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One thing is for sure when I visited the Islands last summer.. the Centre Island fountain is in need of some TLC, as does a lot of that main walk.

Also am I crazy, or did Centre Island used to have a hedge maze? I could have sworn I remember one when I went to Centreville as a kid..
And what happened to the Ferris Wheel? I know there used to be one there. It was a long time between visits before last summer so I was disappointed when I saw it was gone.
 
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The_Architect said:
Also am I crazy, or did Centre Island used to have a hedge maze? I could have sworn I remember one when I went to Centreville as a kid..
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Absolutely - it was definitely there about 3 years ago last time I visited. Some poor kid got lost in it and I had to lead him out because he really had to pee.
 
Go to this link by Sally Gibson, and select 3a and 3b for history and maps of the Toronto Islands. I find them interesting, especially the locations of the residential areas (before 1950).
 
I am surprised that there is not a single hotel on the island. Maybe not those big box 6 story complex, but why not some nice B&Bs? It provides more jobs and tax revenue, and I am sure many many tourists would love to stay on the island for a couple of nights.

I also propose a small museum/galary on the island too, and a sizable beautifully manicured garden with sculptures.

For the kids? Why about a kite flying space? That would be fun!

Most restaurants by the lake are desperately needed. Not the tacky ones now.

What about an a tall observatory tower? Won't be too expensive and won't take too much land, but I am sure it will be popular.

Kayak rentals? I don't think there is any and I am surprise there is not.

So much can be done. The island should not be a place where one can just walk on it with nothing to do. It should be a fun place to hang out.

Sometimes I think Toronto lacks ambition and is too easy to settle with "how things are", sometimes i think it is simly too cheap.
 
I love the idea of perhaps 2 or 3 independant B&Bs or small hotels (like the original Guild Inn), combined with one or two more real restaurants, on the Ward's Island side, perhaps one near Hanlan's Point, where the ferries are not overloaded like they are to Centre Island. The Rectory Cafe is about it for real food. I wouldn't want to commercialize it much more than that.

Hanlan's Point should otherwise remain as is. Ward's should be as it is as well, but with some accomodations.

There's no need for an observation tower, the views are great as they are. Though Centreville would be the best place for Doug Ford's ferris wheel, it can't hurt to have an "all ages" attraction for that otherwise kiddie park.
 
City of Toronto museum on the Toronto Islands? Could be an interesting location for such.
 
The hedge maze is gone. Was there last year, this year just the rock that marked its entrance. The maze was a gift to the children of Canada from the Dutch. I'm very curious as to why it's gone, I know it had seen Better days, but surely nothing a little work couldn't have fixed. My kids were really disappointed, I think they liked the maze better than centreville.
 
Cricket Canada would like to build a cricket stadium on the island.

Months after Brampton city councillors ditched a proposal to build a cricket facility in their neighbourhood, it seems another bid to erect a stadium in the GTA may have difficulty moving off the planning table.

Cricket Canada put forward a plan to the City of Toronto last February to build a 10,000-seat, “amphitheatre-style†stadium on a strip of city-owned land just south of the Toronto Islands’ Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Months later, however, the pitch remains more a dream than reality as city officials continue to question the proposed location.

“I’m not ruling it out, but this is not the ideal location,†said Ann Ulusoy of the city’s parks, forestry and recreation division.

In its proposal, Cricket Canada requested a long-term lease on the property south of the island airport’s runway to first build a cricket pitch, and later a multi-use stadium that would serve as its national headquarters and a venue for both local games and international events, according to Doug Hannum, the organization’s chief executive.

It would be a much-needed addition to Toronto’s inadequate cricket facilities, said Hannum, noting that about 70 per cent of Canada’s more than 50,000 registered players live in the GTA and there simply aren’t enough pitches to meet growing demands.
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For "more things to do on the islands", why not re-open up the Gibraltar Point lighthouse as a tourist attraction? I could see it becoming one of those slightly creepy but historic less well known attractions people go to see, kind of like Mary King's Close or the vaults in Edinburgh. It could definitely attract paranormal tourists, and possibly even those Discovery Channel ghost hunting shows, bringing more income to the maintenance and operation of it.
 
paraone said:
The hedge maze is gone. Was there last year, this year just the rock that marked its entrance. The maze was a gift to the children of Canada from the Dutch. I'm very curious as to why it's gone, I know it had seen Better days, but surely nothing a little work couldn't have fixed. My kids were really disappointed, I think they liked the maze better than centreville.
Click to expand...

That's a tragedy.
 
Seamist said:
I am surprised that there is not a single hotel on the island. Maybe not those big box 6 story complex, but why not some nice B&Bs? It provides more jobs and tax revenue, and I am sure many many tourists would love to stay on the island for a couple of nights.

I also propose a small museum/galary on the island too, and a sizable beautifully manicured garden with sculptures.

For the kids? Why about a kite flying space? That would be fun!

Most restaurants by the lake are desperately needed. Not the tacky ones now.

What about an a tall observatory tower? Won't be too expensive and won't take too much land, but I am sure it will be popular.

Kayak rentals? I don't think there is any and I am surprise there is not.

So much can be done. The island should not be a place where one can just walk on it with nothing to do. It should be a fun place to hang out.

Sometimes I think Toronto lacks ambition and is too easy to settle with "how things are", sometimes i think it is simly too cheap.
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Some good ideas here. Unfortunately, anything related to food and beverage, i.e. waterside restaurants, small hotels etc. won't be allowed happen if the city renews the food & beverage monopoly for another 10 years.

We are at a turning point for the Toronto Islands. The next ten years will be decided in the next few months.

I don't think anyone is happy with the current situation and yet it appears that the city is going to preserve the status quo by extending the food and beverage monopoly for another ten years!

Hopefully enough public pressure can be brought to bear on the politicians so that they will change course and open up the Islands to real competition.
 
Regarding the maze:

This is from fall 2011:
http://waterfrontbia.com/pdf/2011-fall%20newsletter.pdf


Maze Reconstruction You may have noticed recently that the cedar hedge "maze" at the south end of the Centre Island bridge is gone! The maze was originally constructed in 1967 to mark Canada's centennial with contributions from the Dutch-Canadian community. The cedars were more than 40 years old and the base of the trees were basically just thick trunks and dead wood. Reconstruction will take place in the spring to be ready for next summer season. A decision has been made to relocate slightly to the east, closer to the Boat House, in order to open up the area around the gardens along the walk to the beach.
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