Toronto Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

I'm writing letters to appropriate people. Beaches for all. Beaches, beaches, beaches, folks!

I'll try to swing by some beach-potential public meetings as well.

Also, what is this Western Beaches expansion you speak of? You have my full attention as I now live close by (which may or may not last) and have not heard of it before.
 
MTown said:
I'm writing letters to appropriate people. Beaches for all. Beaches, beaches, beaches, folks!

I'll try to swing by some beach-potential public meetings as well.

Also, what is this Western Beaches expansion you speak of? You have my full attention as I now live close by (which may or may not last) and have not heard of it before.
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As part of the West Waterfront LRT, portions of the Western Beaches Master Plan will be implemented (details remain to be seen).

This project will relocate Lake Shore Blvd to the north and eliminate the current island, east of Colborne Lodge Drive.

This will result in several additional hectares of parkland consolidated on the south side..

That portion of the plan will not, unto itself create new beaches, though it will make the existing ones and associated parks more pleasant.

However, this and other plans have long contemplated relocating or closing the legion branch which would facilitate further beach enhancement. Not 'more beaches' per se' but likely more beach area.

The full plan is here: https://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_tor...ariat/files/pdf/wwmp-final-report-21aug09.pdf

The stuff you would find interesting (skipping history and pretext) would be from page 62 onward with a map of how the final design might look at page 90
 
Northern Light said:
As part of the West Waterfront LRT, portions of the Western Beaches Master Plan will be implemented (details remain to be seen).

This project will relocated Lake Shore Blvd to the north and eliminate the current island, east of Colborne Lodge Drive.

This will result in several additional hectares of parkland consolidated on the south side..

That portion of the plan will not, unto itself create new beaches, though it will make the existing ones and associated parks more pleasant.

However, this other plans have long contemplated relocating or closing the legion branch which would facilitate further beach enhancement. Not 'more beaches' per se' but likely more beach area.

The full plan is here: https://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_tor...ariat/files/pdf/wwmp-final-report-21aug09.pdf

The stuff you would find interesting (skipping history and pretext) would be from page 62 onward with a map of how the final design might look at page 90
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And of course, we have a (dormant) thread on UT too: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/western-waterfront-master-plan.8554/

AoD
 
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One thing I haven't seen renders of or a focus on is the proposed weir along Keating Channel. Still not sure how it will look, but I think it could still end up being a nice attraction. People like seeing or standing by rushing water. Even with rudimentary design this waterfall/cascade could be a hotspot.
 
44 North said:
One thing I haven't seen renders of or a focus on is the proposed weir along Keating Channel. Still not sure how it will look, but I think it could still end up being a nice attraction. People like seeing or standing by rushing water. Depending on how its designed this waterfall/cascade could be a hotspot.
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As proposed in the EA it is just a straight weir right underneath Lake Shore - EA Appendix I:

https://trca.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/AppI.pdf

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
As proposed in the EA it is just a straight weir right underneath Lake Shore - EA Appendix I:

https://trca.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/AppI.pdf

AoD
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Ok thanks for that link. That doesn't really show much with regards to the weir though. It's more of a focus on Lake Shore bridge and how the weir abuts it. However it does point to the arcing shape of the "upstream" weir, and the exact location where the downstream/sideflow weir will run perpendicular to Keating Channel.

I guess I was wrong for assuming this will be like a typical weir design, or that we'll see a cascade at all times. Appendix N points to this being a dynamic/adaptive structure that will only see use some of the time (like, every +2yrs). Also its configuration, type, and operating style will be decided in detailed design. Says it could have a small drop inlet to allow some flow into Keating during all floods so the channel doesn't get dank. But otherwise I believe all flow will be going to the new river mouth.

This is their example of an adaptive inflatable weir. It's really more of a diversion wall to direct water to the new river mouth, and will be 'up' 99.9% of time. When there is a major flood, it will be lowered to allow flow into Keating.

keating-channel-weir-concept.png
 

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This image just gets me so excited about what's to come (provided Council doesn't meddle at any point).

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And this is a neat illustration:

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As is this, to give a sense of the scale of the opportunity:
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And this a good one to get a sense of the extent to which they've moved forward from concept to (draft) schematic:

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Certainly is a big meander. If it wasn't engineered from the ground-up that river would be about ready to give birth to an oxbow lake. These refinements are fun to watch. With the "rocky harbour" and "exposed armour" proposed along Keating I'm looking forward to a cut above the typical hunks of scramble boulders we see for shore control elsewhere along the lake. Hopefully something with a natural shape, but stepped in a way so that people could sit or hop down to the water's edge. Otherwise these will be great additions to our parks and greenspace.
 
I just hope for really well thought out retail for the area which could make or brake this area in the city as a full fledged destination or a rather sleepy neighborhood with parks.
 
With all the work being put in to this developing site. I wouldn't be surprised if they made Villiers Island a prestigious place to live. Like Vancouver or New York City's West End area ! I would love to live hear and so would a million other humans and animals too !!
 
am29 said:
I just hope for really well thought out retail for the area which could make or brake this area in the city as a full fledged destination or a rather sleepy neighborhood with parks.
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Yah, so far I am unconvinced that the end result won't be a well-planned version of Humber Bay Shores.

I like Humbery Bay Shores the once or twice I have been there, but that statement reveals the problem with HBS. I have no reason to ever go there, and both times I did was specifically because I was cycling along the waterfront and curious how the development was turning out.
 
WislaHD said:
I have no reason to ever go there, and both times I did was specifically because I was cycling along the waterfront and curious how the development was turning out.
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This is an important observation, as it applies to many people. I too would never think of 'heading to HBS', even though it's within view of where I live. I'd detour through there if I was taking the dog on a lakefront excursion to get him wet, but ironically, like a lot of Toronto waterfront, there's no place there to safely get a heavy dog to the water's edge. I've had to allow him into the created pools in lieu of that. But that being said, at least the water there is *relatively* cleaner than around the mouth of the Don.

The number one need for the Don is flood remediation. No-one denies that, and create some paths to go where none existed before, excellent, but the pictures of nirvana and bliss smack of PR excess....and massive amounts of money that the taxpayer forks over to allow developers to build.

You don't have to be a Leftie to wonder who it's all for...
 
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