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

[WeirdFishes]

Hell, why not have both!?

you don't need a bridge, there's a tunnel already.

 

[urbanexplorer]

Kick the airport off the Toronto Island's and build a cheaper bridge at the western channel. That would be the most ideal spot.

Or not. Big fan of the airport, personally.

 

[Brandon36]

 

[3Dementia]

^ Thanks... like most kids I love reading fiction supported by fanciful water-colour images. Couldn't find the actual date anywhere on this pdf... when Sidewalk publicly announced their invasion plans.

In the non-fiction category, here's a Waterfront Toronto link for people who (like me) like to look closer... this is a HUGE (and wider angle) rendering of the smaller image posted earlier for the Lower Don Lands art trail. Rendering by Norman Li of course.

https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/sites/default/files/2022-06/NORM-LI_211215_EXT_AERIAL_VF_02 (1).jpg

 

[Northern Light]

The Star has a new piece up on a potential fixed link pedestrian bridge to the Islands, from the Portlands, with a render submitted by a local architect:

Toronto’s Central Park? One architect’s ‘spectacular’ vision for bridge linking Islands to mainland

Instead of the lift bridge proposed by Ward 10 candidate April Engelberg, the RevelHouse bridge would swing open to allow sailboats, freighters and other large vessels through.

www.thestar.com

The architect in question is John Plumpton

From the article:

Estimated cost: 150M ++

The idea is one of a swing bridge, as opposed to a lift bridge.

***

The article goes on to talk to the various neighbourhood associations on the Island and at Habourfront w/their pretty much consensus position that they would oppose this, and favour closing and levelling Billy Bishop and repurposing the existing tunnel there as the new pedestrian link to the Islands.

 

[tripwire]

Hell, why not have both!?

Yeah it'd be really awesome to have a bridge on the east end as well, especially since it's pedestrian and cyclists only. I'm not sure how practical it'll be considering there's quite a lot of ship traffic through that area though.

I haven't used the west end tunnel for a long time, but I recall the other end is basically the airport, and you can't actually walk "out' to the island proper?

 

[DSC]

Yeah it'd be really awesome to have a bridge on the east end as well, especially since it's pedestrian and cyclists only. I'm not sure how practical it'll be considering there's quite a lot of ship traffic through that area though.

I haven't used the west end tunnel for a long time, but I recall the other end is basically the airport, and you can't actually walk "out' to the island proper?

Yes, the west tunnel is ONLY for the airport. To reach the park one would have to cross the runways so THAT is not going to happen. It is also not a great route for crowds as there are elevators on the land side and escalators on the airport side.

 

[JasonParis]

On this issue, consider me a "bridge AND tunnel" person.

 

[evandyk]

Has anyone ever considered just getting better and more ferries? I know the city hasn't but maybe some enterprising random architect?

 

[Northern Light]

Has anyone ever considered just getting better and more ferries? I know the city hasn't but maybe some enterprising random architect?

The City is in fact working on better ferries; though not more, as I recall.

The current plan is replace to of all of the current ferries over the next decade and a bit..............

And the replacements would likely be higher capacity and somewhat faster.

Though, I'm not clear on how they propose to address dwell time associated w/loading/offloading (to do this more quickly would ideally see the upper deck able to offload/load directly, rather than via stairs to the main level.

 

[evandyk]

They are buying new ones (very slowly) but I don't believe there is much of a plan to increase the total capacity in a material way?

 

[Dinamo5]

Regardless of how many ferries they buy or how fast they are you still have to pay to go on them. A beautiful walking bridge like the design being proposed would be ideal for all of Toronto and Ontarians. Again the airport is in the way to be able to offer a more affodable bridge option but obviously that will never be closed it seems, it will be around for a 100 years.

 

[JasonParis]

I'd only give YTZ a 50/50 chance of surviving another decade personally.

 

[C-C-C]

Found from Twitter

 

[DSC]

Does anyone know what this metal box 'building' is - it looks like the bridge of a ship - they have been busy assembling it today in the area they are about to start excavating at the Yellow bridge.