Toronto Queens Quay & Water's Edge Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

The lone healthy tree on Queens Quay.

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Some of the other trees are still fighting to survive so I wouldn't write them off. But in 10 years, this one tree is going to be noticeably taller than the others. Or maybe they'll all just blend in.

Here's a poor sap that refuses to die:

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Waterfront Toronto says that the trees are under warranty so if they don't live, the contractor has to replace them. I wonder if this stump qualifies.
 

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Any idea why the trees on the south side of the road where the silva cells were installed are struggling, while those on the north without any silva cells are doing comparatively well?
 
Any idea why the trees on the south side of the road where the silva cells were installed are struggling, while those on the north without any silva cells are doing comparatively well?

Proximity to the lake? The soil may be wetter on the south side, particularly with this years abnormally high lake level.
 
I believe once they do work on the pier here the bike path will be filled in here? Either way, this area is a disaster. A few weeks ago I saw a 4-5 year come so close to getting hit by a cyclist who didn't dismount and decided to warrior through traffic at ~20km that my stomach was in my throat. It was like a nightmare in slow motion until it just barely didn't happen. I have visions of infants in strollers getting hit. It's too much for me, but I know not everyone walks around constantly seeing near-accidents, so part of it is just me.
 
I believe once they do work on the pier here the bike path will be filled in here? Either way, this area is a disaster. A few weeks ago I saw a 4-5 year come so close to getting hit by a cyclist who didn't dismount and decided to warrior through traffic at ~20km that my stomach was in my throat. It was like a nightmare in slow motion until it just barely didn't happen. I have visions of infants in strollers getting hit. It's too much for me, but I know not everyone walks around constantly seeing near-accidents, so part of it is just me.

The people who design such pathways and decide on putting up "dismount bicycles" usually are non-bicyclists. Normal situation.

Just as the police who issue tickets to bicyclists who don't stop at stop signs, aren't riding bicycles at the time. Just watch police cyclists, and see if they stop at stop signs. They may at the beginning, but by the end of their shift, they just slow down but don't stop (like everyone else).
 
Sonsa
The lone healthy tree on Queens Quay.

View attachment 112879

Some of the other trees are still fighting to survive so I wouldn't write them off. But in 10 years, this one tree is going to be noticeably taller than the others. Or maybe they'll all just blend in.

Here's a poor sap that refuses to die:

View attachment 112880

Waterfront Toronto says that the trees are under warranty so if they don't live, the contractor has to replace them. I wonder if this stump qualifies.

So sad that trees don't do well In toronto
 
So sad that trees don't do well In toronto

Trees do do well in Toronto. Fly over the city and look all around you. The city is a blanket of green. If you look closer, you'll see that all the trees are in the side streets which together make up a majority of the city explaining the urban forest from above, yet a sea of concrete everywhere when we're at ground level.

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Queens Quay has provided the right conditions for trees to thrive but they have to establish themselves in that kind of environment first. Sugar Beach is a good example of trees thriving in an engineered environment on the waterfront. It might be a few years before we see these trees take hold while some might need to be replaced.
 
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Maples have a hard time with salty soil. I imagine they salt this area heavily in the winter and over time will accumulate in the soil. Honey Locust, some Oak varieties would do much better and actually thrive. I understand maples match the pattern along the walkways, but they will have to look to alternatives other than salt to keep the walkways slip free in the winter.
 
Trees do do well in Toronto. Fly over the city and look all around you. The city is a blanket of green. If you look closer, you'll see that all the trees are in the side streets which together make up a majority of the city explaining the urban forest from above, yet a sea of concrete everywhere when we're at ground level.
I was on a rooftop patio recently and was so pleased to see just how much green there is.
 

I do agree that people aren't following the rules, but this whole section of QQ where you have to dismount and walk your bike is a complete and utter FAIL of a design.

The issue here isn't the signage, it isn't the bikers, its the fact that you have to dismount and walk your bike 200 metres only because it was such a terrible design.

QQ waterfront was all about aesthetics and not functionality. There needs to be more separation between the road, bike lanes, streetcars and sidewalks with physical barriers.

How pretty it looks was given the priority, and now the streetcars are on a permanent slow order through the area, and even worse, a 5 year old is dead because of it.
 
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