Toronto Aqualina at Bayside | 47.85m | 13s | Tridel | Arquitectonica

The waterfront already has many things for tourists to do. The CN Tower, Ripleys Aquarium, Roundhouse Park are all a stone throw away. I'll take the waterfront promenade that we are getting, along with Sugar Beach, the wave decks, and the new Queens Quay over anything like Fisherman's Wharf any day! It may not be one great space like Millennium Park on Chicago's waterfront, but having these cool little spaces spread out throughout the entire waterfront is much better than having one large unified space. Having condos and offices in these spaces ensures that they will be animated year round.

Have you been to Millennium Park in the winter? 90% of it becomes a ghost town. The rest of their waterfront outside of Millennium Park is essentially a trail that is cut off by an at grade road which pedestrians cannot cross, and an aquarium and museum where people spend all of their time inside anyway, and not enjoying the waterfront.
 
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The waterfront already has many things for tourists to do. The CN Tower, Ripleys Aquarium, Roundhouse Park are all a stone throw away. I'll take the waterfront promenade that we are getting, along with Sugar Beach, the wave decks, and the new Queens Quay over anything like Fisherman's Wharf any day! It may not be one great space like Millennium Park on Chicago's waterfront, but having these cool little spaces spread out throughout the entire waterfront is much better than having one large unified space. Having condos and offices in these spaces ensures that they will be animated year round.

+1, Right on. I love the idea of a waterfront that is a real neighbourhood, not a tourist trap. A mixing of fun things to do that appeal to tourists and residents alike is important, but doesn't need to take up the entire water's edge.
 
We already have The Beaches, Humber Bay Shores, New Toronto as well as other places for waterfront residential, so why use our central waterfront just for that? Toronto does not have enough entertainment/tourist/leisure areas for my liking. I keep going to the same areas because there are so few lively areas like that. The Portlands is probably our last shot at a great tourist zone but even that is too far from the central core. It should have been focused from Bathurst to Parliament but obviously, condos won out. Sadly, we always take the easy way out.

I'm sorry but most people I know aspire to have a waterfront that is more than an after dark playground for hooligans and ruffians. Bluffers Park is no joke when night falls.
 
I'm sorry but most people I know aspire to have a waterfront that is more than an after dark playground for hooligans and ruffians. Bluffers Park is no joke when night falls.
And that's what I was suggesting? I find it interesting to see how so many people try to twist the things I write. Do you really think I was advocating putting in a playground for hooligans? And no I wasn't suggesting a Ferris Wheel, or sideshows or a Roller Coaster. I was thinking more along the lines of a great, big,floating whore house on the waterfront. Hey, if you're going to get silly, let's go over the top. Sheesh, you guys are too much. (and too little, at the same time)

The fact that people on this site can't conceive of anything in between a regular residential neighbourhood (the status quo) or tacky Ferris Wheels, says a lot about the lack of creativity of the people here. There are a million different options, yet they can't think of a single thing. Sad.
 
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I agree. the waterfront in Chicago is dead in the winter. dead dead dead.

sour grape I'd say.

Isn't much of Toronto's waterfront dead too? Yes, there are a few hideous condos along the lake, but that doesn't translate into an urban life. People walk into and out of buildings, but there is really very little for them on the street. Stores and shops? theatres? restaurants? nothing. Some condos don't make a district lively, just like the Bay st dwellers hardly linger on Bay st.

Chicago's waterfront is still vastly superior to ours, no matter what justification we use to convince ourselves it is not the case. If positions are switched, I am sure none of us will say "I admire Chicago's waterfront because although it is not pretty, they have condos". There is nothing wrong with dedicating a piece of waterfront to tourism/leisure, is there? It depends on how you design it. Central Park is visited by people all seasons because there is stuff to see and do. Should we say "they should build condos in central park so that it can remain lively in the winter?" Plus, central waterfront is only a small piece of the entire waterfront, isn't it? It is not like the entire lake is dominated by tourist facilities.

90% of millennium park is a ghost town in the winter. Well, it is really easy to laugh at others. Aren't the Toronto islands a ghost town in Nov-Apr as well? Does that mean there is something wrong with what we did?

All the "little stuff" along our waterfront ... if we are content about them, then Toronto is pretty pathetic as our bar is really low.
 
sour grape I'd say.

Isn't much of Toronto's waterfront dead too? Yes, there are a few hideous condos along the lake, but that doesn't translate into an urban life. People walk into and out of buildings, but there is really very little for them on the street. Stores and shops? theatres? restaurants? nothing. Some condos don't make a district lively, just like the Bay st dwellers hardly linger on Bay st.

Chicago's waterfront is still vastly superior to ours, no matter what justification we use to convince ourselves it is not the case. If positions are switched, I am sure none of us will say "I admire Chicago's waterfront because although it is not pretty, they have condos". There is nothing wrong with dedicating a piece of waterfront to tourism/leisure, is there? It depends on how you design it. Central Park is visited by people all seasons because there is stuff to see and do. Should we say "they should build condos in central park so that it can remain lively in the winter?" Plus, central waterfront is only a small piece of the entire waterfront, isn't it? It is not like the entire lake is dominated by tourist facilities.

90% of millennium park is a ghost town in the winter. Well, it is really easy to laugh at others. Aren't the Toronto islands a ghost town in Nov-Apr as well? Does that mean there is something wrong with what we did?

All the "little stuff" along our waterfront ... if we are content about them, then Toronto is pretty pathetic as our bar is really low.

C'mon, Ksun, you're trolling. Come down for dim sum and a skate tomorrow. The place'll be packed, but we'll find you a bit of room. Or, maybe more apropos given this is the Aqualina thread, don't go to QQT and Natrel, but rather Sherbourne and then a pint at Against the Grain. They, too, will be packed.
 
C'mon, Ksun, you're trolling. Come down for dim sum and a skate tomorrow. The place'll be packed, but we'll find you a bit of room. Or, maybe more apropos given this is the Aqualina thread, don't go to QQT and Natrel, but rather Sherbourne and then a pint at Against the Grain. They, too, will be packed.

I have been to that Dim sum place. It is of average quality. Nothing compared to what they offer in Scarborough or Markham. Went once and never returned. I don't deny there is some life along QQ, but it is hardly lively in winter, especially during week days. Additionally, to say the Chicago waterfront is just a large park which turns into a ghost town is ridiculous. There is a very large staking rink too, as well as cafes and restaurants. I don't know why some say it is a ghost town.

In all honesty (not "trolling"), what they have in Chicago's waterfront is vastly superior. Not even of the same league. I am glad projects are taking place along QQ, but the amenities are very small minded, nothing is impressive, grand or beautiful that a city like Toronto deserves. They could be in any neighhourhoods of the city, or even much smaller cities. Nothing says "this is the central waterfront of Canada's largest city and financial centre."

I do hope thing will improve and it is. 6 years ago, QQ east of Yonge st is still largely industrial land without even proper pavement.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html
 
Color me confused, but I thought these condos will all have retail spaces in their podium and the water edge is lined by walkways and seating places to relax and look at the water. These are all things that will give people from across Toronto plenty of good reasons to come here and having residential in the air space will only add to the patronage and atmosphere.

I don't think good people focused areas need to be grand and places like this is a little bit chick and two bits intimate. Personally I would prefer this concept over grandiose or "special" landmarks with potential become the go to place for anyone who sets foot in Toronto. I want a space for me (and other peeps in Toronto) and I'm not too worried about visitors.

As for people who don't live in Toronto; here's an idea. Build a Ferris wheel, balance it on the tip of the CN tower and make it the elevator entrance to a flying bar district built into the halls of an zeppelin airship. Instant 8th wonder.
 
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Color me confused, but I thought these condos will all have retail spaces in their podium and the water edge is lined by walkways and seating places to relax and look at the water. These are all things that will give people from across Toronto plenty of good reasons to come here and having residential in the air space will only add to the patronage and atmosphere.

I don't think good people focused areas need to be grand and places like this is a little bit chick and two bits intimate. Personally I would prefer this concept over grandiose or "special" landmarks with potential become the go to place for anyone who sets foot in Toronto. I want a space for me (and other peeps in Toronto) and I'm not too worried about visitors.

As for people who don't live in Toronto; here's an idea. Build a Ferris wheel, balance it on the tip of the CN tower and make it the elevator entrance to a flying bar district built into the halls of an zeppelin airship. Instant 8th wonder.

As with many of the complaints about the waterfront, WT, Harbourfront, new condos, Redpath, the time the QQ revitalization is taking, the Jack Layton terminal project, etc., etc., etc., this is just another in the long list of whingeing about the waterfront for the sake of whingeing.

When we were living in Riverdale, I'd make a point to take visitors (summer or winter) down to QQ for a pint or a meal, and 100% of them were surprised that it was so great. And that's before all the QQ work that's been done recently.

Bremner is tourist heaven, and QQ/Islands and the bike paths east & west are really fun parts of Toronto. Aqualina's new owners are really going to enjoy their neighbourhood. I'm envious.
 
Toronto isn't Chicago, and if someone want to pony up a few billion more in tax dollars to spruce up the waterfront with public facilities, by all means (we'll see about that, considering the whining we've heard about spending $7M on granite for the QQ project).

I trust this is the last we will heard about this Chicago stuff?

AoD
 

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