adma
Superstar
Imagine a Ford-type mayoralty approaching a "New City Hall" issue. Rather than initiating a design competition, it'd probably hire Giffels or something
Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto
spaced
Active Member
That nice? I would just expect no competition and a bunch of dead plants and trees. But at least people who own cars and houses will save a few bucks a year, right? (Except for millionaires like His Fatness who will save much more, of course).
MetroMan
Senior Member
Connection to walkways begins....
I noticed they cut out the wall of the walkway to where the new skating services pavilion will connect via a bridge which can be seen beginning on the right.
I noticed they cut out the wall of the walkway to where the new skating services pavilion will connect via a bridge which can be seen beginning on the right.
TwoDogs_39
Active Member
OK, this might have been noted already (I won't pretend I read all 45 pages of this thread lol), but is anyone else devastated that the Peace Garden was torn out?? I thought that was the only good thing about Nathan Philips Square. I've spent many hours chatting with friends amid the pond, birds, plants, etc. It was really an oasis in that concrete block. I'm super disappointed to see it gone! :'(
adma
Superstar
I can understand how people can be sentimental t/w the Peace Garden; but, the *only* good thing about NPS?!?
MetroMan
Senior Member
The Peace Garden isn't gone. It's just being moved. The new one will be much nicer, in an actual "peaceful" place on the square, not smack dab in the middle of all the action. It was added after Nathan Philips Square was built so it's not an integral part of the original design. The new Peace Garden will be larger, will have a reflecting pool and more seating. It's being relocated behind the new stage on the West end of the square.
TwoDogs_39
Active Member
ooh, neat! Thanks Metroman!
androiduk
Senior Member
.
GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
Word on the street is that this project will be scaled back as part of the 2011 budget. (Sorry, MetroMan.)
DSC
Superstar
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Here's what the Capital Budget says:
Revitalize Nathan Phillips Square with modifications to meet
functional requirements and to host a greater number and variety of
public activities and special events (2011–2020 $25.105 million
From: http://www.toronto.ca/budget2011/pdf/2011staff-capital-budget.pdf
Is this a reduction??
Revitalize Nathan Phillips Square with modifications to meet
functional requirements and to host a greater number and variety of
public activities and special events (2011–2020 $25.105 million
From: http://www.toronto.ca/budget2011/pdf/2011staff-capital-budget.pdf
Is this a reduction??
MetroMan
Senior Member
It appears that there is no reduction. $25M is roughly the balance of what needs to be spent for 2011 and 2012 and bring this project to completion.
EDIT: I can confirm that there is no reduction. In David Miller's last budget (2010), the project was $28.2M with $7M being spent in 2010. The 2011 budget allocates $25.1M from 2011 onward, so the overall investment is in fact larger, not smaller. ($32.3M)
The $25M you see in the 2011 budget is actually the "revitalization component", it does not include the portion of the project related to keeping the square in a state of good repair. The project total was $45M but almost $20M is being spent on fixing crumbling infrastructure such as the pillars below the square, repairing the walkways and the recent work on upgrades to the rink's cooling system. We know the rink work has already been done. That alone was $4M.
Work on the stage is supposedly imminent. The target date for its completion is September 2011. It's full steam ahead.
EDIT: I can confirm that there is no reduction. In David Miller's last budget (2010), the project was $28.2M with $7M being spent in 2010. The 2011 budget allocates $25.1M from 2011 onward, so the overall investment is in fact larger, not smaller. ($32.3M)
The $25M you see in the 2011 budget is actually the "revitalization component", it does not include the portion of the project related to keeping the square in a state of good repair. The project total was $45M but almost $20M is being spent on fixing crumbling infrastructure such as the pillars below the square, repairing the walkways and the recent work on upgrades to the rink's cooling system. We know the rink work has already been done. That alone was $4M.
Work on the stage is supposedly imminent. The target date for its completion is September 2011. It's full steam ahead.
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MetroMan
Senior Member
This morning, I got confirmation from within Ford's circle that no watering down changes are being made to the Nathan Phillips Sq. revitalization. It's "too late for that" they said, demonstrating their willingness to cancel the whole project, but unable to do so.
The stage construction is starting around April/May and will be ready with time to spare for WinterCity at the end of 2011. It's hard to believe but the skating services pavilion will be finished by the end of February.
The new Peace Garden will be completed in the Spring. It's quite a bit different than what was pictured in Plant's design competition drawings. They're reusing the "unfinished house" from the original Peace Garden which will sit behind a long reflecting pool where the Eternal Flame will be in.
Work on the walkways is going to begin as soon as the snow is gone. They're installing a boardwalk as the new flooring and stainless steel railings along the entire perimeter. A new café is opening on the South-East edge of the green roof this spring.
The stage construction is starting around April/May and will be ready with time to spare for WinterCity at the end of 2011. It's hard to believe but the skating services pavilion will be finished by the end of February.
The new Peace Garden will be completed in the Spring. It's quite a bit different than what was pictured in Plant's design competition drawings. They're reusing the "unfinished house" from the original Peace Garden which will sit behind a long reflecting pool where the Eternal Flame will be in.
Work on the walkways is going to begin as soon as the snow is gone. They're installing a boardwalk as the new flooring and stainless steel railings along the entire perimeter. A new café is opening on the South-East edge of the green roof this spring.
Torontovibe
Senior Member
^^ That's all good news.
GraphicMatt
Looking forward to a FRESH START for Toronto
The Post today reported that they might cut the tourist booth and maybe scale back plans for the restaurant:
Not sure if that liens up with what MetroMan heard, but either way it could be a whole lot worse.
Not sure if that liens up with what MetroMan heard, but either way it could be a whole lot worse.
MetroMan
Senior Member
Hmm... I didn't hear anything about the info booth so it makes sense that it might be cut out.
I wouldn't be sad to see the booth go, but only if the old one goes as well. It's part of the cinderblock rush job that the old skating services pavilion belonged to. I think the booth will eventually be built, even if not within the scope of this project. The walkways were built in an era where accessibility was seen as a nice thing to do. Today, it is mandatory in all public spaces. Currently, the walkways are only accessible by stairs, and the info booth was to provide a new elevator that would go to the parking garage like it does now, but also up to the walkways. If the square reno opens with no accessibility, there will no doubt be complaints from those who can't partake in it and the media will pick that up.
... then again, if the new skating pavilion provides an elevator up to its terrace, this whole point is moot.
Regarding the restaurant, I've always thought the city should lease the restaurant opportunity and hold a competition for a developer to design, build and run it. That would save more than enough to build a really nice reception/info pavilion.
source: Michael Thompson's office
I wouldn't be sad to see the booth go, but only if the old one goes as well. It's part of the cinderblock rush job that the old skating services pavilion belonged to. I think the booth will eventually be built, even if not within the scope of this project. The walkways were built in an era where accessibility was seen as a nice thing to do. Today, it is mandatory in all public spaces. Currently, the walkways are only accessible by stairs, and the info booth was to provide a new elevator that would go to the parking garage like it does now, but also up to the walkways. If the square reno opens with no accessibility, there will no doubt be complaints from those who can't partake in it and the media will pick that up.
... then again, if the new skating pavilion provides an elevator up to its terrace, this whole point is moot.
Regarding the restaurant, I've always thought the city should lease the restaurant opportunity and hold a competition for a developer to design, build and run it. That would save more than enough to build a really nice reception/info pavilion.
source: Michael Thompson's office
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