dbd33

I'm not saying that Hamilton is a bad place. I'm saying that the only explicable reason for living in Mississauga, Burlington, Bronte Village and the like is that you work in Toronto and can't afford to live there. At least, can't afford to live there and have as many bathrooms as you would like. It's sacrificing convenience for square footage as well as, in most cases, the aesthetically pleasing for tract housing.

The OP is to work in Hamilton and could choose to live there or, as you suggest, in a nearby town. If he or she needs to live in a housing project then one nearer Hamilton would be cheaper than one nearer Toronto. In the circumstances, Burlington/Oakville/Bronte/Mississauga would be an even more peculiar choice of place to live than it is for Toronto commuters.

John_B

Our reasons for moving to Bronte were mainly because we wanted to bring up our kids in a nice suburb with easy access to the City. We wanted to live near the lake, with lots of parks and other facilities. Not in a concrete jungle with all the associated noise etc.

I lived in London before moving to Canada. Why on Earth would I move from London to live in downtown Toronto? If I wanted to live in a big city I would have stayed in England.

Siouxie

Ah, sorry, I misunderstood...

I have to agree that most of the new housing estates (oops, sorry, developments) remind me of the old song "little boxes" with no back gardens... but that is just my personal opinion. I wouldn't choose to live in one, but needs must I guess!

dbd33

The usual reason is to get more space. One gives up excitement for a garden and the ability to walk to most things.

And yet you're within the sprawl, it's all concrete until Pickering or Ajax or whatever it's called when you get past Scarborough.

Siouxie

If the OP wants to live in a new housing development, there are plenty in Stoney Creek, Grimsby, and absolutely tons in Binbrook... all within an easy 20 minute commute of Hamilton.

BC15

Geographically it makes very good sense for the OP to choose Burlington - it's twenty minutes down the road. You do know where Burlington is, don't you? You are obviously ignorant of the fact that Burlington, Oakville and Milton have a lot of employment of their own. You need to drop the idea that everyone who lives in these towns commutes to Toronto.
Are you not aware that there is a migration out of Toronto due to the sheer cost of buying even the crappiest little house (with no parking) and including the extra land transfer tax (added to the extra 8% on HST).
Tract housing is simply a way of creating new sub-divisions to provide homes, schools, recreational centres and the like to meet the demand of people who want to own their own property. They're all sold before the first sod is turned.
Design-wise they're a far cry from the brutal and featureless architecture of the '60's. Personally I have always gone for Victorian and previous era houses because I prefer the decorative woodwork, crown mouldings and other character forming features. The new houses are offering loads of character in their external and internal features - deep ogee baseboards make such a difference. There's hardwood and ceramic floors, stainless steel and granite. Recently I have seen loads in the three towns making up Halton with my sister and I have to say I am surprised and only wish I could have one built down here (as quite a few lucky people are around Bronte and other older areas of Oakville).
I drive into Toronto outside of heavy traffic areas for the theatre, dining, art exhibitions and other things and occasions. Live there - only down by the harbour (Queens Quay) maybe.
So why do you live on a scrap of land with a fairly mundane house in the middle of nowhere if you like the thought of living in Toronto?

dbd33

Horses. It's not feasible to keep horses in the Beach.

dbd33

Yes, I know where Burlington is, well vaguely, it's not so much a place as a continuation of the concrete, it kind of blurs into Brampton.

Can you imagine working there as well as living there? Perhaps building the tract housing or selling something from a strip mall? Ye Gods, that's a thought to make one question the wisdom of fleeing the arriving Khymer Rouge.

BC15

That's what they call a city - lots of buildings and parks and roads and people. Just like London and New York

The Beach, The Beaches, Beach, Beaches - where you used to live.

dbd33

"Just like London and New York is rather a stretch" but, yes, we seem to be agreeing that moving to suburban Toronto to get away from being in a city seems a bit odd.

BC15

Good, then we can count on keeping you out of these great live/work towns and I think we'll have to dock you a few points for introducing entirely irrelevant subject matter as none of us ever fled from the Khmer Rouge.

BC15

Except that I never moved from Toronto or any other big city. I enjoy living and working in a village-like atmosphere. I have everything I need here and I partake of what ever I like of the cities to both east and west of me.

BC15

You completely misread my post.

dbd33

I'm downtown reasonably frequently. In the past couple of weeks, for example, to the St Lawrence Market, the Yard, Brass Taps by Parliament, the Barbecue Hut, that Thai place in the Beach, the Feathers, but I don't see anywhere to ride except at the Ex, and that's indoors.

dbd33

And you mine. My misreading was deliberate.