News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
 8.4K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
 39K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
 4.7K     0 

grey

Senior Member
Member Bio
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
3,761
Reaction score
357
David Crombie Park Revitalization Design - Kick-off Event

The David Crombie Park Revitalization Design project will develop a comprehensive conceptual design and implementation plan for improvements to the park that meet the current and future needs of the community. The design will evolve through consultation with residents, the public and other stakeholders.


David Crombie Park: Reflecting Back, Looking Forward

Tue Nov 20th 7:00pm - 8:30pm
North Tent (temporary Farmers Market), 125 The Esplanade, Toronto
Join us for a lively conversation on “Park + City Making”, exploring David Crombie Park’s past and future with lessons learned and opportunities for revitalization, moderated by author and former CBC broadcaster, Jane Farrow. The conversation, with a panel of three inspiring experts, will include questions and comments from the floor.

David Crombie, namesake of the Park and mayor at the time the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood was conceived in the late 70’s, will tell us about the inspiration, big ideas and challenges of creating the neighbourhood and its integrated “green spine” park.

Renée Daoust, a Governor General award winning Montreal architect and urban designer, will share her insights into what makes fantastic parks and streets, showcasing projects from around the world.

Janie Romoff, the City of Toronto’s General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, will talk about exciting new directions for our City parks and public realm.


Here's a direct link to the registration page for the public kick-off event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/david-crombie-park-reflecting-back-looking-forward-tickets-50607288763


David Crombie Park: Public Workshop

Thu, November 29, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EST
Adult Learning Room, St. Lawrence Community Recreation Centre, 230 The Esplanade Toronto, Ontario M5A 4M8
Each of the workshop sessions will begin with a presentation followed by table group discussions to provide input on what’s important, what you love about the park, what facilities or spaces are not working well, how you use the park now and how you’d like to use the park.


https://www.eventbrite.com/e/david-crombie-park-public-workshop-tickets-50805113462?aff=ebapi



Here's the City of Toronto page about the revitalization plan: https://www.toronto.ca/city-governm...ies/david-crombie-park-revitalization-design/
 
Last edited:
April 2, 2019 – Public Workshop

Registration isn’t required, but it helps us plan the event.

  • Multi-Use Room, St. Lawrence Community Recreation Centre, 230 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON, M5A 4J6
  • Please choose a session that best suits your schedule (4 – 6 p.m. or 6:30 – 8 p.m.)

Join us for an exciting exploration of design concepts for the revitalization of David Crombie Park. Each workshop session will begin with a presentation followed by table group discussions to provide your input on what you like about the concepts, and what we can do differently. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters can be provided. Please contact 311 in advance of the workshop. This event is guide-dog friendly.


AoD
 
Last edited:
Thank you for bumping - this reminded me to post the April 2 presentation:


Really like the Promenade idea and the strong focus on the allée

AoD

TY for posting the presentation.

Let me begin by saying, while I try to be understanding of people's different tastes and abilities, I think the conceptual drawings in that presentation may be among the very worst I've seen in the last 25 years.

They have the appearance of having been drawn in crayon, by a not a particularly gifted toddler.

How one is supposed to infer the intent of different concepts from these as an 'average' person is beyond me; given that I'm very familiar w/park design......and I'm left scratching my head more than once about their intent.

Sigh.

There appear to be many problems at the conceptual level, its difficult to say, given the limited discernible detailing.

The allee sketch does not inspire confidence in me; it seems to imagine a monoculture of trees, spaced in rows, in hardscape conditions.

A recipe for another Queen' Quay/Bloor St. Disaster.

I have walked this stretch, I find them to be overstating the number of trees of concern; I don't wonder if that's not a pretense for their removal in order to facilitate design options.

Some are indeed dying/dead, many more would benefit some some attention (fertilizer, root protection, removing some nearby hard surfaces etc.); but many strike me a perfectly viable.

The allee concept typically involves a monoculture and I simply can't get behind that idea; that aside, I want to see the trees in open soil, w/ at least 1m of exposed area every direction out from the trunk; more would be better.

The whole thing strikes me as rather overthought, and too busy.

Refresh the miserable school yard; replace aging play equipment, repair/replace water features, remove dying/dead trees and replace, improve growing conditions for trees/flowers where possible, fix that mess of a baseball diamond and replace older paved surfaces w/permeable, interlocking paving. Done.

LOL

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the art of design, but here I see some good things removed for no compelling reason; and replacements concepts that are in many respects less desirable that a new version of what's there now.

Restraint! It was mostly done well the first time; its aging, needs some TLC, some modifications for the times, a bit of greening.

I'm all for changing out the road surface itself, though in the areas where the esplanade/Front bus runs, the required concrete base underneath likely limits the ecological benefit of any change; though there is still an enhanced aesthetic value.

Really, though, not impressed at this stage.
 
Sort of a shame that the existing 80-90s apartment blocks around David Crombie Park meet the streetscape rather poorly, and the local neighbourhood will always remain largely residential as a result. Pedestrian activity also seems to taper off extremely quickly after Market St, as there's not much to see beyond that (another fault of the built form)- the majority of the pedestrian traffic I feel will likely be locals using the park.

As such, I wonder how necessary strongly-directional pedestrial spaces (like the allée) are- I don't think there's going to be enough pedestrian activity between St. Lawrence and the Distillery District to animate those sorts of long spaces, and it might risk feeling monotonous in combination with the surrounding built form.

I like the Garden Rooms concept as it feels like it might at least provide some sense of enclosure (one of the elements most lacking in Toronto parks) with distinct identities/plantings, acting as pseudo-'front yards' for the buildings. It compartmentalizes and focuses the action of each space onto a few pathways and into the centre, which I think is another important element that's lacking in some of the other plans.

It also feels the most New-Yorky of the concepts, and I feel that city does urban parks of a similar form very well.
 
Last edited:
Sort of a shame that the existing 80-90s apartment blocks around David Crombie Park meet the streetscape rather poorly, and the local neighbourhood will always remain largely residential as a result.
Well, it's a RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD, what do you expect? People do have to live somewhere and living along (or, in my case, near) The Esplanade is good! The Park certainly needs a refresh, it does not need a total rethink.
 
Well, it's a RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD, what do you expect? People do have to live somewhere and living along (or, in my case, near) The Esplanade is good! The Park certainly needs a refresh, it does not need a total rethink.
Yup, and that's the reason why I feel that some of the linear schemes might be ill-fitted to the neighborhood as a result. Most of the pedestrian traffic I feel will be locals using the park, rather than the A-to-B pedestrian traffic that would necessitate linear designs.

I sort of get June Callwood Park vibes from the first two concepts- that an overly linear and diffuse design would be detrimental towards building up a feeling of place.
 
Last edited:
Yup, and that's the reason why I feel that some of the linear schemes might be ill-fitted to the neighborhood as a result. Most of the pedestrian traffic I feel will be locals using the park, rather than the A-to-B pedestrian traffic that would necessitate linear designs.

I sort of get June Callwood Park vibes from the first two concepts- that an overly linear and diffuse design would be detrimental towards building up a feeling of place.

A well-executed KISS principle here for sure.

Trees- yes, upgraded fun/surfaces for kids - yes, a decent walk for local adults-yes, seniors?-not getting much from the scribbles but bachi (sp?) ball or similar is always a winner (maybe some chess tables), dog off leash-definite yes (though may not be popular). Design idea... keep it simple and user-friendly for the neighbourhood - skip the temptation to dream up wow designs. Reinvigorate don't re-invent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DSC
A well-executed KISS principle here for sure.

Trees- yes, upgraded fun/surfaces for kids - yes, a decent walk for local adults-yes, seniors?-not getting much from the scribbles but bachi (sp?) ball or similar is always a winner (maybe some chess tables), dog off leash-definite yes (though may not be popular). Design idea... keep it simple and user-friendly for the neighbourhood - skip the temptation to dream up wow designs. Reinvigorate don't re-invent.

Mostly agreed.

I think a DOLA is important for the community, but I don't think its supportable as proposed, coming at the expense of a rare and needed sports field.

The challenge is, if not there, where? But I come down on 'not there' as being the starting point.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DSC
Mostly agreed.

I think a DOLA is important for the community, but I don't think its supportable as proposed, coming at the expense of a rare and needed sports field.

The challenge is, if not there, where? But I come down on 'not there' as being the starting point.

LEASHED: I don't know if DOLA has to be on a roof somewhere... but wise minds could find a place ... the irony of the much-loved doggie fountain is dogs mean a lot to many people, particularly those whose only companion is canine.

But walk, stoop and scoop (hopefully), then go home doesn't cut it... these guys deserve a run sometimes, even downtown. Maybe they need a rep/woof on council.
 
The whole thing has been overdesigned for a reason - the grubby little twerp DC wants to spend as much as possible from the development fund. He doesn't care one iota for the residents of the neighbourhood, current or future (2000+ new units in the next 5 years). He is loving the opportunity to stomp around on the public dime, makes him feel important. People like DC should be banned from any sort of public role, toxic and self-serving all the way.
 
The whole thing has been overdesigned for a reason - the grubby little twerp DC wants to spend as much as possible from the development fund. He doesn't care one iota for the residents of the neighbourhood, current or future (2000+ new units in the next 5 years). He is loving the opportunity to stomp around on the public dime, makes him feel important. People like DC should be banned from any sort of public role, toxic and self-serving all the way.
What on earth are you talking about?
 
David Crombie Park Revitalization Design - Public Information Workshop

David Crombie Park is the green spine of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, it is a physical and social connector that welcomes all.

The David Crombie Park Revitalization Design project will develop a comprehensive conceptual design and implementation plan for improvements to this treasured centrepiece of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood in order to meet the current and future needs of the community.

Public consultations have been ongoing since 2018, and City staff will be holding a public information workshop to present the preferred concept plan, receive public input, and discuss next steps.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Date: Thursday, September 26, 2019
Times: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm OR 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Please choose a session that best suits your schedule.
Location: St. Lawrence Community Centre, 230 The Esplanade, Multi-Use Room


 

Back
Top