AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Statues are far better than exterior murals as memorials in any case (something timeless about the former, and disposable about the latter).
AoD
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- Thread starter Junction416
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Statues are far better than exterior murals as memorials in any case (something timeless about the former, and disposable about the latter).
AoD
AlexBozikovic
Active Member
My column on this idea and the Osgoode Hall fracas
www.theglobeandmail.com
Is University Park, Toronto’s next big idea, dead?
A minor controversy last week at Toronto City Hall revealed that the park plan hasn’t progressed much in the past few years. And it’s clear that it needs a champion
www.theglobeandmail.com
Northern Light
Superstar
My column on this idea and the Osgoode Hall fracas
Is University Park, Toronto’s next big idea, dead?
A minor controversy last week at Toronto City Hall revealed that the park plan hasn’t progressed much in the past few years. And it’s clear that it needs a champion
Good column, but may I ask, did you put the question expressly to the Mayor or the Head of PF&R?
That's not a criticism, but a sincere question.
For the simple reason, I'd like to hear/read their answer, in print.
myself
New Member
Probably want to pose the Q to transportation services as well
Northern Light
Superstar
The 'University Park' project is beginning to pick up some momentum.
While it has a long way to go, it is included as a top priority for Downtown Parks and Public Realm in a report to next week's Executive Ctte which can be found here:
From the above:
While it has a long way to go, it is included as a top priority for Downtown Parks and Public Realm in a report to next week's Executive Ctte which can be found here:
From the above:
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
That timeframe? It's like never - he almost certainly didn't have to worry about spending political (nevermind real) capital for it. Waste of time.
AoD
Northern Light
Superstar
I'm a bit more hopeful than that; I think we may yet see the proposed Osgoode Hall grounds molestation mitigated; and a portion of the University Park concept implemented in the Queen to Dundas section in the medium term.
The rest, admittedly remains more fanciful.
Towered
Superstar
So, 5 years have passed since this idea was proposed, and only now we're talking about a report, a study, and a nebulous 10+ year implementation plan (that can easily be cancelled or watered down)?
Classic Toronto. Thankfully I've long since lowered my civic expectations - life is a lot more pleasant as a result!
Classic Toronto. Thankfully I've long since lowered my civic expectations - life is a lot more pleasant as a result!
allengeorge
Senior Member
I’ve to echo the other posters. This is classic Mayor Tory: dangle a big project (Smarttrack, Rail Deck Park) in front of voters before election, and then keep property taxes at or below the rate of inflation while he searches for money from other levels of government. Dollars to doughnuts by the time his term is done we’ll have nothing more than a couple of additional studies. We keep voting for him, so we deserve this guy and our lacklustre public realm.
Northern Light
Superstar
@AlexBozikovic has a piece up on this and the announcement/report yesterday in support of 3 parks total for the downtown, by the Mayor.
His piece is behind the paywall.
But the key from it is this, he seems oddly, uncharacteristically optimistic that the Mayor is changing (his words)
This is his closing:
"This is plausible. Toronto is a great city; the town hall is now a big machine that works with few resources. And yet, it now appears that Mr. Tory, who has defined himself as a low-key fiscal conservative, wants to make big. “As you get closer to the end of a chapter in life,” he said, “you get a sense of saying, we’ve got to do better than this.”
In many ways, from how it treats the most vulnerable to how it creates new housing, Toronto needs to do better. The fate of University Park could be an indicator of how the city and its current mayor are changing."
His piece is behind the paywall.
But the key from it is this, he seems oddly, uncharacteristically optimistic that the Mayor is changing (his words)
This is his closing:
"This is plausible. Toronto is a great city; the town hall is now a big machine that works with few resources. And yet, it now appears that Mr. Tory, who has defined himself as a low-key fiscal conservative, wants to make big. “As you get closer to the end of a chapter in life,” he said, “you get a sense of saying, we’ve got to do better than this.”
In many ways, from how it treats the most vulnerable to how it creates new housing, Toronto needs to do better. The fate of University Park could be an indicator of how the city and its current mayor are changing."
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Felt a little back-scratchy.
AoD
AoD
AlexBozikovic
Active Member
We'll see!
Northern Light
Superstar
*Cross-posted to applicable threads*
The report on Downtown Priority Parks was before Executive Ctte today was approved, with Amendments.
The amendments serve to add expansion of 'The Bentway' as a priority project; and also seek to advance University Park, in part, by breaking into manageable chunks.....
Curiously, though, the suggestion is to start at the north end of University Park (Queen's Park Crescent West ???)
The report on Downtown Priority Parks was before Executive Ctte today was approved, with Amendments.
The amendments serve to add expansion of 'The Bentway' as a priority project; and also seek to advance University Park, in part, by breaking into manageable chunks.....
Curiously, though, the suggestion is to start at the north end of University Park (Queen's Park Crescent West ???)
old boy
Senior Member
Is the northern part more or less free from future construction considerations ?
Northern Light
Superstar
From Bloor to College, which I would take to be the 'northern part', there are 2 university developments proposed, the planetarium site and the redeveloped Northrop Frye.
There is also the Museum Station second exit which will literally be in Queen's Park.
None of these would necessarily interfere w/the existing roadway, as the buildings are set well back from the road..
Additionally the majority of any work north of College, the for the park itself, would be on the west side of Queen's Park Crescent, and south of Hoskin, so I think the conflicts, if any, would be minimal.
Though, removing QPC west, may mean adding one lane on the east side, which could prove to be controversial with mature tree removals, and that may have more conflicts.
The thing about starting at that end is that I think that would be very contingent on narrowing Avenue Road north of Bloor by one lane each way in order to manage the capacity reduction south of Bloor.
I'm all in favour of that, but I'm not sure how quickly Transportation is prepared to move.
I would have thought it made more sense to start at the south end in coordination with the Ontario Line......but perhaps that is seen as too convoluted.
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