[zang]

I really don't care if they keep the OSC where it is, or move it, but this argument is absurd, schools pack all downtown museums on weekdays, with many bad things happening around them - it has never been an issue. Also, have you been across the street of OSC in Flemingdon Park? This isn't exactly an area free of crime/issues. There's also a ton of new condos going in on the North side of Eglinton across the street (given the new LTR). There is probably a reason to argue to keep the OSC where it is, but this isn't it.

Yeah, except none of those museums have an exterior aspect to them. Any OSC at OP would be packed into a tight area, and certainly not attached to protected wilderness or TRCA land.

The Science Centre isn't a CN Tower or Ripley's Aquarium, it is (and has always been) an interactive educational facility. So yes, distraction and surroundings are a big deal. Just ask a teacher how much the environment plays into kids' engagement.

As for the distance, I have friends who are grade school teachers, and its location definitely does play a big role as a destination. There's dedicated bus parking for schools, and avoiding the Gardiner means a lot less unexpected delay. At almost all museums/exhibits in the city, classes are taken into a venue with specific entry/exit times. For school groups coming from further distances, potential delays often need to be worked into the timing of the drive, and when kids arrive early, those classes have to wait until they’re called for their prescribed time. They arrive late, it comes out of their trip. So trips to the OSC are often longer for kids than those of say, the ROM.

 

[A Torontonian Now]

The only good thing about a move of the Science Centre would be to expose just how stupid the Metrolinx naming conventions are.

"Welcome to Science Centre Station. Transfer here to the Ontario Line to reach the Science Centre at the opposite terminus of the line."

 

[adma]

Yeah, except none of those museums have an exterior aspect to them. Any OSC at OP would be packed into a tight area, and certainly not attached to protected wilderness or TRCA land.

The Science Centre isn't a CN Tower or Ripley's Aquarium, it is (and has always been) an interactive educational facility. So yes, distraction and surroundings are a big deal. Just ask a teacher how much the environment plays into kids' engagement.

Ironically, until relatively recently, said "exterior aspect" was underexploited--a sight seen from within, even if it was integral to the broad architectural experience (and in a proxy way, engaging the visitor to the fact that "nature was around us").

Indeed, a lot of the interactivity (particularly in the lowermost pavilion, Science Arcade and all) was distinctly "interiorized", albeit in the lively McLuhanistic way that was pretty much contemporary with Sesame Street (but with a "tangibility" absent in our more virtually-focussed age)

 

[christiesplits]

As political ads go, I don't think its terrible, but it feels a bit off to me.

I think the first thing that hits me with it is actually the knock on Bradford's previous 'Scarborough' video in many ways.
It feels like he's trying too hard. By which I mean it feels like an un-natural set of words and pacing for Bradford, such that it comes off a bit disingenuous.

Apart from that:

I get the 'action' vibe and that could have some appeal; but the problem for Brad (and most existing councillors) is that he voted for non-action every year for the last 5, he was on the budget committee that crafted and promoted
said non-action, and I think if he's going to come out and call that 'wrong' he's going to need to do some sorta mea culpa for his role in it.

As with most campaign videos, particularly the short/ad-like variety, it lacks much in the way of specifics. That's not unique to Bradford; but as mentioned by @A Torontonian Now above, we need clear, specific solutions to the housing crisis, to deterioration of City services; and we need a clear, credible means of paying for that.

Good analysis. I'm not a Brad fan, but his value proposition was always that he was upbeat, evidence-based and listened to both sides. The ad only seems to promote the first one. It's risky for a one-term councillor to run under a "More Action" slogan since he only has a four year record of public service, and a one-term councillor can only accomplish so much in this time.

 

[concrete_and_light]

Mark Saunders begins his campaign by pretending he's not one of the "insiders" he's railing against (former chief of police, recent PC candidate, randomly being a special advisor making big $$$ on Ontario Place consulting for some reason, being the favoured mayoral candidate of the premier) and also takes random dog whistle shots at bike lanes, contrasting them with public safety.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1644750553040257029

 

[Towered]

Mark Saunders begins his campaign by pretending he's not one of the "insiders" he's railing against (former chief of police, recent PC candidate, randomly being a special advisor making big $$$ on Ontario Place consulting for some reason, being the favoured mayoral candidate of the premier) and also takes random dog whistle shots at bike lanes, contrasting them with public safety.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1644750553040257029

Like I said earlier, an utterly vapid candidacy.

Which means he'll win.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

So far all the candidates seem lacklustre. It’s still early-ish into the campaign but it seems that everyone is lacking vision for the future of the city. Ontario Place is becoming a huge distraction to much more dire needs of the city but that’s what the media is pushing.

Ontario Place, in my view is a lost cause and there’s no way to change the Province’s plans at this stage. The city should focus on the CNE grounds which they control and make it much more visitor and pedestrian incentivizing than the current dead waste land of asphalt. Perhaps even a radical idea of turning it into a green park, cause I’m willing to bet that the Union Rail Yard Park is now dead and financially prohibitive.

Personally with a nice large water feature included, something akin to New York’s Flushing-Meadows Corona Park fountain

 

[adma]

Ontario Place, in my view is a lost cause and there’s no way to change the Province’s plans at this stage.

If that's the case, maybe it's just as well a matter of voting against *your* kind of mindset, if you get my drift.

 

[BigWillieCollum]

Mark Saunders begins his campaign by pretending he's not one of the "insiders" he's railing against (former chief of police, recent PC candidate, randomly being a special advisor making big $$$ on Ontario Place consulting for some reason, being the favoured mayoral candidate of the premier) and also takes random dog whistle shots at bike lanes, contrasting them with public safety.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1644750553040257029

Interesting to see Matlow highlighted in the video. I guess Saunders sees him as the biggest threat.

 

[picard102]

Mark Saunders begins his campaign by pretending he's not one of the "insiders" he's railing against (former chief of police, recent PC candidate, randomly being a special advisor making big $$$ on Ontario Place consulting for some reason, being the favoured mayoral candidate of the premier) and also takes random dog whistle shots at bike lanes, contrasting them with public safety.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1644750553040257029

Not the worst campaign spot so far.

 

[concrete_and_light]

Interesting to see Matlow highlighted in the video. I guess Saunders sees him as the biggest threat.

I'm not sure he sees Matlow as the biggest threat to win, but I think it's highlighting Matlow because of Matlow's opposition to ever-increasing police funding combined with Matlow being a councillor, so Saunder's campaign paints him as one of the "insiders" (even though Matlow hasn't been on the inside his entire time on council with Tory or Ford and is one of the biggest critics of the former Tory Mayoral regime that's been doing nothing us to death).

Why not images of Bailao or Bradford who are more insidery with their roles with the Tory regime? Bailao's probably a bigger threat to win and to take Saunders' voters, but she's not a threat to the police/conservative control of power status quo like Matlow is.

 

[christiesplits]

I get a bit of a Ford Nation vibe from Mitzie Hunter's logo.

 

[SJD_Toronto]

I'm not sure he sees Matlow as the biggest threat to win, but I think it's highlighting Matlow because of Matlow's opposition to ever-increasing police funding combined with Matlow being a councillor, so Saunder's campaign paints him as one of the "insiders" (even though Matlow hasn't been on the inside his entire time on council with Tory or Ford and is one of the biggest critics of the former Tory Mayoral regime that's been doing nothing us to death).

Why not images of Bailao or Bradford who are more insidery with their roles with the Tory regime? Bailao's probably a bigger threat to win and to take Saunders' voters, but she's not a threat to the police/conservative control of power status quo like Matlow is.

It's possible Saunders team thinks the race might come down to Saunders vs Matlow aka the right vs the left.

 

[concrete_and_light]

It's possible Saunders team thinks the race might come down to Saunders vs Matlow aka the right vs the left.

Yeah that's possible, but it feels potentially unrealistic to me in two aspects: will Matlow become the standard-bearer for the "left" and will Saunders become the primary candidate on the "right"? I'm not sure I'd bet on either.

On that subject of who is the conservative candidate, it's been interesting to me to see Nick Kouvalis working with Bailao, Kory Teneycke working Bradford and then Ford supporting Saunders. Is there some sort of schism going on amid all these guys and the right wing establishment that's causing them to spread out their support? Is it just a question of Bailao and Bradford are paying them money so they'll take the money and be on their teams for now? Why has the right not consolidated around a single candidate? Is it 4D chess? Do the strategists think Saunders can't win/don't like Saunders, but he's Doug's guy? Does Doug think Bailao and Bradford are too centrist and hates their Toronto council downtowniness but the strategists think those candidates are better positioned to win and will play nice with the province?

It will be interesting to see how this plays out and when and if these groups and teams and individuals might consolidate together. I'm a little surprised the right is so split and to see these strategists work for the more centrist candidates while Doug makes his preference for Saunders clear and public.

 

[rbt]

Why not images of Bailao or Bradford who are more insidery with their roles with the Tory regime? Bailao's probably a bigger threat to win and to take Saunders' voters, but she's not a threat to the police/conservative control of power status quo like Matlow is.

Pointing someone out legitimizes them as an option. You don't want to do that with someone who is competing with you for the same voter. Ideally, you prop up a candidate who won't win but might take votes from a stronger competitor.