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biospherian said:
Really? They're just gonna leave those ugly overhead wires when they easily could have buried them? What a joke
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Who's "they"? The land is owned by the City, the hydro lines are owned by Toronto Hydro. Burying these lines would be a multi-million dollar job. I would guess >$10M based on past direct experience. Not a job done "easily" as you claim. The project has a limited budget to improve public realm. Remember, all the streetscape upgrades on Wellington were part of the negotiated Section 37 package because they are above and beyond the base requirements for a development. I think everyone involved made smart decisions about the best places to spend this limited budget. Yes the wires are a bit ugly but the streetscape will be completely transformed.
 
They should make a law that obligates all future developers to bury overhead wires along affected streets. Then the city wouldn't have to complain about how expensive it is to bury them; What European cities managed to succeed in the early 1900s.

Just walk through places like Boston, or any other major US city and then compare the state of Toronto's overhead mess along its major streets.
And no, the 1800s-looking power lines along with Queen and King W are not "unique"... It just emanates laziness and a lack of consideration for creating aesthetic value. Most of Toronto's overhead powerlines are unnecessarily and unconventionally dirty when compared to other major cities, even though streetcars are used as an excuse to justify their presence in this city.
 
biospherian said:
They should make a law that obligates all future developers to bury overhead wires along affected streets. Then the city wouldn't have to complain about how expensive it is to bury them; What European cities managed to succeed in the early 1900s.

Just walk through places like Boston, or any other major US city and then compare the state of Toronto's overhead mess along its major streets.
And no, the 1800s-looking power lines along with Queen and King W are not "unique"... It just emanates laziness and a lack of consideration for creating aesthetic value. Most of Toronto's overhead powerlines are unnecessarily and unconventionally dirty when compared to other major cities, even though streetcars are used as an excuse to justify their presence in this city.
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Walk through LKF in Hong Kong and you’ll see even more than what we have 😅.
 
biospherian said:
They should make a law that obligates all future developers to bury overhead wires along affected streets. Then the city wouldn't have to complain about how expensive it is to bury them; What European cities managed to succeed in the early 1900s.

Just walk through places like Boston, or any other major US city and then compare the state of Toronto's overhead mess along its major streets.
And no, the 1800s-looking power lines along with Queen and King W are not "unique"... It just emanates laziness and a lack of consideration for creating aesthetic value. Most of Toronto's overhead powerlines are unnecessarily and unconventionally dirty when compared to other major cities, even though streetcars are used as an excuse to justify their presence in this city.
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I have to drive through downtown Toronto to visit clients for work and the city is really shabby and looks unkempt. Apart from the overhead wires, rusted hydro poles everywhere, garbage all over the place, pothole filled roads. I think the citizenry don’t demand any better so politicians don’t care. When you go to other cities and come back here you realize how horrible this place looks. It’s not like we are some third world city. I won’t be surprised if in 100 years things remain the same with no changes.
 
Adjei said:
This is Toronto, what else do you expect. We have no shame.
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This take sucks. Many if not most Asian cities - Tokyo for example, which is a paragon of pride and cleanliness for Japan - have overhead wires. Do they also have 'no shame'? What about historic European centres with tram catenary? Also 'shameful'?
 
Yeah I was gonna say: go to Google Streetview in any random location in Tokyo, even the core, and there's overhead all over the place. Still looks crap though, would be good if we can start burying it.
 
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