JasonParis
Moderator
Not a bad point. In a sense, you'd be pulling City Hall's new green roof out into the walkways. Plus, plus!
Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto
junctionist
Senior Member
Revell was a far better architect than a landscape designer. The square has a certain coldness to it. I'm not a fan of how the walkways obscure sightlines or how lawns and barriers are placed to control access into the square from the sidewalks around it. It should be completely open. In time, there will probably be more radical interventions. If we don't make the walkways interesting and well used now, they'll be gone in a generation.
ponyboy
Active Member
High Line is good inspiration. People love to view things from 15-ft above the ground -- that is why the double decker hop-on-hop-off buses are fun. We could do a much better job animating the walkways with activities. The walkways need easy and visible access, first rate materials, comfortable seating, lines of sight to interesting activities, connections to other stuff that is above grade (e.g. the green roof). To draw people up there, how about something alluring like a glass half-cylinder roof over part with water falling over it to get people up there. Some of the lawns on Queen street could be replaced with structures that have a larger public space on top accessed through the walkways.
Maybe part of the problem is that the walkways are City domain, and they do a poor job programming it (buskers? cafes, food carts?, walking/jogging paths).
It would be nice if the easy public access to the walkways began right at the sidewalk near the street rather than from well within the square -- 1. stairs at Bay/Hageman providing direct access to green roof, and 2. at Richmond/Shepard St going north through the Sheraton along the existing walkway. A more expansive walk can be branded like the High Line, and expansion could be funded through buy-in from adjacent properties.
Maybe part of the problem is that the walkways are City domain, and they do a poor job programming it (buskers? cafes, food carts?, walking/jogging paths).
It would be nice if the easy public access to the walkways began right at the sidewalk near the street rather than from well within the square -- 1. stairs at Bay/Hageman providing direct access to green roof, and 2. at Richmond/Shepard St going north through the Sheraton along the existing walkway. A more expansive walk can be branded like the High Line, and expansion could be funded through buy-in from adjacent properties.
Last edited:
MetroMan
Senior Member
They've now expanded the Queen St. forecourt work to the central portion. I've always felt that this phase would make the biggest impact. How the front step of NPS was until now encouraged people to pass by quickly by limiting access into the square due to the grass and the ventilation block. Tonight, there was a worker with a blowtorch working late in darkness cutting the ventilation grate which is slated to be demolished. Curbs are being rebuilt and paving is well on its way throughout.
Torbram
New Member
W. K. Lis
Superstar
Ahmm Hello!??? Pictures pleaseeeee!.............))
True. The current "Mayor of All The People" may be "reading" this thread about the square named after a former Mayor of All The People"... not!
(Quote placement deliberate.)
Torontovibe
Senior Member
Rob Ford doesn't read, well, unless he's driving. Smart guy, he likes to kill 2 birds with one stone, and maybe the occasional pedestrian every now and then. (hey, less pedestrians = less services needed = less taxes!) I guess that would be 3 birds with one stone.
ksun
Senior Member
all this Ford bashing is getting tiring, especially when the topic is not about Ford at all.
you guys are high class elites who hate Ford, everyone gets it. There is really no need to keep beating a dead horse particularly on this forum.
UrbanAffair
Senior Member
You don't have to be a "high class elite" to hate Ford. I know plenty of regular people who can see through his BS. It isn't very hard. That said I agree it does come up a lot in random threads.
What's this silliness about only "high-class elites" disliking Ford? It has to do with whether you use your brain or not, it's not a class thing.
42
42
khris
Senior Member
Ya, I have lots of hate for him, and I'm no high class elite. I eat at McDonald's! Haha.
ksun
Senior Member
the point is there is no need to bring mockery of Ford into so many unrelated threads.
Yes, disliking Ford is not a high class thing and is justified, but excessive expression of such sentiment when politics is not even under discussion has become an annoying fad - there is a long thread dedicated to that if one really can't help deriding him 5 times a day.
Torontovibe
Senior Member
My comment may not have been related to the topic but Ford certainly is. Remember, our mayor voted against this project, so if he had more influence, it would never be happening. And yes, ordinary people can see through Ford's BS just as well as any so called "elite" but isn't using terms like elite just another way to divide people and manipulate them? It's all just political strategy.
Now, a comment about the square. I'm liking the stone planters all along Queen Street because they are going to create lots of places to sit and enjoy the improved square. I'm always complaining that Toronto needs more benches/places to sit, so this is well appreciated by me.
Torbram
New Member
Now that's more like it! ... That's what I've been wanting to see for so long! As long as this project has been taking so long! LOL 7 years to be done! Just the square! Mind you! That can tell what kind of city of government we have in Toronto!.. But anyway I'm so happy to see the progress. Very nice pictures! Thanks! Now! We can enjoy our square! Guys! Let's Celebrate!