Thanks for the encouraging photos Mike. Marcus is correct in that the last pic is of Burnside in Portland but a neat collection nonetheless. Even Vancouver, which Hume seems to want Toronto to aspire to, has created the much touted Skate Plaza in conjunction with a large shoe company (DC), and the place attracts skaters of all abilities from around the world.
But wait, I forgot. The Gardiner is a barrier which needs to be torn down for d/t to work properly, not a covered space for countless facities which could be constucted at a fraction of the cost.