Comment 36646

By Tammany (anonymous) | Posted December 29, 2009 at 14:13:45

Jason,

I strongly question whether the majority of Hamilton's middle class (and above) residents work in the downtown. I doubt if data exists to support this assertion.

I also question whether the downtown offers "middle class professionals" what they want in a community, Locke being a notable exception.

There are some good restaurants in downtown, but there are arguably better ones in Ancaster, Burlington and Oakville.

Your average middle class worker is not likely to be much interested in Hess, which has developed a reputation as a sleazy, brawly club strip catering pretty much exclusively to students. Most "middle class professionals" are happy to get their "post-work entertainment on a Friday night" at a bland suburban chain pub; if they want more they'll go into Toronto.

There is virtually no quality retail in the downtown.

As far as I'm concerned, downtown, as it is, offers very little to the "middle class professional" other than relatively high quality, relatively low cost older housing stock. The amenities to support a thriving middle class community just aren't there yet.

Add to this the fact that "middle class professionals" don't like being outnumbered by those visibly (or at least ostensibly) lower on the socio-economic spectrum and you've got a complete answer to the question of why they shun the core (as Capitalist might say, "It's the bums, stupid").

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