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The layout of the hotel and related facilities is also a nightmare on the inside. It’s confusing and full of windowless spaces that make it hard to orient yourself. It’s dark and dated despite the recent renovation work. Some of the nicest water facing spaces are reserved for obscure conference and event rooms at the back of the building that are extremely hard to get to from the lobby.
 
DavidCapizzano said:
The layout of the hotel and related facilities is also a nightmare on the inside. It’s confusing and full of windowless spaces that make it hard to orient yourself. It’s dark and dated despite the recent renovation work. Some of the nicest water facing spaces are reserved for obscure conference and event rooms at the back of the building that are extremely hard to get to from the lobby.
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Honestly, given the talk about demolishing the whole complex, I would wonder if it's possible to tear down just the podium while retaining the existing towers (though that may be difficult as I assume that the utilities and services are housed in the podium).

Some buildings can't seem to shake off their bones despite heavy renovations (looking at you, Yonge-Eglinton Centre).
 
Edward Skira said:
Not sure why we need a park here. The ferry takes you to quite a nice one. Part of the charm and something few cities have.
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Putting aside that a Lakefront Park is simply a nice thing as are lake views.........

Not everyone can afford the Ferry to the island;
not everyone has the time to spare on a daily or weekly basis for a 15m trip each way not including any lines for buying tickets;
the island park is largely inaccessible in the winter with few places open to grab a coffee or warm up.
the island park may well be under water for large chunks for spring this year, as last, and that may be an on-going problem.
 
Island ferry needs to get PRESTO integration, at the very least. Hopefully that can happen with the new ferry terminal and the new ferries that the city is in the process of buying.

The TRCA has recently initiated an EA for mitigation methods for the flooding issues the park is experiencing, and the city also has a bid out right now for a new master plan for the park. It needs it, the islands haven't had much if any money spent on them in a generation.

As for a park, you are never realistically going to see a building as large as this demolished for a park. If we see full redevelopment of it the city should request a park along the lake for sure, but not the whole site. There are lots of other park spaces along the waterfront.
 
Frankly most of our waterfront is parkland. From Etobicoke to Scarborough. Never understood the idea that we are lacking parkland along the water. Marie Curtis, Colonel Smith, Humber Bay, Gzowski, HighPark, Sunnyside, Ontario Place, Harbourfront, Islands, Spit, Beaches, Crescent, Bluffs, South Marine, East Point, and Rouge are large plus all the smaller ones connecting them. If we need something downtown then Raildeck will do.
 
Edward Skira said:
Frankly most of our waterfront is parkland. From Etobicoke to Scarborough. Never understood the idea that we are lacking parkland along the water. Marie Curtis, Colonel Smith, Humber Bay, Gzowski, HighPark, Sunnyside, Ontario Place, Harbourfront, Islands, Spit, Beaches, Crescent, Bluffs, South Marine, East Point, and Rouge are large plus all the smaller ones connecting them. If we need something downtown then Raildeck will do.
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Not only we will have to disagree; we will have to disagree strongly.

Scarborough's waterfront parks that touch water are few and far between. Most are comparatively inaccessible with poor walking, cycling and transit connections.

Just try to get to Bluffer's Park, or for that matter East Point without a car.

I own a car, it's easy enough for me, but there are other people and circumstances.

I hasten to add, those spaces, by and large lack washrooms all together, or lack year-round ones in any event.

Etobicoke's easily accessible waterfront Parks (Humber Bay to Mimico) are all insanely busy in good weather.

Col Sam is less accessible, as is Marie Curtis, due to poor transit service, non-intuitive entrances/connections, and similar limitations vis a vis washrooms and cold weather.

The Western Beaches have the racket and pollution of Lake Shore and the Gardiner on their doorstep and are still overcrowded in good weather. Despite no meaningful transit access south of Queensway.

We really do differ here in the importance and value of frequent and high quality green space, particularly on the water's edge.
 
On my most recent visit, I was surprised by how much meeting space there was at the base of the hotel towers, not just in the conference centre.

There are some decent skyline views looking north from the towers.
 
Northern Light said:
We really do differ here in the importance and value of frequent and high quality green space, particularly on the water's edge.
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I don't think anyone doesn't see the value in high quality greenspace along the central waterfront. But waterfront greenspace already exists in juxtaposition to the west and most of the waterfront to Bathurst Quay is parkland. More greenspace would be nice but is it worth the cost of procurement for a small expansion of what already exists.
 
Paul Aitken said:
I don't think anyone doesn't see the value in high quality greenspace along the central waterfront. But waterfront greenspace already exists in juxtaposition to the west and most of the waterfront to Bathurst Quay is parkland. More greenspace would be nice but is it worth the cost of procurement for a small expansion of what already exists.
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I think the discussion here was in trading the convention ctr site (the hotel's convention ctr); which is on land leased from the City, and which could be very high value.

In such a case, the cash out lay should be low.
 
I remember when it was first built and there wasn't much down there. It was pretty "cool " looking. I look at it now, and not so much.
 
A zoom-in:


Toronto Model 03-12-20 Westin Harbour Castle.png
 
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