Toronto Aura at College Park | 271.87m | 78s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza

[Amare]

This mall is so "ghetto", I had to make a video about it.

That was quite the epic video, nice job! To be honest, Albion Mall, Jane and Finch Mall, and Lawrence Plaza are all much much better then this barren wasteland, and these malls are considered to be located in the city's "ghetto". The video illustrates these facts perfectly.

 

[interchange42]

Why do lighting features never work on new buildings in this city? Have architects forgotten how to do lighting? Is it a matter of stinginess, where the lighting feature is done perfunctorily because it’s seen as a frill or something?

It is not because of a malfunction that Aura's lights are not on yet.

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[am29]

WHats that thing sticking out of the top of Aura? I hope its temporary.

 

[jozl]

I hate this big ugly building. Lights aren't going to fix it. I'm more concerned about the parking lot on the north side off of Yonge. Wasn't there suposed to be a park or plaza there? Black ashphalt doesn't cut it.

 

[khris]

WHats that thing sticking out of the top of Aura? I hope its temporary.

Window washing equipment.

 

[interchange42]

I hate this big ugly building. Lights aren't going to fix it. I'm more concerned about the parking lot on the north side off of Yonge. Wasn't there suposed to be a park or plaza there? Black ashphalt doesn't cut it.

The thread you want for the park is here. That will lead you to the dataBase file and a recent front page story.

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[jozl]

Oooops, Thanks Interchange42. I'll check into that thread.

 

[Larissa Doherty]

WHats that thing sticking out of the top of Aura? I hope its temporary.

It's definitely window washing equipment. It will be a permanent feature at the top of the building (so long as there are windows to wash).

 

[interchange42]

…but it will retract out of sight when not being used.

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[MCDM]

I bet the developers of Aura must be real pissed that the lights aren't on in time for the games... I mean talk about product placement.

 

[Torontovibe]

They should have had it ready for the Pan-Ams. What's taking so long?

 

[stjames2queenwest]

I bet the developers of Aura must be real pissed that the lights aren't on in time for the games... I mean talk about product placement.

It kills me. Would be so perfect.

 

[wmedia]

 

[salsa]

What a missed opportunity...

The lighting is just one of many missed opportunities. None of the Transit City LRTs were build in time for the games as was once promised. There are far fewer new streetcars on the road than what was supposed to be. Nathan Phillips Square and Bay St streetscape improvements are still unfinished. The planned bike share expansion is cancelled. The TTC bus garage remains unbuild thanks to Ford and Stintz, thus limiting additional bus service potential. The Union station Bay St concourse will not be finished until after the games. Kitchener GO line all day, 2 way service is not happening yet despite the recently completed infrastructure improvements. Presto is still not fully installed on the TTC.

Oh ya, about Presto, I had the pleasure of helping out a couple of confused visitors today. They were told how presto is the most convenient fare payment option for getting around the GTA, but many tourists will soon find out that you can't use presto at most subway stations, and you can't use it to transfer buses or streetcars. Or if you're lucky enough to catch one of the rare new streetcars, you have to know how to obtain a paper transfer by tapping twice (which even I always forget how to do). I was nice enough to give them a token to repay their fare, because they didn't get a transfer before exiting the subway to transfer to the streetcar. Then I had to explain to them that "yep, we still use tokens". Good grief.

 

[Miscreant]

Oh ya, about Presto, I had the pleasure of helping out a couple of confused visitors today. They were told how presto is the most convenient fare payment option for getting around the GTA, but many tourists will soon find out that you can't use presto at most subway stations, and you can't use it to transfer buses or streetcars. Or if you're lucky enough to catch one of the rare new streetcars, you have to know how to obtain a paper transfer by tapping twice (which even I always forget how to do). I was nice enough to give them a token to repay their fare, because they didn't get a transfer before exiting the subway to transfer to the streetcar. Then I had to explain to them that "yep, we still use tokens". Good grief.

I've been in similar positions at Pearson, helping tourists trying to get on the Rocket down to Kipling Stn. They look at me like I'm insane when I tell them they either need a token or Canadian money--oh yeah, and only change, and exact change at that--to get on the bus.

They then ask if they can get that money inside, and I tell them it's unlikely: if they want to use one of the currency kiosks inside the airport--assuming one is open--they'll get bills, not change, and then will have to buy someone to turn it into (again, exact) change, or find a vendor nice enough to do it for them.

It's embarrassing and ridiculous. This is their first legit Toronto experience after landing. Outrageous.