Toronto Underpass Park | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

jmacmillan

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http://news.waterfrontoronto.ca/2010/03/waterfront-toronto-unveils-underpass-park/
 
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http://news.waterfrontoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/UnderpassPark_Context-Map.jpg

Thx for this. A couple of things stand out from the 'context map' that I'd failed to register before -- the Athletes' Village buildings will include the vacant lots west of Cherry, north of the two condos on the north side of Mill. That takes another huge chunk of derelict land out of the area -- very good news! And the TCHC buildings are sited -- just west of RiverCity, fronting on King. That's actually where I'd imagined RiverCity to be when I was looking at the maps after walking over to the sales centre. My bad. There's more space there than I thought, but it also means RiverCity is a LOT closer to the train tracks -- the Phase 2 people will have to think long and hard about that!
 
Looks pretty funky. Would need a few more pictures to decide if it's actually good.
 
I appreciate trying to do something with a bad location, but I can't honestly imagine a successful park contending with the noise and pollution of an overpass environment. The most unpleasant part of walking from Front down to lake is going under the expressway, and I certainly wouldn't want to hang around and eat hotdogs or take a baby for a stroll while cars going roaring by over my head.
 
Not sure what they were thinking with this, I think they would need to install sound barriers or something, its quite noisy when walking from the lake up to front street, how would this be any different. ARE they not supposed to be tearing down this section of the gardiner at some point in the next 20 odd years or so? If so, what is the point of spending for a park area now?
 
I appreciate trying to do something with a bad location, but I can't honestly imagine a successful park contending with the noise and pollution of an overpass environment. The most unpleasant part of walking from Front down to lake is going under the expressway, and I certainly wouldn't want to hang around and eat hotdogs or take a baby for a stroll while cars going roaring by over my head.

I feel the same way. I mean cars don't fly off the highway very often, but it has happened, and I just can't see myself hanging out under a highway.
 
I feel the same way. I mean cars don't fly off the highway very often, but it has happened, and I just can't see myself hanging out under a highway.

Oh I totally agree. I never walk on sidewalks either! You never know when one might leave the road.


They're taking a deadspot and trying to turn it into something of use. I think that's great and should be supported. Fact is there have been tons of parks that were in better locations that didn't have success. You just don't know what people will use until they have the chance to use it.
 
I agree with officedweller. This is not a new idea to turn the undersides of overpasses into public spaces. You here a hum from the traffic and sometimes a little more from the odd truck but it's not what I would call noisy. Keep in mind Lake Shore is beneath the Gardiner as well.


I think some are also quite confused. This is the Eastern Avenue Extension and it's not going anywhere.
 
Highway? Eastern's not much of a highway, really. Neither's the front end of Richmond.

As for the skatepark idea (which I am quite fond of): judging by that render, I'd say that's what they have in mind.
 
The thing is this underpass is not a highway as the cars are not going over 100km/hr, but they still need to reduce the noise somehow if they want people to enjoy it. They need to add lots of lights underneath the bridge as well. My worry is that this might attract hooligans and druggies.
 

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