Toronto Bathurst Quay Revitalization | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | Kearns Mancini

[DonValleyRainbow]

2016 satellite image of the site.

Still looks like lipstick on a pig. Fundamental changes need to happen to the Quay.

1. The taxi loop needs to go. They should be accomodated within the Eireann Quay ROW by having one or two of the SB queue lanes dedicated to them.
2. The TTC needs to examine a plan to extend the 509 or 511 underground into the quay, providing a direct transfer to/from the tunnel. This should eliminate a number of automotive trips and much of the required parking for airport/airline staff/long stays.
3. How necessary is the administraive building (3 Eireann Quay)? Any potential to relocate functions and modify it to open up access to the dock wall?

With some or all of those changes, we could look at more green vegetation cover. The sketches and ideas are great and congruent with the more fundamental issues, but I find that there's still too much paved space.

 

[arch_on_]

I have to agree. This comes across as just a series of interim face lifts.
The real potential for Bathurst Quay lies in the Canada Malting Silos. It's begging for an international design competition to develop a cultural institution, and to act as the centrepoint for the rest of the Quay's revitalization. I'm a little tired of seeing the maple leaf paving pattern repeated everywhere. I'd rather see a unique intervention here.

 

[christiesplits]

Reminds me of the old Metronome proposal. The website is still up and is quite the relic.

http://www.metronomecanada.com/

 

[Tulse]

What reasonably can be done with the silos? Are they actually usable for their interior space -- that is, are they in good enough shape to be rehabilitated?

 

[ADRM]

Joe Cressy's been consistently providing status updates on this project in his email newsletters for a while.

 

[ponyboy]

So much potential for this area. I hope we can realize a bold vision that tries to stitch together the amenities and satisfy the airport traffic demand. Using DVR's satellite image, I wonder if it would satisfy most stakeholders and be reasonably affordable if they built a simple but large 1 or 2 level subterranean parking lot, taxi queue, and pick-up drop off circle. Eireann Quay would descend into it just south of the school playground The whole thing, including Eireann Quay, could be overtopped with green space, creating a continuous park joining Little Norway to the Silo/Ireland Park. Access to the airport tunnel would improved from below ground drop-off, and be weather protected. The work can be done in two stages -- build the square underground section, and then the rectangular part. Ventilation could be improved with no idling rules and an open air part above the drop off circle. This parking could be for both the airport and also for visitors to Waterfront. Parking revenues (long term parking, short term parking, etc) could pay for the structure. How much money for such a structure? Could it be financed with promises of future income from parking? If they were to build a more significant cultural destination at the silos, then more parking levels could be added. As noted, public transit should be improved in the area, but I personally don't think it would best use of funds to run a streetcar down into this structure since Queens Quay is only a few hundred meters away on foot.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

So much potential for this area. I hope we can realize a bold vision that tries to stitch together the amenities and satisfy the airport traffic demand. Using DVR's satellite image, I wonder if it would satisfy most stakeholders and be reasonably affordable if they built a simple but large 1 or 2 level subterranean parking lot, taxi queue, and pick-up drop off circle. Eireann Quay would descend into it just south of the school playground The whole thing, including Eireann Quay, could be overtopped with green space, creating a continuous park joining Little Norway to the Silo/Ireland Park. Access to the airport tunnel would improved from below ground drop-off, and be weather protected. The work can be done in two stages -- build the square underground section, and then the rectangular part. Ventilation could be accomplished with no idling rules and an open air part above the drop off circle. This parking could be for both the airport and also for visitors to Waterfront. Parking revenues (long term parking, short term parking, etc) could pay for the structure. How much would such a structure require? Could it be financed with promises of future income from parking? If they were to build a more significant cultural destination at the silos, then more parking levels could be added. As noted, public transit should be improved in the area, but I personally don't think it would best use of funds to run a streetcar down into this structure since Queens Quay is only a few hundred meters away on foot.

Not able to see your image.

 

[ponyboy]

Not able to see your image.

Is anyone else having that problem, because I can see it in my browser.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Is anyone else having that problem, because I can see it in my browser.

It's not there.

AoD

 

[ponyboy]

thanks. I uploaded it. I thought that copy-paste of images worked because they appear, but maybe only I can see those.

 

[ponyboy]

Hello again. I took a few photos of the area today, pasted below.

The area has a bunch of different things going on, or being neglected, but nothing works well together.
Must the entire silo structure be retained? Is there a part that is more historically significant?
It would do wonders to move all the parking, taxi queue, and drop off circle one level below ground.

 

[Rascacielo]

I was at the "Toronto of the Future" exhibition yesterday and saw a model for redevelopment of the Canada Malting silos - 2 towers flanking the silos, each taller than the CN Tower (no height was given, but they put the CN Tower next to the model for comparison). Sorry, didn't take any pictures. I assume this is pure fantasy - anyone knows about this?

 

[interchange42]

Yup, this is definitely a fantasy!

…and this isn't the only speculative proposal for the quay in the show.

42

 

[jje1000]

I think a more subtle approach would work great here (though I have no qualms about a nice tall tower right at the waterline).

Who owns the silos or the land they sit on anyways? This spot would actually be excellent for a hotel as well.

https://www.dezeen.com/2017/05/18/r...o-architecture-hotels-cape-town-south-africa/

 

[Irishmonk]

From the previous page, I'm all in for the Dubai style supertall and a 2nd CN Tower!