Yes, the stairs between Waterpark Place the Scotia Bank Arena 'lobby area' are a major barrier. It is amazing, and sad, that MLSE can spend millions fixing up the arena itself but can apparently not spend anything to put in escalators!
Yes, it is certainly true that parts of the site had (shamefully) been allowed to decay but much of it was 'unspoiled' parkland and shoreline and much of this could and should have been saved. Of course, sometimes 'useful things' must be sacrificed so that one can build better or differently but...
They had really better glow, otherwise the warehouse look (which is a bit overdone) will simply overpower the whole thing. Of course, I still live in hopes/expectations of the plants which will greatly soften it up but ......
If one were building a totally new streetcar network I assume one would use dual-end cars and thus avoid loops but that's NOT what we have here. Steve Munro has useful chart of streetcar needs based on greater frequency and lines expanding/opening. SEE...