Toronto Harbour Ferries

[MetroMan]

Centre Island could be our Central Park. This is why I'd favor a pedestrian bridge to the island. It's a natural park directly across from downtown Toronto. The ferries would take on a more entertainment use but I think they'd remain.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

In the long run I agree, if anything for continuity reasons (making it part of the greater waterfront space) - but as others have already mentioned, having a pedestrian bridge there now wouldn't improve access all that much given the landing area is more of less in the middle of nowhere.

In any case, any such bridge should be iconic in a Calatrava sort of way.

AoD

 

[Red October]

In the long run I agree, if anything for continuity reasons (making it part of the greater waterfront space) - but as others have already mentioned, having a pedestrian bridge there now wouldn't improve access all that much given the landing area is more of less in the middle of nowhere.

In any case, any such bridge should be iconic in a Calatrava sort of way.

AoD

I'm willing to bet it would be more CityPlace bridge than Calgary Peace bridge.

 

[junctionist]

I'm willing to bet it would be more CityPlace bridge than Calgary Peace bridge.

It would have to be a movable bridge, so it wouldn't resemble the CityPlace bridge or the Calgary Peace bridge. If we got Calatrava, I'd be willing to bet we wouldn't make it an enclosed tube bridge with a purely functional three-tiered deck. The Humber Bay Arch Bridge reminds me that we can do the greatest things at prominent waterfront locations with Canadian design.

 

[Hipster Duck]

Well, I'm not usually a NIMBY, but I would not support a bridge to the islands because it would deposit throngs of people in exactly the spot that shouldn't be overrun with people: the eastern, Ward's island side (the airport end being impractical for obvious reasons).

Ward's island is my favourite part of the island - maybe my favourite part of Toronto. It's this idyllic collection of cottages on a completely car-free, pedestrian-oriented series of lanes with immaculate gardens and a nearby beach. I would hate for that to be ruined by thousands of people coming off a bridge, demanding concession stands, fast food restaurants, overflowing public toilets and all the other things that a massive influx of people require. It would single-handedly destroy Ward's island.

 

[the lemur]

Well, I'm not usually a NIMBY, but I would not support a bridge to the islands because it would deposit throngs of people in exactly the spot that shouldn't be overrun with people: the eastern, Ward's island side (the airport end being impractical for obvious reasons).

Ward's island is my favourite part of the island - maybe my favourite part of Toronto. It's this idyllic collection of cottages on a completely car-free, pedestrian-oriented series of lanes with immaculate gardens and a nearby beach. I would hate for that to be ruined by thousands of people coming off a bridge, demanding concession stands, fast food restaurants, overflowing public toilets and all the other things that a massive influx of people require. It would single-handedly destroy Ward's island.

I think that if you make people go all the way out to Cherry Beach just to be able to walk/bike over to the island, that in itself already eliminates the kind of visitor that would demand/cause all those things - which, incidentally, could easily be accommodated on the mainland side - and that would want to cross directly to Centre Island anyway.

On a related note, can anyone confirm that if you buy a return ticket for a ferry crossing you can come back on any of the three ferries, not necessarily the one that brought you to the island (e.g., take the ferry to Ward's, return via Hanlan's Point)?

 

[rbt]

On a related note, can anyone confirm that if you buy a return ticket for a ferry crossing you can come back on any of the three ferries, not necessarily the one that brought you to the island (e.g., take the ferry to Ward's, return via Hanlan's Point)?

You do not require a ticket to return to the main land.

You can take a water taxi and come back by the ferry.

 

[rbt]

On a related note, can anyone confirm that if you buy a return ticket for a ferry crossing you can come back on any of the three ferries, not necessarily the one that brought you to the island (e.g., take the ferry to Ward's, return via Hanlan's Point)?

You do not require a ticket to return to the main land, so yes, you can return by any of them.

You can take a water taxi over and come back by the ferry.

 

[the lemur]

You do not require a ticket to return to the main land, so yes, you can return by any of them.

You can take a water taxi over and come back by the ferry.

Good to know, thanks! So in other words going to the island costs money, but leaving the island is free.

 

[CDL.TO]

I think that if you make people go all the way out to Cherry Beach just to be able to walk/bike over to the island, that in itself already eliminates the kind of visitor that would demand/cause all those things - which, incidentally, could easily be accommodated on the mainland side - and that would want to cross directly to Centre Island anyway.

I agree. Also, Ward's Island is big enough that the increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic could be managed. If you put the bridge at the south end people won't be filtering through the residential neighbourhood.

On a related note, can anyone confirm that if you buy a return ticket for a ferry crossing you can come back on any of the three ferries, not necessarily the one that brought you to the island (e.g., take the ferry to Ward's, return via Hanlan's Point)?

You don't really buy a return ticket per se. It's more like you buy a ticket for the island-bound trip, and the mainland-bound trip is free. Tickets are not needed and are not checked in any way. If you took a water taxi to the island, there is nothing stopping you from riding the ferry back for free.

 

[the lemur]

I agree. Also, Ward's Island is big enough that the increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic could be managed. If you put the bridge at the south end people won't be filtering through the residential neighbourhood.

Exactly. A bridge from the very end of Cherry Beach to the trail at the easternmost part of Ward's would put people in a relatively empty part of the island.

 

[themarc]

Exactly. A bridge from the very end of Cherry Beach to the trail at the easternmost part of Ward's would put people in a relatively empty part of the island.

A bridge will never work. A pedestrian draw bridge of that scale would be too expensive and a bridge that would adhere to the St. Lawrence Seaway clearance regulations (30+ meters) would be a ridiculous climb on both sides of the gap.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

themarc:

You can still have drawbridges or bridges with moveable span right? Cost would be an issue, obviously.

AoD

 

[the lemur]

'Too expensive' depends mostly on how it is paid for and by whom. A pedestrian drawbridge over the Eastern Gap would be 250-300 m. What's the going rate per metre?

 

[rbt]

'Too expensive' depends mostly on how it is paid for and by whom. A pedestrian drawbridge over the Eastern Gap would be 250-300 m. What's the going rate per metre?

Fixed pedestrian bridges are about $1200 per linear foot (10 foot wide bridge, North Carolina 2010).

Highway movable bridges are about $1450 to 2000 per square foot (Florida 2011, materials and construction: not EA or land). A 10 foot wide by 1000 foot long span would start at $15M and probably wind up at about $25M for EA, land value, roadway improvement (Fire/Ambulance will want to use it), etc.

Perhaps add another $2M for court costs/delays caused by the islanders who are disapointed about losing their winter ferry.