Re “Wych will,” Cover, Nov. 20: Artscape certainly deserves an “A” for the effort they put into convincing us of their essential humanitarianism, but not even the warmest of their self-congratulations could disguise the distressingly classist implications of their Wychwood Car Barns project.

The issue raises concerning questions about policy priorities in this city, both public and private. A real-estate developer receives $11 million of government funding to house post-suburban high-culture hacks, while thousands go homeless on east-side streets or are forced to the margins by sky-rocketing rents. The Canadian Urban Institute gives Artscape an award for innovative use of a brownfield, while squats are flushed out and Tent City is razed.  

It is an increasingly familiar story. Affluent city dwellers attempt to confront neighbourhood blight but end up trapped in a trick question: destroy or beautify beyond recognition? EYE WEEKLY’s readership is no doubt well aware of who the winners are in this ongoing game of urban reinvigoration, but little is said with regard to the defeated.

If only we could put as much inspiration into addressing the crisis of poverty in Toronto as we put into the design of our art factories. Or maybe we need a “dilapidated eyesore” or two to remind us of the other, bleaker side of real life in our post-industrial city. ANDREW MOORE

DINERS NOT DEAD
Re “Goodbye greasy spoon,” Food, Nov. 13: Come on guys, I’m standing right here, I can hear everything you’re saying. We here at Sadie’s Diner can’t help but feel a little ignored by your recent article [about the death of diners]. We know you know we exist: you gave us a pretty good review when we opened almost two years ago.

Perhaps we just didn’t fit in with your theory, as we are neither an older diner slowly going out of business, nor a new faux diner run by a corporate chain. We are an independently owned business serving up traditional comfort food in what most say is a traditional diner setting. I mean, so what if our coffee is fair trade/organic? So what if all our egg dishes can be made with tofu and soy cheese as an option? It’s still good old-fashioned diner food served to you at a Formica-­and-chrome table. If the diner is dying it is certainly not for lack of demand on the part of the public, I can tell you that. AL RIDLEY, SADIE’S DINER

CORRECTIONS: Our Holiday Gadget Guide erroneously reported that the Flip Video is unavailable in Canada. In fact, the Flip Video Ultra has been available in Canada since June at Wal-Mart, Future Shop and Best Buy. Also, our review of OddFellows incorrectly placed the restaurant in Parkdale. It is at 936 Queen W. at Shaw, which is not, in fact, in Parkdale (see illustration below). EYE WEEKLY regrets the errors.

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