Toronto Berczy Park Revitalization | ?m | ?s

Skeezix · Jul 20, 2016

alexanderglista said:
You can't eliminate light pollution from an urban area with more than 8 million people. That's just a fact. So why sacrifice the look of a park to fight an un-winnable battle?

Who in this thread proposed that we "eliminate" light pollution? It's not 100% clear to me what @AndreaPalladio would prefer or how effective it would be, but let's give contributors some benefit of the doubt - there is a big difference between smart use of lighting and eliminating lighting from the entire GTA. Whether one agrees or not, there is a large body of work on the benefits of reducing light pollution in urban areas. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am going to err on the side of caution and assume that Andrea is not proposing that we all adopt an Amish lifestyle. Similarly, criticizing one type of light standard does not necessarily mean that one is willing to "sacrifice" the look of a park. Anyone here is perfectly free to advocate that the old-timey light standards being installed are essential to the revitalized park, but I would expect some explanation of how that's the case before suggesting that any critics of the lights are out to damage the revitalization.

salsa · Jul 20, 2016

AndreaPalladio said:
Ah, can't fix it so don't even try.

How do you know that the city is not even trying? In fact the chief planner brought up this issue on Twitter just a few days ago.

Screen shot 2016-07-20 at 12.47.14 PM.png

ChesterCopperpot · Jul 20, 2016

Are they just the same light standards that they installed last year all along Front St to Parliament?

Skeezix · Jul 20, 2016

salsa said:
How do you know that the city is not even trying? In fact the chief planner brought up this issue on Twitter just a few days ago.

Who said the city is not even trying? Andrea was critical of one particular type of light standard being used in this neighbourhood, not of the City of Toronto's overall efforts on the issue. The "Ah, can't fix it so don't even try" comment was in response to a suggestion that light pollution is unfixable.

Ironically, Keesmaat's tweet suggests that the City perhaps ought to be using a different type of light standard here. Can't say for sure.

Skeezix · Jul 20, 2016

ChesterCopperpot said:
Are they just the same light standards that they installed last year all along Front St to Parliament?

Yes. I think there are a couple of variations of the same type of light standard that the City is using.

DSC · Jul 20, 2016

The City has just closed off the Wellington Street end of Scott Street and the work on the west side of Berczy is starting. Movin' right along.

DSC · Jul 20, 2016

Skeezix said:
Yes. I think there are a couple of variations of the same type of light standard that the City is using.

Yes, they are the standard "short-Victorians that are the City standard for pedestrian lighting in St Lawrence. There ARE a couple of 'editions' - the newer ones - as were installed on Front east of Jarvis - have metal halide (white light) bulbs and in some locations the BIA pays to have electrical outlets added to the poles so that they can add 'seasonal lighting'. The plan is to convert all the older ones to metal halide in line with the Heritage Lighting Plan for St Lawrence but there are no immediate plans (or $$) for this. (See: http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/city_planning/urban_design/files/pdf/hert_final_report.pdf )

BTW, the HLP deals with subjects like light pollution, energy efficiency and cost and is worth reading.

zcczcczcc · Jul 21, 2016

Looks like the pavers and street work has started on Scott Street.

bgobgo · Jul 21, 2016

So is Scott Street going to be pedestrian only when this done or a woonerf or something else? As shown in this pic (area circled in red), it sure doesn't look like Scott will be a street once this is complete...

DSC · Jul 21, 2016

bgobgo said:
So is Scott Street going to be pedestrian only when this done or a woonerf or something else? As shown in this pic (area circled in red), it sure doesn't look like Scott will be a street once this is complete...

It will remain a street but will flow more seamlessly into the Park and look more like Market Street (the last time I heard details).

ksun · Jul 21, 2016

bgobgo said:
So is Scott Street going to be pedestrian only when this done or a woonerf or something else? As shown in this pic (area circled in red), it sure doesn't look like Scott will be a street once this is complete...

poor thing, you think Toronto will have ever a pedestrian only street? What about the sacred car-rights that is in our constitution.