Identity crisis

From a major highway in Toronto, one can see signs for "New York Fitness." Minutes later, an apartment complex is proudly called the "New York Towers," with individual buildings carrying names such as "Waldorf" and "Chrysler." At a construction site in downtown Toronto where a new condo is being built, British flags and Big Ben are everywhere as the project claims to be "London on the Esplanade." And Torontonians often call a new outdoor plaza in Toronto's shopping/theater area the city's 'mini Times Square.'

Toronto apparently has an identity crisis. Yes, it's safe and clean and has 4 million people and the condo construction is booming, but what exactly is Toronto about? The city doesn't seem to be sure, so instead it tries - not so successfully - to be like other, much cooler cities - aka New York and London.

I wish it would just give it up and instead build its identity on its own attributes, such as "Toronto: you can eat off our clean subways." Or "Toronto: the urban capital of the North Pole."

I don't care if you put "I Love New York" on every dumbbell in that dumb gym, I'm not gonna believe I'm in the Big Apple. You can call that new condo a flat, hire a doorman with a British accent and serve tea and cucumber sandwiches during open house, it still won't be London. And just because you stuck a big billboard near your shopping street - heck, even if you put the Naked Cowboy in there - I doubt it will induce a Times Square deja-vu.

Get your own identity, T-dot.