Toronto Berczy Park Revitalization | ?m | ?s

We live in a city where in the core streets are often named after the friends of politicians and developers, after local businessmen who didn't actually live there, after area landowners, after British nobles who probably could not have found Toronto on a map, etc. "Clear connection", or even merit, did not figure into many of our street and place names. I used to live near two streets name after the developer's daughters 100+ years ago (Muriel Avenue and Gertrude Place, if anyone is interested).

So I am a lot less worried about "it's diversity for the sake of diversity", since so many place names in the core don't even have that going for them. If someone made a profound impact on this city, whether they are high profile or did so quietly, not unreasonable to name something after them where the opportunity presents itself.

Also, let's stop naming stuff after deceased politicians, unless ten or so years have passed so that we can actually assess their impact with some objectivity. I don't care how hard they worked for their community, or how beloved they were. I am a big fan of Pam McConnell, and think something should eventually be named after her, but not this park, nor anything else in the area, until at least 2027. As a city we are too quick to name things after members of Council, and not very quick to recognize other aspects of our collective history.
 
jje1000 said:
Would only work in places with a clear connection to multiculturalism/the significant figure. Otherwise, it's diversity for the sake of diversity.

I also think the current policy of naming new public spaces after significant "ethnic" figures and adding affixes to existing places (i.e. Ted Rogers Way) works far better than forcibly stripping a place of its original identity.
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Ugh. "Ted Rogers Way" was a needless renaming of a block of Jarvis Street (doing a disservice to local navigation), it wasn't adding an affix to an existing place, like "Nelson Mandela Boulevard" over top University Avenue, or "Moses Znaimer Way" on a block of Queen Street.

I could go for a sensible re-naming of Jarvis Street (the person who it was named for was an unpleasant wealthy slaveholder), but not for some wealthy monopolistic businessman.

As for Pam McConnell, I think after a year (but not 10 years), she probably should get something named for her, but probably in the Regent Park area. Not Berzcy Park.
 
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Many have taken this renaming thing so seriously. I only mentioned it jokingly, noting that taking Berczy's name off the park would end the endless questions of how to pronounce the name. Nothing more than that.

42
 
interchange42 said:
Many have taken this renaming thing so seriously. I only mentioned it jokingly, noting that taking Berczy's name off the park would end the endless questions of how to pronounce the name. Nothing more than that.

42
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You should have known better! UTers are renowned for rushing off in all directions if given any encouragement.
 
interchange42 said:
Many have taken this renaming thing so seriously. I only mentioned it jokingly, noting that taking Berczy's name off the park would end the endless questions of how to pronounce the name. Nothing more than that.
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DSC said:
You should have known better! UTers are renowned for rushing off in all directions if given any encouragement.
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To be fair, 42's post was not the first time renaming the park after McConnell has been floated. There was even a brief discussion of the idea here in this thread back in July. I have seen similar suggestions on Reddit and Facebook, and presume others have seen such ideas mentioned on social media. I am not aware of any politicians or neighbourhood groups advocating for this, so the idea may not be getting much traction, but 42's joking post simply referred to a concept that was already being discussed.

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Skeezix said:
To be fair, 42's post was not the first time renaming the park after McConnell has been floated. There was even a brief discussion of the idea here in this thread back in July. I have seen similar suggestions on Reddit and Facebook, and presume others have seen such ideas mentioned on social media. I am not aware of any politicians or neighbourhood groups advocating for this, so the idea may not be getting much traction, but 42's joking post simply referred to a concept that was already being discussed.
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Pedro is @MetroMan here on UT.
 
^Jeez, maybe they could have "wrapped" them up in a less grizzly fashion. This is going to scare kids and dog lovers. (And maybe other dogs too).
 
Toronto really has no idea how to make the city elegant for the winter. Why not cover the dogs in s something festive over top of the wrapping?

The City's motto should be "If you ignore winter long enough eventually it goes away"
 
Am I the only one surprised/disappointed by the fact that the dogs weren't constructed with materials that wouldn't require them to be wrapped up all winter?
 
ADRM said:
Am I the only one surprised/disappointed by the fact that the dogs weren't constructed with materials that wouldn't require them to be wrapped up all winter?
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I can't imagine how the material wouldn't be able to withstand winter conditions. It may have more to do with safety?

In any case, couldn't "we" just get their sizes and shop for some real doggy clothes to put on? Sounds like it could become an annual "dress the doggy up" competition (maybe tag on a charity - e.g. pet therapy - fundraising element to it?)

AoD
 
^^ But then you'd have to worry about vandals making off with the clothes? :( Otherwise, I think that'd be an awesome idea.
 
What winter conditions is the plastic wrapping protecting the dogs from? Not temperature and the covering isn't water proof. They didn't even cover them all the way down.
 
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