Unlike some others, I don't really have a problem with the residential/commercial being added. They want to ensure that Ontario Place becomes a new community among parkland which is used regularly, rather than a park which is used only during the summer months. I am also looking forward to seeing condos of a human scale, rather than mammoth buildings which dwarf the pedestrians on the streets.

My concern is how they are going to get this working with the land they have? I just skimmed through the report, and from what I can see is that the West Island would essentially be a tower in a park, but they are trying and promising to be a new urbanist community. Even with the improved transportation links highlighted on I believe page 46, there will still be a mass disconnect.

I think that while it is a great set of recommendations, execution is where it is all going to count. A quick and dirty vision, which I will probably refine when I have more time, I would suggest building low rise condos/commercial between Remembrance Drive and Lake Shore, and on the far east end where parking lots stand now. The south shore of the East Island would include these uses plus offices, and perhaps improved water quality to allow swimming. Parkland and the forum would rest in the middle between these development zones. The West Island, where all the development is proposed, would instead be converted for education and cultural use. Perhaps a museum, zoo, educational facilities with residences, hotel/resort, etc.
 
Good one

Ontario Place 2.0 — who pays?
Let’s not kid ourselves as to why McGuinty ordered this report.

Having cratered the province’s economy, having saddled us with a $15 billion annual deficit, having wasted billions on his green energy, eHealth and Ornge fiascoes, McGuinty needs some public diversions of the bread and circuses variety.

Except he doesn’t have the money for bread and circuses.

So he orders up reports like this — promoting a revitalized Ontario Place that everyone knows there’s no money to build now, or in the foreseeable future.

As for the province touting the idea of re-opening Ontario place by 2017, right. Dream on.

Better to keep the place under lock and key until we elect a government that knows how to balance a cheque book.
More..............http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/27/ontario-place-20--who-pays
 
Under the circumstance, you might as well be a McMansion spec-builder sneering at UT's pages and pages of rubbish on aA...
 
Electrify said:
A quick and dirty vision, which I will probably refine when I have more time, I would suggest building low rise condos/commercial between Remembrance Drive and Lake Shore, and on the far east end where parking lots stand now. The south shore of the East Island would include these uses plus offices, and perhaps improved water quality to allow swimming. Parkland and the forum would rest in the middle between these development zones. The West Island, where all the development is proposed, would instead be converted for education and cultural use. Perhaps a museum, zoo, educational facilities with residences, hotel/resort, etc.
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This makes the most sense and it's ultimately what's going to happen. Too bad it will take our leaders years to figure out the obvious.

It was a mistake to suggest that condos might go on the west island, especially when there are vast parking lots to the east, but then Tory has always had a supreme talent for muddying the waters.
 
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This Star editorial makes some good points:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/edit...to-is-best-placed-to-revitalize-ontario-place



...the entire site should be turned over to Waterfront Toronto. That public agency, unlike the city or province, has a proven record of turning dreary stretches of our waterfront into creative, welcoming spaces and balancing the need for public space with some development to help pay for it all.

Indeed, Ontario Place falls right in the middle of the public agency’s mandate to revitalize the lakefront from Ashbridge’s Bay Park in the east to past Marilyn Bell Park in the west. And since it makes little sense to revitalize Ontario Place while ignoring the underperforming city-owned Exhibition Place just a stone’s throw away, its revitalization mandate should also be handed over to Waterfront Toronto.​

I particularly like the suggestion of planning for Ontario Place and Exhibition Place together.
 
Automation Gallery said:
LoL, but its perfectly ok to accept pages and pages of rubbish posted by the The Star/The Globe by members on this forum....Please:rolleyes:
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Dude, what is wrong with you. Both those papers are widely accepted to be genuine newspapers with high standards that report on stories, the Sun is a piece of sensationalist garbage with a strong strong agenda. Its a tabloid plain and simple that caters to the least educated in our society, often fooling them in to having negative positions on policies that would most benefit them, and it has very faulty and poor reporting standards. Its most accurate section is the sports pages. It has to stick pictures of sunshine girls in to get an audiance. Can we not ban papers on this site that have no real merit?
 
mckarisma said:
Can we not ban papers on this site that have no real merit?
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Kindly provide a complete list of prohibited publications so that I can get with the program. I would hate to offend someone with a comment that might be construed as having a "strong" agenda. Is the National Post OK? What about Now?
 
Since when do we build condos in public parks? (even if they are amusement/leisure parks) It's just not something we should be doing. We all know that will bring residents complaining of noise due to bars, outdoor patios, rides, concerts and large crowds. The condo owners will demand fewer events and want the park to close earlier and earlier, so they won't have to hear people having fun. Condos and fun just don't seem to mix very well in Toronto.
 
Torontovibe said:
Since when do we build condos in public parks? (even if they are amusement/leisure parks) It's just not something we should be doing. We all know that will bring residents complaining of noise due to bars, outdoor patios, rides, concerts and large crowds. The condo owners will demand fewer events and want the park to close earlier and earlier, so they won't have to hear people having fun. Condos and fun just don't seem to mix very well in Toronto.
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Condos are longer term camping.
 
Torontovibe said:
Since when do we build condos in public parks? (even if they are amusement/leisure parks) It's just not something we should be doing. We all know that will bring residents complaining of noise due to bars, outdoor patios, rides, concerts and large crowds. The condo owners will demand fewer events and want the park to close earlier and earlier, so they won't have to hear people having fun. Condos and fun just don't seem to mix very well in Toronto.
Click to expand...

I wrote something similar a few pages back, couldn't agree more. If there's a way of getting Ontario Place and possibly the Exhibition properties under Waterfront Toronto's portfolio with separate funding for each area we'd have a consistent vision for Toronto's waterfront, a great idea by The Star. The City has to take a long hard look at the CNE too. I doubt anyone would disagree that it needs to be re-hauled from top to bottom. Nostalgia for the CNE is fine but it's come to a point where I think it must really suck for many kids having their parents dragging them down to the CNE now days.
 
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