101 Spadina Avenue | 136.08m | 39s | Devron Developments | AUDAX

[ksun]

I agree a small park here is useless except in statistics. It is especially so at this busy intersection involving a one way street. The park will be noisy and unpleasant. I think a midrise building (under 20s) will make far more sense and make Spadina appear more consistent.

I wish all two story structures on Spadina ave will be either demolished or added a few more stories. @Richmond, @Queen @Dundas for example. There are simply way too many buildings that are way too short for the big avenue like Spadina.

 

[deep6ing]

First post. I live across the street and can tell you a public space would be great. I actually talked to the Councillor about this a year ago. It would be very unique in Toronto, as you have historic building on the other three corners. The worst thing would be to fill this in... There's almost no 'breathers' in this area and this could be one. Adelaide won't be the highway it is now in the future. In two years of living here I've never been to Clarence Square...

 

[interchange42]

Depending upon whether this ends up being the lot plus the low-rise getting redeveloped, or just one of the two, there should be ways of getting both a building and green space here, more options if it's both together obviously. The space could be designed in a number of ways and would likely include the building's public art contribution, and in this spot something that gives people a place to sit outside at lunchtime and enjoy the hustle and bustle and surrounding architecture from a sophisticated little nook should be a no-brainer.

42

 

[Stupidandshallow]

First post. I live across the street and can tell you a public space would be great. I actually talked to the Councillor about this a year ago. It would be very unique in Toronto, as you have historic building on the other three corners. The worst thing would be to fill this in... There's almost no 'breathers' in this area and this could be one. Adelaide won't be the highway it is now in the future. In two years of living here I've never been to Clarence Square...

Welcome to the forum.

There's always a first for everything!

 

[deep6ing]

Long time lurker... I've been through the park, I just don't like it for some reason. Plus I'm always going north... rarely south of King.

 

[ksun]

Long time lurker... I've been through the park, I just don't like it for some reason. Plus I'm always going north... rarely south of King.

Doesn't mean you will like the new park either.
It will be a patch of green space with some grass and maybe seating just like all parks in Tonronto. This hypothetical one won't be different.

 

[88drums]

It will be a patch of green space with some grass and maybe seating just like all parks in Tonronto. This hypothetical one won't be different.

You've just described what a park is. What's your point?

Although I'm sure there are many who would prefer to maximize density here, I'm also sure these same voices would have been pushing for more density when Berczy was nothing but a parking lot. But over the long haul, most of us commend those with the foresight to allot even modest plots of land to create new parks in the downtown core, even if the design amounts to little more than trees and benches.

 

[ksun]

You've just described what a park is. What's your point?

Although I'm sure there are many who would prefer to maximize density here, I'm also sure these same voices would have been pushing for more density when Berczy was nothing but a parking lot. But over the long haul, most of us commend those with the foresight to allot even modest plots of land to create new parks in the downtown core, even if the design amounts to little more than trees and benches.

I made the description because he said he doesn't like the park 290 metres to the south. If so, why look forward to this one ?
I like parks too, just not tiny ones facing a noisy one way street. There are better places to put new green spaces I think.

 

[deep6ing]

Clarence Square is inhospitable... I don't know why. It's not welcoming. It's not very used. St. Andrew's on Adelaide is basically a big dog park. I'm surprised the city didn't buy the building since they own half that mini-block anyways. For $20 million I think I would have. Here's a couple views from my place. I think it could be a nice little park/square and the location is much more favourable than either Clarence or St. Andrew's. Last pic is something I would have loved to see there.

 

[ADRM]

Where is that last rendering from/what does it depict?

 

[deep6ing]

Where is that last rendering from/what does it depict?

Got it from here: http://www.world-architects.com/arc...ts_for_Pershing_Square_Redesign_Unveiled_5964

 

[ksun]

Clarence Square is inhospitable... I don't know why. It's not welcoming. It's not very used.

Because it is made-in-Toronto. Isn't it most Toronto parks look like? Grange Park, Moss Park, United Church green space, none of them feels beautiful and welcoming. They all have very lazy design and don't make any effort to look attractive or to make people stay. St James Park (and maybe Allen Gardens, but for different reasons) is the only park in Toronto where I actually have the desire to go inside and spend some time. Toronto has very low standard when it comes to this kind of stuff. Just look at Queens Park and High Park. How disappointing.

 

[P23]

Clarence Square is inhospitable... I don't know why. It's not welcoming. It's not very used.

You said you've never been there so how would you know this? When I walk by in the summer there are usually quite a few people hanging around, and it looks better than it used to after they redid the path and furnishings a year or so ago.

 

[Silence&Motion]

Because it is made-in-Toronto. Isn't it most Toronto parks look like? Grange Park, Moss Park, United Church green space, none of them feels beautiful and welcoming. They all have very lazy design and don't make any effort to look attractive or to make people stay. St James Park (and maybe Allen Gardens, but for different reasons) is the only park in Toronto where I actually have the desire to go inside and spend some time. Toronto has very low standard when it comes to this kind of stuff. Just look at Queens Park and High Park. How disappointing.

I actually like Clarence Square Park because it is quiet and shaded in the middle of a noisy concrete jungle. However, I definitely agree with the general observation here. Toronto's downtown parks are basically just green patches with trees and foot paths haphazardly scattered around. I recently moved the Calgary and really love their Central Memorial Park. It makes me wonder, does Toronto have any Victorian-designed parks? For a Victorian city, I cannot think of a single Victorian park. Am I missing something? The closest thing I can think of is the modernist design of Centre Island which is somewhat Victorian in its layout, or the Victorian-inspired PoMo design of St. James Park. But the actual parks that date back to the 19th century in this city don't seem to have ever been "designed". They're just trees, grass, and paths.

 

[ksun]

in this city don't seem to have ever been "designed". They're just trees, grass, and paths.

Yep. You summed up pretty well here.

What's more interesting is that many Torontonians think that's normal: shouldn't parks just be trees, grass and some random path? I had always thought urban parks mean something like Champs de mars or Luxemburg gardens or Buenos Retiro Park until Toronto tells me something like Trinity Bellwood or High Park also qualify. And we pretend it is "Toronto style" ("we prefer this way") instead of lack of taste.