So what about the peace garden, or restaurant, or that new information center. Are those still being planned, built. Any clue of occupancy?
 
So what about the peace garden, or restaurant, or that new information center. Are those still being planned, built. Any clue of occupancy?

The Peace Garden is being built but it's going to look much nicer. Some major planters and a viewing platform are under construction, just behind the new stage.
 
It's funny, for the last year, this site has been mostly empty, with very few workers doing any work but just this last week, its been like a mad house. Now there are lots of guys working on the stage. Why the big speed up of work all of a sudden? Anyway, I'm glad to finally see some work getting done, after months and months of just pissing around.
 
I'm guessing they want to have it done for the New Years Eve party. Possibly also they are coming up against the penalty clause in their contract.

My betting is that other side won't be finished until after Aura, even though it began after the Pope House renovation commenced, lo these many months (29? 30?) ago.
 
The just released notes on the upcoming capital budget notea new project:

Landscaping along the Bay Street and Hagerman Street frontages, as well as upgrading the pedestrian PATH system located below the Square have been included in the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization and will be funded from the Public Realm Reserve ($4.5 million). (see p 7 of http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/bu/bgrd/backgroundfile-52555.pdf
 
20121130163000.jpg


Apologies for the quality of my phone's camera, but the pic shows a few things:

- The canopy seems to be complete -- there doesn't appear to be glass going on the underside or sides. (Cue Tippi Hedren and the Birds . . . .)

- The stage will probably open within a few days and be used for holidays and New Year's Eve festivities.

- The (blurred) person walking in front of it addresses some of the discussion we were having a while back about the stage height. I'm not sure if any of us appreciated just how slanted the ground is right there, but overall the stage height seems to me to be adequate. To the left of the photo it's certainly more than high enough, it's only to the very right that it could be an issue.

- Overall it's very impressive. And behind it, the Peace Garden looks to be even more spectacular.
 
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Anyone else find the Christmas decorations get worse and worse each year ...

I remember a couple years back when the Cavalcade of lights was a on for 3/4 weekends in a row instead of just one ...

Also, I find the lights put up on University street get worse each year as well ... less and less ...


Welcome to Toronto folks !
 
They replaced some of the elevated walkway with glass? When did that happen? I think that's the first time that was posted here.
 
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Anyone else find the Christmas decorations get worse and worse each year ...

I remember a couple years back when the Cavalcade of lights was a on for 3/4 weekends in a row instead of just one ...

Also, I find the lights put up on University street get worse each year as well ... less and less ...


Welcome to Toronto folks !


Maybe it is simply a product of a religion-specific holiday becoming less and less relevant in a city with an ever decreasing Christian majority. As an atheist I find it exclusionary but tolerate it nonetheless. I wonder if tax dollars payed for that Christmas tree??? If so they should refund everyone that doesn't identify as a Christian.

So whaddya think? Am I nuts?
 
Maybe it is simply a product of a religion-specific holiday becoming less and less relevant in a city with an ever decreasing Christian majority. As an atheist I find it exclusionary but tolerate it nonetheless. I wonder if tax dollars payed for that Christmas tree??? If so they should refund everyone that doesn't identify as a Christian.

So whaddya think? Am I nuts?

Yes, I don't see the religious connection with putting lights up (something that is done, and with much more grander, in many North America and European cities), forget the Christmas tree if that's where you make he connection personally. If you don't find the lights in general impressive / beautiful that's a different matter all together.
 

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