Toronto Union Station Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | NORR

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Just curious how far below the current walls around the moat is the roof they are building? If it's below them then how is someone supposed to know it's there to jump onto? That's why I asked if there was a problem with drunk people jumping into the moat.

Just by eyeballing, maybe a few feet, half a body height. Honestly, if people are so drunk as to jump down without looking, they could have been breaking legs since day one given there was nothing breaking their fall before - and it goes all the way down to the floor of the moat.

AoD

 

[steveintoronto]

Just curious how far below the current walls around the moat is the roof they are building? If it's below them then how is someone supposed to know it's there to jump onto? That's why I asked if there was a problem with drunk people jumping into the moat.

Nothing a 'moat-shun detector' couldn't alert one to.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Just by eyeballing, maybe a few feet, half a body height. Honestly, if people are so drunk as to jump down without looking, they could have been breaking legs since day one given there was nothing breaking their fall before - and it goes all the way down to the floor of the moat.

AoD

That's what I figured.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Just by eyeballing, maybe a few feet, half a body height. Honestly, if people are so drunk as to jump down without looking, they could have been breaking legs since day one given there was nothing breaking their fall before - and it goes all the way down to the floor of the moat.

AoD

I haven't heard of someone falling in the moat before. Anyone else?

 

[Fritter]

I haven't heard of someone falling in the moat before. Anyone else?

I'd say that makes end of debate.

 

[DSC]

I'd say that makes end of debate.

It is clear that you really are a 'new member'. Debates NEVER end here @ UT! :->

 

[pman]

It is clear that you really are a 'new member'. Debates NEVER end here @ UT! :->

Just like the Union Station renovation.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I haven't heard of someone falling in the moat before. Anyone else?

Which is partially my point - have anyone heard news of some drunk jumping off into the moat and injuring themselves in the process? We haven't - which suggests the concern is infrequent enough to be moot.

AoD

 

[DSC]

From Star:

"If you’re counting on upscale street food for lunch outside Union Station this summer, you’ll be left hungry.

The Union Summer market debuted with the 2015 Pan Am Games and was made permanent because of its popularity. But due to ongoing construction at Union Station’s Sir John A. MacDonald Plaza, market-goers will have to wait until 2018 to get their fix.

But Toronto Union promises that it’s part of making the station a better cultural site.

“The team at Union is focused on transforming the station into a space that features the best of where Toronto is going with the latest art, food, culture and innovation trends to be found under one roof,” wrote spokesperson Vanessa McDonald.

Sir John A. MacDonald Plaza is being used as a staging area while construction is done to install coverings on Union Station’s “moat areas,” below street-level entrances.

City spokesperson Erin McGuey says that the four moat covers should be completed “by the end of 2017” and that “it is anticipated that parts of the plaza will be available in the fall for certain programming.”

Eighteen to 20 vendors are affected by the closure, including Carbon Bar, Patois and Eva’s Original Chimneys, which offered particularly popular doughnut cones.

In a statement, Toronto Union said they plan to produce more programming in the space in the future and “are working to create partnerships and opportunities with major cultural institutions,” including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Ballet of Canada and TIFF."

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It's like no market, but look, puppies!

AoD

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Well to try and distract us onto another topic, I wanted to remark that the asymmetry of Union has always driven me crazy. Not out of any valid principles of how the station should be, just a illogical personal beef. The key item is going to be how the West Moat will slope into the upper floor of the York Concourse, and the East Moat will go flat into the lower floor of the Bay Concourse.

But another one is the extension of the Great Hall east into the East Wing. Any timelines on the "East Wing Retail" aspect of the revitalization? I would expect that the extension across Bay Street would wait until Bay Park Centre is approved and s. 37 funds are secured.

 

[muller877]

From Star:

"If you’re counting on upscale street food for lunch outside Union Station this summer, you’ll be left hungry.."

I went to the street food at Adelaide and York yesterday (in the mist). It's worth it. Paella was amazing. They are open lunch M-F and to 9 pm on Thurs and Fri. The only disappointing thing is that its only open June and July.

On Thurs it will be a great place to have a beer after work and have the Jerk Poutine.

Will the street food ever come back at Union? I'm guessing the new/future retailers in the concourse will encourage their landlord to stop it

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Well to try and distract us onto another topic, I wanted to remark that the asymmetry of Union has always driven me crazy. Not out of any valid principles of how the station should be, just a illogical personal beef. The key item is going to be how the West Moat will slope into the upper floor of the York Concourse, and the East Moat will go flat into the lower floor of the Bay Concourse.

But another one is the extension of the Great Hall east into the East Wing. Any timelines on the "East Wing Retail" aspect of the revitalization? I would expect that the extension across Bay Street would wait until Bay Park Centre is approved and s. 37 funds are secured.

I don't think there is a way around it, unless the west moat goes a lot deeper than it currently is - besides, the grade is determined partly by how it fits into other components as well (NW PATH vs. TTC Union Station).

AoD

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

I don't think there is a way around it, unless the west moat goes a lot deeper than it currently is - besides, the grade is determined partly by how it fits into other components as well (NW PATH vs. TTC Union Station).

AoD

Oh yeah, I've kind of accepted there's nothing to be done at this point with the moats. My comments were merely to give that as an example, and then talk more about the East Wing.

 

[mdrejhon]

Just like the Union Station renovation.

Happy 50th anniversary. Going strong.

Anyway, back on topic, I think a small 2-3 foot tall decorative ironwork on top of the moat walls (in aesthetic color such steel-gray; although traditional ironwork black would have a dramatic impact, it doesn't seem to fit the theme as well as steel-gray). It would have a big impact on the appearance of the plaza. Not too tall, just tall and pointy enough (fleur de lys pointy) to make it not easy for a drunk hooligan to spontaneously step over to do a "hold my beer, I'm going to run on the glass" activity.

It could serve multiple purposes; prevent people from getting into the moat; repel pigeons from perching on the edge closest to the glass (so pigeons can't sit on the moat-facing wall edge, preventing poop onto the glass) AND provide a backrest for people who want to sit on the wall (on the 'safe' side), etc.

Maybe not necessary now, but announced when some hooligan is hospitalized from falling through the glass.

Hopefully it's not necessary -- but if we had to -- then we need to make it nice, aesthetic & useful.