Those parking lots have become a barrier for those who take public transit and have to crawl across the series of asphalt deserts to reach Ontario Place, previously and likely continuing.
The horror of a 900m walk. Hopefully they have a shuttle bus to accommodate them.
 
We could just give each of them a personal vehicle to make the arduous trip, similar to what they do with Bixi, except for cars. That way they won't have to face walking.
 
There's part of me that wishes they'd look at a gondola, though I don't know how well it would work when a GO train shows up with many people destined for OP for event like a concert.
 
I'd love to see an Ontario Line station within Ontario Place itself. With an Ontario Line station, the province could save money by building a smaller parking garage or eliminating the parking garage idea altogether for Ontario Place.

Ontario Place's original source of inspiration, the Expo 67 grounds at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, has a station within the park, so why not Ontario Place? The idea of building a subway station is more politically palatable for the electorate, too, than a parking garage in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
 
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I'd love to see an Ontario Line station within Ontario Place itself. With an Ontario Line station, the province could save money by building a smaller parking garage or eliminating the parking garage idea altogether for Ontario Place.

Ontario Place's original source of inspiration, the Expo 67 grounds at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, has a station within the park, so why not Ontario Place? The idea of building a subway station is more politically palatable for the electorate, too, than a parking garage in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

I've wondered before about an elevated spur. A single track could carry a train every few minutes.

OP spur.png
 
We could just give each of them a personal vehicle to make the arduous trip, similar to what they do with Bixi, except for cars. That way they won't have to face walking.
While I can agree that the 900m trek isn't particularly arduous, it might be for some people (my wife, for example). When you factor in the walk to Ontario Place, combined with the walking in the park and then the walk back, the total walking makes Ontario Place inaccessible to her (and others in her situation) unless they drive there. The amount of surface parking in the area is ridiculous. This is the central waterfront. It should be prime parkland. These lots represent the lowest hanging fruit in the city to creating a signature park in Toronto.
 
While I can agree that the 900m trek isn't particularly arduous, it might be for some people (my wife, for example). When you factor in the walk to Ontario Place, combined with the walking in the park and then the walk back, the total walking makes Ontario Place inaccessible to her (and others in her situation) unless they drive there. The amount of surface parking in the area is ridiculous. This is the central waterfront. It should be prime parkland. These lots represent the lowest hanging fruit in the city to creating a signature park in Toronto.
I wouldn't want to walk anywhere for 900m. But the idea that high level transit needs to be door to door is a bit silly. I'm all for improving services like wheel trans for those who can not make it.
 
I've wondered before about an elevated spur. A single track could carry a train every few minutes.

View attachment 501382

I would build the line through the CNE grounds underground on a diagonal with an underground station in the middle of Ontario Place. Then, I'd do a U towards the mainland under the lake towards Parkdale or Humber Bay Shores. Now that would be a civic asset of a line that secures our quality of life for generations versus creating dissatisfaction for generations in that it doesn't serve a prime waterfront landmark.
 
I would build the line through the CNE grounds underground on a diagonal with an underground station in the middle of Ontario Place. Then, I'd do a U towards the mainland under the lake towards Parkdale or Humber Bay Shores. Now that would be a civic asset of a line that secures our quality of life for generations versus creating dissatisfaction for generations in that it doesn't serve a prime waterfront landmark.
That is a FAR too sensible idea to appeal to Mr Ford. He and his developer friends want parking because only the poor use transit and the Spa is NOT for the poor.
 
Theyve been saying that for 4 years now, though a recent document showed some kind of zoo-like tram for the trek between ontario place and exhibition
They do have the "CNE Express Train", which could be repurposed between the GO and Ontario Exhibition Station and Ontario Place. That would be the accountant's choice for the bad situation to fill the "missing link".
 
That is a FAR too sensible idea to appeal to Mr Ford. He and his developer friends want parking because only the poor use transit and the Spa is NOT for the poor.
He and his developer friends aren't going to Therme if they are trying to avoid poor people.
 
That is a FAR too sensible idea to appeal to Mr Ford. He and his developer friends want parking because only the poor use transit and the Spa is NOT for the poor.
Though I agree it's a sensible idea, Therme's business model is built on the idea of appealing to the middle class and families, not the elite. That excessively large parking lot is going to be a boondoggle for everyone.
 
It's probably been proposed before, but would running the 511 or 509 streetcar along Lakeshore not help get more people closer to Ontario Place? I think it could help with the Humber Bay developments too if it kept going west.
 
I'd love to see an Ontario Line station within Ontario Place itself. With an Ontario Line station, the province could save money by building a smaller parking garage or eliminating the parking garage idea altogether for Ontario Place.

Ontario Place's original source of inspiration, the Expo 67 grounds at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, has a station within the park, so why not Ontario Place? The idea of building a subway station is more politically palatable for the electorate, too, than a parking garage in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
I always thought a lovely loop around the Exhibition site for the streetcars would be a good idea. In addition to the current Exhibition stop, it could perhaps go by some of the attractions at the west end, stop at Ontario Place and picturesquely pause by the front of the Prince's Gates, before heading back to where it came from.

A committed linear park-walkway from Exhibition Stadium to the gates of Ontario Place would be nice. Give it some overhead shelter against inclement weather and some nifty kiosks and artworks, etc. spaced along it.
 

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