stjames2queenwest
Senior Member
Looks amazing. Does anyone know is it on permanently now or was that just a test?
- Thread starter Youranthony1
- Start date
chuckles
New Member
My observation of reactions to the fountain so far:
- Kids: Hyper-enthusiasm and joy, ride the big dogs (or, in one parent-upsetting case, decided to ride the pugs)
- Dogs: Mostly perplexed, somewhat bemused
- Tourists: Trying to line up a selfie so that they are catching the water shooting out of the retriever's mouth
ChesterCopperpot
Senior Member
Irishmonk
Senior Member
I dunno, all of that projectile vomiting makes me feel a bit uneasy--these poor dogs are seriously ill and would be dead within seconds if they suddenly came to life. I think a couple of mock veterinarians with medication at the ready are needed on the site--if only to give the dogs some hope.
Momin
Senior Member
NBGtect
Active Member
When I first came to Toronto, fireworks were cancelled one long weekend and I drove by the sign at Ontario Place that read, "We have no fireworks. Welcome to Toronto."
I didn't realize at the time, but these lines always stuck with me how true they are in many situations in the City. We deserve nice things. We deserve a wonderful public realm. We deserve them to be maintained to a high degree. But I've become so cynical because taxpayers don't want any money spent on anything nice and there is a huge portion of the population that craps on everything: spit, gum, cigarette butts, litter, dog crap, graffiti, vandalism...it becomes very disheartening.
So when I see something as wonderful as this new fountain, I hold my breath waiting for the inevitable damage and lack of care by both the City and a population that I have no faith in.
I really hope I'm proven dead wrong about my cynicism.
I didn't realize at the time, but these lines always stuck with me how true they are in many situations in the City. We deserve nice things. We deserve a wonderful public realm. We deserve them to be maintained to a high degree. But I've become so cynical because taxpayers don't want any money spent on anything nice and there is a huge portion of the population that craps on everything: spit, gum, cigarette butts, litter, dog crap, graffiti, vandalism...it becomes very disheartening.
So when I see something as wonderful as this new fountain, I hold my breath waiting for the inevitable damage and lack of care by both the City and a population that I have no faith in.
I really hope I'm proven dead wrong about my cynicism.
DonValleyRainbow
Senior Member
It's great to see the big dogs are something for kids to interact with and enjoy.
This is great too, again I'm glad we thought of the kids on this and actually gave something for the kids to interact with.
I recall being at the upper part of Sherbourne Common once. A young one came with her parents. She tried moving this ball that was on a steel rod, it definitely looked like a slider thing for kids, but it didn't move because it was fixed in place. She made noise, was obviously frustrated. She then proceeded to mix different shades of stones between one trench and another. The parents grabbed her, almost in a manner that they believed it was wrong and needed to be stopped before the feature was 'ruined.' She REALLY got upset after that, as her parents picked her up and hauled her away. Poor gal, all she wanted to do was play and explore, and the design of this part of Sherbourne Common, for all its accolades, is pretty shitty in this regard.
Looking forward to seeing this Jacob’s Ladder.
Brown Vinyl Window
New Member
Also disheartening: the overabundance of 'corporate graffiti vandalists'...the brain-dead mooks hired by the city to locate and mark utility ROWs. Case in point (although it happens everywhere in this town): They had just finished the lovely hardscape of Berczy Park a few months back and a few days in it gets f*cked up with orange Krylon. It's no wonder civic pride is so lacking here (why shouldn't I throw my Timz cup in the street...it doesn't seem to matter to anyone.) I guess there's no other way to mark utility lines 'cept the way we did it in 1950?
As it says in the front page article, they are calibrating it at the moment. Supposedly it will be turned off after the calibration is done (no idea how long that will take) until they have the official opening, which is planned for June but which currently does not have a date.
That article, by the way, includes 4 images, cat as well, not included on the previous page. There are also these from last night:
It's wild when the wind picks up a bit!
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T.E.C.II
Active Member
Walked by it today and there was a huge wet spot by the fountain leading to the sidewalk. Is that a result of the calibration, or is that typical of fountains? Because I'm not sure I"d want to sit or stand by that side of the fountain.
MetroMan
Senior Member
My dog loved the fountain.
...until she misjudged the wind velocity and got sprayed in the face.
...until she misjudged the wind velocity and got sprayed in the face.
T.E.C.II
Active Member
@ Edward Skira, that actually looks way worse than what I saw today. It makes me understand why the Four Seasons decided not to make their fountain functional. Besides turning the whole area into an unintentional water park, the wet spots make the area look a bit dingy.
torman404
New Member
Just walked by and the spray was terrible to the point you couldn't stand or sit on the north or east sides. But the winds were particularly bad tonight, so I'm hoping not a regular problem. And yes, the stream of water down to Front Street was creating puddles. But it's fun. Was thinking one of these dogs should have their hind leg up for the water.