[junctionist]

What do you mean "sucking life"? If people love to shop at Eaton Centre, isn't it a success? Aren't shops supposed to be attractive for shoppers?
What's your definition of successful retail, all mom/pops stores who charge ridiculous prices due to the lack of economies of scale?

If an individual store is not popular, it only means its product is not attractive enough, or its prices are set too high. You can't blame nearby business for being successful.

As to Dundas Square, I know you like it. I like the idea of it but hate its tiny size, very small-townish and probably only wow small town folks. Cities in Europe half of Toronto's size have much larger and more interesting public squares. I will give YD Square a 4 out of 10.

It's true that Toronto needs more quality public squares, but Dundas Square isn't supposed to be the city's main public square. It nevertheless sees a lot of activity as it's not secondary but complimentary to NPS. Most big cities in the world have squares ranging from small to large in size. Most small towns in Ontario don't even have a public square.

 

[taal]

I'm curious how the Dundas Square Add revenues compare to Time square, I'm sure there a lot less but just curious how much so. Personally, I agree with the comment that there should be even more add space (though I wish we had even more screens / creative adds), might as well keep em coming.

My worst issue though is the Dundas is the building it self, it looks so unfinished, small touches that are missing !

 

[drum118]

I'm curious how the Dundas Square Add revenues compare to Time square, I'm sure there a lot less but just curious how much so. Personally, I agree with the comment that there should be even more add space (though I wish we had even more screens / creative adds), might as well keep em coming.

My worst issue though is the Dundas is the building it self, it looks so unfinished, small touches that are missing !

Tear everything down for that whole block and build it right. This way, TTC will get a 2nd entrance to connect to Ryerson.

Too much adds there now sorry to say and no need to do the same thing for this building.

We need more squares, as well statues and fountains.

 

[balenciaga]

By "sucking life" he (and many others with an understanding of how pedestrians interact with streets) meant that the Eaton Centre is notorious for pulling people off of Yonge St. due to the lack of open storefronts facing the sidewalk. Most shops in the Eaton Centre are oriented inwards towards the main corridors of the mall. Although most Torontonians enjoy the Eaton Centre (myself included) it is undeniable that it detracts from Yonge's pedestrian experience between Dundas and Queen.

that may hold some truth but
1) People probably prefer shop indoors because Toronto gets pretty cold for at least 4-5 months of the year.
2) There doesn't seem to be many interesting stores on the streets near Eaton Centre, right?

Put weather aside, One reason I shop more in Eaton Centre than Queen W is because I have to deal with the crazy traffic on Queen. Shoppers like to cross the street very often to check out stores on the other side, with it is dangerous on Queen W. If the stretch is made pedestrian only, it will be much more accessible. (don't say people shouldn't jay-walk. When you are shopping in a city, you J-walk. It is inevitable)

I myself also prefer a walkable retail district rather than a closed mall, particularly in a highly urban area. However, you can't blame Eaton Centre for the failure of nearby retail stores. If there are many high quality great retail on Yonge St between Queen and Gerrard, on Dundas W between Yonge and Bay, maybe people wouldn't be so interested in visiting the often stuffy Eaton Centre?

Plus Sears, A/X, H&M etc all have doors open facing Yonge st.

 

[adma]

Urban economics from the least-informed poster here. Hurrah.

Plus the fact that he actually refers to that gargantua on the north side as "Life Square"--maybe he read this thread end to end and figured that "hey, this is what people must call it" because one of the posters predicted that's what people would commonly call it.

And ironically, he doesn't seek to address what, as a street/square definer, might be (by default?) the most successful element surrounding Y-D Square: the subject of this thread...

As to Dundas Square, I know you like it. I like the idea of it but hate its tiny size, very small-townish and probably only wow small town folks. Cities in Europe half of Toronto's size have much larger and more interesting public squares. I will give YD Square a 4 out of 10.

Size?!? It's all about size, now?

"Big penis good. Me no like small penis. Small penis unworthy of great lover." Meanwhile, the girls laugh at him (not that they aren't, already, at his assumption they're only into shopping and furniture and stuff)

 

[balenciaga]

.

We need more squares, as well statues and fountains.

Toronto does have a surprisingly low number of statues and fountains. The planning is way to utilitarian.

 

[fedplanner]

Toronto does have a surprisingly low number of statues and fountains.

This is my impression too.

 

[taal]

That's not just an impression, rather a fact, and that's compared to most North American cities as well.

 

[maestro]

Actually, I find Toronto does quite well in public art when compared to other North American cities. I do like more traditional expression pieces such as fountains and statues but, we're a very modern city by comparison and fountains only work for me when functioning which is less than half the year around these parts.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Yep, I find that what toronto lacks in statues and fountains, it gains in public art.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

We're still a young country but we actually do have our fair share of statues and memorials. Fountains seem to be a thing of the past, we used to have so many throughout the city but most are gone now. People love water fountains and water features, they are drawn to them, so there must be a significant cost to maintaining them. Water features seem to be the modern replacement to the water fountain, not only in public spaces but in condo/apartment and office lobbies. We had a rather insignificant but still a crowd pleasing quasi-fountain removed from a park next to where I live two or three years ago, erased in a matter of a week.

 

[agoraflaneur]

Statues are a remnant of a culture of urban planning and memorialization that don't really have a genuine place in our city today (unless by statues we mean sculptures) . Perhaps contemporary memorials have relevance, but we have access to so many more innovative techniques (photo, video installation, mixed media and materials, etc.) that we don't need a giant bust on a pedestal (if that is what is being suggested). In Coal Harbour in Vancouver there is a memorial to the Komagata Maru that I though was not bad.

I do anticipate a few contemporary fountains, like that at Theatre Park, as water is a wonderful addition to the often harsh streetscape.

But no European-stlye fountains for me, please - and please no statues of great men!

As for art, I think it would be interesting to debate a requirement for any building over a certain size to have a public art component (as they do in San Francisco for instance). It really makes the faceless corporate zone more inviting and provides opportunity for artists to add to the city (not to mention a faceless residential zone). Toronto does alright on this front as it stands, but it could be better still.

 

[drum118]

They could try these here from what I saw in Budapest that are new.

This allow people into the centre as well allowing the water to change height on a rotation cycle. It created a large group of on lookers let alone people trying to find away in or out of the centre area. I enter the centre area in one location and exit at another location.

 

[Gphorce]

Wow, where is that last picture from? It looks like a taller Trevi Fountain, and I don't think I've seen it before!

 

[marcus_a_j]

As for art, I think it would be interesting to debate a requirement for any building over a certain size to have a public art component (as they do in San Francisco for instance). It really makes the faceless corporate zone more inviting and provides opportunity for artists to add to the city (not to mention a faceless residential zone). Toronto does alright on this front as it stands, but it could be better still.

Toronto has the Percent for Public Art Program where 1% of the construction costs goes towards public art. While not every development is required to participate in the program, many developments do have a public art component and the City has benefited from it.