[samsonyuen]

From: www.theglobeandmail.com/s...y/National
_____________________________
Expo-attendance forecast too optimistic, study says
JAMES RUSK
The attendance forecast in a study backing a possible bid to play host to a world's fair in Toronto in 2015 is far too optimistic, according to a review prepared for the Toronto Economic Development Corp.

The feasibility study's approach, which was to extrapolate from the number of visits to Expo 67 in Montreal, using the contemporary population in Eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, is "simplistic," the review says.

The review, by California-based consulting firm Economics Research Associates in conjunction with world's fair expert Gordon Linden, says a reasonable forecast of a low, medium and high attendance would be 30 million, 40 million or 50 million visits, rather than the 72 million of the feasibility study.

The review also warns that "the world's fair industry faces widespread questioning as to enduring appeal and relevance in face of increasingly sophisticated competition from alternative location-based and electronic entertainment forms."

Councillor Brian Ashton, chair of the city's Toronto 2015 World Expo steering committee, said he welcomes the review.

"I think it is extraordinarily positive. It speaks volumes to the real due diligence that we are putting this project through. I think that I would have been suspicious if it had simply said: 'Sounds okay to us,' " Mr. Ashton said.

He said that, while he believes a Toronto World's Fair could attract as many as 50 million visitors, he thinks the planning should be based on a target of 40 million.

"I think you have to dream big, but I intend to dream smart," Mr. Ashton said.

The bid, which was presented to the first of three public consultation meetings yesterday, is in its final stages of preparation, he said. The PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting firm is preparing the economic analysis of the project, which will then be given to Ottawa and the province to gain their support, Mr. Ashton said.

The prebid process is being directed by the Toronto 2015 World Expo Corp., a subsidiary of the Toronto Economic Development Corp.

In 1990 and 2000 Toronto made unsuccessful proposals to play host to an expo. If council okays another bid at its May meeting, Mr. Ashton hopes that Ottawa, which would make the pitch on behalf of the city, will announce its intention to bid at a June 30 meeting of the 98-nation Bureau of International Expositions, which will make a decision on a 2015 site next February.

 

[SD2]

While the underwater subway seemed silly, it would've been nice to be left with some subway track built. This would be the perfect opportunity for a downtown relief line.

 

[FutureMayor]

thenay, hope to see you there! I'll be at the Harbourfront one as well.

Louroz

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Thanks for the great update FM!

AoD

 

[samsonyuen]

From: www.canada.com/nationalpo...3dddf00443
_____________________________
Expo bid drives TTC to buy 96 streetcars
100 others to be refurbished
Service expansion in anticipation of winning bid for 2015 World's Fair
Susan Kirwin
National Post
20 April 2006

The Toronto Transit Commission yesterday agreed to buy 96 new, low-riding streetcars and refurbish dozens more of its existing stock, which will be coupled together on busy routes, as it prepares for a crush of possible visitors if the city succeeds in its bid for Expo 2015.

The commission agreed to buy 96 streetcars from Siemens Transportation Systems of Germany. Another 100 of the TTC's existing streetcars will be refurbished, including about 75 that will be coupled at a cost of $100,000 each, in a bid to help stop them from bunching up during rush hour.

Transit advocates are not happy with the refurbishing and coupling plan, preferring that all-new streetcars be bought.

"It seems like a foolish expenditure for a short period of time," said Steve Munro of the transit advocacy group the Rocket Riders.

King Street has been discussed as a possible site for the new two-car streetcars.

Mr. Munro said the coupled cars would not fit at either Spadina or Union Station: "It's a nice idea, but it doesn't physically fit."

Activists criticized the TTC for investing more money in its 30-year-old fleet, which will be extended by 10 years.

"This is a waste of time," said Rocket Rider Steve Fisher.

"The TTC is throwing money here and there; we need to buy them off the shelf."

But the TTC officials said it is the only option they have.

Robert Boutilier, the commission's deputy general manager, said the streetcars are needed to maintain service until the new cars come in.

TTC engineers need to design new cars that will be compatible with Toronto's rail system.

Tracks have been upgraded and will be good for another 25 years, Mr. Boutilier said.

"It's not just a case of taking a car from the factory and putting it on the rails," said Mr. Boutilier, citing derailments in other cities that have bought streetcars off the shelf.

"Suppliers gloss over these issues. That's why we are being very careful from an engineering perspective."

The project is expected to take a minimum of 10 years.

"The need to refurbish is inescapable," said Mitch Stambler, the TTC's manager of service planning. "No matter how much we want to buy new cars, we have to rebuild."

Mr. Stambler said Toronto's bid for the 2015 World Expo makes it necessary to ensure the city has streetcar capacity.

"We might have to move 20,000 people per hour in both directions," Mr. Stambler said. "If we have to move that kind of volume, we would have to have coupling."

The new streetcars will have a "low-floor" style and will be fully accessible. All streetcars must be fully accessible by 2024 as a part of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The transit commission is also being criticized for being slow on accessibility. The refurbished cars will not be accessible.

"They are still behind with the times and they are still being closed-minded," Mr. Fisher said.

"They should have been discussing this 10 years ago."

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Too bad we can't wait and see how the Shanghai Expo goes before we decide to host it, although I'd grudgingly accept a bomb if it's the only way we're going to get a DRL.

 

[tudararms]

A new subway line *must* be part of the bid!! This is one of the potential legacies of Expo that would truly make sense, not just to handle the flow at Expo but onwards for the growth of the city overall: remember, we have to consider the growth of this city 10 years from now for Expo! Think of all the emerging east/west neighbourhoods (Distillery, King East and King West, Liberty Village, Portlands, etc., etc.) that are no longer derelict tracts. They will have large, dense populations. We do not currently have the road network to deal with this. A subway will be a must, and Expo is probably the only thing that would provide the funding and the impetus to make this happen. Not including a subway line would be irresponsible and negligent, imho.

 

[billonlogan]

I boost Toronto and the GTA every chance I get. Regardless of the problems we have and challenges we face, it is still the greatest city in the world. But I am also a critic to the fact that we are not anywhere close to even a thought of achieving our potential. The Expo bid is an extreme reach in to improve the times ahead. And I guess the best idea of benefit is that such a thing will attract millions of visitors. Notwithstanding the fact that streets are dirty and getting dirtier. Hosting an Expo is that the proponents have overestimated the prospective number of visitors from a fair by as much as 240%; not 72 million visitors (which we could never find hotel rooms for anyway – that averages 3 million a week and would need 400,000 hotel rooms when we have 30,000) but rather 30-50 million.
And the best idea Expo organizer have so far for a venue is that: “Three “state-of-the-art†bridges would be built across the harbour’s shipping channel while surrounding parks would provide “passive resting space†for Expo visitors. In addition, a portion of dock wall would be rebuilt into a “generous promenade†with benches, trees and public art. I'm kinda tired of the best ideas the city comes up with involve going to Europe looking for a pat on the head and a "yes, Toronto you are a World Class city". From a local perspective, these events create massive upheaval in the running of the city, dominating what happens often at the expense of what is really needed. But of course there will be many civic consultants and hangers on who will make a nice living for a couple of years off the avails of the bidding process. Like I posted previously, If we are gonna spend $1 Billion or so, why don’t we do it on our own?
Why don’t the supporters put this effort into creating our own World’s Fair style event. We’ve got great minds and dynamic people. Venues. Ideas. Money.
Selling our souls to go hat in hand to Bureau of International Exposition bureaucrats, who act like they’re masters of a city’s destiny, is beneath us.

 

[tudararms]

^In general politicians and bureaucrats don't think big. They do what is politically correct and safe and as noncommittal as possible. Toronto, generally speaking, is the perfect example of a city that is in the grip of this dynamic. The failure of the waterfront is a good example. In the absense of a strong, dynamic and visionary leader the best we can hope for to motivate and effectuate massive urban development, revitalization and change would be a major international event like Expo or the Olympics. Only this would coalesce the forces necessary. I don't think for one second this would necessarily be profitable, but that's not the issue here.

 

[GregWTravels]

From a local perspective, these events create massive upheaval in the running of the city, dominating what happens often at the expense of what is really needed. But of course there will be many civic consultants and hangers on who will make a nice living for a couple of years off the avails of the bidding process. Like I posted previously, If we are gonna spend $1 Billion or so, why don’t we do it on our own?

I was thinking it over this weekend, and am starting to come around to this way of thinking.

On one hand, given that we've been talking about the waterfront for years and years and nothing extensive has really happened, the Expo seems like a good idea because at least it would get some movement on the issue.

On the other hand, though, I am wondering if it won't mean that we actually delay the development of the Portlands for 10 years, as we will spend 10 years builiding pavillions and tourist infrastructure and delaying the use of the land for local residential and commercial uses. It's only after the Expo is wrapped up that the infrastructure gets converted to local uses.

Greg

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

GregW:

On the other hand, though, I am wondering if it won't mean that we actually delay the development of the Portlands for 10 years, as we will spend 10 years builiding pavillions and tourist infrastructure and delaying the use of the land for local residential and commercial uses. It's only after the Expo is wrapped up that the infrastructure gets converted to local uses.

Not *really* would be my guess - both West Don Lands and East Bayfront have projected builtouts of 15 or so years - that, combined with other (re)development opportunities such as Regent Park probably meant that post 2015 development of the Expo lands would be okay.

Here is the phasing plan for the Portlands by TWRC:

www.towaterfront.ca/dbdoc...4f30dc.pdf

Only the Quays and Central are the ones affected by the Expo in 2015 - and in both cases, I think the 2006 denotes the year when precinct planning is supposed to take place. Which is okay, since the precinct plan could probably accomodate any potential Expo bids, and in fact could highlight any infrastructural needs and block planning.

AoD

 

[FutureMayor]

Expo 2015 Public Consultation - Round 2

Disappointing Turn Out

Barely 75 people (which included staff and consultants)dedicated three and half hours of their Monday evening to sit in a room at the Harbourfront Centre to discuss and debate the Expo 2015, which if won, would radically change the face of this city.

I was told that less than half of that attended the North York meeting last Thursday.

While it was pointed out, yet again, that the room itself did not reflect the make up of Toronto, that promotion of the public meeting was limited to English daily newspapers and that there has been little public awareness of Expo bid itself, I couldn't help but feel disheartened by the lack of public turnout. This coming from someone who lives and commuted all the way from a disengaged city of Mississauga.

Even if you were opposed to spending billions of your tax dollars to host the fair, there was no such public outcry heard at the meeting.

It's the same people in the room all the time, and it is these people who are shaping future public policy in this city.

Presentation and Ideas

Nothing new or major to report since my last report on the open house at the Ryerson Student Centre last week.

However, after hearing from the site selection consultant, who stressed the benefits of selecting a Portland site and the transportation consultant, we broke up into three smaller groups to hear presentations on various topics.

I presented some fantastic ideas to the group and consultants including:

Social

Leaving a legacy of "demonstration" affordable housing units/projects across the entire city.

The Expo corporation would work with all 79 B.I.A's in the city and build sustainable hostels/hotels containing 5-10 units. These units would be marketed to Expo visitors just like a hotel.

The benefit is that Expo visitors would experience our city's great neighborhoods districts. They would be spending their money in our ethnic districts, the shops, restaurants, the public transit system to get to the Expo site.

After the six month Expo is over, these units would then be converted to affordable housing units, leaving a lasting legacy for the city and strengthening our neighborhoods.

Marketing

The Olympics have the Olympic Flame which is carried around the host country and lights up the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony. The World Expo simply hands over a boring flag to the next host country/city.

To build excitement and promote Toronto’s Expo, I proposed that a year before Expo 2015 opens a hand held beacon/baton embark on a journey around the world. This would be the world’s first global relay linking the world together by visiting every single country.

The beacon/baton would then make its way to Toronto to the opening ceremony of Expo 2015. It would then be housed at the Canadian Pavilion at Expo as beacon to the world. The beacon would remain permanently in the pavilion in what is being proposed as the future campus of the United Nations University of Peace.

This proposal got rave reviews, and I had Councillor Brian Ashton, who is the chair of the bid come up to me immediately to discuss the proposal.

Political Support

As some of you may recall we lost the Expo 2000 bid to Hanover, Germany by 1 vote. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney at the time was unenthusiastic about the bid and didn’t rally to Toronto’s aid by drumming up international support.

An Expo bid is submitted by the Prime Minister on behalf of the country and city.

I inquired if discussions had begun with Harper and the Conservatives about supporting the bid. I was told that Mayor Miller has written to the Harper and the Minister of Heritage and is still awaiting a response. Harper would be a complete idiot if he didn’t enthusiastically back and submit Toronto’s bid officially come this June.

Next Step

City Council is to vote on whether to proceed with an Expo bid at the end of May.

Your Turn

There is still time to submit your comments online. Simply visit and submit at:

www.expo2015torontoconsults.ca/comments.php

I strongly encourage everyone here to have your comments be heard.

Louroz

 

[tudararms]

Why would Harper bother to assist Toronto or Miller when this city has consistently done nothing but punish him and his party?? Do the Conservatives not understand implicity that it is virtually impossible for them to buy over votes in the '416'? So why bother committing billions of precious dollars to those ungrateful, out of touch, liberal leeches in Toronto! Besides, the future is in Alberta. Go West, young (wo)man!!!

 

[billonlogan]

Re: Expo 2015 Public Consultation - Round 2

Article.

A successful bid for a Toronto World Expo could transform city's derelict portlands into a green and dynamic community

May 9, 2006.
Brian Ashton, City councillor, is chair of the Toronto 2015 World Expo Steering Committee

It's Toronto and the year is 2015. The portlands — our city's dynamic new community — is getting ready to host millions of visitors. Some come from close to home, others from around the world. The vast site is cradled by two large expanses of parkland: Lake Ontario Park rises from the lakeshore in the south and Commissioners Park sits as a green gateway in the north.

In between are futuristic pavilions interlaced with beautifully landscaped grounds and pedestrian pathways. Above it all, Toronto's new waterfront icons stand out as welcoming beacons to the world. One might be a building of cascading and meandering titanium designed by Toronto-born Frank Gehry. Another could be a gleaming tower of colour, the Tower of Diversity, Will Alsop's follow-up to his Toronto signature landmark OCAD building. A uniquely creative housing complex by Canada's Moshe Safdie may also stand as a perfect bookend to the Expo 67 Habitat that helped vault Montreal onto the world stage.

In 2015, the portlands are no longer a derelict piece of land disconnected from the city. A light rail transit line puts them minutes from Union Station. Three state-of-the-art bridges, each distinct in design, span the shipping channel. The dockside wall has been redesigned as a promenade reminiscent of Paris and Amsterdam.

A dream? Definitely. A realizable dream? Certainly. A smart dream? Absolutely. The dream is called Toronto World Expo 2015.

For well over a year now, the Expo Corporation has been studying whether a bid for a World Expo is the right vehicle for achieving our city-building dreams. After 13 technical studies on just about every aspect of a World Expo, two rounds of public consultations, and advice from international experts, we are now prepared to make a recommendation. We are wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommending that city council endorse an official bid at its meeting in late May.

Why? Because a World Expo could be a transformational experience and a defining moment for our city. It could help us realize our vision of a bold, dynamic and exciting Toronto — one whose citizens are eager to shout to the world about the things we do best. It could create irreversible momentum behind our plans for waterfront renewal, cultural renaissance, world-leading innovation, stronger communities, better transportation and stronger environmental stewardship.

A World Expo could be a catalyst in moving Toronto from vision to reality. Revitalization of the portlands is just starting to take place. Experts agree it could be one of the most dynamic mixed-use communities in North America. A World Expo can make that day come sooner. We need to speed up the creation of transportation links spanning the lakefront. An LRT to the portlands is already under consideration, a World Expo can make it happen sooner.

A cultural renaissance is beginning to take hold in downtown Toronto. A World Expo, through its educational and cultural programs — both in the years leading up to and during the six months of the Expo — could ensure that the renaissance blossoms throughout the city.

On the subject of branding, a World Expo means a six-month global spotlight on Toronto. Indeed, it means much more since the announcement of Toronto as the winning city at the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) meeting in February 2008 would be the starter's pistol for a seven-year global marketing blitz.

Toronto is an enormously creative city. Indeed we are one of the most creative cities in the world — creative in arts, architecture, culture, design, science and technology, business and commerce, diversity and inclusiveness, neighbourhoods and community. Creativity will be the strongest force shaping progress in the 21st century and creative cities will be its driving engine. It's time we let the world know that Toronto will be one of the gleaming capitals of tomorrow's world.

A World Expo could also be a huge economic shot-in-the-arm for our city. It would mean several billion dollars in tourism money spent across Toronto, and further billions in new tax revenues and wages for tens of thousands of Expo employees. Yes, it will take a sizeable investment to achieve these dividends. But we must keep in mind that while the investment costs of a World Expo are short and medium term, the benefits are long term. They include significantly higher tourism numbers year after year, and new investment and economic growth stemming from Toronto's higher international profile. Indeed, Montreal continues to reap the dividends of Expo 67 as does Vancouver from Expo 86.

At the end of the day, that's what a World Expo is all about. It's not just the six months when the world comes to Toronto. It's also about the way a World Expo helps us city-build in the years that precede it, and the tremendous legacy it leaves for the years that follow.

Many other Canadian cities have benefited from the legacies of world events.

Thanks to Expo 86, Vancouver has the SkyTrain — the world's longest automated light rapid transit system — a new convention and exhibition centre (the former Canada pavilion) and Science World (the old Expo Centre).

Montreal has Biosphere (Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome), Habitat, Jean Drapeau Park, La Ronde amusement park and Casino Montreal (the former France pavilion). Edmonton still packs in crowds and lands major sporting events for Commonwealth Stadium. Calgary's 1988 Winter Olympics venues still attract top-notch athletes and tourists from around the world.

The last time Toronto bid for a World Expo we lost to Hanover by just one vote. We had a lot to offer the world then, but we have so much more to offer the world now. It's Toronto's turn. It's Toronto's time.
-------------------------------------------

Does anybody really care?

 

[MetroMan1000]

^Yes.