khris
Senior Member
I know it's a stereotype, but gay people are supposed to be design savvy. LOL. However, most things in Toronto are done on the cheap. I'm hoping they don't come back in their 2013 form.
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Church-Wellesley Village
- Thread starter dt_toronto_geek
- Start date
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Let's remember that these parklets were done on the cheap as a trial, many materials were donated and much of the assembly was done by volunteers. In any event, by the way that they were being torn apart today I wouldn't expect to see them back next year so everyone bitching about them can be happy now.
Mystic Point
Active Member
The parklets were put on trial and found guilty of ugliness. Goodbye and good riddance. The pink and purple paint job really sealed their fate. How naive and unsophisticated does the BIA think the gays are when it comes to urban design and public space? Based on those awful gay towers at the south and north end of Church Street and the misguided parklets, I gather they assume the gays have zero taste. I wish the BIA would cease trying to make the village look like downtown London Ontario.
to_l
Active Member
Dan416
Senior Member
Some of you are serious haters. I loved the parklets, and I loved the colours.
As for them attracting homeless, you don't think nicer parklets wouldn't attract homeless people too?
The parklets aren't the problem, the homeless are. And that's a separate issue.
Could more expensive parklets be built? Sure. Although I'd be totally fine with them reducing the number of lanes on Church St.
As for them attracting homeless, you don't think nicer parklets wouldn't attract homeless people too?
The parklets aren't the problem, the homeless are. And that's a separate issue.
Could more expensive parklets be built? Sure. Although I'd be totally fine with them reducing the number of lanes on Church St.
devjohnson
Active Member
JasonParis
Moderator
Sex is what differentiates us. It's definitely sad news for a bunch of Canadian villages.
cdr108
Senior Member
but there are still 3 other stores in this village for the communities needs
to_l
Active Member
The parklets were/are a good idea, I thought. Could they have been better designed? Of course but this is the first year of implementation (and the materials and labour were donated, no?) so hopefully, the feedback they've received is positive (and they've learned what worked and what didn't) and they'll bring them back with a better design next year.
CITY_LOVER
Active Member
Hi, can you name these stores? I didn't realize there were stores similar to Priape in the village. Thanks!
Torontovibe
Senior Member
Those parklets were actually quite well received and well used. They did not attract homeless people. In case anybody hasn't noticed, homeless people are all over downtown Toronto. Mostly the parklets were used by people in the community. At night, it was used by bar patrons, especially smokers. I spent many afternoons and nights, hanging out on Church Street and I quite enjoyed them.
As for Priape, it's a big loss for the Village. It was my favourite store in the Village and it had items no other store has. I hope some new stores open to replace it or at least bring something new to the Village.
As for Priape, it's a big loss for the Village. It was my favourite store in the Village and it had items no other store has. I hope some new stores open to replace it or at least bring something new to the Village.
cdr108
Senior Member
out on the street (551 Church Street), stag shop (532 Church Street), Love Shop (489 Church st)
Mystic Point
Active Member
You ought to talk to the retailers and restaurants that had these unfortunate parklets dumped at their doorsteps. All day and night they had to send staff out to quell one situation after another. i.e. stolen goods, stolen food, beggars, dealers, homeless people and their dogs setting up what amounts to another Occupy Movement Camp.
As for Priape closing, you can buy spicy underwear and dildos online.
intervention
New Member
You mean like Smith, which had an extended patio and made a killing? Or Starbucks? Or Woody's and the Black Eagle which had an expanded street presence and offered their patrons a place to congregate?
Some of the serious hate for an affordable, trial project to expand the public realm in the Village is ridiculous. It sparked a reaction, it was well used and I am sure there will be a redesign and fine tuning for next year's roll out.
I've stopped reading this thread on a regular basis because so many users here prefer to complain about everything, rather than have a dialogue about how to improve the neighbourhood. Parklets suck; murals are ugly; the Village is basic; who cares about x closing because you can buy y online anyway; opinions are one thing, complaining is another.
Torontovibe
Senior Member
First of all, the people I know who work at Woody's and the Black Eagle, would disagree with you. I've had conversations with people I know who work in both places and everyone seems to be on board, that they were a good thing. As for Priape, none of the stores you mentioned, sell the stuff that Priape did and you do not buy that kind of thing online. You need to browse the store, see all the new gadgets, feel the texture of the clothing and try on all the new cool gear. Buying fetish gear, toys and novelties online would take away all the fun of shopping in a gay sex shop. (as well as the social opportunities lol)
Who buys their sex toys and fetish gear online anyway? lol (nobody I know)
Which retailers on Church Street were complaining about the parklets? I want to go in and talk to them about it and see what their problem was. My impression from speaking with KWT's office is that the feedback was quite good from both the community and retailers.
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