Main Street, Canada

I was listening to the Vinyl Cafe last night and I was pleasantly surprising to hear the host Stuart McLean talking about the importance of Main Street. He praised the people of Picton, Ontario for having a Main Street in an era when “many Main Streets are boarded up.” Here spoke about how, unlike strip malls and power centers, Main Street provides a sense of community and place. At times I though I was listening to a lecture on urban planning. He went on to explain that in the Netherlands, some communities require big box retailers to setup outlets on Main Street. Well talking, he told the people in Picton that he was glad they resisted Wal-Mart. The audience erupted into clapping and cheering. He went on to say that having people living on top of stores was important, and how in Picton they are seeing a resurgence of development on Main Street.

View of Main Street in Picton, Ontario. From: http://flickr.com/photos/tamerakremer/2499873401/

Basically Stuart McLean was speaking about Smart Growth, mixed-use development: stuff that SFOT has been advocating for. I hope that you have time to download and listen to the first 15 minutes of the show. I leave you with this paraphrase from the show: Sure Picton has its problem, like all communities. But a community with a working Main Street is 1000 times better off then one that’s lost it.

Download the MP3 Podcast