Toronto Berczy Park Revitalization | ?m | ?s

[raptor]

This is such an awful thing to say, and completely untrue.

What possesses you to have such an awful attitude toward your fellow citizens and your city?

Yes, there are problem people, and yes civic ambition could be higher (though it should be equally said its rising).

But when you contemplate what is unquestionably the cleanest of the 5 largest cities in the North America; and the safest, describing the state of thing thus is a disservice to your neighbours and is no credit to you.

If not for the holy souls at friends of the Berczy Park, it would be a pile of trash and a pile of broken dog sculptures.
Seriously, if any of its members is reading this forum, thank you for all you're doing.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

This is such an awful thing to say, and completely untrue.

What possesses you to have such an awful attitude toward your fellow citizens and your city?

Yes, there are problem people, and yes civic ambition could be higher (though it should be equally said its rising).

But when you contemplate what is unquestionably the cleanest of the 5 largest cities in the North America; and the safest, describing the state of thing thus is a disservice to your neighbours and is no credit to you.

Actually I don't know about that - and triumphalist rankings notwithstanding, North America is a really low bar as a comparator. The question one has to ask is - why should we take a lasseiz-faire approach to dealing with vandals and have to count on the unceasing work of a neighbourhood organization to make right? It is a poor use of energy to have to constantly fix what shouldn't be broken in the first place.

AoD

 

[Northern Light]

Actually I don't know about that - and triumphalist rankings notwithstanding, North America is a really low bar as a comparator. The question one has to ask is - why should we take a lasseiz-faire approach to dealing with vandals and have to count on the unceasing work of a neighbourhood organization to make right? It is a poor use of energy to have to constantly fix what shouldn't be broken in the first place.

AoD

We shouldn't have to count on a neighbourhood organization. You'll get no disagreement from me.

As to comparators on safety Toronto holds up well in a global context.

On litter, on streets we hold up decently to.

Compared to Europe we do much worse on parks maintenance, but we also have vastly more parks.

On vandalism/graffiti have you been to Paris?

Yes, we can do better, and we should do better.

I'm an advocate for more aggressive by-law enforcement.

I'm also an advocate for greater investment in our public spaces.

We're certainly not the world's best or top 10 in that category.

However, I object to trashing all of one's fellow citizens as opposed to an obnoxious minority, as well as suggesting the City has no civic ambitions. Lets look at Market Street, St George St., Berzy Park (design/construction), Grange Park, King's College Road, Yorkville Park, Sugar Beach.

Yes, we have a long road to travel, but we are on the road, and most people in this city are not trash (full of slobs) as Filip imputed.

I think that attitude is toxic, and leads to the very problems one would bemoan.

 

[Filip]

We shouldn't have to count on a neighbourhood organization. You'll get no disagreement from me.

As to comparators on safety Toronto holds up well in a global context.

On litter, on streets we hold up decently to.

Compared to Europe we do much worse on parks maintenance, but we also have vastly more parks.

On vandalism/graffiti have you been to Paris?

Yes, we can do better, and we should do better.

I'm an advocate for more aggressive by-law enforcement.

I'm also an advocate for greater investment in our public spaces.

We're certainly not the world's best or top 10 in that category.

However, I object to trashing all of one's fellow citizens as opposed to an obnoxious minority, as well as suggesting the City has no civic ambitions. Lets look at Market Street, St George St., Berzy Park (design/construction), Grange Park, King's College Road, Yorkville Park, Sugar Beach.

Yes, we have a long road to travel, but we are on the road, and most people in this city are not trash (full of slobs) as Filip imputed.

I think that attitude is toxic, and leads to the very problems one would bemoan.

I vehemently disagree - this is complacency at its finest.

Lets look at Market Street, St George St., Berzy Park (design/construction), Grange Park, King's College Road, Yorkville Park, Sugar Beach.

Really? For the wealthiest, most important city of a G7 nation - that is a pretty low bar. Actually, extremely low bar. I wouldn't bring that up if I were you.

 

[Northern Light]

I vehemently disagree - this is complacency at its finest.

Lets look at Market Street, St George St., Berzy Park (design/construction), Grange Park, King's College Road, Yorkville Park, Sugar Beach.

Really? For the wealthiest, most important city of a G7 nation - that is a pretty low bar. Actually, extremely low bar. I wouldn't bring that up if I were you.

You're not me.

Further as someone who has traveled to most of the G7's most important cities, many of which do indeed have nice public spaces, though many have much that is worse; I dislike hyperbole and defeatism.

 

[Northern Light]

Public spaces coming down the pipe (already in the capital plan, where applicable).

A facelift of Yonge street (downtown section) - 100M

A facelift of Yonge street (North York section) - 60M+

John Street revitalization

Wellington St. facelift.

Major improvements coming to Gould and Church as part of the Ryerson Master plan.

King's College Circle, Tower Rd, Hart House Circle facelift.

York U, Keele Campus Masterplan

and much more.

Queen's Park North facelift is under way and pretty aggressive w/nice finishes (granted not getting the fountain working again is not reasonable and must be revisited)

Look at the quality designs for York and Rees Parks.

The naturalization of the mouth of the Don River

Lots of investment.

Do we have to do better on maintaining it? Absolutely.

Now, if you want that, instead of castigating your fellow citizens, how about emailing the Mayor, the head of PF and R, your councillor etc w/practical solutions and demands for more resources (spent wisely).

You can move the needle.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It's not just about spending money to build - that's one issue - it's also about maintaining what's built and we have done a rather poor job of that (e.g. horror story like the Salmon Run, University Ave median fountain) - also public ownership of spaces can be quite lacking as well.

AoD

 

[Ryan_T]

Maybe the eyes of the fountain pugs can be equipped with cameras.

Turn it into a 360 view of the park somewhere online.

Free Black Mirror episode idea.

 

[Isotack]

It's not just about spending money to build - that's one issue - it's also about maintaining what's built and we have done a rather poor job of that (e.g. horror story like the Salmon Run, University Ave median fountain) - also public ownership of spaces can be quite lacking as well.

AoD

The spent a bunch of money in Yorkville putting down interlocking stone on the streets and the sidewalks...now it's full of painted locator lines and holes have been dug and patched with asphalt. It goes on and on.

 

[pman]

Toronto certainly makes basic paving seem difficult.

 

[LUVIT!]

All quite general statements about our fair city. Some seem to obsess about one thing or another. The thing is any public area has to be built like a fortress to withstand the masses. Many of which are wonderful law abiding citizens. Many of which are careless self centred idiots. Most are in between somewhere I suppose. Lawns do not work in a 'Dog themed park'. Little statues are bound to be broken... unless they're built assuming idiots will mount them. The moment I saw the lawn in this park I thought this is going to be trouble. Same with the cute little statues. It's a shame but could have been anticipated.

 

[Ryan_T]

Looks like they simply covered up the ripped areas with asphalt. This is ridiculously bad. We just put those pavers down, and now it’s marred by black asphalt.

I hope it’s temporary.

Somebody show me how to lay pavers, and I will volunteer weekends to fix them. I’ve laid a stone patio, can’t be that hard.

 

[DSC]

Looks like they simply covered up the ripped areas with asphalt. This is ridiculously bad. We just put those pavers down, and now it’s marred by black asphalt.

I hope it’s temporary
.

It's temporary, the whole street and both sidewalks are being rebuilt next spring with wider sidewalks, trees and new streetcar tracks. As noted above, the work in 2018 involves, Hydro, Enbridge and telecoms and the hydro work is far from finished. Patience!

 

[LUVIT!]

Look at that lawn! Don't replace it with more 'lawn'

 

[Isotack]

Looks like they simply covered up the ripped areas with asphalt. This is ridiculously bad. We just put those pavers down, and now it’s marred by black asphalt.

I hope it’s temporary.

View attachment 149619


Somebody show me how to lay pavers, and I will volunteer weekends to fix them. I’ve laid a stone patio, can’t be that hard.