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Queen's Park North Revitalization

Spoonman

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I attended an open house/public consultation yesterday at the Gardiner Museum about proposed renovations to the King Edward VII statue and surrounding area in Queen's Park North. As I'm sure anyone who passes through the area has noticed, the grassy mound at the base of the statue (particularly on the north side around the plaque) is badly eroded, the benches are worn and shabby, and the whole area has a general air of neglect. The proposal involves replacing the mound with a proper granite podium with steps leading up to the statue, new benches, upgrading the pavement and adding a permanent path to the south side (which is currently a dirt path worn down by pedestrian traffic cutting across the slope).

All in all, it appears to be a positive improvement for one of Toronto's preeminent yet neglected urban parks. In attendance was councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam who briefly spoke to the "crowd" (about 20 people consisting of elderly history buffs, urban planning students and UofT officials) saying that she hopes this will be the cornerstone of a larger master plan for the park, including repaving all the paths (especially the treacherous ones in the NE section), better tree/lawn maintenance and perhaps a public art competition that would culminate in several art pieces scattered around the park.

P.S. How embarrassing - I just noticed the typo in the title.
 
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Good to hear!

Revitalization of this park was in the old (pre-amalgamation) City of Toronto capital budget, as far back as 1996, at least, (I remember it being scheduled for 2001).

The City did repave some paths, plant some new oak trees and re-do the park lighting in the last 2-3 years, which was good.

Though, they repaved with asphalt, which I thought was an unfortunate choice for what really should be a signature park, a showpiece for tourists and visitors to the area.

This additional work should bring the park at least up to an 'acceptable standard'.

But it would be nice to see it taken to the next level, with attractive paving throughout, wholesale replacement of the mishmash of various old and worn out benches and some signature landscaping at park entrances in particular.

I also always thought it would make sense to do a bed of Trilliums somewhere in the park, seeing as it is our provincial flower. Granted, they only bloom for about 4 weeks each year, but they are very pretty.
 
Good to hear!

Revitalization of this park was in the old (pre-amalgamation) City of Toronto capital budget, as far back as 1996, at least, (I remember it being scheduled for 2001).

The City did repave some paths, plant some new oak trees and re-do the park lighting in the last 2-3 years, which was good.

Though, they repaved with asphalt, which I thought was an unfortunate choice for what really should be a signature park, a showpiece for tourists and visitors to the area.

This additional work should bring the park at least up to an 'acceptable standard'.

But it would be nice to see it taken to the next level, with attractive paving throughout, wholesale replacement of the mishmash of various old and worn out benches and some signature landscaping at park entrances in particular.

I also always thought it would make sense to do a bed of Trilliums somewhere in the park, seeing as it is our provincial flower. Granted, they only bloom for about 4 weeks each year, but they are very pretty.

Trilliums would be pretty.

What kind of paving would you like to see done here, as our signature park?
 
Just eliminating the mound and replacing it with a proper podium would be a huge improvement. As is, it looks so shoddy, and is a perfect metaphor for our city's approach to heritage/history.
 
Revitalization of Queen's Park is very exciting news. It's such a well-used and highly visible public space in Toronto. It's called "Queen's Park", so it better be exceptionally polished to honour the monarchy. Being home to the legislature is yet another reason for it to be pristine. The centre of the park is an embarrassment with the badly eroded mound, the cheap benches, and cheap asphalt paving. The dirty, vandalized, and rotting picnic tables also have to go. I'd like to see granite paving for this important public space. The new public art is also welcome news.

The monument at the northern tip of the park should be lit up at night. As for the part of Queen's Park south, the concrete path leading to University Avenue should also be repaved with granite.
 
Transfer the property from the state and give it to the park workers and management, who in turn will have to abandon the government dole in order to run it themselves.
That's the kind of revitilization I'd like to see :)
 
Considering the prominence of Queen's Park, it's in pretty sad shape. The grass is well maintained and it's clean but it almost looks forgotten sitting behind the Provincial Legislature. The walkways need upgrading, pavement just doesn't cut it here and the fountain at the south-west end of the park needs some TLC. The benches have been rotting and in some cases, broken, for years and the King Edward VII statue has been sitting atop that mound of mud also continuing to erode for years. One can pick out the tourists with cameras in the summer walking around with a kind of look on their faces like, "this is it?". And who can blame them. American tourists must just laugh at us as they walk away from here, they'd never allow a premier park in a major city of theirs to be treated like Queen's Park has been.
It's very welcome news to read here that some thought and money is finally being put into the park. Though not nearly enough.
 
I don't think too many other Canadian cities would either, for that matter! It is pretty pathetic and embarrassing... though don't we get tired of saying this over and over again?!

Just some random thoughts: The pavings should be of Ontario granite from the shield. The benches should be made from indigenous woods. Native grasses and plants (including trilliums, why not) should grace the plantings. Art should be commissioned to symbolize the major cities of the province (hold a competition in each city). There should be some major element like a fountain to celebrate the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence or other bodies of water. Lighting should be used at night.

Queen's Park is an important space like NPS, and an asset that is completely squandered.
 
From speaking to Councillor Wong-Tam at this meeting, I gathered that through various means (parks funds, but S37 money primarily, I think) that the only part that would be funded right now would be the area surrounding the King Edward VII statue. Spoonman, I gathered that Wong-Tam is proposing that a call for public art to be made to create unique benches that related to the statue, not necessarily for art scattered throughout the park.

She is starting up this process now, since the whole process could take a year. She, and all of us, definitely would love to see granite pathways and overall improvements to the park. It is the biggest green space in downtown.
 
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From speaking to Councillor Wong-Tam at this meeting, I gathered that through various means (parks funds, but S37 money primarily, I think) that the only part that would be funded right now would be the area surrounding the King Edward VII statue. Spoonman, I gathered that Wong-Tam is proposing that a call for public art to be made to creat unique benches that related to the statue, not necessarily for art scattered throughout the park.

She is starting up this process now, since the whole process could take a year. She, and all of us, definitely would love to see granite pathways and overall improvements to the park. It is the biggest green space in downtown.

Thanks for clearing that up, greenleaf. I must shamefully admit, although I was paying attention, my mind/eyes would drift from time to time to look about the Gardiner cafe space, since I'm getting married there in September and I was doing some interior decorating in my head.
 
I'm developing a bit of a councillor crush on Wong-Tam. She seems to be a refreshing combination of enthusiasm and reason on council. The most you can hope for from councillors seems to be that they are either enthusiastic or reasonable but no one seems to be both and many are neither.
 
Thanks for clearing that up, greenleaf. I must shamefully admit, although I was paying attention, my mind/eyes would drift from time to time to look about the Gardiner cafe space, since I'm getting married there in September and I was doing some interior decorating in my head.

A nice spot for a ceremony!
 
Wong-Tam is great. I've emailed her about a couple of issues in my neighbourhood and she is always quick to respond. Met her in person too and you can tell she actually cares about the downtown neighbourhood.
 
I don't think too many other Canadian cities would either, for that matter! It is pretty pathetic and embarrassing... though don't we get tired of saying this over and over again?!

Just some random thoughts: The pavings should be of Ontario granite from the shield. The benches should be made from indigenous woods. Native grasses and plants (including trilliums, why not) should grace the plantings. Art should be commissioned to symbolize the major cities of the province (hold a competition in each city). There should be some major element like a fountain to celebrate the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence or other bodies of water. Lighting should be used at night.

Queen's Park is an important space like NPS, and an asset that is completely squandered.

Sound like good ideas to me :)
 

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