Construction on Esplanade Ave, no Bier Markt patio for 2012?

What is up with Scotland Yard / Bier Markt / Finn McCools patios on Esplanade?



There used to be big two story or more higher shade trees here?? big trees and red flat brick cobblestones and hundreds of metallic silver chairs and tables? This was once a highly venerated patio destination.

Do we have to wait forty years for trees like that again?

The Bier Market patio restaurant on Esplanade used to open its side 'window wall' and the tables and chairs set out under the shade trees actually felt like part of the restaurant, and were always the first ones taken in the summer. The food was good too. But last summer they tore up the place and its still demolished today... what's going on?

Waterfront Toronto are installing a new sewer from the Scott Street pumping station to Queen's Quay, there is info on it on the WT site where the January CEO report says: "Sanitary Sewer: On behalf of Toronto Water, Waterfront Toronto is replacing the water main on The Esplanade. This work is estimated to be complete by early February 2012. The Lower Jarvis Street sewer installation is complete, traffic controls have been removed and Waterfront Toronto will return in the Spring to complete works under the Railway. Preparatory work on Queens Quay began in December, 2011 to allow sewer installation to commence. Installation between Jarvis and Sherbourne is estimated to be completed by Spring 2012."
Work on The Esplanade between Church and Scott (where the patios were) is just about finished and Hydro are supposed to be on site soon to reinstall and improve the street lighting. (Of course they are crying poor so who knows!) The patios will be opened again for St Patrick's Day but will then close again for about 5 weeks while the final concrete sidewalks, trees etc are installed. This cannot be done when it's cold which is why it will be done starting ASAP after about March 25. The BIA are contributing $$ to improve the street and when it's finished it will be much nicer - just pray for decent weather in April and that Hydro get their act together!

They've been working on the Esplanade for a while now.
Here's the progress so far:

More trees have been planted:

Are there any plans to do the same to the other side of the street, or at least pour some new sidewalks? The stretch between Yonge and Market on the south side of the road is terrible. Even more-so now that the north side looks so great.

Also, are there any plans for the parking lot beside Novotel? Seems like the only hole in the streetwall in that area (unless you include the Sony Centre lol).

Patios are finally set up:


























A light fixture or a clock?

It's for the Old Spaghetti Factory clock.

I think they could have done a better job here .. I wish the brick style paving went right to the street, instead of having a poured concrete section, or at the very least add some detailing to the poured concrete section.

A bus shelter has been added:

Roundabout said:

A bus shelter has been added:

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Actually "returned". There was one there in the days before WT started this project.

Lovely. More Trees. MORE Trees!!

The good news: the Old Spaghetti Factory clock has been installed.








The bad news: newly poured sidewalks are already being dug up for construction.

Toronto's ineptitude, you gotta laugh or else you'd cry!

Tewder said:

Toronto's ineptitude, you gotta laugh or else you'd cry!

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The sidewalk was actually dug up to repair a utility cut (made by Rogers) - the reason it was not finished last week was because it was right beside the emergency work being done (on the road) by Hydro One. The City is certainly not perfect but in this case they are not to blame.