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

WislaHD said:
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.
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It is pretty clear from the documents presented the park space they have in mind is intended as city-wide attractions - not the case for HBS.

steveintoronto said:
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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I'd say the org has a pretty good record of delivering nirvana and bliss, based on finished projects such as West Don Lands, Sugar Beach, etc. I have heard "lefties" talking about it for the last 30 years and they have delivered nothing but grand speeches - if it takes development to make it happen, so be it.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I'd say the org has a pretty good record of delivering nirvana and bliss, based on finished projects such as West Don Lands, Sugar Beach, etc.
AoD
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Not my kind of thing...sorry. I like Toronto Islands without the Summer Circus, or the Don and Humber valleys where it's closer to Nature. For some reason, man-made facades just don't do it.
 
steveintoronto said:
Not my kind of thing...sorry. I like Toronto Islands without the Summer Circus, or the Don and Humber valleys where it's closer to Nature. For some reason, man-made facades just don't do it.
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Then that is your problem. The city seem to enjoy both urbanized and naturalistic parks and public spaces.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
Then that is your problem. The city seem to enjoy both urbanized and naturalistic parks and public spaces.

AoD
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How did it become a "problem"? I just find nothing that attractive about *most* of the waterfront, at least in Toronto, save that there's some great spots out around Rouge Hill and the Bluffs. And parts of the Islands.

I ventured around Ontario Place when it was 'remade'. Phhhh...again, nowhere for a dog or a human to enter the water, save for some of the man-made lagoons, that were anything but natural...Ironically, it's the ones that have been there for close to a century that are still the most inviting, and I'm lucky to have Sunnyside beach and area nearby. Not great, but inviting and friendly. And natural.
 
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Edward Skira said:
Lucky for you most of our province and country is quite natural Surely you can't expect the same on much of Toronto's waterfront.
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I have no expectations of that becoming the case. I've become immune to the multitude of claims going back generations.

Addendum:

Thank God for small mercies:
The emergence of more condominiums near Ontario Place prompted the province to deliver more open-air space for residents, and people in the rest of the city and beyond, said Daiene Vernile, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

“The multi-purpose park will be Toronto’s newest waterfront attraction,” she said.

“It’s going to be used for open air cultural activities, festivals, community events and recreation.

“There’s even going to be a beach there.”
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https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/08/province-announces-new-green-space-at-ontario-place.html

Imagine that...
 
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Towered said:
Seriously. Most of the waterfront is just concrete with no ability to interact with the water.
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Never been to the Toronto Islands or Leslie Spit?

From link:
800px-OHEHOpenStreetMap.png
 
Leslie Spit has beaches? I haven't been in a few years....I remember piles of fill so I imagined it would all just be the same erosion-proof stone pile waterfront which looks like we've tried building fortifications against merfolk.
 
Towered said:
Seriously. Most of the waterfront is just concrete with no ability to interact with the water.
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Most of these folks don't walk distance, let alone with a dog that mid-Summer, needs to get wet every kilometer or less. They've obviously not walked distance along the waterfront. Toronto is lambasted by others, like Chicagoans, for the concrete barrier along the waterfront. I've reached crisis points with the 42kg Black Lab I walk distance with. He can easily do 20 kms or more, *if he can get wet when needed*. Had to walk blocks up from the waterfront to find a park to get him wet (Bellwoods is a good example, they have a hose there) only to walk him back down to the waterfront and then west to Sunnyside as the next place to reach the water's edge. Often we start our trek from Rouge Hill, where it's lovely, btw.

And the Don River? I love the Don Valley, albeit you have to avoid the cycle trails with a dog, even on leash, but the river water is an absolute no-no for a dog, let alone a human. Even the Humber has a very high Giardia count.

This is Toronto, where pictures count and reality doesn't. Hey, how about Sugar Beach...absolutely no access to the water (disgusting as it is there) but people can pretend.
 
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steveintoronto said:
This is Toronto, where pictures count and reality doesn't. Hey, how about Sugar Beach...absolutely no access to the water (disgusting as it is there) but people can pretend.
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And yet, it is rather popular as a public space even without access to water, which would be a nice add on, but not essential to the enjoyment of a space. Just because you don't see the value doesn't mean it doesn't have it.

AoD
 
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