[nightstreak]

Yes, clearly the Union Station end and the bridge itself are ready, just waiting for the east side,

The update here is that the bridge was washed last night. It had been caked in thick dust and mud on the weekend when I had last passed by. Seems like they're making final preparations.

Over on the CIBC Sq. side, I didn't take pictures but the escalators are finished and as far as I can tell, the bus terminal side lobby is just messy with equipment and dust, everything looks finished, no workers on site this morning.

 

[nightstreak]

Gather around everyone, I have an announcement to make…

… the last of the Union Station jersey barriers have been hauled away!! ewoks_celebrating.gif

 

[WB62]

They put Jersey barriers at Union. Which may be of questionable use because they aren't anchored unlike bollards.

To celebrate we can all look back at the first post mentioning the jersey barriers! Posted 7,442 messages ago on April 25th, 2018

 

[mburrrrr]

Gather around everyone, I have an announcement to make…

View attachment 721400

… the last of the Union Station jersey barriers have been hauled away!! ewoks_celebrating.gif

I assume the last location behind the fence will be removable for site access.

 

[nightstreak]

I assume the last location behind the fence will be removable for site access.

There are a series of bollards being installed in the centre of the plaza whose installation looks different. I think that one will be removable. There’s no room under the plaza for a drop down bollard unfortunately.

 

[wmedia]

Toronto could use a group of "guerilla urbanists" to covertly go around the city at night, removing wooden poles, adding planters to yellow blocks of concrete, finishing off the base of bollards properly, etc, etc. The list is endless. Surely someone can rise to this challenge!

 

[nightstreak]

Columns for the final level of the Bremner Concourse have been being poured and others are being framed.

You can also see the alternate Scotiabank Arena access corridor at the end. Once that’s sealed, they’ll be able to close down the current corridor to integrate it into the concourse.

 

[Northern Light]

Toronto could use a group of "guerilla urbanists" to covertly go around the city at night, removing wooden poles, adding planters to yellow blocks of concrete, finishing off the base of bollards properly, etc, etc. The is endless. Surely someone can rise to this challenge!

You start the Go-Fund me...... and I'm sure word would get around

Removing the wooden poles is hard to do quickly and inconspicuously.

But I imagine........ the bollards could be capped, with limestone veneer then planted with spiked ornamental grasses with spiller plants/vines draping over......for....hmmm, $40 per foot square for the capping, with installation about $75 per foot square (you need some professionals for that bit).....the planting could be 'volunteer' but soil, and plants probably about $25 per bollard. Maybe about $800 all-in per bollard.

Just a guess.....

Don't forget to budget for the bail money and the lawyers though...... LOL

 

[nightstreak]

You start the Go-Fund me...... and I'm sure word would get around

Removing the wooden poles is hard to do quickly and inconspicuously.

But I imagine........ the bollards could be capped, with limestone veneer then planted with spiked ornamental grasses with spiller plants/vines draping over......for....hmmm, $40 per foot square for the capping, with installation about $75 per foot square (you need some professionals for that bit).....the planting could be 'volunteer' but soil, and plants probably about $25 per bollard. Maybe about $800 all-in per bollard.

Just a guess.....

Don't forget to budget for the bail money and the lawyers though...... LOL

Yeah, those wooden poles weigh 1,000 pounds. If an unqualified person tries to take it down and it falls on someone, they’re going to need more than bail money.

Otherwise, I like the idea of guerilla urbanists beautifying our public realm. The concrete blocks could be beautified with wooden slats to make a proper bench so they don’t look like a series of butter sticks.

 

[Northern Light]

The concrete blocks could be beautified with wooden slats to make a proper bench so they don’t look like a series of butter sticks.

If the concrete doesn't require evening/leveling and you use a simple anchor system, you can do this for $150-$400, including professional install, per bollard. (generally around $70 per ft2) but the fancier you get (ie, adding hand rails, back supports, waterfalling the slats over the edge or nicer materials).

If you need industrial anchors going deep into the bollard, that will add costs as well, it could even double the cost.

 

[PL1]

How to do a clandestine post removal:

Day 1: show up with orange construction notice (noting lane closure) sign and mass of unkempt sign posts.

Day 2: set up signs and posts. Show up with barriers/cones. Wait 3 days.

Day 5: bring 5 people (wearing hi-viz vests) to remove post. 1-2 are working the whole time, the other three watch and occasionally measure, and perhaps yell at the passing people. Perhaps bring 2 pieces of heavy equipment that are maybe needed.

Day 9. Remove orange construction sign. Leave barriers/cones.

Day 27. Remove cones/barriers, if they are still there, provided The Fixer hasn't yet written an article in The Star.

 

[Northern Light]

How to do a clandestine post removal:

Day 1: show up with orange construction notice (noting lane closure) sign and mass of unkempt sign posts.

Day 2: set up signs and posts. Show up with barriers/cones. Wait 3 days.

Day 5: bring 5 people (wearing hi-viz vests) to remove post. 1-2 are working the whole time, the other three watch and occasionally measure, and perhaps yell at the passing people. Perhaps bring 2 pieces of heavy equipment that are maybe needed.

Day 9. Remove orange construction sign. Leave barriers/cones.

Day 27. Remove cones/barriers, if they are still there, provided The Fixer hasn't yet written an article in The Star.

More elaborate than the suggestion I dropped awhile ago for photo-taking at a certain site; but well played!

 

[WB62]

Through the city archives I found this amazing photo from the late 20s, that shows what the train concourse looked like in the midst of the Great Depression, when maintenance couldn’t be carried out:

Spoiler

Ya just kidding, it’s the recently “restored” VIA concourse, wouldn’t want my bags placed on that!

 

[nightstreak]

With the original scope of the now decades long Union Station revitalization nearing completion, I'm identifying other areas that need work or can be improved. Turning to the Bay Street sidewalk, this bus stop gets crowded during rush hour with bus stop commuters in conflict with sidewalk pedestrians. It needs to be formalized as a bus stop worthy of Union Station, not just a sidewalk stop.

The streetcar loop’s emergency exit doesn't need a shelter as it's not in use. It should be removed and integrated into a platform that extends further back into this area:

With the exit structure gone, there'd be space for a long canopy with seating, leaving the sidewalk open for the crowd of pedestrians making their way towards the Bay West Teamway.

This feels like one of the final unresolved areas of the exterior of the station. The other is the three teamways besides the Bay East Teamway that was finished. Was it managed by CIBC Square or the city/metrolinx?

Bay West Teamway

Bay East Teamway

(Rendering but it turned out pretty much like this. I'll get a photo to update the post later)

 

[WB62]

I can’t remember where I got it or how accurate it is, but I heard the other Teamways (and all remaining platform entrances) will be renovated when the platforms are reconfigured.

Would love to see the bay west Teamway integrated into the concourse better, there’s an incredible amount of dead space there