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

From City press release (on the lighting of the Christmas - sic - Tree):

"Nathan Phillips Square's new Skate Pavilion will officially open with the beginning of the skate season. It's the latest element of the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization project to be completed. The building features a new skate rental and change room space to serve the public, new public washrooms, rink support facilities for the skating rink and a roof terrace where the public can take in the panoramic view of the square."
 
MetroMan said:
Actually, I don't know much about Mayor Nathan Phillips other than he was progressive enough to comisson and get New City Hall built. What kind of a mayor was he?
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He's basically the reason the beautiful old Toronto you see in pictures was replaced by ugly concrete.
 
The_Architect said:
He's basically the reason the beautiful old Toronto you see in pictures was replaced by ugly concrete.
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it could be worse... what little old stuff Sudbury had was all replaced by parking lots during that same era :eek: And.. it seems the rink is getting re-done as well with new piping... and lots of dirt to cover that piping.
 
The_Architect said:
He's basically the reason the beautiful old Toronto you see in pictures was replaced by ugly concrete.
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Though to be fair, how many "active" mayors of his day didn't do or endorse likewise? It was the municipal Zeitgeist--no different from Drapeau in Montreal, Juba in Winnipeg, etc.

And according to said Zeitgeist, said "beautiful old Toronto" was ugly and horrid. Again, no different from elsewhere. And in Nate's case, emphasized by the dead hand of the Orange Order which he marked a mayoral break from...
 
adma said:
And according to said Zeitgeist, said "beautiful old Toronto" was ugly and horrid. Again, no different from elsewhere. And in Nate's case, emphasized by the dead hand of the Orange Order which he marked a mayoral break from...
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Indeed, he came to symbolize a shift from the backwards-looking conservativism of his predecessors towards a more forward-looking progressivism that focussed more on ushering in the new as opposed to preserving the old. And who can blame him? "Heritage" at that point was about the preservation of exclusionary cultural institutions and norms that were becoming obsolete in an increasingly diverse city. Just look at the man he replaced who ran as a "Protestant," often refused to stand for O Canada, and both openly and indirectly attacked Catholics and Jews as threats to the city's Protestant heritage (not that our physical heritage mattered much to these Orange-types either - the Regent Park development happened under their watch, plowing through historic neighbourhoods).
 
lesouris said:
(not that our physical heritage mattered much to these Orange-types either - the Regent Park development happened under their watch, plowing through historic neighbourhoods).
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And if it seemed like there was less destruction then, it just as well had to do with post-WWII limitations on building, etc All over, postwar recovery took a decade or so to kickstart--Nate just became mayor at an opportune moment.

The one clear instance of "destroying what the old would have kept" might be the Registry Office next to City Hall--and that "keeping" was more through torpor than preservationist spirit...
 
Some more from up high;

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The upstairs of the skating pavilion seems to be finished, (and open to the public) yet there are no tables or chairs for people to use. Are they just going to leave it empty like that? Even when the square is busy with people, I've never seen a single person go up there. I think they at least should put up a few benches, so the public has somewhere to sit and enjoy the new space. Chairs and tables with umbrellas, would be nice for summer.
 
From what I recall, this space is to be used as a patio for the restaurant going on the opposite side of the walkway. Given that the restaurant won't be open for some time, some seating and tables would still come in handy.

I went up and took some pics (pardon the quality, I only had my phone camera on me):




While work on the stage has begun, it is full steam ahead for the new Peace Garden and sculpture garden. This was the busiest I've seen the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization. It was teaming with construction workers and equipment. If they keep up this pace, the West side of the square will be ready to be inaugurated by the time Spring plantings begin early next year.

The stage however, I 'm not too optimistic it will open until maybe next Summer at the earliest. There is a lot of work to be done below ground in addition to the stage stairs and canopy.
 
Are they moving The Archer?

While walking through NPS I noticed that The Archer was covered by a tarp. On closer inspection, they were tearing up the walkway all around the base of The Archer. (including the stones embedded in the cement) What's up with that? I didn't know this was part of the plan.
 
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The proposed 2012 Capital Budget has this on NPS: "The Nathan Phillips Square project modifications will be completed to meet functional requirements (such as green spaces and food requirements) and enable the hosting of a greater number and variety of public activities and special events ($19.977 million)." plus "The change in scope project funding increase of $5.067 million results mainly from $5.000 million of additional funding required for the completion of the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization project." (The additional funding is required for streetscape improvements and new landscaping along Queen and Bay Street frontages; modifying Osgoode Lane for pedestrian use only and creating a new vehicular access lane from Chestnut and Armoury Streets." The Analyst notes "Nathan Phillips Square Status Update [/I. ]By the end of 2011, the skate/concession building will be completed. In addition, temporary rink repairs and partial mechanical and electrical servicing will be done. In 2012, the stage, permanent rink renewal, peace garden, fountains, mechanical and electrical servicing and Queen and Bay Street frontages landscaping will be substantially complete.
 
The City has just posted a tender for the restaurant:

"Support the Acquisition of a Proponent for the Development and Operation of a Proposed New Restaurant Of Nathan Phillips
The purpose of this RFP is to select a qualified consultant to (1) determine the most feasible model for the development and operation of a restaurant in Nathan Phillips Square by and financed through a third party; and, (2) develop and assist in the implementation of a procurement process and related documents, to identify and select a suitable proponent as described in this RFP." See: https://wx.toronto.ca/inter/pmmd/calls.nsf/0/A2B9BDA308C661838525797A006094C5?OpenDocument
 
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