Downtown T.O. & the Wal-Mart effect

So many blogs, so little time - I've got so many ideas to blog about but have just been so crazy at work. So, I thought I'd start here, with a blog inspired by the tweet of a friend.

Toronto - endlessly growing and building

Apparently Rio-can (a commercial realtor and developer) has plans to build a late shopping complex down on Bathurst and Nassau streets. People were all over the idea from the get-go, on how Toronto didn't need more shopping malls. Doesn't it? Toronto is one of the most rapidly growing cities in North America, and as I've said all along - there are no signs of slowing down. So why shouldn't commercial space expand with all of the residential condos going up?

That's just the beginning of this "issue" though, as Rio-can came out (somewhat ill advisedly) to state they'd be seeking Wal-Mart as the anchor tenant of this new complex. (You can imagine where this is headed).

Now, the people against this - I want to ask you a few things:

A lot of you are saying his will hurt Kensington Market - but you do know that this area isn't even Kensington Market right? If it's the look and feel of the area - well - rest assured, it won't affect the market itself.

You also think that Wal-Mart will destroy some of the smaller shops and businesses. Do you honestly not think people downtown don't know where their closest Wal-Mart (Dufferin Mall) or Target is? Do you not think stores like Canadian Tire (Eaton Centre) should theoretically be just as damaging?

Do you think that he people who travel in from all corners of the GTA to visit such a culturally important region like Kensington will travel all the way in, but go to Wal-Mart instead?

Why should we be worried for Kensington market, when Honest Ed's, just up the street (who would arguably be hurt the most), accepts that it's a part of business? (and I quote...)

“We don’t begrudge anybody that wants to do business,” he said. “It makes you sharper when you have competition.”

And finally, don't you think that it's only fair and beneficial for society for businesses to compete for customers? Remember, Zellers wrote that the lowest price is the law (they broke the law however and paid dearly for it).

My points here are pretty much this - the location of a Wal-Mart doesn't matter, people aren't oblivious to its existence. If they want to shop there, they will. This new complex isn't competing with Kensington market - if anything it's making the area more modern and liveable. If any place needs to be worried it's Dufferin Mall, Eaton Centre, etc. These are te guys that (in theory) you should hate just as much.

So, while I like the idea of jumping on a cause, I ask you, why do you not want Toronto to grow?