Urban Shocker
Doyenne
The millions spent on renovating the Square doesn't turn on individual citizens doing some sort of Molly Maid routine to maintain it, though.
Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
From the Globe:
Work to begin on $42.7-million makeover of Nathan Phillips Square
Kelly Grant City Hall Bureau Chief
From Friday's Globe and Mail
Published on Friday, Apr. 09, 2010 3:30AM EDT
Last updated on Friday, Apr. 09, 2010 3:44AM EDT
.A new two-storey restaurant, permanent stage and a renewed and relocated peace garden are coming to Nathan Phillips Square as part of a long-awaited makeover that officially begins Friday.
When the $42.7-million project is finished in two years, Toronto will boast a public square that rivals the planet’s best piazzas, said Councillor Peter Milczyn, an architect helping to steer the revitalization.
“I think it’s going to be one of the most dynamic and attractive squares in the world,” he said.
For that privilege, Torontonians are paying the bill.
Council originally asked that philanthropists and corporate sponsors be tapped for $24-million, the portion of the $40-million estimate that’s above the $16-million already set aside for repairs to the aging square.
But the new Toronto Office of Partnerships, which took over the fundraising assignment in 2007, found donors shy of cash after a major drive for the city’s museums and cultural gems. Plus, “people felt the front yard of city hall was a different kind of project,” which should be paid for with public dollars, said Phyllis Berck, director of the partnerships office. Council was also dead set against offering naming opportunities beyond modest plaques or a wall recognizing benefactors.
With the fundraising effort over before it began, council agreed in 2008 to cover the full cost, which now includes an extra $2.7-million to replace compressors beneath the ice rink.
“If you want high-quality public squares, then the public has to pay for them,” Mr. Milczyn said.
The square’s redesign, which has already won an award of excellence from Canadian Architect, suggests the public will get its money’s worth.
The plan by Toronto firms Plant Architect Inc. and Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners updates Finnish architect Viljo Revell’s vision for city hall’s forecourt.
“It will be a space of pure potential,” said Chris Pommer, a partner at Plant. “It gets back to Revell’s vision where parties, protests and everyday human interaction can go on.”
Inspired by the ancient Athenian agora, the revived square will feature a rebuilt skate pavilion, a new two-storey restaurant with roof terrace and a glass-topped stage on the west side of the grounds, a new tourism kiosk at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets, and more than 100 new trees in a leafy border around the plaza.
The peace garden – opened in 1984 and not part of the original design – will be expanded and moved from the centre to behind the new stage, leaving a wide-open square with embedded lights and nine subtle misting fountains.
Each new building will connect to the square’s elevated walkways, which lead to the first phase of the project, a $4.5-million green roof slated to open May 29.
Ground-level construction is scheduled to begin on the west side of the site, with the revamped skate pavilion and washrooms and change rooms ready for next fall. The entire site is expected to be finished by mid-to-late 2012. In the meantime, rotating work means much of the square will stay open, including during the G20 meeting in June.
“It’s the most incredible thing we’ve ever worked on,” Mr. Pommer said. “It’s also a place we really love. We feel a responsibility to get it right.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ver-of-nathan-phillips-square/article1528419/
_________________________________
Do check out the photos available from the link as well - there are notable design changes from the original proposal, such as the use of V-columns for the stage canopy; design of the peace garden, etc.
AoD
PS: New renderings also available here:
http://www.toronto.ca/nps/revitalization/revitalized.htm
Work to begin on $42.7-million makeover of Nathan Phillips Square
Kelly Grant City Hall Bureau Chief
From Friday's Globe and Mail
Published on Friday, Apr. 09, 2010 3:30AM EDT
Last updated on Friday, Apr. 09, 2010 3:44AM EDT
.A new two-storey restaurant, permanent stage and a renewed and relocated peace garden are coming to Nathan Phillips Square as part of a long-awaited makeover that officially begins Friday.
When the $42.7-million project is finished in two years, Toronto will boast a public square that rivals the planet’s best piazzas, said Councillor Peter Milczyn, an architect helping to steer the revitalization.
“I think it’s going to be one of the most dynamic and attractive squares in the world,” he said.
For that privilege, Torontonians are paying the bill.
Council originally asked that philanthropists and corporate sponsors be tapped for $24-million, the portion of the $40-million estimate that’s above the $16-million already set aside for repairs to the aging square.
But the new Toronto Office of Partnerships, which took over the fundraising assignment in 2007, found donors shy of cash after a major drive for the city’s museums and cultural gems. Plus, “people felt the front yard of city hall was a different kind of project,” which should be paid for with public dollars, said Phyllis Berck, director of the partnerships office. Council was also dead set against offering naming opportunities beyond modest plaques or a wall recognizing benefactors.
With the fundraising effort over before it began, council agreed in 2008 to cover the full cost, which now includes an extra $2.7-million to replace compressors beneath the ice rink.
“If you want high-quality public squares, then the public has to pay for them,” Mr. Milczyn said.
The square’s redesign, which has already won an award of excellence from Canadian Architect, suggests the public will get its money’s worth.
The plan by Toronto firms Plant Architect Inc. and Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners updates Finnish architect Viljo Revell’s vision for city hall’s forecourt.
“It will be a space of pure potential,” said Chris Pommer, a partner at Plant. “It gets back to Revell’s vision where parties, protests and everyday human interaction can go on.”
Inspired by the ancient Athenian agora, the revived square will feature a rebuilt skate pavilion, a new two-storey restaurant with roof terrace and a glass-topped stage on the west side of the grounds, a new tourism kiosk at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets, and more than 100 new trees in a leafy border around the plaza.
The peace garden – opened in 1984 and not part of the original design – will be expanded and moved from the centre to behind the new stage, leaving a wide-open square with embedded lights and nine subtle misting fountains.
Each new building will connect to the square’s elevated walkways, which lead to the first phase of the project, a $4.5-million green roof slated to open May 29.
Ground-level construction is scheduled to begin on the west side of the site, with the revamped skate pavilion and washrooms and change rooms ready for next fall. The entire site is expected to be finished by mid-to-late 2012. In the meantime, rotating work means much of the square will stay open, including during the G20 meeting in June.
“It’s the most incredible thing we’ve ever worked on,” Mr. Pommer said. “It’s also a place we really love. We feel a responsibility to get it right.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ver-of-nathan-phillips-square/article1528419/
_________________________________
Do check out the photos available from the link as well - there are notable design changes from the original proposal, such as the use of V-columns for the stage canopy; design of the peace garden, etc.
AoD
PS: New renderings also available here:
http://www.toronto.ca/nps/revitalization/revitalized.htm
Last edited:
kronkie
Banned
are we serious??? this renovation is totaly absurd! this money should be going to something els like new subways and or highways. Phills square is fine the way it is. Its mind blowing with some of the ideas that are going on. Save the money and put it towards something that would help the people of toronto. Take the money to make the city a better and easyer place to live. Stop waisting tax payer money!
adHominem
Senior Member
...is this satire?
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Normally I don't pick on spelling as an issue, but reading that post is just painful...mindblowing, almost.
And yes, we ARE serious, and I am glad my tax dollars is spent on something with tangible benefits.
AoD
And yes, we ARE serious, and I am glad my tax dollars is spent on something with tangible benefits.
AoD
alklay
Senior Member
Its as if Rob Ford just became a board member.
pman
Senior Member
Hey, you just made an adHominem argument!
CML
Active Member
I'm glad they're trying to do something to mitigate the foulness of those elevated walkways.
CML
Active Member
And it seems a decent dining option with patio will replace the current barrage of chip tricks:
Torontovibe
Senior Member
This plan sounds fantastic! I think this is money well spent. What is there now is just not acceptable.
I noticed on CTV news at noon, today, they were working real hard to work up opposition to this project. The newcasters kept harping on "can we afford this at this time?". They made it clear where they stood on the issue. Not surprisingly, something like 75% of their poll, was against it. Shame on CTV for such "fair and balanced" reports.
I noticed on CTV news at noon, today, they were working real hard to work up opposition to this project. The newcasters kept harping on "can we afford this at this time?". They made it clear where they stood on the issue. Not surprisingly, something like 75% of their poll, was against it. Shame on CTV for such "fair and balanced" reports.
junctionist
Senior Member
Why would we put off a project to polish such a critical public space to the city? It's such a fantastic amenity for us, and a space in which we welcome the world. Some people need to learn that public space investments aren't going to sidetrack or end social and transportation improvement projects. It's balancing act, not neglect of one or the other.
MetroMan
Senior Member
BananaIsland
New Member
This public square is the centre piece of our city. It is the main place where you can visit the politicians and bureaucrats that run this big metropolis. It represents your city world wide and often when the media focuses their cameras to broadcast nationally or internationally, it shows an image of your city hall. Millions of locals and tourists alike visit and it is one of the few large public spaces we have in this downtown urban jungle. The original design is not being overhauled so it is a testament to it's good overall design being still acceptable more than half a century later but it is rather cold and a bit unwelcoming with so much concrete. There is the costs of maintaining the aging concrete which is cracked and broken in many places plus the old compressors underneath the skating rink where many people use. I've seen better concession stands in under developed countries. It is badly in need of a makeover or update to better reflect our multifaceted city and more environmentally acceptable attitudes.
This is where many FREE public events ranging from the New Years festivities to numerous cultural events to concerts are hosted... all open to the public. They held a international competition for design proposals and the winning firm was a local architectural firm (fixed? perhaps but yeah for the little guys for once as it's not some big ass American corporation). The city has a budget in excess of $1B so $43M is a drop in the bucket for a project with so much benefit to the masses. It is also a democratic place where you can organize a protest so if you feel strongly enough, you can go down there with your sign board and megaphone to express your thoughts. I agree that the city wastes a lot of money and there are many areas that need funding but that should come from other cost cutting or revenue generating methods. I think this $43M is money well spent and I'm looking forward to seeing the new plans.
syn
Senior Member
Phills always waisting stuff.
MetroMan
Senior Member
I missed the Friday news. Was there a press conference or a shovel in the ground kind of ceremony?
From what I hear, the cinderblock rink support building will be gone in a few weeks. My gawd, if that's as far as the renovations went, I'd be a happy man.
The new building will be up in time for this year's skating season and the stage will be ready for NYE 2011.
From what I hear, the cinderblock rink support building will be gone in a few weeks. My gawd, if that's as far as the renovations went, I'd be a happy man.
The new building will be up in time for this year's skating season and the stage will be ready for NYE 2011.