[flar]

There are just some real structural differences between Canadian and US cities. One is the levels of government and their various jurisdictions and powers of taxation here in Canada. Ottawa is really the only Canadian city that consistently gets gobs of money thrown at it purely for aesthetics and public spaces (with decent but inconsistent results). The other side is the private sector and extremely wealthy individuals are fewer here and don't seem to have the same tendency toward grand and monumental gestures. There are some pretty awesome buildings and plazas in Toronto, but they aren't the magnificent shrines to capitalism that you get in NY and Chicago.

 

[allabootmatt]

I'm not sure if financial resources explain it. Montreal and Vancouver manage to do a much, much better job of maintaining their public spaces than Toronto does...and in Ottawa the immediate area around Parliament Hill is nicely done, the rest of the city not so much (if anything, it's worse than Toronto). In my view it's just cultural. In some cities the residents expect their public spaces to be beautiful. In others they don't. Toronto is a relatively young place and as it grows up I am hopeful it will join the first category.

 

[DM4]

Great photoset. Every time I visit Chicago I have a good time. Very impressive buildings.

 

[Edward]

Yes but we are bigger than them now.

 

[Adjei]

^Not to be facetious but most places do, truly. I'm sure there's a case for inquiry here but Toronto just doesn't seem to be able to get these things done yet.

Cause we are cheap, we don't want to spend money for good things which is why most of the city looks like a mess even the so called nice areas.

 

[shumoon]

Great photos of a handsome city. Chicago's public realm looks so much better designed and maintained than Toronto's, at least in the core. How do they manage to do it differently from Toronto?

Much of Chicago's public realm was developed a long time ago, at a time when the local elites operated local businesses and were civic boosters and major benefactors of public projects. Today, much of these big businesses have been bought by out-of-town corporations and that civic-mindedness cannot be relied upon from the new owners. Newer projects like Millennium Park are still done, but with great expropriation and corporate sponsorship (which come with requisite naming rights).

 

[philmar]

Another great thread Flar - I loved to see someone else's take on Chicago - especially someone who has an understanding of light and composition.
Plus I always wondered what the place looked like in the sunshine - I was always there in overcast days.

 

[Surrealplaces]

 

[bennessb]

I especially love the Millennium Park Bandshell shot, @Surrealplaces!

 

[harryc]

Wow - quite the set - more please