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Central Waterfront Public Realm (West 8/DTAH)

A thoughtful posting from Tulse. Still, I think it is a good idea for the city to reach a little into its larger context (socio-historic and geo-political) for aspects of its design language. To a certain degree this is part of Toronto's specificity and it will contribute to a design language that reflects this and feels more authentic. Also, as much as we have to be aware of Algonquin/Canadiana clichés we probably also have to be a wary of clichés informing and circumscribing what it is to be 'urban'. Toronto's Muskoka version of a city waterfront may just be the realization of a unique Toronto version of this.
 
Infusing Toronto's urban culture with some more Canadiana can make it more unique. I mean, this is the city whose streets are frequently portrayed as New York or Chicago in movies.
 
I think this rural/urban split in the West8/DTAH scheme is something that UTers noted early on, though I think for all that is supposedly rural, most of it is rhetoric. Strip that away, and what you see is while the motifs might refer to nature and Canadiana, the organization of the plan itself (scaling, etc) is overwhelmingly urban - just not urban in a hard-edged, concrete forest, glitzy sort of way. And in some ways, that's exactly what wouldn't fit - because for all that there is (condos, Harbourfront Centre, etc), it was never really hyper-urban in a HK, Rio, NYC, etc. sort of way.

AoD
 
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I agree with AoD and junctionist. While they may be bringing cliché Canada into Toronto, they're not starting with a blank slate. The city is still here. The resulting fusion will be something unique.
 
 
Thanks for the update Alvin. Looking forward to reading the PDF's. I seriously hope this isn't in danger of being cancelled by the incoming Ford administration.
 
Waterfront Toronto just posted this on their website: At http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/procurement/current_procurement_opportunities

Pre-Qualification (PQ) #2010-66 Central Waterfront – Queens Quay Construction ManagerWaterfront Toronto (legally known as the “Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation”) is seeking prequalification submissions from firms interested in participating in a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for Construction Management Services including the role of Constructor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ontario). The successful Proponent at the RFP stage will be required to provide general conditions services throughout the duration of the contract. This PQ is open to all interested firms with experience in the required disciplines and the required resources. The intent of this PQ process is to shortlist Proponents able to provide a full suite of Construction Manager/General Contractor services through the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction stages for Queens Quay from Yo Yo Ma Lane in the west to Parliament in the east. It is Waterfront Toronto’s intention to conduct a separate RFP process subsequent to this PQ. Waterfront Toronto is seeking Submissions from firms (or teams of more than one business entity) that are interested in being prequalified to participate in the subsequent RFP process.
•Program Plan Renderings plates 4-6 (11/23/2010)
•PQ 2010-66 - CWF - Queens Quay Construction Manager (11/23/2010)
•PQ 2010-66 - Form F1 - Submission Form (11/23/2010)
•Program Plan Renderings plates 1-3 (11/23/2010)
 
Well, if they go ahead with this they'll close down the south lanes of 800M of Queens Quay. Ford can't expect the rest of it to remain a conventional thoroughfare so cancelling the rest of the project wouldn't make any sense. This is good news. Still, we needed one more Miller term to follow through with the West8/DTAH Waterfront plan to its full potential. We're sure to lose some of it along the way with Ford.
 
Any idea what's going on with the bridges? Are they going to build them?
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Bridges have no timetable to be built as they are all unfunded in the current budget:

http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/explore_projects2/central_waterfront/footbridges

project status: Future Project
Design work is underway for the Spadina Footbridge, the first of the five planned footbridges. The footbridges are currently not funded. Construction will begin when the appropriate funding is in place.
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Queens Quay Boulevard

On that note, it appears that Queen's Quay Phase 1 shall now stretch well beyond the 800 meters and will include everything between Spadina to to Lower Jarvis.

Phase 2 will complete the work towards Parliament.

The drawback is that the portion from Bay to Parliament is unfunded and senior levels of government will need to provide the funding to complete the work.

I recommend that this be designated a Pan Am Games Prioirty Project in order to have it all completed by Summer 2015.

http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/uploads/documents/capital_approval___queens_quay_construction_1.pdf

Louroz
 
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Is the government expected to provide funding for the Lower Spadina to Bay Street section? In the document, it sounded like funding had not been secured - rating delays as 'high' for uncertain government funding.

This project needs to start ASAP.
 
In reply to my concern that the Ford admin would shelve this project, Adam Vaughan sent me this reply:

Adam Vaughan said:
I am a strong supporter of this project and have been working closely with Waterfront Toronto to ensure the project goes ahead as quickly as possible.

While the City of Toronto is one of the partners in the organization and contributes funding to the project, Waterfront Toronto is responsible for the funding and management of this project. This keeps it more separate from the City budget discussions.

I am also working closely with Waterfront Toronto on initiatives to try and ensure that they have sufficient funding to complete the central portion of the project between Bay Street and Spadina Ave without needing to phase the construction. This is important for both the immediate neighbourhood, which will be shouldering the impact of construction, but the city as a whole.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Best regards,
Adam Vaughan
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In other waterfront news, it's no surprise that Ford will attempt to cancel the demolition of the Gardiner from Jarvis even though millions have been spent on studies that show that it would have little effect on traffic yet deliver the benefits intended.
 
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MetroMan said:
In reply to my concern that the Ford admin would shelve this project, Adam Vaughan sent me this reply:



In other waterfront news, it's no surprise that Ford will attempt to cancel the demolition of the Gardiner from Jarvis even though millions have been spent on studies that show that it would have little effect on traffic yet deliver the benefits intended.
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hmm, yes because with the snap of my fingers, the garider will fall and a 8+ ? lane street will magically appear (or tunel) or whatever :)

I doubt if Miller was in office still would this go ahead in the nest 4+ years - there's no funding whatsoever for this.
 
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