Toronto Rees Park Playground and Pavillion | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

Why do we need a park here? There's already a park right across the street. It feels like this stretch needs retail on the north side. Restaurants, sidewalk cafes etc. Something to engage the passerby.

If the lower levels of 10 York, Sun Life Tower, Waterclub and Waterpark Place weren't designed to shun an offramp, maybe they would be prime for redevelopment into ground retail.
 
10 York was designed with the ramp-less outcome that we have now, as the ramp was already intended to go. 10 York's lack of retail reflects that the long, narrowing building needs its footprint for program related to its own servicing requirements. Besides that, I imagine that no-one reviewing the plans ever considered that anyone would really be drawn to stroll along that stretch of Harbour. With it being a suburbs-to-city traffic funnel, and with the south side being mostly a giant, ugly, aboveground parking garage, I have to agree that few pedestrians would seek it out anyway.

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Need to take advantage of every piece of city property even if it is less than ideal. Retail is found everywhere. Public space not so much. It's even more important with respects to the growing population.
 
h/t Waterfront for All:

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I'm looking forward to the new (old ramp) park. It will feel very urban and will become a very popular space. I hope not for just condo people and dog poop. A main pedestrian route from the core passes right through/along this future green space. I have no idea what the park will look like? I don't believe there has been any design leaks? I do agree that the larger park (at Rees?) will have to be designs in a way that will be a definite draw. Fountains+reflecting ponds? Food trucks? Performance areas? Sculpture gardens? An interesting restaurant with a beer garden? Maybe an area like the Music gardens...people love greenery of interest that is different. Active/passive areas that will be become a real draw. I went to the Music Gardens last summer and thought it was wonderful.
 
I have no idea what the park will look like? I don't believe there has been any design leaks? I do agree that the larger park (at Rees?) will have to be designs in a way that will be a definite draw. Fountains+reflecting ponds? Food trucks? Performance areas? Sculpture gardens? An interesting restaurant with a beer garden?

No designs yet; that's what the public meetings advertised in the previous post are for.
 
I'm still holding out hope that the Rees Street park incorporates a footbridge that leads over the Gardiner and into the newly redesigned and elevated park above the Clare Copeland transformer and next to roundhouse park. That bridge would have unbelievable views south to the water, north to the CN Tower along with a fantastic bird's eye view east and west of the Gardiner.
 
I'm still holding out hope that the Rees Street park incorporates a footbridge that leads over the Gardiner and into the newly redesigned and elevated park above the Clare Copeland transformer and next to roundhouse park. That bridge would have unbelievable views south to the water, north to the CN Tower along with a fantastic bird's eye view east and west of the Gardiner.

Hmm, kinda like the PATH bridge between the ACC and WaterPark Place III? That's a very interesting idea, I like it! Please make sure you share it at the open house or online with the city!
 
I'm still holding out hope that the Rees Street park incorporates a footbridge that leads over the Gardiner and into the newly redesigned and elevated park above the Clare Copeland transformer and next to roundhouse park. That bridge would have unbelievable views south to the water, north to the CN Tower along with a fantastic bird's eye view east and west of the Gardiner.

I'd also envision that this bridge not be just a bunch of stairs up then over the Gardiner. Rather, it would be incorporated into other elements in the park where it would be incorporated into a sloping roof of a concession stand or start from a man-made berm along the north side of this proposed Rees Street park then cross over the Gardiner to Clare Copeland.

It would also be very neat if a part of this bridge included a small amphitheater similar to NYC's High Line and its amphitheater over Tenth Avenue where you watch the cars go by while looking at the skyline.
 
I'd also envision that this bridge not be just a bunch of stairs up then over the Gardiner. Rather, it would be incorporated into other elements in the park where it would be incorporated into a sloping roof of a concession stand or start from a man-made berm along the north side of this proposed Rees Street park then cross over the Gardiner to Clare Copeland.

It would also be very neat if a part of this bridge included a small amphitheater similar to NYC's High Line and its amphitheater over Tenth Avenue where you watch the cars go by while looking at the skyline.

That's an interesting thought, though it's of course important to note that it'd dramatically expand the cost of this project -- just look at the cost of the very basic and uninspiring bridge planned for Liberty Village to get a sense of what anything actually impressive would cost here.

In the realm of fantasy, I'd prefer something open air and wider than the ACC/Waterpark PATH bridge; the Shanghai pedestrian bridges/platforms over some of their central expressways sort of come to mind:

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On a more practical basis, I like the notion of a significant change in elevation here, with the north side of the park being the highest point, sloping down towards QQ. I don't mind that it's turning its back on the grade realm to the north because that's more or less beyond saving, though I'd want to ensure that it meets Rees in an engaging way at-grade (so maybe we're into an elevation peak on the NW corner of the site).
 
It would make most sense to have an enclosed path-like bridge that goes under the Gardiner like the one already in operation further east. It would be a lot of steps to get to a bridge that goes over the Gardiner, and a much more expensive bridge. Over the Gardiner -- That kind of idea is fanciful, but not practical or desired when considering the limited resources, but a lot of people like these ideas. I put this idea into the same box of building a green roof and bike trails over the Gardiner, another idea that will never happen.

Building a park on the Rees parcel is a missed opportunity to trade that for property elsewhere (e.g. Adelade and John) where a nice public square is needed (they could make a S.Fran Union Sq type space there). There is no need for a park here, since there is a better one across the street, and established outdoor area for events/fairs at Harbourfront Centre, as has been discussed in this thread. For Rees, I realize that there is an underground facility here, but I'm sure a developer could find a way to build overtop it in a way that allows both to work.
 
It would make most sense to have an enclosed path-like bridge that goes under the Gardiner like the one already in operation further east. It would be a lot of steps to get to a bridge that goes over the Gardiner, and a much more expensive bridge. Over the Gardiner -- That kind of idea is fanciful, but not practical or desired when considering the limited resources, but a lot of people like these ideas. I put this idea into the same box of building a green roof and bike trails over the Gardiner, another idea that will never happen.
The gentler slopes of putting it over Lake Shore/under the Gardiner is why I drew the parallel. Another big advantage: accessibility. This thing would have to be AODA-compliant. If you put a switchback into the new park, you could get away with no elevators.
 
That's for the other park?
 

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