[Hopkins123]

Yet there are those on here whom trust politicians when they assure us there are efficiencies to be found and that we all deserve rapid transit even if the densities and ridership numbers don't match. I thought by voting age we would be less likely to fall for such fantasies

If density meant a darn to all the generations before our's whom even had their own financial crises and austerity measures to deal with none of these stations would exist today:

Royal York, Old Mill, Runnymede, High Park, Lansdowne, Christie, Bay, Castle Frank, Chester, Donlands, Greenwood, North York Centre, Summerhill, Rosedale, Wellesley, [St Andrew and Osgoode probably just one station], Museum, (Upper) Spadina, Glencairn, none of TYSSE, none of Sheppard Line.

But the City is far more liveable, and allows us to live in more diverse places than just the downtown core, thanks precisely because politicians past had an actual backbone and did things without fear of reprisal from the minority malcontent NIMBY special interests.

Our politicians are the ones getting worse at following through and delivering on promises and that's what's at fault, not the so-called gullibility of voters. They view what they do first and foremost as a paying job, not as a public duty; and that's the mentality that we ought to change.

 

[amnesiajune]

Matlow is getting more and more vocal. Looks like he is gunning for mayor in 2018 or 2022.

Lol. He'd get steamrolled if he ran for mayor. He's Thomas Mulcair on the municipal level - hardly anyone wants to vote for the angry guy.

 

[WislaHD]

Lol. He'd get steamrolled if he ran for mayor. He's Thomas Mulcair on the municipal level - hardly anyone wants to vote for the angry guy.

I was not making a judgement, just an observation.

He's my councillor and I am a fan, but I don't know if I can't vote someone so anti-housing for mayor.

 

[Neutrino]

He also wouldn't do well in suburban wards.

 

[amnesiajune]

I was not making a judgement, just an observation. He's my councillor and I am a fan, but I don't know if I can't vote someone so anti-housing for mayor.

I don't think he has any plan to run for mayor, to be honest. I think he knows he's unelectable and he's just relishing the spotlight. My prediction is that Tory runs effectively unopposed this year and retires after his second term (it seems to be turning into a term limit by convention). 2022 is when a lot of councillors (Layton, Wong-Tam, Bailão, Augimeri, Di Ciano, Colle, Robinson, etc.) could be aiming for.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

If density meant a darn to all the generations before our's whom even had their own financial crises and austerity measures to deal with none of these stations would exist today:

Royal York, Old Mill, Runnymede, High Park, Lansdowne, Christie, Bay, Castle Frank, Chester, Donlands, Greenwood, North York Centre, Summerhill, Rosedale, Wellesley, [St Andrew and Osgoode probably just one station], Museum, (Upper) Spadina, Glencairn, none of TYSSE, none of Sheppard Line.

But the City is far more liveable, and allows us to live in more diverse places than just the downtown core, thanks precisely because politicians past had an actual backbone and did things without fear of reprisal from the minority malcontent NIMBY special interests.

Our politicians are the ones getting worse at following through and delivering on promises and that's what's at fault, not the so-called gullibility of voters. They view what they do first and foremost as a paying job, not as a public duty; and that's the mentality that we ought to change.

Actually minority malcontent NIMBY interests is exactly why BD extension to STC has turned into the current farce that it is. No to above ground anything; no to reusing existing ROWs, no to cutting down a woodlot, etc. If things were done the way "back then", we'd be expropriating and levelling houses along the route.

AoD

 

[Cobra]

Actually minority malcontent NIMBY interests is exactly why BD extension to STC has turned into the current farce that it is. No to above ground anything; no to reusing existing ROWs, no to cutting down a woodlot, etc. If things were done the way "back then", we'd be expropriating and levelling houses along the route.

AoD

To be fair, they were never proposed elevated subways. Don't why the city and TTC always leave out that solution

 

[sixrings]

To be fair, they were never proposed elevated subways. Don't why the city and TTC always leave out that solution

As dumb as we think politicians are sometimes I am sure the reason that elevated isn't suggested is because they know from there own research it is a non starter. But I wish they would offer it once just to get the results so people could stop suggesting it.

 

[amnesiajune]

No to above ground anything; no to reusing existing ROWs

This isn't a NIMBY thing. The city studied both of those possibilities and recommended against both of them, because there's very little in cost savings and the drawbacks (years of a bus replacement for the SRT) aren't worth those benefits.

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2017/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-101444.pdf

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

This isn't a NIMBY thing. The city studied both of those possibilities and recommended against both of them, because there's very little in cost savings and the drawbacks (years of a bus replacement for the SRT) aren't worth those benefits.

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2017/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-101444.pdf

I think given the saga of the past few years, we can all take the city's evaluation on this particular transit file with a big grain of salt. It is about as trustworthy as a used-car salesman at this point.

AoD

 

[amnesiajune]

I think given the saga of the past few years, we can all take the city's evaluation on this particular transit file with a big grain of salt. It is about as trustworthy as a used-car salesman at this point.

Sorry... I trust the city's experts a lot more than the random people of internet forums.

 

[sixrings]

Sorry... I trust the city's experts a lot more than the random people of internet forums.

So that means you trusted the experts at city Hall when miller was mayor and transit city was invented? Or did you trust mayor ford, and his transit experts? And surely that must mean you have no objections to the current eglinton west lrt and scarborough one stop subway since they to are presented by experts.

 

[amnesiajune]

So that means you trusted the experts at city Hall when miller was mayor and transit city was invented? Or did you trust mayor ford, and his transit experts? And surely that must mean you have no objections to the current eglinton west lrt and scarborough one stop subway since they to are presented by experts.

Decisions on what gets built are always going to be political. What I'm saying is that I trust the experts when we're discussing facts, not priorities. If city staff say that an elevated subway would cost $2.9 billion, and random people on the internet say it'll cost a lot less than that, I'm going to trust the people who are actually qualified to come up with that figure.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Perhaps one should apply that to BD extension as currently proposed. Oops, mayor/council didn't even want facts on that file - to the point of delaying the report until after the election. Get back to me when you get a firm cost for that project - I am sure it will compare very nicely to 2.9B.

This is a classic case of one tying their own hands, jumping into the sea and then scream I can't swim.

AoD

 

[salsa]