h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Tim Hortons: Canada's Town Hall - A3305189
Author: anhaga (Raj dented the machine) - U215480

This is an update of A241930 'Tim Horton's Coffee and Donuts'. As well as correcting the spelling of the name of the company, we have incorporated information from all the conversation threads attached to the original entry, corrected a number of factual errors, updated and added more information.

The entry has already gone through an informal Canadian Peer Review process. If there's anything we've missed, I'll be happy to put it right.

Can you explain the "Canada's Town Hall" in the title? Over here, a Town Hall is an administrative building where the local government meets.

That's what a Town Hall is here, as well. The point is raised in this paragraph: 'In centres of all types, from major cities to tiny prairie hamlets, Tim's shops serve the real and vital function of a meeting place for residents to discuss everything from local gossip to international news. A number of political campaigns have been launched over morning coffee in Tim Hortons shops. This social function is what Penfold discussed in his monumental thesis: Tim Hortons is to many communities the true Town Hall where the local political course is determined.'

I confess I'm not completely content with the title. I wanted something that would capture the fact that Tim Hortons has come to have a number of vital roles in the social life of Canada. "Tim Horton's: Canada's Meeting Place" or "Tim Horton's: a place with a number of vital roles in the social life of Canada" just didn't seem to have enough zip, whereas "Tim Hortons: Canada's Town Hall" at least got you to post a comment.

I heartily agree....

Tim Hortons; the (donut) hole at the center of the universe

Seriously, if someone can come up with a catchier title, I'd certainly be open to suggestions.

Oh, and . . .

it would have to be "The (Tim)bit at the centre of the universe". And you spelled "Centre" incorrectly.

Great one! If you're still looking for a better title, I'd suggest 'Tim Hortons: Canadas Inofficial Town Hall'.

Typo: second section, last sentence 'Tthere'.

SchrEck Inc.

Thanks SchrEck! I've taken up your suggestion for the title, with a slight spelling change, and I've corrected the typo.

not to be pedantic (who me?) but according to my venerable Canadian Press Caps and Spelling, "Center" is used to indicate the middle of something, ie "Winnepeg is in the center of the country." while "Centre" is used to indicate a building or organization ie "Let's go the to community centre to see the speaker from the Centre for Really Boring Studies lecture on dust settling"

of course CP generally used american spellings as a rule of thumb

I prefre to use "centre" for evrey meaning, simply on principal.

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22centre+of+town%22&sourceid=opera&num=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

and, even more a propos:

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22winnipeg+is+the+centre+of+canada%22&sourceid=opera&num=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

If the word was "correctly" spelled center, why, on God's green earth would the spelling of central, centrifuge, eccentric, centrifugal, centrally..... not be centerally, centerifuge, eccenteric, and centerifugal.

Middle English centre, from Old French, from Latin centrum, from Greek kentron

And regardless of the country being written about, we use British English and the associated spellings here in the Edited Guide -- which means centre always, unless it's a proper noun.

Frankly I don't care if you want to spell it "Sentre," the point is that Tim's serves as the axis around which community life revolves. When I was a reporter for small town papers in Ontario, the best way to get story leads was spend an hour in Tim's -- once people got to know your face (usually after about three weeks on the job, two if I was writing a column with my picture at the top) they were never shy about telling you what you should (or should not) be writing about. An hour or two of eavesdropping on the chatter in Tim's on Sunday morning was always the best way to take the pulse of the community.

Sorry, Rev. I didn't know you meant that as a serious title suggestion. I don't know if I like "the (donut) hole at the sentre of the universe" better than "Canada's unofficial town hall." While it has something to recommend it, the "hole" bit seems somewhat negative and perhaps a little film noire.

C'mon Anhaga, you know I'm almost never serious The donut hole was a common term for the non-tim's donut shop in one town I lived in - mainly because it was a bit run down and always in need of a good cleaning. The title you have now is just fine. Have cruller on me!

I don't know how you could be cruller.

D'oh! (nut, that is)