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Ravine Continuity

Dandy Horse

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The ravine in David Balfour Park is just one part of Toronto's incredible ravine system, but once you get to Mt Pleasant, there is no way to cross it, other than (very terrifying) J walking.

The same problem arises if you're trying to get from the Brickworks to the Don trails. And It probably happens in other places, too.

So, what should we do about this? should Mt pleasant get a pedestrian activated light, a tunnel, bridge, what?
 
Manitobans build tunnels to help their snakes cross the highway, so I don't see why we can't do something on a slightly larger scale to help Torontonians.
 
I think I read somewhere that the City are putting in a pedestrian light at the (certainly dangerous) David Balfour crossing this year and they installed lights at the Brickworks - Bayview crossing last year so crossing Bayview there is now pretty safe.
 
Manitobans build tunnels to help their snakes cross the highway, so I don't see why we can't do something on a slightly larger scale to help Torontonians.

That would be wonderful indeed. A way of linking of up a chain of ravines for pedestrians, bladers and cyclists would be fantastic.
 
Not just humans or snakes need to cross the road in safety.

[video=youtube;OJqUte4qCU8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJqUte4qCU8[/video]

[video=youtube;THW71ubUPSM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THW71ubUPSM[/video]
 
Pathway tunnels strike me as very "New Town" in spirit (i.e. the progeny of Ebenezer Howard, Don Mills not excepted)
 
I think I read somewhere that the City are putting in a pedestrian light at the (certainly dangerous) David Balfour crossing this year and they installed lights at the Brickworks - Bayview crossing last year so crossing Bayview there is now pretty safe.

From thelatestCyclometer:

Beltline Study

The City of Toronto is retaining a consultant for an extensive study of the Kay Gardiner Beltline. This exercise will include the complete trail from Allan Rd. to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, as well as the portion of trail in the Don Valley, from Moore Ave. to Bayview Ave., and Bayview Ave. to David A. Balfour Park.

The scope of this work will include a review of trail intersections with arterial roads, trail access points, signage, conditions of the granular surface, trail connectivity, drainage, as well as the impact of the trail compaction and width to the surrounding natural environment. This process will involve a public consultation component.

So be sure to send in your comments.

To work on the connections to Brickworks are far from complete. Where are the Jersey barriers along Bayview that we were promised two years ago?
 
Toronto has more ravines than other any major city in the world. It's a shame it just sits there undeveloped and mostly unused by Torontonians. When this city wakes up from its apathy, it might discover what a great asset it could be if it were to be developed properly. It's just waiting for us to act.

I'd like to see the ski hill in North York made bigger and developed as a decent resort. (assuming that global warming doesn't kill our ski hill)
 
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A lot of the "undevelopedness" may be a reflexive consequence of Hurricane Hazel, though. (Even if overreflexive-to-the-point-of-banality, a little like the rebuilding of many a European city following WWII damage. Such was the era.)
 
Toronto has more ravines than other any major city in the world. It's a shame it just sits there undeveloped and mostly unused by Torontonians. When this city wakes up from its apathy, it might discover what a great asset it could be if it were to be developed properly. It's just waiting for us to act.

I'd like to see the ski hill in North York made bigger and developed as a decent resort. (assuming that global warming doesn't kill our ski hill)

Maybe, instead of new Humber islands, the Crosstown dirt could be piled up here to create a ski hill. Right now? This is a ski bump. How in heck -- and why -- would you develop this into anything?
 
Toronto has more ravines than other any major city in the world. It's a shame it just sits there undeveloped and mostly unused by Torontonians.

Depending on what you mean by "developed", I think that much of their charm is that they aren't developed, but are instead ribbons of wilderness projecting into the city. As for their use or lack thereof, that may partly be to a lack of awareness, as the city seems completely uninterested in promoting their existence.
 
Depending on what you mean by "developed", I think that much of their charm is that they aren't developed, but are instead ribbons of wilderness projecting into the city. As for their use or lack thereof, that may partly be to a lack of awareness, as the city seems completely uninterested in promoting their existence.

+1. I like the fact the city is uninterested in promoting ravines. It keeps them in a much more pristine state.
 

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