Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto

interchange42 said:
Anyway, I would love for a big sponsor to bring the Symphony of Fire back to Toronto, or whatever fireworks show. What about the OLG as a sponsor? Aren't they all about blowing money at their core?
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That's exactly what crossed my mind too - you'd think that they could afford a few millions in public benefits instead of private ones.

AoD
 
interchange42 said:
When that series was called Benson & Hedges Symphony of Fire, it played here at Ontario Place and in Vancouver too. After tobacco companies lost the ability to sponsor events under their own name, they never found another such a generous funder again in Ontario or BC, and eventually died.

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Vancouver has the Honda Celebration of Lights. I am not sure if it's the same as the Symphony of Fire and now sponsored by Honda or a completely different event. In any case, it's still a competition, and freakin' amazing over English Bay. When I lived in Vancouver I was able to watch the shows from the roof of my West End apartment building with only a little bit blocked by the building across the street. Watching the crowds leave English Bay was something also.
 
Ah - maybe the Honda Celebration is just as good. Didn't know they had taken it over.

Here's 22 seconds of this year's Fireworks at Nathan Phillips Square:

[video]https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154848501310315[/video]

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From Ann Hui on Twitter:
Ann Hui ‏@annhui 1m1 minute ago

The city is cutting out $11.2-million of work originally planned for the Nathan Phillips Square in order to come in on budget #topoli
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This is why can't have nice things in this city :-(
 
Well that's disappointing. Even with the revitalization, NPS still feels empty to me. Other than the rink/fountain and the occasional event, there's not many reasons to frequent the square. Maybe some type of interactive public art would have worked here, like Crown Fountain in Millennium Park or even a larger scale version of the 300 Front installation.
 
waterloowarrior said:
here are the cuts
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-74155.pdf
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Very disappointing, especially the Bay Street upgrades.

Torontovibe said:
World Pride easily had the best fireworks at NPS (and the best I've seen in Toronto) but the most intense fireworks I have ever seen was in Montreal. The amount of fire in the sky was crazy.
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I was about a dozen or two feet away from whoever filmed this. We were originally more central (my dog and I) but had to keep moving east as the Square got fuller and fuller throughout the evening for the safely of my dog, and people. These were the best fireworks (and use of laserlight) I've seen at City Hall in years. Cavalcade of Lights used to be good (sans lasers), but have become a victim of The Cheapening™ (or "gravy"). Fireworks used to blow off every Saturday too, now they only do them on the night the lights are flicked on. The last great fireworks display was in 2006 (IMO), I went back every Saturday to re-watch it. This is the best video I could find from that year, the sound is less than great. This was also the year that the entire west side of Old City Hall was illuminated by a French light artist with moving images (ice melting/snow forming etc.), it was terrific. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a85ei6KUEw
 
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This sucks. Several of the items will be done eventually as separate projects like rehabilitation of the ceremonial ramp, the PATH connection and building the restaurant but others won't be done at all. Fixing the walkways was a main objective of the revitalization and they've been deleted entirely. Terrible.
 
I very much disagree with the sentiment there isn't much reason to frequent it, to me that comes with someone who isn't inform of the events that go on, and simply assumes nothing takes place. In the summer there are countless events most weekends and during the week.

I agree in the winter it doesn't get as much as use as it could less the skating rink but that's a general thing in Toronto ..


With all that said still very disapointented, I wish they'd do what's practical now, like replace all the furniture ! That would have a big impact.
 
salsa said:
And we've been waiting many years just for that.
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I honestly don't even realize much change. Same feel, concrete concrete concrete, plus a few trees under a petty name of some "garden". Hugely disappointing
 
taal said:
I very much disagree with the sentiment there isn't much reason to frequent it, to me that comes with someone who isn't inform of the events that go on, and simply assumes nothing takes place. In the summer there are countless events most weekends and during the week.

I agree in the winter it doesn't get as much as use as it could less the skating rink but that's a general thing in Toronto ..


With all that said still very disapointented, I wish they'd do what's practical now, like replace all the furniture ! That would have a big impact.
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If holding events is enough we didn't need to spend all those millions. The old square can hold events just fine as well.
 
ksun said:
I honestly don't even realize much change. Same feel, concrete concrete concrete, plus a few trees under a petty name of some "garden". Hugely disappointing
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There's been quite a dramatic change. That you don't notice it speaks to the terribly slow progression. The improvements have been so gradual that you barely notice.

Moving the Peace Garden outside of the square did wonders for the square itself and for the previously abandoned western edge along Osgoode Hall. Remember we had that shitty cinderblock skate rental building? That was embarrassing. The new stage is quite nice and has created a welcoming grand entrance into the walkways. The walkways will eventually have to be redone. I hope they find a budget for that.
 
MetroMan said:
There's been quite a dramatic change. That you don't notice it speaks to the terribly slow progression. The improvements have been so gradual that you barely notice.

Moving the Peace Garden outside of the square did wonders for the square itself and for the previously abandoned western edge along Osgoode Hall. Remember we had that shitty cinderblock skate rental building? That was embarrassing. The new stage is quite nice and has created a welcoming grand entrance into the walkways. The walkways will eventually have to be redone. I hope they find a budget for that.
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Yes, it has all takena long time but I agree with you that NPS has really been improved but it's a great shame that the City does not have plans to do something (soon) with the walkways and the Bay Street side. Though fixing the PATH through the garage will certainly be useful it is not visible; the walkways, the ramp (to be fixed in a year or so) and the Bay Street area really hit one in the eye.
 
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