Wow, just WOW!

At the end of August I contacted the City's Manager for Union Station asking whether the promised repainting of the ceiling in the Front Street Promenade would be happening, as promised, in Q3 2023. I received a prompt response saying that "I’m happy to report that it will be painted this September/October".

As I saw no sign of any action, I wrote again on October 10th to ask if the painters were 'en route". This time I was told (on October 11th) "I’ve copied my colleague Andrew Majewski, Project Manager to provide an-up-to-the-minute response on the project activities."

Yesterday I wrote again asking for an answer to what would seem like a simple question. The answer: "I have promptly sent a concise response to the City's Communication Department following our established procedure, and I am confident that you will receive all the relevant information as requested."

It is really bizarre that a Senior Project Manager at the City cannot respond to a simple factual question without having his response 'massaged' by City communications staff but it leads me to assume that the answer is that there is yet another (probably long!) delay! No wonder the City is so disfunctional!
 
DSC said:
Wow, just WOW!

At the end of August I contacted the City's Manager for Union Station asking whether the promised repainting of the ceiling in the Front Street Promenade would be happening, as promised, in Q3 2023. I received a prompt response saying that "I’m happy to report that it will be painted this September/October".

As I saw no sign of any action, I wrote again on October 10th to ask if the painters were 'en route". This time I was told (on October 11th) "I’ve copied my colleague Andrew Majewski, Project Manager to provide an-up-to-the-minute response on the project activities."

Yesterday I wrote again asking for an answer to what would seem like a simple question. The answer: "I have promptly sent a concise response to the City's Communication Department following our established procedure, and I am confident that you will receive all the relevant information as requested."

It is really bizarre that a Senior Project Manager at the City cannot respond to a simple factual question without having his response 'massaged' by City communications staff but it leads me to assume that the answer is that there is yet another (probably long!) delay! No wonder the City is so disfunctional!
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I would have responded - "The responses I have received so far does not inspire the slightest bit of confidence", Hell, you can probably paint a good portion of the ceiling with the amount of time spend on massaging that BS message.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I would have responded - "The responses I have received so far does not inspire the slightest bit of confidence", Hell, you can probably paint a good portion of the ceiling with the amount of time spend on massaging that BS message.

AoD
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Alvin, by all means do directly communicate w/the City on this file.

A little bit of articulate rage can be a helpful thing.
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I would have responded - "The responses I have received so far does not inspire the slightest bit of confidence", Hell, you can probably paint a good portion of the ceiling with the amount of time spend on massaging that BS message.

AoD
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My response was: "It is bureaucratic nonsense that senior project managers cannot respond to requests from citizens for basic factual information without having the responses ‘massaged’ by communications staff. It certainly is not the transparency promised by Mayor Chow and goes a long way to explain the disfunction in the City.

I await a response for someone to my simple question “When will the ceiling in the Front Street promenade at Union Station be completed and painted?”
 
DSC said:
If they cannot paint a ceiling I fear the new lighting is not happening any time soon!
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Nevermind that - they repaired a corner of the marble floor at the Great Hall and gave up on the rest.

That, and the Jerzey barriers outside. They'd probably qualify for heritage designation by now - for speaking to the zeitgeist of the 2010s and the civic building dreams of that era.

AoD
 
Coolibop said:
No this was just really big greasy pizza and pop kind of place, sometime in the mid 2000s.
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I remember that place. It was definitely around in 2005, and some years after. I got the feeling it had been there for years before too, but I cannot verify that.
It was across from the old LCBO location right? Around the corner from Mr. Sub in that hallway that went toward the car rentals. You had to walk up a few steps to get in that hallway (there may have also been a ramp) and it was right past that point.

The whole store was like ten feet wide, tops. It was just a counter where you ordered and they served you the slice on one of those thin white paper plates, and then put it in a brown paper bag. If you went more than three minutes carrying it without eating, the grease would start to show through the bag. It was not great, but as you noted it was definitely the cheapest option around. I think without the pop it was something like $2.50/slice, and each slice was like two from a regular fast food extra large pizza, though they were somewhat scant on toppings. It was the maximum quick calorie fix per dollar in there. Cash only too, I think.

EDIT: found a reference online noting it was called "Pizza 2 Go", which I hope was a deliberate double entendre.
 
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I assume this is the interior work at Union Station for the new bridge leading to CIBC

BA51.2 - Award of Ariba Document Number 3951063187 to Phoenix Restoration Inc. for the East Bridge (Bay Street) Interior Connection at 61 Front Street West, Toronto, for Corporate Real Estate Management​

Consideration Type: ACTION
Ward: 10 - Spadina - Fort York

Origin​

(October 19, 2023) Report from the Chief Procurement Officer

Recommendations​

The Chief Procurement Officer recommends that the Bid Award Panel grant authority to award the following contract:

Solicitation Number:
Request for Tender, Ariba Document Number 3951063187

Description:
East Bridge (Bay Street) Interior Connection at 61 Front Street West, Toronto

Recommended Supplier:
Phoenix Restoration Inc.

Contract Award Value:
$3,899,700 net of all applicable taxes and charges
$4,406,661 including HST and all applicable charges
$3,968,335 net of HST recoveries

Contract is expected to start on November 6, 2023 and end in December 31, 2024.
 
I was on Front street recently and I must say the concrete pedestrian barriers look awful. I'm sure this has been discussed here. I know they were put in place quickly after the yonge st van attack. But certainly the city has found time to identify a more aesthetically pleasing solution.
 
mrgrieves said:
I was on Front street recently and I must say the concrete pedestrian barriers look awful. I'm sure this has been discussed here. I know they were put in place quickly after the yonge st van attack. But certainly the city has found time to identify a more aesthetically pleasing solution.
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Indeed, there is much about them in this thread and we have been promised that they will be replaced since 2018. Latest date is 2024 but I am not holding my breath! It might make you feel better (and MIGHT speed things) if you emailed the Mayor - but many of us have done that with, clearly, no success!
 
DSC said:
My response was: "It is bureaucratic nonsense that senior project managers cannot respond to requests from citizens for basic factual information without having the responses ‘massaged’ by communications staff. It certainly is not the transparency promised by Mayor Chow and goes a long way to explain the disfunction in the City.

I await a response for someone to my simple question “When will the ceiling in the Front Street promenade at Union Station be completed and painted?”
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As one might expect, I have heard nothing from the Communications Department so have now sent the whole email thread to the Mayor and the City Manager. If I get more than a 'thank you for your insightful comments' email I will, of course, report back.
 
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