GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
Exactly. Yes, it's technically a delay, but it's a delay until 2015 at the earliest. Which is an eternity in political terms.
- Thread starter AlvinofDiaspar
- Start date
MetroMan
Senior Member
Councillor Layton is working to cut frills off the project in time for a final vote this week. If the bridge can come on budget, I don't see how the committee can justify voting against it given that it was already approved by full council.
What kind of frills are worth $4 million? Maybe they'll pick one of the other 2 designs? The helix isn't frill as far as I could tell. It's structural.
I'm not priivy to the disucussions but perhaps transferring funds from the visitors centre (cutting frills there) can help. Another option would be to secure a name rights holder in record time. $4M isn't an unreasonable price for naming rights.
Or perhaps the federal government can get involved given that this is a national historic site. After all, the leader of the opposition is Mike's dad and the MP for this riding is his step mom. This no doubt has been discussed at the dinner table
Let's see...
What kind of frills are worth $4 million? Maybe they'll pick one of the other 2 designs? The helix isn't frill as far as I could tell. It's structural.
I'm not priivy to the disucussions but perhaps transferring funds from the visitors centre (cutting frills there) can help. Another option would be to secure a name rights holder in record time. $4M isn't an unreasonable price for naming rights.
Or perhaps the federal government can get involved given that this is a national historic site. After all, the leader of the opposition is Mike's dad and the MP for this riding is his step mom. This no doubt has been discussed at the dinner table
Let's see...
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MetroMan
Senior Member
Letter to Olivia Chow
I wrote Olivia Chow this letter and I urge you to write one as well.
To: MP Olivia Chow
CC: Mayor Rob Ford; Councillor Mike Layton; Prime Minister Stephen Harper; MP Jack Layton
Hello Mrs.Chow,
I'm writing you with an issue of utmost importance to my neighbourhood and to the city at large.
As you know, with the bi-centennial of the War of 1812 at Fort York approaching, work on a new visitors centre and a pedestrian bridge that would at last re-connect the fort to the city have been in the planning stages. At this time, the execution of these plans have been put in peril by Mayor Rob Ford's administration's last minute objections.
The ever growing neighourhood sprouting up around the Fort requires that this bridge be built. This is not a frill or "something nice to have". It is a vital piece of city infrastructure. Residents to the south are disconnected from the city and those on the north find their ability to reach Toronto's waterfront seriously hindered.
Years of exhaustive planning and multiple bids have already determined the lowest possible cost. Delaying this bridge for re-study would have no practical benefit. It would in fact make it more expensive since it would be built at the earliest in 5 years when inflation will have increased the cost. $1.2M in funds already spent will have been sacrificed to save $4M in budget overrun.
Community consultations have been held and there's been strong support for this to go forward. Not building this bridge will not only cost us more money when it is finally built (it must be built), but the loss of momentum will have untold impacts on the surrounding community and the fort itself, well into the future.
Given that Fort York is a national historic site and a treasure to not only Torontonians but to all Canadians, I urge you to intervene to guarantee that these plans are not spoiled. A grant to cover the budget overrun would not be without precedent in funding to other national historic sites.
Given its national importance, Mrs. Chow, as a federal member of Parliament representing Trinity-Spadina this issue is squarely under your jurisdiction and I hope for you to be visible and audible in your support. We have precious little time to deal with this and ensure that this singular opportunity to revitalize Fort York is not put to waste due to bureaucratic processes and political squabbles.
Finally, I'd like to congratulate you on your re-election . I'm proud to have supported you once again and look forward to having your work in the riding of Trinity-Spadina encourage my support in the future.
I wrote Olivia Chow this letter and I urge you to write one as well.
To: MP Olivia Chow
CC: Mayor Rob Ford; Councillor Mike Layton; Prime Minister Stephen Harper; MP Jack Layton
Hello Mrs.Chow,
I'm writing you with an issue of utmost importance to my neighbourhood and to the city at large.
As you know, with the bi-centennial of the War of 1812 at Fort York approaching, work on a new visitors centre and a pedestrian bridge that would at last re-connect the fort to the city have been in the planning stages. At this time, the execution of these plans have been put in peril by Mayor Rob Ford's administration's last minute objections.
The ever growing neighourhood sprouting up around the Fort requires that this bridge be built. This is not a frill or "something nice to have". It is a vital piece of city infrastructure. Residents to the south are disconnected from the city and those on the north find their ability to reach Toronto's waterfront seriously hindered.
Years of exhaustive planning and multiple bids have already determined the lowest possible cost. Delaying this bridge for re-study would have no practical benefit. It would in fact make it more expensive since it would be built at the earliest in 5 years when inflation will have increased the cost. $1.2M in funds already spent will have been sacrificed to save $4M in budget overrun.
Community consultations have been held and there's been strong support for this to go forward. Not building this bridge will not only cost us more money when it is finally built (it must be built), but the loss of momentum will have untold impacts on the surrounding community and the fort itself, well into the future.
Given that Fort York is a national historic site and a treasure to not only Torontonians but to all Canadians, I urge you to intervene to guarantee that these plans are not spoiled. A grant to cover the budget overrun would not be without precedent in funding to other national historic sites.
Given its national importance, Mrs. Chow, as a federal member of Parliament representing Trinity-Spadina this issue is squarely under your jurisdiction and I hope for you to be visible and audible in your support. We have precious little time to deal with this and ensure that this singular opportunity to revitalize Fort York is not put to waste due to bureaucratic processes and political squabbles.
Finally, I'd like to congratulate you on your re-election . I'm proud to have supported you once again and look forward to having your work in the riding of Trinity-Spadina encourage my support in the future.
Automation Gallery
Superstar
They way i see it this bridge can still be built for the original quoted price...the days are over for contractors to milk the city for always more money.
MetroMan
Senior Member
It turns out that Layton presented a proposal that would have the bridge come at the same price with the private sector (developers) covering the outstanding balance. Yet, the proposal still didn't pass. It's very clear that Ford just doesn't want the bridge to be built.
nfitz
Superstar
My understanding is that the price that exceeds the original quote, is the lowest bid in an open tender.They way i see it this bridge can still be built for the original quoted price...the days are over for contractors to milk the city for always more money.
How can this possibly be described as a contractor milking the city for more money?
Parkdalian
Senior Member
It's heartening to hear that Mike Layton is really busting his arse over this.
Automation Gallery
Superstar
I dont blame him, he is a rookie and it would look good on him if built.
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MetroMan
Senior Member
I didn't want to interrupt him on his day off but he looked very relaxed walking along Dundas & Ossington with his girlfriend, both holding tripods in their summer clothes. Not that he doesn't have a right to a day off, but if it were me, I'd be working day and night to get support from everywhere possible.
Not building this bridge is NOT an option. There's just too much at stake. It's not hyperbole to say that missing this opportunity will determine whether the new community at Fort York thrives or becomes a ghetto hemmed away from the city.
Getting support from the Feds (his step-mom and dad) would be a great place to start. Raising shit in the media. Getting developers invested in the area to put pressure on City Hall. Organizing the community to ring Ford's phone off the hook.
If Ford wants to throw away taxpayer money (both money already invested and future money when the bridge will be more expensive to build), then he has to pay with political capital in the media. We can't let Rob, nor Doug, nor Del Grande, nor Shiner off the hook without letting the public in on what they're doing.
Not building this bridge is NOT an option. There's just too much at stake. It's not hyperbole to say that missing this opportunity will determine whether the new community at Fort York thrives or becomes a ghetto hemmed away from the city.
Getting support from the Feds (his step-mom and dad) would be a great place to start. Raising shit in the media. Getting developers invested in the area to put pressure on City Hall. Organizing the community to ring Ford's phone off the hook.
If Ford wants to throw away taxpayer money (both money already invested and future money when the bridge will be more expensive to build), then he has to pay with political capital in the media. We can't let Rob, nor Doug, nor Del Grande, nor Shiner off the hook without letting the public in on what they're doing.
Tewder
Senior Member
Where is the community? Why is there no demonstration happening? Sitting behind a computer is not enough to influence these sorts of decisions. In the meantime the Fords will continue to capitalize on Toronto's number one defining trait: apathy. Anywhere else and they would be called out for the wasting of money a cancellation like this implies. Cutting waste is one thing but contributing to waste for the superficial optics of 'saving' is another, and we should be smart enough to see this for what it is and demand better. Ford has got it right, however, in that he is bargaining on the fact that nobody cares. He gets to cancel a 'fancy' project that nobody appreciates anyway, and then take credit for preventing wasteful spending.
nfitz
Superstar
That seems to be hyperbole to me. Of course not building the bridge is an option.
And perhaps it should be an option, given that there hasn't even been an attempt to answer the questions I raised earlier. The project doesn't seem to have been completely thought out.
If the project is now completely dead, as some here claim, then best to rethink the entire thing, and come up with something more usable, and look at what has pushed the price here so high.
GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
The project is dead. They voted last week. There's not much left to do.
Layton worked like a madman up until the day of the vote. There were community rallies. He presented a petition with over 1,500 signatures supporting the bridge, along with letters from over 1,000 people. There's also a long list of people who wrote directly to the City Clerk; you can see them listed here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2011.MM8.6
Here's Layton's final word on things: http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c27a4b5214b9e16b47e33e64c&id=0964b77e92
Layton worked like a madman up until the day of the vote. There were community rallies. He presented a petition with over 1,500 signatures supporting the bridge, along with letters from over 1,000 people. There's also a long list of people who wrote directly to the City Clerk; you can see them listed here: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2011.MM8.6
Here's Layton's final word on things: http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c27a4b5214b9e16b47e33e64c&id=0964b77e92
ponyboy
Active Member
Why couldn't this bridge have been built across the rail corridor south along Tecumseh? The design seems too grandiose and meandering to be useful for regular foot and bicycle traffic. paths to connect the south and north of that corridor should be multiple and utilitarian.
MetroMan
Senior Member
For several reasons.
1 - A Tecumseh bridge would halt at the Fort and wouldn't go through to the waterfront as the approved bridge was.
2 - The goal here is to connect the new communities north and south of the rail together.
3 - The chosen bridge plan would create a park corridor roughly based on the historic Garrison Creek. Trinity Bellwoods Park > Stanley Park > Fort York.
1 - A Tecumseh bridge would halt at the Fort and wouldn't go through to the waterfront as the approved bridge was.
2 - The goal here is to connect the new communities north and south of the rail together.
3 - The chosen bridge plan would create a park corridor roughly based on the historic Garrison Creek. Trinity Bellwoods Park > Stanley Park > Fort York.
Marcanadian
Moderator
For anyone interested, after I sent an e-mail to Rob Ford, he actually replied (albeit after the council vote).
Here is his reply:
Here is his reply:
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