News   Nov 22, 2024
National Housing Day: City of Toronto and Riverdale Co-op Open Affordable Homes
 650     1 
News   Nov 22, 2024
Bauhaus Condos Rising in Toronto's Old Town
 1.1K     5 
News   Nov 22, 2024
49-Storey Waterfront Tower Proposed at Spadina and Queens Quay
 3.1K     8 

Rail Deck Park (?, ?, ?)

The size comparisons to Central Park, and the strangely associated claims of the purported worthiness of this park, are almost too silly to comment on, but I do feel obliged to note that wide swaths of Central Park are not usable, meaning its total area isn't particularly germane to the debate.

If this thing ever gets built in anything close to its proposed state, it'll be a huge deal and a massive positive contribution to the city. But I give the thing about a 5% chance of being completed, ever, in its proposed iteration.
 
salsa said:
These silly comparisons like to pretend that size is everything. But Central Park is far more interesting to visit than what is basically a garbage dump with some overgrown vegetation that happens to survive somehow. New York has nothing to be jealous about here.
Click to expand...

I didn't pretend size was anything; I do believe I was mocking that line of thinking.

However, I'm also disposed to dispossess you of your ill-informed opinion of Tommy Thompson Park.

Aside from being one of the most significant bird sanctuaries on the continent, it is far from a garbage dump.

There was no 'conventional' waste ever placed here. Yes, it is excavated soil and some demolition rubble...........but that is hardly the same as a 'garbage dump'.

Moreover, it has a mature Eastern Cottonwood forest of towering trees, some as tall as 50ft.

It has several large wetlands; and is seasonally home to a huge variety of wildlife including Bald Eagles, Snowy Owl, Coyote, Deer, Cormorants, three species of Heron and countless more.

No, it is not a place of grand art or fountains; and yes, those too are to be praised when done well.

But your dismissal of the park is trite and thoughtless.

***

As for the transit critique, while valid, transit passes within 1km of the base of the spit on a frequent basis, and it is not a cumbersome or unsafe walk to reach it. You can also drive and reach it in 10m from downtown.

No the access is not ideal; and yes, it will be improved in the future, as it should be...............but to suggest any park without a subway stop at its doorstep is valueless is a complete loss for a coherent or laudable thought.

Its really a shame. you've been know to post intelligent commentary from time to time...........today was not your day.
 
Last edited:
Tommy Thompson Park in its current form sucks and shouldn't be uttered in the same breath as Central Park.
 
Euphoria said:
Tommy Thompson Park in its current form sucks and shouldn't be uttered in the same breath as Central Park.
Click to expand...

I don't recall anyone making a direct comparison; with just cause.

But suggesting that one of the best urban wildlife refuges in North America (and internationally recognized as such) 'sucks' isn't merely a tad harsh, its an opinion unworthy of thoughtful discourse; it didn't illustrate any either.
 
Barring some unforeseen miracle, Toronto will never have a Central or Stanley or Grant or Hyde Park. No point pretending otherwise or moping about it. Incremental improvements like separated bike paths, better ravine and waterfront access, skyscraper set backs, green roofs and, yep, decking over the rails will make the city a much more pleasant and healthy place to live and/or visit. Just the fact this proposal actually got announced by a right of centre Mayor is reason to feel optimistic about the long term future.
 
Irishmonk said:
Barring some unforeseen miracle, Toronto will never have a Central or Stanley or Grant or Hyde Park. No point pretending otherwise or moping about it. Incremental improvements like separated bike paths, better ravine and waterfront access, skyscraper set backs, green roofs and, yep, decking over the rails will make the city a much more pleasant and healthy place to live and/or visit. Just the fact this proposal actually got announced by a right of centre Mayor is reason to feel optimistic about the long term future.
Click to expand...

Announcing the idea is a fine thing - and it is bit of a no brainer - but I wouldn't trust him to implement any of it when push comes to shove. When it comes to public realm and city building, his record is decidedly unfavourable.

AoD
 
Northern Light said:
I didn't pretend size was anything; I do believe I was mocking that line of thinking.

However, I'm also disposed to dispossess you of your ill-informed opinion of Tommy Thompson Park.

Aside from being one of the most significant bird sanctuaries on the continent, it is far from a garbage dump.

There was no 'conventional' waste ever placed here. Yes, it is excavated soil and some demolition rubble...........but that is hardly the same as a 'garbage dump'.

Moreover, it has a mature Eastern Cottonwood forest of towering trees, some as tall as 50ft.

It has several large wetlands; and is seasonally home to a huge variety of wildlife including Bald Eagles, Snowy Owl, Coyote, Deer, Cormorants, three species of Heron and countless more.

No, it is not a place of grand art or fountains; and yes, those too are to be praised when done well.

But your dismissal of the park is trite and thoughtless.

***

As for the transit critique, while valid, transit passes within 1km of the base of the spit on a frequent basis, and it is not a cumbersome or unsafe walk to reach it. You can also drive and reach it in 10m from downtown.

No the access is not ideal; and yes, it will be improved in the future, as it should be...............but to suggest any park without a subway stop at its doorstep is valueless is a complete loss for a coherent or laudable thought.

Its really a shame. you've been know to post intelligent commentary from time to time...........today was not your day.
Click to expand...
Walked dog Monday along the lakeshore from where the Jones bus terminates on Leslie, along Unwin (and noted that there's ample space on the Spit property to create a walking/cycling path if that fence were moved south) and came across a road that is new to me (I've been out of Toronto for five+ years): Cradle Path. Since it was hot for the dog (He's a British strain Black Lab, un-neutered, built like a tank) the intent was to stay close to available water for him to dip into. We've already done the Rouge Hill Station to Guild Park and Balmy Beach stretches, he loves it and can be off-leash swimming much of the way. Due to my not being familiar with Cradle Path, and realizing we'd have to come back the same way, and risking his overheating if water access wasn't available, we continued on to Cherry Beach by following the lake edge, and I was very impressed by the view across to the Spit, and how there's been a sense to not *overdevelop* that area. Some things can be improved, doubtless, but the feeling of being 'away from the city' and yet close to transportation (there was a 121 bus waiting when we got to Cherry St, good timing) is very important. I'm loathe to walk the dog much distance in this heat, which I love, btw, excellent for long-distance cycling, so getting him on transit while he's still cooled is important.

I might just cycle down to the Spit now to check out "Cradle Path". To compare Central Park to the Spit is completely wrong in every facet. Central Park is historical, High Park remains a much more apt comparison.

I couldn't help but not how *green* and alive the Spit looked from the distance, even in this near drought.
 
steveintoronto said:
I couldn't help but not how *green* and alive the Spit looked from the distance, even in this near drought.
Click to expand...

Doesn't hurt that the watertable is high and there is practically a limitless amount of water available.

In any case, Tommy Thompson "park" is not a formal part and more a naturalization space. Far more similar to our ravines than formal parks which is far rarer in Toronto.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Doesn't hurt that the watertable is high and there is practically a limitless amount of water available.

AoD
Click to expand...
Absolutely! I've been catching up on doing distance on rail-trails last few weeks, I'll have some observations and hints in the cycling strings as to new ways to access via GO, and did the Elora-Cataract Trail yesterday, for the first time East to West. Done it many times the other direction, and always faced with the dilemma of connecting back to GO (usually down to Georgetown via the Caledon Trail works, but still some major roads involved). Used the Orangeville GO bus from Brampton yesterday, but timings are good going out, perhaps not so good for returns if doing the trail eastward.

Whatever, I was struck bu how some areas were on the edge of brown-out, and others completely green and lush, luck of the draw of rainfall might have something to do with that (Even within TO, some areas get flooded, others not a drop with the last two significant downpours) but *proximity to water* is an obvious factor. All the more reason for the Spit to be celebrated and nurtured, albeit not over-nurtured, and nurture can become 'neuter' rapidly if overdone.

Lets just hope we get some of this rain this weekend the forecast has been calling for chronically, but hardly ever happening. I've learned to dismiss 'threats' of storms of late, wasted too many excellent cycling days on the fear of getting caught away from shelter.

Point remains: The Spit is a treasure!
 
steveintoronto said:
All the more reason for the Spit to be celebrated and nurtured, albeit not over-nurtured, and nurture can become 'neuter' rapidly if overdone.
...
Point remains: The Spit is a treasure!
Click to expand...

Exactly, which is why I tend not to consider the Spit and the Ravines as "parks" but more natural space. The raildeck is on the other hand as artificial a space as it will ever be - both in the way it is built and the context.

AoD
 
A couple suggestions for names: Garrison Common or Grand Trunk Common. The former having a relation to both Fort York and the buried creek, and the latter named after the original owners of the railroad that's being decked over.

In general, I think that this will function a lot like Boston Common. Also, having the suffix "park" attached to almost every open space gets tiring after a while. Switch it up a bit.
 
MisterF said:
Compared to Rouge Park, yes it was.
Click to expand...

Not really. If you go by travel time from the central employment area (lower Manhattan and financial district) via the predominant transportation mode at the time it was established (walking and car).
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top