urbandreamer said:
Step out of the Yonge-Jarvis-Bloor-Queen ghetto and see what I see!
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I think a better option is to make the “ghetto†greener. Downtown Chicago is greener than downtown Toronto despite having a lot of buildings/similar weather because of extensive use of planters and landscaped streets/sidewalks.
 
I think there is sometimes less effort in the core of Toronto to be "green" because it is such a green city naturally. It is literally a bunch of sky scrapers surrounded as far as the eye can see by forest. Perhaps Chicago has lots of planters and such, but Toronto has lots of nice landscaping, and as a tree buff, I have to give Toronto some props, it has a lot of really rare trees that you would not find just anywhere.
Again with this use of the word 'Ghetto'. Yonge-jarvis bloor-queen is not very ghetto. But I suppose if we are talking comparatively with other greener spaces in the city... sure. It is definitely less manicured.

I have been reading these forums long before I ever started posting in them, and I must say I see the same people often griping over Toronto in such a negative way, always comparing to other seemingly "better" cities.
Why do you live here then?

We can definitely grow, and learn much from other cities, but Toronto is pretty great.
 
stjames2queenwest said:
I think there is sometimes less effort in the core of Toronto to be "green" because it is such a green city naturally. It is literally a bunch of sky scrapers surrounded as far as the eye can see by forest. Perhaps Chicago has lots of planters and such, but Toronto has lots of nice landscaping, and as a tree buff, I have to give Toronto some props, it has a lot of really rare trees that you would not find just anywhere.
Again with this use of the word 'Ghetto'. Yonge-jarvis bloor-queen is not very ghetto. But I suppose if we are talking comparatively with other greener spaces in the city... sure. It is definitely less manicured.

I have been reading these forums long before I ever started posting in them, and I must say I see the same people often griping over Toronto in such a negative way, always comparing to other seemingly "better" cities.
Why do you live here then?

We can definitely grow, and learn much from other cities, but Toronto is pretty great.
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I mentioned downtown Toronto specifically. I don't dispute that there are neighbourhoods outside downtown that are quite green (although I would not call it “literally a bunch of sky scrapers surrounded as far as the eye can see by forest†- let's not exaggerate :).

I compared downtown Toronto to downtown Chicago in one specific area (incorporating more greeneries) - I did not compare the two cities overall and claimed that Chicago was a better place to live.

“Ghetto†was a reference to the post I was responding to (hence the quotation marks). I don't consider downtown Toronto a ghetto.

As more and more people move to downtown every year, we need to ensure that there is adequate and appropriate infrastructure (including green spaces) to match all the condo buildings that are going up. It makes very little sense to say that downtown Toronto residents should just leave downtown if they want to experience nature. Downtown Chicago was just one example of how to make downtown Toronto more livable. I can cite examples even from downtown Toronto. The provincial government office complex on 700 Bay is surrounded by a lot of trees and beautifully landscaped areas. But if you look just across the street, the condo buildings have virtually no landscaping! I can't help wonder why! In Barrie, they are realigning parts of a major road by Lake Simcoe to create more green spaces. We should think about how to make the waterfront here greener and more accessible.

If you really believe that Toronto can learn from other cities, you can start by changing your attitude. The “accept Toronto as it is or leave†argument is silly. In fact, I would argue that the people who think “Toronto is pretty great†should leave and experience living in other cities in order to discover non-Toronto approaches to urban living and realize that Toronto can be better!
 
^ There are many examples of improvement in Toronto in recent times (ex. 11 Wellesley).

One area where Toronto could really use some improvement is letting go of things just because they are old. For example, that hideous train shed by the CN Tower (Roundhouse Park) could become a beautiful new park that people can actually use. Instead, it is now just a crappy tourist trap and a Leon's store.

Another area of improvement is the overhead wires and wood utility poles.
 
Ayan said:
I mentioned downtown Toronto specifically. I don't dispute that there are neighbourhoods outside downtown that are quite green (although I would not call it “literally a bunch of sky scrapers surrounded as far as the eye can see by forest” - let's not exaggerate :).
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Do you spend any time high up in skyscrapers in the core? This actually is an accurate description of what Toronto looks like from high up, at least from May to November.
 
DtTO said:
One area where Toronto could really use some improvement is letting go of things just because they are old. For example, that hideous train shed by the CN Tower (Roundhouse Park) could become a beautiful new park that people can actually use. Instead, it is now just a crappy tourist trap and a Leon's store.
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1) Toronto has let go of a LOT of its history over the years, and often we have let landmark pieces of history disappear in the name of something "new". This has been a mistake. Toronto has many points to work on itself, but "letting go of things just because they are old" is most certainly not one of them.

2) The Roundhouse building isn't being maintained simply because it's old but rather because it is the last remaining Roundhouse in the area which was one of many at one time, and is tied to Toronto's history from the days when railways and shipment of cargo played a huge part in the economy of the city. Not only is it tied closely in to the city's past and is one of the few of its kind left, but it gives a focal point to the park and gives the "Southcore" area an architectural counterpoint and some of its only historical context.

3) The idea that things are "being kept just because they're old" is a fictionalized idea you have with very little basis in reality. Things are done for a reason. It's easy to sit there and say we do things "just because" / "without reason" but there is a cultural context of why we want to hang onto our past (mass demolition in previous decades) and a LOT of work and dedication goes into ensuring that the right buildings are saved, and for the right reasons. Which is why out of the countless conversations I've had about architecture and this city (two things I talk ad nauseam about with anyone who will allow me to), I've never once heard the opinion that we hang onto too much heritage or the opinion that the Roundhouse shouldn't be maintained.

4) Lastly, I'm not sure if you've ever been to it (often people complain about things without even trying them, though I could be wrong in this case) but the Roundhouse is a beautiful space inside. It's quite something to walk around and it offers some amazing views out at the newer portions of the skyline all around it.
 
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The area surrounding the city is heavily forested and eventually turns into farm land. Only because the trees were felled. I stand by this. I have a very optimistic positive attitude that needs no adjustment. I'm not trying to start a fight. You have valid points, and I was just generally frustrated with people being pessimistic.

Round house is beautiful, it is actually historically significant as far as our railway history is concerned and the space is beautiful inside. There are lots of ugly facades that could go. This is one worth keeping.

Sorry for stirring the pot, but there are lots of things to be optimistic about as well.
 
DtTO said:
^ There are many examples of improvement in Toronto in recent times (ex. 11 Wellesley).

One area where Toronto could really use some improvement is letting go of things just because they are old. For example, that hideous train shed by the CN Tower (Roundhouse Park) could become a beautiful new park that people can actually use. Instead, it is now just a crappy tourist trap and a Leon's store.

Another area of improvement is the overhead wires and wood utility poles.
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If you're talking about the Roundhouse Building and Roundhouse Park, you are way off base. That building and park are wonderful and need to stay, right where they are. I can't believe the crazy things people write on this site.
 
So, let's pull back from that tangent please, and get back on the topic of this thread, Theatre Park.

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There is a 'Toronto Parks' thread in the Buildings, Architecture and Urban Design section. Might be good to continue the conversation there?
 
back on topic... Any idea how mr. Lamb is planning to change the colour of the mechanical portion? He was quoted as saying it wasnt going to stay that colour, but so far is has no signs of change.
I must say I dont mind that much it does tie in colour wise to the surrounding buildings quite nicely. Also not so sure I am that sad about the bands being gone from the upper levels. (though I would be a lot more upset if I owned a unit)
What I am a bit sad about is how little this tower seems to stand out now. When it was being built it looked so sleek, and exciting. It looked like it was going to appear taller because it is so narrow.
Maybe I feel this way because there has been very little change on the outside construction for a few weeks now. Balconies seem to be taking a long time.
 
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