TOareaFan
Superstar
-TOareafan
I think there is a lot of truth in this comment, but it is not necessarily only our planning processes that are a fucked up, but everything from planning to politics to finances combined. First, we do not have any political will to do anything great or which may make waves. Why? cause you risk losing your seat. Second, if there is political will, it comes in the form of half-assed ill conceived plans like this one.
To me, and I suspect most of the populace, it matters not whether it is planning policies or political cowardice or lack of finances......it all manifests itself in nothing of consequence ever happening. The region is full of projects that get announced then, either, nothing happens or they move at a snails pace then, often, get re-announced....how many waterfront announcements? how many Downsview Park announcements? How many transit "plan" announcements? It leads to a lack of trust/faith in our politicians/procedures.
I remember when Toronto bid on the 2008 Olympics.....the premier, the prime minister and the Mayor gathered for a press conference telling us (and the world) that they were joinly, and co-operatively, funding 3 large infrastructure projects that would be ready for the Olympics and would go ahead whether we won the bid or not (clearly, for them to say that they were aware of the lack of credibility infrastructure announcements in Canada have)......so, since those games we did not win have passed, where are those projects? I only, honestly, remember two of them. The additional subway platform at Union is, I guess, going ahead but not sure how progressed it is and it certainly wasn't ready for the 2008 games and all that remains of the Front Street extension is a graffiti covered billboard telling us that it is happening. So, since that guaranteed to go ahead project was cancelled, what happened to the money that they "put in the bank" that day for that project?
I am sure there are examples of this across the country but I can't imagine it is worse than it is in southern Ontario/GTA.