Well Gwen, I wasn't talking about Richard's irony, though I sympathize with his point of view, I think he is right about the reuse of the building. he is also right about the value to the neighborhood. The parking thing is a non issue. Every single week in the summer, I see a bunch of cars parked with Ontario, Ma, Vt, Ny, Ct, Pa plates on my street, I never had a problem parking because of that. There are restaurant strips on Notre-Dame close to here which didn't exist 25 years ago. It,s more than just food culture, it's about more conviviality on a street that only had laundromats, taverns, boxing gyms, 5 and 10cent stores, hot dog stands and pool halls. It was rough and ugly. An abandoned furniture store that had been covered in corrugated steel was recently stripped to reveal nice brickwork. Last year some anarchists vandalized businesses on the strip to protest against gentrification.

I think that anyone who is ready to take risks opening a risky business and puts their heart into it should have a chance. The neighbors save a valuable building, the attractiveness of the area is enhanced. The proximity to a higher level of food offer, maybe some patio-deck thing happening on the sidewalk. You have to trust people a bit more and let them let their hair down to a comfortable level. Civilization is about small things, increments, and that is how the human cosmos operates. Trust. Social contract.