[Admiral Beez]

True. I should have initially made the proximity to the lake clear. I see it the other way around--I'd prefer retail and condos bordering on Queens Quay or north of it, and a large park (not parkettes) right up to the lake's edge.

My thoughts exactly. Basically when walking along Queens Quay there should be clear views to the Lake, with GB, etc on the opposite side of the street.

If GB and the other buildings at the water's edge were condo towers of similar height there would be an uproar here on UT. Somehow commercial buildings taking the same space are okay? One day soon people will walk along Queens Quay and ask why it's called quay when I can't see the water for this wall of commercial towers.

 

[taal]

My thoughts exactly. Basically when walking along Queens Quay there should be clear views to the Lake, with GB, etc on the opposite side of the street.

If GB and the other buildings at the water's edge were condo towers of similar height there would be an uproar here on UT. Somehow commercial buildings taking the same space are okay? One day soon people will walk along Queens Quay and ask why it's called quay when I can't see the water for this wall of commercial towers.

I disagree ! QQ is set back, what, 50/100m from the water ? So what would you like, parkland throughout, sure we can have some more monumental parks / sculptures / water features / ... but there's only so much of that, the rest of the land, would no doubt resemble what we already have on the west side !

No instead, I'd rather heavy retail activity abutting the water, maybe set back 10 / 20 m, with boardwalks and little parquets throughout !

Actually there is already a perfect example (built form wise) Suger beach / the Corus / Campus building ! Now I'm not fond of the fact that there is essentially one restaurant on that stretch, but the built form is perfect, the only thing missing would be an actual board walk on the water, but I think that's coming in the future.

 

[TOCondoGarden]

^Agreed. It's a huge waterfront promenade as-is and and a huge improvement to what existed 4 years ago. Once the Bayside development gets underway and east of Sherbourne Common gets built up, it's going to be amazing. Just have to be a bit patient and have some faith and vision. WT can afford to build these great new parks and public spaces, benches, trees, etc...only because development blocks are sold off at market value to recouperate costs and to move forward. But people need to actually buy into Monde and Bayside if this area is going to get some residential construction and new feet on the street.

We should really get back to Pan Am Village talk tho I think that was my fault because I mentioned Sugar Beach lol

 

[Torontovibe]

True. I should have initially made the proximity to the lake clear. I see it the other way around--I'd prefer retail and condos bordering on Queens Quay or north of it, and a large park (not parkettes) right up to the lake's edge.

We already have that, east and west of the central core. The waterfront west of Ontario Place, all the way to Etobicoke, is mainly all open parkland (besides the few private clubs) and from Cherry Beach Park, all the way to Scarborough, it's also open parkland, including the huge area of the Leslie Street Spit. It's actually a massive area of just open parkland, so where does this false notion that Toronto needs more waterfront parkland come from? I just think there are a lot of people who don't know the city well. I have walked all the way from Bluffer's Park in Scarborough , to New Toronto, in Etobicoke (not at one time lol) and let me tell you, that is a huge amount of parkland, wilderness and undeveloped land along our waterfront.

What Toronto really needs is more public spaces like public squares, intimate arcades and small gathering areas, like they have in European cities. I would love to have those little, intimate, retail arcades and lane-ways like they have in Melbourne. With all the monster condos going up, we are missing the opportunity, to create great little intimate spaces between the buildings. They could provide great lane-way spaces or arcades for cafes, restaurants, little art galleries and small shops. (as well as provide connections to streets) If the West Don Lands or eastern waterfront provide some of these intimate spaces, I will be quite happy.

 

[DSC]

+ 1

 

[Danny Crispin]

We already have that, east and west of the central core. The waterfront west of Ontario Place, all the way to Etobicoke, is mainly all open parkland (besides the few private clubs) and from Cherry Beach Park, all the way to Scarborough, it's also open parkland, including the huge area of the Leslie Street Spit. It's actually a massive area of just open parkland, so where does this false notion that Toronto needs more waterfront parkland come from? I just think there are a lot of people who don't know the city well. I have walked all the way from Bluffer's Park in Scarborough , to New Toronto, in Etobicoke (not at one time lol) and let me tell you, that is a huge amount of parkland, wilderness and undeveloped land along our waterfront.

What Toronto really needs is more public spaces like public squares, intimate arcades and small gathering areas, like they have in European cities. I would love to have those little, intimate, retail arcades and lane-ways like they have in Melbourne. With all the monster condos going up, we are missing the opportunity, to create great little intimate spaces between the buildings. They could provide great lane-way spaces or arcades for cafes, restaurants, little art galleries and small shops. (as well as provide connections to streets) If the West Don Lands or eastern waterfront provide some of these intimate spaces, I will be quite happy.

I'm well aware of all the parkland you mentioned. I think much more should have been implemented along the entire stretch of the central harbour (Spadina to Parliament). Retail and some restaurants could have been incorporated into that. It would have been nice to have seen some major parkland, right downtown.

 

[Admiral Beez]

...and a huge improvement to what existed 4 years ago

I have to agree 100% with you there. I was a dreadful landscape. I look forward to seeing it all completed.

It's a great time to be living in Toronto. I've taken my kids to Underpass Park several times now, and they love it, and watching the redevelopment of Regent Park to the south of us is fantastic. The new pool is great too.

 

[interchange42]

Back on topic please.

42

 

[ProjectEnd]

Unfortunately the Enrique Norten (Ten Arquitectos) buildings are no longer part of the scheme.

 

[Ramako]

Unfortunately the Enrique Norten (Ten Arquitectos) buildings are no longer part of the scheme.

Shocker of the century.

 

[ProjectEnd]

I must admit, I'm kind of surprised this didn't resonate as much as I thought it would...

 

[innsertnamehere]

Which building was his?

 

[maxcity]

How do you know this? I was under the impression that it was never meant to be built in time for the Pan-Am games, but that their agreement to develop the area with Infrastructure Ontario would have to have the TEN Arquitectos condo built in a subsequent phase...?

 

[ProjectEnd]

Which building was his?

Blocks 13 and 16 in this site plan:

How do you know this? I was under the impression that it was never meant to be built in time for the Pan-Am games, but that their agreement to develop the area with Infrastructure Ontario would have to have the TEN Arquitectos condo built in a subsequent phase...?

That was the original plan (as indicated in the site plan above) but Kuwabara confirmed last night that for a number of 'complicated reasons,' Enrique Norten is no longer a part of the team.

 

[SkyJacked]