same kinds of things as their friends.

Thanks for the laugh. I'm looking forward to the new stores.

This response is funny.

1) Sending profits stateside -- well, okay, but please provide a list of stores that have no American ownership or products -- oh wait. And after comparing Toyota and Honda to GM and Ford and the CAW, I'll take a bit more of life without unions -- just like small businesses do.

2) the TV ad. Yes, you may want to be non-conformist, but I think the ad is actually funny, as it goes over the top to show that kids, damn them, actually want to wear the same kinds of things as their friends.

Thanks for the laugh. I'm looking forward to the new stores.

Wal-Mart like all businesses are in it to make a profit.

If you truly believe that "nobody wants a Walmart here" (and I really don't understand how you have this divine knowledge). why don't you let them open up and fail miserably? I'm sure they couldn't even got off the ground because apparently according to the opponents, "no one wants to work at a Walmart"(Insert divine knowledge comment here as well)

c'mon folks what are you afraid of? That people might actalluy shop there?

If a city is going to do any planning (and I think it should) then it needs to have some teeth behind the decisions it makes. It can't just have developers buying large tracts of land under the assumption that with enough pressure they can do whatever they please. Walmart retail is not the type of work that downtown Toronto needs. For you anti-yuppy crusaders, if you want to see only yuppies in Toronto go this route and make sure there isn't a half descent blue-collar job within city limits.

Seriously- basic economics- there's only so much need for retail, is anyone having trouble finding low priced tupperware - then walk up to Gerrard Square or over the massive CanadianTire.

Clearly, the TV ad is intended to be comedy -- a play on the often heard quote from young kids, "everyone has it."

Your suggestion that Walmart is trying to sell "lockstep conformity" is ridiculous.

Oh, and the actual tag line is, "Get it all at Walmart. Everything they want, at a price you want." Accuracy is important!

As for the Leslieville Walmart -- don't go. Continue to pay $2000 for a table at Hardware, $4 for a latte at Bonjour Brioche, then head a block east for a $10 piece of cheddar. Now that's smart shopping!

I've lived in this neighbourhood for over 15 years, and it's gone through some changes for sure. While I agree that it could use some more medium priced stores and restaurants, a lot of you are missing the point on this Walmart thing. The community doesn't want it, just like most communties don't, and the things that make this community great have nothing to do with big box stores.

Who needs more conformity? I for one would like to see a diverse and interesting neighborhood maintained, where people choose to WALK to shops that actually have character. Walmart will kill businesses in this area and bring more traffic... as it always does. How on earth do things like this get pushed through? As mentioned, Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Winners already serve our conformist bargain-hunting desires. North American cities are losing their "soul" and apparently there's nothing we can do about it.

If the community REALLY doesn't want a Wal-mart they would never open one, because opening a large business like a wal-mart is a big risk, that is often midigated through instense market research.

The reason these so called "community" groups want to stop it at this point is because they know everyone actually wants the Wal-Mart and will shop there. Heres the thing, if everyone will shop there, doesn't that mean the community actually wants it?

Do you think Wal-Mart would open a store in an area, that REALLY doesn't want them, ie doesn't want or need what they'll selling. They're a business like any other, and if the market isn't there they won't come. The market is there, and they will thankfully come.

If the community REALLY doesn't want a Wal-mart they would never open one, because opening a large business like a wal-mart is a big risk, that is often midigated through instense market research.

The reason these so called "community" groups want to stop it at this point is because they know everyone actually wants the Wal-Mart and will shop there. Heres the thing, if everyone will shop there, doesn't that mean the community actually wants it?

Do you think Wal-Mart would open a store in an area, that REALLY doesn't want them, ie doesn't want or need what they'll selling. They're a business like any other, and if the market isn't there they won't come. The market is there, and they will thankfully come.

2000 parking spots are not needed to serve the community residents of Leslieville! So it's incorrect to think Wallmart's Market research confirms Leslieville's desire for Big Box . . perhaps they believe a big box would be a success on this site, but it would definately be a detriment to the local neighbourhood to serve the throngs of people coming from elsewhere for big box shopping.

They should try to make Leslieville like Kensington Market & Chinatown. Local shops far as the eye can see and everything's dirt cheap. Almost everything in my kitchen is from Chinatown. I haven't been to a Wal-Mart in years, but it's hard to imagine this stuff being much cheaper. Chinatown has all kings of ridiculously cheap clothing if you don't care about fashion (as i'm sure anyone buying clothes at Wal-Mart doesn't). I dunno, can you get 5 shirts for $10 at Wal-Mart? And groceries - Packaged food is a bit more (similar to Dominion prices) but fresh food is cheaper than anywhere else downtown. What other basic needs are there? You might have to leave the neighbourhood to find inexpensive furniture, but after growing up relatively poor i can assure you that almost all furniture and appliances are bought used if you're struggling to make ends meet.

I live in the Leslieville/Riverdale area and am all for improvements to our neighborhood. However: Allowing Wal-Mart to set up shop is going too far. The land can be put to much better use such as park land and professional service buildings (medical etc) which we seem to have a shortage of in the area. I would also like to see more businesses supporting the local arts and artists. If a large store has to go in there... why not make it a Canadian retailer?

Although putting a Wal-Mart in will create employment it is not necessarily the type of jobs people in the neighborhood want to see created.

We've been to your Leslieville part of town and it sure aint pretty down there on Eastern Avenue. It looks and smells like a Dump. Guess you don't want the place cleaned up with a nice SmartCentre and a Wal-Mart while you have the chance?

We have a SmartCentre and a Wal-Mart in our neck of the woods and even the smaller stores on the street are doing better now because of SmartCentre and Wal-Mart because we got more people coming by.

Thanks folks.

In response to this comment:

"We've been to your Leslieville part of town and it sure aint pretty down there on Eastern Avenue. It looks and smells like a Dump. Guess you don't want the place cleaned up with a nice SmartCentre and a Wal-Mart while you have the chance? We have a SmartCentre and a Wal-Mart in our neck of the woods and even the smaller stores on the street are doing better now because of SmartCentre and Wal-Mart because we got more people coming by. Thanks folks."

Do you think Wal-Mart will close the sewage treatment plant, eliminating any odours? I think not. All those cars driving into the area will certainly add to the stench.

Did you also happen to notice that Eastern Avenue is a one lane road each way? It's congested now at peak times. Adding Wal-Mart/Smart Centre customers will make it worse. I haven't heard of access via Lakeshore Blvd being available to this proposed development.

The ideal location for a Wal-Mart/Smart Centre would have been where the Canadian Tire/Shoppers Drug Mart is now located at Leslie & Lakeshore. They missed the boat on that area and now want to pave over land that is currently being put to use by the film industry.

I agree that a clean up of the area is in order. I just don't think a Wal-Mart/Smart Centre is the answer. Apparently many other people feel the same way.

Oh, you also neglected to mention where your "neck of the woods" is.

In response to this comment:

"We've been to your Leslieville part of town and it sure aint pretty down there on Eastern Avenue. It looks and smells like a Dump. Guess you don't want the place cleaned up with a nice SmartCentre and a Wal-Mart while you have the chance? We have a SmartCentre and a Wal-Mart in our neck of the woods and even the smaller stores on the street are doing better now because of SmartCentre and Wal-Mart because we got more people coming by. Thanks folks."

Do you think Wal-Mart will close the sewage treatment plant, eliminating any odours? I think not. All those cars driving into the area will certainly add to the stench.

Did you also happen to notice that Eastern Avenue is a one lane road each way? It's congested now at peak times. Adding Wal-Mart/Smart Centre customers will make it worse. I haven't heard of access via Lakeshore Blvd being available to this proposed development.

The ideal location for a Wal-Mart/Smart Centre would have been where the Canadian Tire/Shoppers Drug Mart is now located at Leslie & Lakeshore. They missed the boat on that area and now want to pave over land that is currently being put to use by the film industry.

I agree that a clean up of the area is in order. I just don't think a Wal-Mart/Smart Centre is the answer. Apparently many other people feel the same way.

Oh, you also neglected to mention where your "neck of the woods" is.

Chris - There will be three entrances to the centre from Lakeshore. Two from Eastern.

It seems like all the commenters against the smartcentre are just reacting from their gut to the idea of a Walmart and haven't looked into the facts at all. The plaza actually looks amazing, and a lot better than what's there right now.

http://thefoundrydistrict.ca/

Anyways, isn't Filmport building a huge new studio just down the street? This land will just sit there abandoned for years if this deal doesn't go through. The small independent retailers you want in this community certainly aren't going to be purchasing and building on the site, they tend to set up shop in preexisting structures.

looks like smart center has a lot of people on the pay roll participating in this forum.