evandyk
Senior Member
I was all for any kind of experimentation with Sidewalk on a 12 acre site. When they said they needed 190 acres or their experiments would fail, I preferred to let them fail.
I note with interest that the plans still seem to show the rail spur. running east of the Don. I find this a bit odd as it is currently 'disconnected" and the only traffic that used it (to the Water Treatment plant) is now done by trucks as the new Canada Post building on Leslie & Commissioners was built on top of the rails. CreateTO had hoped to move them onto road but when they actually looked at that it was apparently not possible due to utilities. Last I heard Ports Toronto and CreateTO were working on officially shutting the spur - at least east of the rail yard immediately east of the Don Roadway. (The Keating Yard).
It cannot be used as there are no rails south of Commissioners Street and they have put a 'block' on tracks on east side of the Don Bridge. Clearly CreateTO and the City screwed up by allowing the CanadaPost guys to build on the rails and now I think everyone is scurrying around to find someone to blame and, ideally, shut the whole damn thing.While I was wokring on the East Harbour Master Plan project it was noted that it had to remain in working order, so it must still be used.
...bring me another shrubbery!This is only the trees and large shrubs, many other plants listed separately.
I wonder why black locust is chosen. I have a managed forest east of Toronto that has been planted for habitat restoration for 36 years. Upon the advice of the local conservation authority several non-natives have been planted over the years. One species that I regret planting is black locust as it spreads like crazy. I don't even want to mention some of the other non-natives that were planted over the years that are invasive and don't support native fauna well at all. And, much thanks to Northern Light; overall he is quite right in his assessments.So, I've had a chance to review the smaller shrubs and wildflowers proposed.
Nothing is egregious.
Though lots are cultivars (not true natives) and a few are a tad....ummm..........goofy.
But....overall, on balance...none I would make a big fuss about; given that these are alternatives to plain, ordinary sod.
There are actually some very good plants in the mix from Bee Balm to Wild Columbine.
But the 2 non-native, invasive tree species really need to go.
And I'm really challenged to see how Yellow Birch will work.