Harbourfront

[jn_12]

Thought I'd start a thread for people down on the waterfront. There have been a lot of discussions about the area in a bunch of different threads (Cityplace, the various condos on Lakeshore, the waterfront redevelopment, etc) but I figured this area really deserves its own neighbourhood thread as its growing incredibly fast and there are a lot of changes/interesting things going on down here.

Feel free to discuss whatever.

[MTown]

One of my top five favourite neighbourhoods in the city. Luckily, I have two friends who live there and visit regularly. We have our regular spot in the park by the ferry docks in the spring-fall and spend enough time at the Harbourfront Ctr as well. I'd love to live at York Quay, right above the water. That would be my dream home.

[College Park]

There is no "portlands" thread to my knowledge (largely due to lack of residents), so I'll post these images here. The old burger joint on Cherry Street has been stripped down and cleaned up, and is looking lovely. I've been scouring my archives looking for pictures of the building last summer, as it was then a derelict property looking ready for demo. Either I have alzheimers or the pictures I shot didn't turn out...

The contractor on site let me in to photography the old TD bank interior. The back end of the space used to house a concrete vault - the metal strapping is to cover the unfinished brick. There is a great use of light in here, and with so many original details carefully preserved, this place will set a great atmosphere for dining, day or night.

[Towered]

That's great news! I was worried about the continued existence of that building.

[M II A II R II K]

A revamped Queens Quay


March 30, 2010

Read More: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/can...tml?id=2741367

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Toronto is getting a glimpse of the next pedestrian-friendly parkland to grace its downtown, this time along Queens Quay Boulevard, east of Bay Street. Plans to refocus the waterfront corridor on pedestrians and streetcars is set to proceed at the end of a public consultation period on April 26; the scheme was endorsed by an environmental assessment released on Friday. How the landscape will change:

- EXPANDED PUBLIC SPACE

A massively expanded pedestrian walkway and park will replace the current road south of the planned streetcar tracks. It will include a seven-metre-wide public promenade next to a tree-lined running/bike path extension of the 22-kilometre Martin

Goodman Trail that currently ends east of Parliament. "This is the element in this plan that the community loves the most. Right now you can't take your bike and go from one side of the waterfront east to west," said Marisa Piattelli, Waterfront Toronto's vice-president of government relations and strategic initiatives.

- DEDICATED STREETCAR LINE

Two lanes of dedicated light rail tracks will centre the new thoroughfare, spanning from a Bay Street connection to Union Station to Parliament Street to the east. Running along the southern border of the roadway's limited traffic means only having to stop at intersections, where the traffic lights will prioritize transit.

- CONDENSED TRAFFIC LANES

The road itself will be cut from a total of four lanes to one in each direction, plus a turning lane. Ms. Piattelli says traffic flow will not be affected. "If you ask anyone, Queens Quay does not work as a fluidly functioning road. It is congested, you have buses parked and illegal parking. It is not efficient," she said. "We think it will work better under this new configuration." Some turning options will be removed and parking will be more controlled.

- NEW UNDERGROUND CONNECTION

The project calls for doubling the size of the underground streetcar connection at Union Station to incorporate the new line and an increase in ridership. The streetcar line will exit the expanded Union Station and run 250 metres underground until Freeland Street, where it will ascend to the surface.

- EAST END OF THE PROJECT (not shown) A temporary streetcar loop will be built east of Parliament Street, to allow for quick turn-around at the end of the line. The loop will be removed when the line is expanded further east, into the Lower Don Lands and the Port Lands area. Those connections are expected under further waterfront developments along Cherry Street, said Ms. Piattelli, Waterfront Toronto's vice-president of government relations and strategic initiatives.

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[Scott218]

May be Harbourfront can use a casino type facility. Niagara Falls was able to capitalize on more tourists with casinos. With CN Tower, ACC, Rogers Centre, MLS, etc, tourists can have a one area fun experience year round.

[000]

Funny I heard someone say that a few days ago, and that it should be built around the Canada Malt silos. Museum and casino?

[meiborlo]

250 meter deep streecar line... sure thats deep enough?

[ttk77]

Has there been any mention of what's going to happen to the Queens Quay redevelopment since the election?

[PinkLucy]

This was posted by Waterfront Toronto on Facebook today:

17 November · 18:00 - 20:00
Harbourfront Centre, Lakeside Terrace, 235 Queens Quay Boulevard, Toronto, ON

Join us for an update on current projects in the central waterfront and on our plans for revitalizing Queens Quay Boulevard with construction expected to begin next year.

[ttk77]

Thanks. It will be interesting to see what they have to say.

Does anyone know what the "Paws Way"/Pet Discovery Center is all about? I walked in there to get a coffee the other day because I didn't feel like walking down to York st. for Starbucks and found the place to be very odd...kind of out of place for the waterfront. The Williams coffee pub in there is kind of run down too.

[DSC]

Pawsway opened a year or so ago and is an advertising vehicle for Purina. They have a website at http://www.pawsway.ca/ I have dropped in occasionally and it is surprisingly busy at certain times so may serve its purpose. The coffee place is the only Toronto site for this franchise See http://www.williamsfreshcafe.com/

[ttk77]

Thanks for the links.

I don't want to step on the toes of any pet owners, but it seems an odd choice for such prime waterfront real estate.

[PinkLucy]

PawsWay offers dog training classes and playtime events. I've also seen cat shows advertised there. As for an odd choice, well, I guess whoever is willing to pay the rent! There's a lot of pet owners who live in the area so maybe not so odd. I think it's been open for more than a year actually. Personally, I think the dollar store is an odder choice but hey, retail is supply and demand.

I've never actually been in that Williams but generally it's a pretty decent franchise with some tasty sandwiches and treats made to order -- a step up from Tim's for sure! At some of them (maybe all?) you can also get a beer or a glass of wine.

[androiduk]

Saw them doing soil testing in this parking lot yesterday.