Allan Gardens Revitalization Plan

[AlvinofDiaspar]

From the City of Toronto:

http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parks_gardens/pdf/agplan-execsummaryexpt.pdf

Site plan on p. 7

AoD

 

[Admiral Beez]

A good plan, IMO.

You can tell they were being deliberately delicate here....

"4. The number of marginalized or emotionally
troubled people in the Park so dominates the Park
population that it discourages a broader cross-section
of visitation and makes a first time visitor to the
Park reluctant to return. Although the ambassador
programme has made an significant improvement,
the Park continues to have a reputation. Under
no circumstances does this report suggest that the
disadvantaged be discouraged from continued use of
the Park. What has to happen is that the quality and
type of facilities offered in the Park has to be so good
that a broader range of visitors will frequent the Park
and this in and of itself, will help to correct the current
imbalance and foster more diverse visitation."

Of course, what they don't say, is that bringing middle or upper middle income and saner folks into the park will directly discourage the "drunks and crazies"...err...I mean marginalized or emotionally troubled people from visiting the park. I have attended several community fairs and events at the park, and quickly noticed the near total lack of the park's usual marginalized or emotionally troubled inhabitants.

 

[allabootmatt]

Oh my...that is a feather-light touch with language, isn't it?

 

[adma]

I have friends in nursing and social work. Once you're in their empathetic shoes, it's pretty easy to see drunks and crazies as "marginalized or emotionally troubled people", instead.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I have friends in nursing and social work. Once you're in their empathetic shoes, it's pretty easy to see drunks and crazies as "marginalized or emotionally troubled people", instead.

True. I wonder if you've ever asked them if it works both ways, in that sometimes they get frustrated with some, perhaps only a few "marginalized or emotionally troubled people" and just want to shout at them to get a job or get your sh#t together. I imagine once you've seen as much as your friends, they must have a pretty good eye for differentiating between those in real need and the poseurs.

 

[ganjavih]

I imagine once you've seen as much as your friends, they must have a pretty good eye for differentiating between those in real need and the poseurs.

Don't be so sure. A lot of mentally ill people who are too disorganised to work can present quite well.

 

[Junglab]

Last year, on the coldest day of winter, a few of us went out on a tour of homelessness in Toronto - organized by the Shout! Clinic over on Jarvis and Carlton. The greenhouse at Allan Gardens is, apparently, one of the very few places in Toronto that the homeless are allowed to "loiter" in during the day - most shelters are closed from morning to evenng, and loitering on private property (such as malls) is not possible due to security.
The thing of it is that, as the tour lasted pretty much the whole day, we really did get to experience first-hand what the homeless have to go though, especially on very cold days - I can tell you that we very happy to have the greenhouse to loiter is as we warmed up.
I also have to say that I really do appreciate the role that the various Coffee Times, and other "downmarket" coffee shops fill in the city - many of these places allow their customers, who are often homeless, to loiter as well, often for hours on end.
It will be interesting to see what becomes of this area vis-a-vis the above.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I head over to the Conservatory at Allen Gardens several times each winter and spend an afternoon, it cheers me up when I get the winter blues. I've noticed a few homeless folk in there on occasion but there aren't a lot of them there.

Good point that these folks don't have many places to go in the winter except coffee shops, community centres etc.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Finally - a presentation of the plan:

http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/spadina-darcy/pdf/allen_gardens_bob_presentation.pdf

AoD

 

[Urban Shocker]

Why so much emphasis on play areas for kiddies and doggies? Given the local demographic, you'd think they'd enhance the existing play area for gay men, which has been an established heritage district for generations.

 

[DSC]

Finally - a presentation of the plan:

http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/spadina-darcy/pdf/allen_gardens_bob_presentation.pdf

AoD

Lovely pictures but any word on timelines, costs, funding?? (I agree with US that a gay cruising heritage feature appears to be missing!)

 

[DSC]

The TEYCC will, today, discuss an update to the heritage designation of Allan Gardens. The Report contains some interesting history. See http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-49946.pdf

 

[uptown]

Last year, on the coldest day of winter, a few of us went out on a tour of homelessness in Toronto - organized by the Shout! Clinic over on Jarvis and Carlton. The greenhouse at Allan Gardens is, apparently, one of the very few places in Toronto that the homeless are allowed to "loiter" in during the day -

Let someone sit quietly and stare off into space or wander around aimlessly but if they're visibly intoxicated or overly "troubled" they should be given the bum's rush (pardon the pun) frankly.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

A minor project coming up for the Greenhouse, from the Jan TPB Meeting:

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2016.PB11.1

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/pb/bgrd/backgroundfile-87302.pdf

AoD

 

[Johnny Au]

Allan Gardens outside the greenhouse could have additional topiaries as well. It would be interesting to see a shrub cut to resemble a maple leaf for example.