On Mondays, I have a routine

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At noon, I head to the Bay Downtown to stock up on nibbles for the week--healthy ones of course--apples, carrots, crackers etc. On one particular Monday, I noticed an elderly couple slowly walking towards the escalators enjoying a malt and heard them wonder why the basement was so empty. I turned around and mentioned that Zellers was moving in. "Wonderful," they said.

Then I asked how their malt was, to which the gentleman said better then the last one he tried at the same place. I asked him how long ago that was. "Fifty years," he said, catching me off guard. "Things have changed quite a bit in downtown," he added.

"For better or worse?" I asked.

"Well the Bay is the same, but downtown, it's changed for better and I hear good things every day." I smiled. Who better to judge the downtown than someone who has not been here for 50 years!

After that, I continued on my Monday ritual--heading to Starbucks at Portage Place for a quick shot of a misto coffee. As I was headed back I bumped into an individual with some obvious social and addiction issues who was a bit intoxicated. My first thought was to wave down the Watch Ambassadors across the street. I am thankful for the incredible work of almost 180 volunteers and 30 fulltime staff who help manage the social issues of our city. I have been working in the inner city and downtown for almost my entire career and lived downtown for almost seven years, so I know for the most part, there is not much to fear about street people. They are okay.

As the man approached, he surprised me and asked me politely for my coffee. My first instinct was to tell him no and just keep walking--this fine brew was mine. Without even thinking though, I subconsciously handed him my coffee. I was more surprised than he was as he said "thank-you sir". I asked him if he was okay and needed any help, and all he said was "its all good and god bless you", and made his way happily along.

Downtown has changed, the social issues are still there, but overall for the better. And the only wall in the way is us. How we see people of poverty downtown, how we see the billions of investments. This is no surprise. It's human nature to see the negative and be critical. We all want an even better downtown. At the BIZ, my board and my team celebrate every little and big accomplishment. But we also try to lead the rallying cry of higher and faster, we provide ideas, and we want to be part of the solution. It's a delicate balancing act, but I believe out partners understand that.

We believe what separates an ordinary city from a great one is its people, like these two polar opposite people I met last week.

Anyone can be critical and complain from the sidelines. But special people see the good, and challenge themselves and others to do more.