Toronto June Callwood Park | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | gh3

[Red October]

I have some theories--admittedly I haven't been to the park yet--as to why it might be empty:

3)It's in an essentially isolated vertical suburb with no destination retail/cafes nearby, so thus is viewed as a strictly functional space...err dog toilet.
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There's a cafe right beside it.



As a resident of that area it's nothing to do with the neighbourhood, if you look at Coronation Park it constantly has tons of people in it. It's that it's a barren landscape with tiny trees, few benches and nothing to do in it. It's an art piece, not a functional park. Blaming the people in the neighbourhood is just ignorance.

 

[agoraflaneur]

I think UD makes a lot of good points. Just because there is a single cafe close by doesn't mean it isn't the neighbourhood's fault. I don't even care to speak of the architecture, it is the surrounding infrastructure that is the "problem." There simply aren't enough people in the neighbourhood as it is bounded by two huge roads and crucially has *super* easy access to the massive parks on the lakefront - as RO states, people go there, not only because it is a natural park with huge trees but it is right on the lake where anyone would want to be. This is a "problem" many neighbourhoods would love to have. This park cannot by definition become a destination because it is an island without connections - and even if it has them, why would you dwell too long in this park instead of venturing to the water's edge. You wouldn't. And obviously don't. This was the wrong location for such an urban park. I was there last fall and I thought it was really interesting but I was checking out the Fork York museum and then it was on to the waterfront. The park itself was a draw, but I wasn't about to hang out there for hours.

 

[greenleaf]

If they expected children and their parents here, they should have put an enclosed play space. I would never bring my toddlers here.

 

[Red October]

as it is bounded by two huge roads and crucially has *super* easy access to the massive parks on the lakefront - as RO states, people go there, not only because it is a natural park with huge trees but it is right on the lake where anyone would want to be.

This is another big thing. Lake Shore is enormous and is quite difficult to get across right where June Callwood Park and the small cafe next to it are. The closest crosswalk is on the one side of Stadium Rd. and takes approximately 300 years to change and let people cross it. Other than that people would have to dart across 6 lanes of frankly high speed traffic, and then across streetcar tracks and another lane of traffic after that. It kinda sucks.

 

[DSC]

I have some theories--admittedly I haven't been to the park yet--as to why it might be empty:

Your opinion on this park might be more useful and informed if you actually visited it.

 

[PinkLucy]

There are now two cafes near the park

Part of June Callwood's vision was that children would use their imagination and not rely on play structures. However, parents don't seem to think that is possible and would prefer play structures

 

[greenleaf]

There are now two cafes near the park

Part of June Callwood's vision was that children would use their imagination and not rely on play structures. However, parents don't seem to think that is possible and would prefer play structures

There's nothing wrong with no play structures, but with kids under 5, a space that is enclosed where kids can run around is so much more relaxing as a parent. You're not in high alert all the time.

 

[argus]

It was a popular park for people to leave dog droppings behind in over the winter months.

 

[PinkLucy]

There's nothing wrong with no play structures, but with kids under 5, a space that is enclosed where kids can run around is so much more relaxing as a parent. You're not in high alert all the time.

I haven't heard about enclosures, only about play structures.

I have seen kids playing in the park, climbing on the benches. When the maze grows in, it might be cool. I wonder if more parents actually brought their kids to the park, they might be surprised rather than pre-supposing that their kids need structures

 

[Dane]

From my May 29th Development Tour of Toronto

 

[Edward Skira]

The limited seating is a tad weird.

 

[Armour]

The limited seating is a tad weird.

That's one of our specialties when it comes to our parks; next to no seating. I've never understood that. It's like our parks are designed for just staring at, or walking through. Lingering isn't encouraged, which is why so many parks in the city are completely dead (especially in the suburbs).

 

[Torontovibe]

That's one of our specialties when it comes to our parks; next to no seating. I've never understood that. It's like our parks are designed for just staring at, or walking through. Lingering isn't encouraged, which is why so many parks in the city are completely dead (especially in the suburbs).

The thing I don't like is even when they put in benches, they space them away from each other as if all Torontonians are anti-social nerds who want to be left alone. Other cities build parks to encourage inter-action but not Toronto. (for some unknown reason) Every park and public square should have at least one social area where people can gather, sit and talk.

 

[Dane]

I think this park looks great from above.... but on ground level, not so much.... the trees will help once they're grown in, but the REALLY strange part.... is that theres all of these bumps-1"differences in height between stones, such a tripping hazard! I dont see how they were allowed to create such things.... or what the motivation was behind it!

 

[Irishmonk]

I think this park looks great from above.... but on ground level, not so much.... the trees will help once they're grown in, but the REALLY strange part.... is that theres all of these bumps-1"differences in height between stones, such a tripping hazard! I dont see how they were allowed to create such things.... or what the motivation was behind it!

This park was not designed by or for humans. The dolts behind it all got a computer to randomly select a park "theme" which turned out to be an audio wave of a bird tweet. The dolts thought this was hunky dory, connected a 3D printer to the computer and "voila!". If the stones are out of joint, blame the printer for its lack of human empathy.