Hey all Yeah, I/we do have experience with them. Ours has been more positive than Rachel's - though they obviously didn't find ways to make a good contribution to her space or to the "movement" in Toronto overall, and that in itself may say something. I've actually spent almost no time in their space, so don;t know the degree to which they are trying to build community and otherwise exemplify the 'spirit' of coworking.
In their defence, I will say that they have put together a lot of programs in support of social and charitable ventures. They've baked in some very green practices and find ways to bring programs and support to entrepreneurs and social ventures. For a big bank, they really are quite creative, flexible, and engaged on the community level in Toronto. In terms of public perceptions - to be honest, most people probably don;t know anything about it, just as most people don;t know anything about coworking. They have a very visible and attractive space on one of Toronto's busiest strips, so I'm sure it's been a good marketing play. But I agree with Rachel - I don;t think they would really call themselves a coworking space or identify with the movement. They are a hybrid and, all in all, an interesting addition to this emerging and multi-faceted field. My two cents... :-) Eli Malinsky Centre for Social Innovation Toronto, Canada -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
