Toronto Jack Layton Ferry Terminal and Harbour Square Park | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

Automation Gallery said:
Oh come on, things dont have to take long to be perfect, i have seen municipal mega-projects in many european cities done quick and proper from when first mentioned
Here in TO everything takes forever just too much red tape, the process of approvals can take 3-5 years..lol
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My comment was not to suggest the project should take years - I agree with you that things take a long time here - but stated that before starting anything it makes sense to create a master plan and then work on getting the funding to carry it out. As the WT announcement says, the aim is to "...ensure that revitalization efforts move forward in a coordinated manner." I suspect that the delays will not be in creating the Plan - they seem to be aiming for one by summer 2015 - but in lining up the $$.
 
nfitz said:
As I don't use or meet a ferry very often, one of the things I've never figured out, is if you can access the ferry terminal from the east side of the Harbour Castle (or through the Harbour Castle). I always end up walking along Queens Quay from the east, past the parking area on the east side of the Harbour Castle, past the Harbour Castle to Bay, and to the ferry terminal.

It always seems like I've walked around 3 sides of a square. Am I missing something? If I'm not, hopefully this is something that get's rectified in the new design.
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I've exited from there, but never entered. I think that is a paid area, hence the exit only after you pass the fence.
 
Okay, here's some info about what's involved down here exactly, from Waterfront Toronto's website:

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I wish they could find some way to build a bridge over the terminal or a tunnel under it, so pedestrians can walk along the water without having to walk along the ugly front of the hotel. (and that nasty portion of Queen's Quay) A few bridges over the quays would make a waterfront walk so much nicer, without having to navigate back and forth to Queen's Quay.

I don't know how you can fix Queens Quay without finding some way to improve that ugly hotel at street level, along with the north face of the condos. (the retail portion and parking garage levels) All those buildings down there need a rethink/renovation and at the very least, that hotel needs to be cleaned, painted or re-clad. It's pretty disgusting on the east/north sides. The main entrance facing Queen's Quay is so badly designed and dilapidated, it's just terrible!

How could a major hotel allow its main entrance to look this bad?
 
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Torontovibe said:
I wish they could find some way to build a bridge over the terminal or a tunnel under it, so pedestrians can walk along the water without having to walk along the ugly front of the hotel. (and that nasty portion of Queen's Quay) A few bridges over the quays would make a waterfront walk so much nicer, without having to navigate back and forth to Queen's Quay.

I don't know how you can fix Queens Quay without finding some way to improve that ugly hotel at street level, along with the north face of the condos. (the retail portion and parking garage levels) All those buildings down there need a rethink/renovation and at the very least, that hotel needs to be cleaned, painted or re-clad. It's pretty disgusting on the east/north sides. The main entrance facing Queen's Quay is so badly designed and dilapidated, it's just terrible!

How could a major hotel allow its main entrance to look this bad?
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Agreeeeeed. The one thing I hate about the waterfront is that you constantly have to walk in and out from Queen's Quay. It's annoying and you can never fully walk straight along the water's edge.
 
DSC said:
It is ghastly but when the hotel was built I assume everyone arrived by car or taxi and nobody (well, except staff) arrived on foot.
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I'm not just talking about the design (which I also hate) but the actual state of disrepair. It's dirty, chipped and badly need of repair in that car entrance. Look closely and you will see much of that drive way section is falling apart. It must be one of the most dilapidated, main, front entrances to a hotel in the city. My biggest pet peeve is the east all, on the second level is dirty, rusty stained and I think it might even be chipped. It just looks like it hasn't been maintained in years. I've seen 1 star hotels in better shape than this.
 
Torontovibe said:
I'm not just talking about the design (which I also hate) but the actual state of disrepair. It's dirty, chipped and badly need of repair in that car entrance. Look closely and you will see much of that drive way section is falling apart. It must be one of the most dilapidated, main, front entrances to a hotel in the city. My biggest pet peeve is the east all, on the second level is dirty, rusty stained and I think it might even be chipped. It just looks like it hasn't been maintained in years. I've seen 1 star hotels in better shape than this.
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I can't imagine the hotel staying as is given the changes in the area and the quality of the competitors. At some point they'd have to renovate/relocate or redevelop.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I can't imagine the hotel staying as is given the changes in the area and the quality of the competitors. At some point they'd have to renovate/relocate or redevelop. AoD
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It is only a couple of years since they washed and caulked (I think) the exterior. Yes, it does not look much different but they DID do something. (Not to the entrance though, as far as I know.) BTW Does the restaurant still revolve? I think not, Wikipedia says "Toula, a rooftop restaurant located on the southeast tower, once revolved, but this ceased in 2001".
 
DSC said:
It is only a couple of years since they washed and caulked (I think) the exterior. Yes, it does not look much different but they DID do something. (Not to the entrance though, as far as I know.) BTW Does the restaurant still revolve? I think not, Wikipedia says "Toula, a rooftop restaurant located on the southeast tower, once revolved, but this ceased in 2001".
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They renovated the inside, which looks quite decent but I don't think anything was done to the outside. I certainly didn't see anyone working on the outside and I don't notice any visual difference.
 
The removal of the Westin for public space would be major progress. Perhaps they could rebuild on their conference centre across the street. The value of the hotel would increase if it fronted onto an outstanding public waterfront rather than the scraps of public space that are there now. Simply making those scraps nicer won't improve them that much.
 
They seriously need to reclad harbour castle hotel in a gold/brass colour instead of that ugly beige tone. This should be included in the budget, right now the biggest eyesore on the entire waterfront (along with that hideous condo commie block next to it).
 
Two big problems here, The Westin Harbour Castle Hotel and the driveway for the Harbour Square condos. Nothing can be done about the driveway, but the Harbour Castle could use a complete revamp with expanded convention spaces, restaurants and modernized rooms - ideally, a rebuild to better fit the 21st century pedestrianized, beautified waterfront. Give them height in exchange for the sale of a bit of their irregular shaped land which could be used for ferry terminal area. The Yonge St. slip should be filled in, we don't need it and there are enough of them already, then design the new ferry terminal/ferry slips into existing space and areas to the east.
 
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