taal
Senior Member
Ah the high-tech store on Bloor closed ... boo ... hopefully its gets replaced with something nice!
Finally, the highway style lighting comes down and some beautiful light posts go up. YEAH! Notice there are no over-head wires? That's a big plus! I also like the planters they put on a few corners. The Esplanade is also getting a bunch of large planters. It's looking quite good so far.
This is really shaping up nicely. I was wondering, do the bumpy metal strips they installed on the corners of the new sidewalks serve any purpose, or are they merely decorative?
This was a huge project - from Jarvis to Parliament - that has been in the planning stages for about 6 years and involved many City divisions, Councillor Pam McConnell's office, the St Lawrence Market BIA and the St Lawrence Neighbourhood Association. The basic costs (repaving and most sidewalks) came from the regular City budget but most of the cost of installing the "Victorian" lights came from the St Lawrence Market BIA and Section 37 funds (St Lawrence neighbourhood Heritage Lighting). Almost all the overhead wiring was buried and the (Hydro distribution) wires that remain (near the Fire Station and the Sobeys.Acura) should mostly be removed when the Sobeys/Acura block is redeveloped. In addition to the buried wires, bump-outs were made at most of the north-south streets, the Fire Service improved their frontage and the trees outside bulk barn are now planted in a deep tree trench so may actually live.
In 2014 we hope to do the same kind of thing to Lower Sherbourne (King to Queen's Quay. Toronto Water has just finished a sewer project, GO is about to start tidying up the rail bridge and plans for the extension of the Sherbourne Street bike tracks are well advanced so by early summer 2014 we should see work start on this.
Speaking of 'St Lawrence Neighbourhood Heritage Lighting', is the masterplan ever going to come to fruition (i.e. illuminating the Gooderham Building, St. Lawrence Hall, etc.?)
We are hoping!~ The cathedral folk say they are hoping to have it illuminated 'soon", St Lawrence Hall has been properly illuminated for 3+ years - looks great. I am personally hoping the Feds will illuminate the Dominion Federal Building.
At one of the St James Park concerts this summer the Dean said that permanent external illumination was their next priority but he certainly did not give a date. As the funding of illumination for private buildings comes from the building owner it is not easy to give a timetable but I know the BIA and Councillor certainly try to encourage more owners to get on board.Any idea when "soon" means -- this year, next year? How about the Gooderham Building?