I think there will be new furniture and fixtures as part of the redo - but you're right the NPS need someone to manage it properly. Not sure if they have the staff for it right now though.

AoD
 
There already is some new furniture, although it looks quite similar to the older style. The benches are located on the south side of the reflecting pool (under the elevated walkway).

AlvinofDiaspar said:
I think there will be new furniture and fixtures as part of the redo - but you're right the NPS need someone to manage it properly. Not sure if they have the staff for it right now though.

AoD
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I'm wondering why they didn't put some tables and chairs on the podium lookout? Right now it practically goes unused. It needs some seating to draw people up there. Big umbrellas would be nice too.
 
Torontovibe said:
I'm wondering why they didn't put some tables and chairs on the podium lookout? Right now it practically goes unused. It needs some seating to draw people up there. Big umbrellas would be nice too.
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Are you talking about the elevated walkway or the green roof? The green roof has quite a bit of seating, but the walkway has nothing at all.
 
The thoughtless placement of ugly garbage bins, highway bollards, unused tents etc astonishes me, though I guess it shouldn't. The whole point of this very expensive revamp was the restore the aesthetic integrity of the square and make it a more attractive space, and yet no one in charge seems to care about these details. Sad, and shows that despite so much progress TO still has a long way to go before we can say it has a 'world class' attitude to its public spaces...or even Montreal- or Vancouver-class.
 
Yeah, i've always thought that Toronto is traditionally terrible at public spaces. There are some positive signs though. Maybe we'll be able to focus our attentions on the public realm once this building boom finally slows down. The place constantly looks like a construction zone.
 
allabootmatt said:
Sad, and shows that despite so much progress TO still has a long way to go before we can say it has a 'world class' attitude to its public spaces...
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We definitely don't have anything close to world class public space and transit infrastructure. Judging by how Toronto is utilizing its central waterfront between Yonge and Spadina, there is a LONG way ahead.

NPS didn't used to be an attractive place and from what I observe during the revamp, it will not be one either. Nothing particularly appealing to the eyes, or interesting in terms of design. Very bland and "concrete".
 
And yet while we complain about Toronto being so Torontonian in its expression of public space, design, and architecture; we ourselves behave as typical Torontonians - complain privately and quietly wait for government, business, or some other parental figure to determine what's good for us.

I’ve been coming to this site for a couple years, mostly passively observing, and I’ve long wondered why a group of people who are so clearly passionate about good design and their city has not given rise to a more formal organization. While that last few years have certainly seen an increase in friends-of-parks and neighbourhood resident associations, and greater involvement of the BIA, where are Toronto’s better public space and architecture citizen-lead advocacy groups? I have family in New York City and in visiting, I’ve always been stuck by how much more involved and engaged it’s citizens are in the building of the city. A world class city isn’t defined simply be things. It’s also a reflection of the people who live there. If we want a world class city, we have to be world class.

Perhaps I’m wrong. Perhaps there is an organization which has evolved from this site…But you’re certainly being quiet if you are out there . Perhaps there was and for some reason it failed? And I do realize I’m part of the problem I’m describing – what have I done? Fair enough. I guess I feel a certain level of embarrassment in stepping into that realm…What do I know? I don’t have education or experience in the field. But that of course is the Torontonian in me, I suppose.

Sorry, this is probably a thread in itself, but it’s been on my mind lately and this seemed the right moment in this conversation to say something.
 
I cannot possibly express how sick I am of hearing the term "world class". It sounds so inferiority complex-y.
 
We should always be aware of what the best quality level is for every city building project in the world and then strive to attain that level here. Being among the highest quality cities is rewarding.
 
Tewder said:
Yeah, i've always thought that Toronto is traditionally terrible at public spaces. There are some positive signs though. Maybe we'll be able to focus our attentions on the public realm once this building boom finally slows down. The place constantly looks like a construction zone.
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I don't think it should matter how much construction is going on. I personally don't think we're in a boom, we're just growing vertically, because that's the only option. And that shouldn't be an excuse.
 
GrandSlam said:
And yet while we complain about Toronto being so Torontonian in its expression of public space, design, and architecture; we ourselves behave as typical Torontonians - complain privately and quietly wait for government, business, or some other parental figure to determine what's good for us.
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Well, I think complaining is a human thing, not a Torontonian thing. A Torontonian thing is to just accept things as out of our control. That is definitely not me. I don't know who I should complain to about the things I see wrong at NPS. Do you? Because if you do, I will contact someone and let them know what I think.
 
Red October said:
I cannot possibly express how sick I am of hearing the term "world class". It sounds so inferiority complex-y.
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Bad Bear said:
+1

Really, this "world class" cr*ap is becoming redundant and annoying.
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What's really inferiority complex-y is worrying about the terminology, and using it as an excuse to totally ignore the point of the post the term was used in. Worrying about the terminology takes the focus off the issues that need addressing. Case in point: GrandSlam raises a worthwhile issue and his whole post gets written off for the sake of some knee-jerk civic self-loathing.

Grand-Slam: no, there's been no formalization of an UrbanToronto Good Urban Design group, but we do urge people to go to public consultations and committee and council meetings to speak their minds. The politicians need to know we care. Other citizens at these meetings need to know we care, as it may inspire them to pay more attention too. It's at those meetings where policy is influenced and decisions are made. We do have members who show up and speak up, but it's always good to add more to that number. I'm not convinced that it requires a formal organization to foster the kind of change we are talking of, but put the right people in charge, and my mind could be swayed.

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