Toronto Alexandra Park Revitalization | 53.48m | 15s | TCHC | SvN

the place is collapsing in on itself. There is a reason it is all getting replaced.

I imagine the next phase will be the smaller building directly to the north of SQ1.

Dundas frontage will probably be the last bit to go.
 
the place is collapsing in on itself. There is a reason it is all getting replaced.

I imagine the next phase will be the smaller building directly to the north of SQ1.

Dundas frontage will probably be the last bit to go.

That is more or less correct - according to the project phasing:

upload_2017-4-20_8-45-1.png



upload_2017-4-20_8-45-9.png


https://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_tor...lanning/files/pdf/alexpark_masterplan_rev.pdf

Sadly, Dundas Street is the last portion to be dealt with - though as we know phasing can change (then again RP is a much, much bigger project)

AoD
 

Attachments

  • upload_2017-4-20_8-45-1.png
    upload_2017-4-20_8-45-1.png
    193.3 KB · Views: 613
  • upload_2017-4-20_8-45-9.png
    upload_2017-4-20_8-45-9.png
    277.3 KB · Views: 621
IMG_8702.JPG

This is the updated Phase Two plan. It was just released today at an Open House event with Alexandra Park residents. I asked which market condo would be the next to be built but I didn't get a definite answer. One Tridel employee speculates that it might be the north west block (along Dundas and Denison).

There are some significant changes since the 2003 plan (new location of community centre, increased height of buildings, Alexandra plaza, a proposed lane that goes through the park).
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8702.JPG
    IMG_8702.JPG
    208.1 KB · Views: 982
What do those diagonal lines on the roof of the building on site four indicate?
I'm not sure. None of those buildings have been designed/approved yet so I wouldn't make too much of it but I did forget to mention the red lines along Dundas mean retail. The orange lines represent residential space that can become business space (ie lawyers office etc). I forgot how they worded it but somebody can correct me if I'm wrong.
 
View attachment 122073
This is the updated Phase Two plan. It was just released today at an Open House event with Alexandra Park residents. I asked which market condo would be the next to be built but I didn't get a definite answer. One Tridel employee speculates that it might be the north west block (along Dundas and Denison).

There are some significant changes since the 2003 plan (new location of community centre, increased height of buildings, Alexandra plaza, a proposed lane that goes through the park).

This is not good enough. They extended Augusta Avenue but they really should extend Kensington Avenue as well, all the way down to Queen via Vanauley St.

These artificially created pedestrianized areas instead of proper streets in these larger projects are basically neo tower-in-the-parks. It has 70s design idealism written all over it. Lack of full streets was one of the factors descending these projects into sketchiness in the first place, and this is reminiscent of that. Plus in this case that community centre buried at the end of the pedastrian street will see very little traffic.
 
Why would the community centre see very little traffic? It's a short walk to it from many new residential buildings.

And regarding an extension of Kensington Avenue; it doesn't need it. I would be concerned that the bohemian vibe of the current south end of that street would be killed if you encouraged more traffic on it. It's such a unique streetscape there, let's take care of it.

42
 
Why would the community centre see very little traffic? It's a short walk to it from many new residential buildings.

And regarding an extension of Kensington Avenue; it doesn't need it. I would be concerned that the bohemian vibe of the current south end of that street would be killed if you encouraged more traffic on it. It's such a unique streetscape there, let's take care of it.

42

Extend the Vanauley St. north to Dundas then.

The community centre being a a short walk to it from many new residential buildings wouldn't give it enough visibility or accessibility. It reminds me of the retail on Regent Park Boulevard in Regent Park Redevelopment, which is a hundred percent dead with no foot traffic or visibility except the residents of the immediate area.
 
So far, Regent Park only has a quarter to a third of the residents that it will eventually have, so with time and the right retailers, (it can take a while to get the mix right in a new community) they will do much better than they do now.

At the same time, retail has a different type of draw than public facilities, and Regent Park is a good example of that where you have the busy Spectrum across the street to the west of the Regent Park Boulevard shops, and the busy Aquatic Centre across the street to the north of the shops.

42
 
It is more or less extended north to Dundas as a pedestrian route/visual axis.

AoD

Well in practice, is a pedestrian route any different than a park, which is what was here before? I really don't think pedestrianized ways are substitute for proper streets.
 
Last edited:
I'm with Avenue on this.

I think 'integration' of neighbourhoods into adjacent communities is very important.

One wants to avoid class-segregation, and maintain the safety that comes in part from those w/means using an area's streets in their daily lives.

Unfair as it is; folks w/means do, typically, have greater political heft, and are likely more demanding in their expectations (because they can be)

That ends up benefiting folks who might otherwise be isolated (see any U.S. city of size, or just Winnipeg)

I also don't like the idea of parks that again don't feel like they belong to the broader area.

In Regent Park that very issue was addressed though a central park of larger size located right on Dundas; while the athletic fields front Shuter.

I think that was the right call.

I wish this proposal reflected more of that.

That said, it will still be an improvement for the area; just not as good of one as I might have hoped.
 

Back
Top