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If anything, the Olympic bid helped to focus public attention on the waterfront - recent and upcoming public AND private developments could only improve matters, considering the crowds I've seen lately in the area (e.g. Harbourfront and HtO).

As to the process being stuck in neutral - I am not sure where you got that from, considering the rather massive earthworks that is ongoing in West Don Lands. The previous incarnation, Ataratiri Project, back in the 80s and early 90s, never got off beyond the planning and EA phase. That's quite something.

AoD
 
I agree…these developments are a positive sign, but I can’t help but worry. Although these plans are promising, I suspect the usual jurisdictional squabbles and delays will come into play, and I am sceptical of whether the promised standards of sustainability and beauty will be realized. How long until we see all of these ambitious plans realized? 30 years? Promises for parks like HtO were made 30 years ago. I don’t think we should have to settle. If cities like Barcelona and Sydney have already turned their waterfronts around, why haven’t we? I think like most Torontonians I will believe it when I see it, and I sure hope I do!
 
I realize Bareclona and Sydney owe their revitalized waterfronts primarily to hosting the olympics but so many cities have done it on their own...London, Chicago...
 
which is exactly what Toronto is doing - without the Olympics.

I really dont understand why people say that nothing is happening with the revitalization of our waterfront. So much has been done, so much has been planned, and is about to be implemented.

Do people expect a city to revitalize it's waterfront in a year or 2? Don't they understand how long it takes to make sure this is done right? We could just throw up anything that comes to mind along the waterfront in a matter of 2 or 3 years, but it will be crap and everyone will complain about the lost opportunity. I dont see anything wrong with the current plans, which sees redevelopment taking place in phases over 30 years. That is proper planning, growth and development.
 
It's not a matter of nothings happening right now...its the fact that very little has been done in the last 30 years. I don't want or expect to see these plans materalize in a couple of years. We all want things done right. It's just a shame we've missed 30 years of opportunity
 
It's not a matter of nothings happening right now...its the fact that very little has been done in the last 30 years.
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30 years ago the waterfront was completely industrial save for the Harbour Castle. How can you say nothing has been done?
 
Condo development does not equate to public space...and condo development has been the primary change since the 70s
 
The entire strip along the waterfront from Yonge to Bathurst and beyond is public space with a few exceptions mixed in.
 
That's just not true. There's a ton of stuff around the Queen's Quay Terminal including the Power Plant and the bandshell. Further west is the Music Garden and now HtO. And there's more and more every year.
 
There was nothing of general cultural interest or general public utility on the waterfront when I arrived here 37 years ago. The changes since then have been very significant - not only because of what has been done but for what we expect will be done. Torontonians now have high hopes for what was derelict and declining industrial land that, in 1970, very few people thought about at all and even then certainly not in a positive light.
 
I am still irked by the demolitions of Exhibition Stadium and Varsity Stadium,
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Varsity stadium was anciently old. Yes, they could have revitalized it - and it's a shame they couldn't, but the east stand dated back to 1920!!!

As far as Exhibition stadium goes, it wasn't well suited for anything.

Not football, baseball, soccer, etc.
 
Not big-up on the olympics right now. They started making less sense post Atlanta and particularly post 9-11 after which the perfectly reasonable astronomical security budget for summer olympics got super-sized. The IOC might give you a few billion but you are on the hook yourself for the 15 billion dollars worth of surface-to-air missiles and 1 to 1000 athlete to commando ratio.
 
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