Toronto Bloor Street Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Bloor-Yorkville BIA | architectsAlliance

Trees on Bloor Street

For anyone who's interested, the extensive underground landscaping on Bloor Street is designed to accomodate large trees. To find out how they're accomplishing this, go to www.deeproot.com. Click on Silvacell to see the exact method Toronto is using.

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I passed the corner of Church and Bloor yesterday and I saw a rendering of what they were doing on Bloor St. The sign had also mentioned something about a greener Bloor.
 
Photos from earlier today - the first one depicts the new system profiled in a post above to enable the tree roots and therefore the trees to actually grow:

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I absolutely cannot wait for this. Bad streetscaping is my number-one pet peeve about TO, and I think most people don't even vaguely notice it, so accustomed are they to the shambolic state of things. Let's hope that seeing what's possible on Bloor inspires Torontonians to demand the same on our other main drags.
 
You're absolutely dead on allabootmatt. When it comes to streetscaping Toronto is really bush league and it really takes away from the city. I'm also anxiously awaiting the completion of Bloor St. but it bothers me that it was initiated and pushed through by the Yorkville BIA and not the city. David Miller has done a really good job with downtown parks and gardens (University Ave. looks great) but not so much with the streetscaping. I've heard him mention before that he dearly wanted to clean up the streets but there were so many overlapping departments and interests, that it was hard to get anything done. I hope he persists and I hope other BIAs' competitive nature kicks in and they do the same as Bloor.
 
Yes, I expect Malvern's BIA is chomping at the bit to outdo Bloor-Yorkville and get started on their multi-million dollar improvements.
 
allabootmatt said:
I absolutely cannot wait for this. Bad streetscaping is my number-one pet peeve about TO, and I think most people don't even vaguely notice it, so accustomed are they to the shambolic state of things. Let's hope that seeing what's possible on Bloor inspires Torontonians to demand the same on our other main drags.
Click to expand...

I agree, this is one of my big pet peeves also. What I would like to see is the city replace the concrete sidewalks on major streets with the paving stones so common in Europe. Not only are paving stones far more attractive they are also practical when it comes to repairing underground utilities. On Yonge street for example the sidewalks are always being dug up for underground work and then patched up with asphalt. Its a never-ending process resulting in one long unsightly mess.
 
Well let's just hope that when this is done, that it's not treated the same way. Dug up and then patched up with ashphalt that is.

I guess they'll be using the same technique on Queens Quay for the tree planting, too.
 
Bloor Street Revitalization

Nice action however they are revitalizing the part of Bloor St. that least needs a revitalization. What about Bathurst to Lansdone portion?
Seems funny if a tourist drives west and see the level of degradation increasing block after block.
If it is a revitalization plan lets to extend it to areas that need it most...
 
Don't forget, a big chunk of this revitalization was paid for by the Yorkville BIA. It doesn't happen in other areas because they are not motivated enough (and because they don't have as much $).
 
ap70 said:
Nice action however they are revitalizing the part of Bloor St. that least needs a revitalization. What about Bathurst to Lansdone portion?
Seems funny if a tourist drives west and see the level of degradation increasing block after block.
If it is a revitalization plan lets to extend it to areas that need it most...
Click to expand...

I'd prefer to revitalize neighbourhood streetscapes for the locals first. Bloor around Lansdowne is probably not a big tourist pit stop.
 
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