Toronto Ontario Square and Canada Square | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

ponyboy, we are all aware of the need for Toronto to improve it's public realm. Barcelona can offer us many insights and lessons in this regard. Where you loose me is extending this Toronto deficiency into a general theory of quality of life. When you were in Barcelona did you appreciate how difficult life is for people there? All other things being equal, if Toronto and Barcelona were in the same country you would see a mass exodus from one to the other and I am fully confident of which way this exodus would flow.
 
The CNE grounds have some great fountains, but few people ever see them. Even the Princes' Gates have small fountains integrated into them--a rare instance of a fountain integrated into exterior architecture in the city.
 
Adjei said:
What do you expect from a city who elected someone who like Rob Ford? Is this a city concerned with improving the public realm. These things cost money and Toronto likes to take the cheap way out on many things, we don't want to spend the money. Just look at rusted hydro poles all over the city, even in our most important intersections. Until we get some leaders who will stand up and advocate for change and improvements in the public realm, we won't see much of any change. I don't think people in this city really care, if they did they would have not voted for Rob Ford, someone who has promised to cut "gravy" items such as spending on the public realm.
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I think it's important to be bold in the suburban parts of the city as with the downtown core, even if the downtown core is more prominent in the city. Everyone should see some great improvements in order to maintain broad support for public realm improvements. I think Toronto is due for a bold civic project like an ambitious new public square. But at the same time, a few public squares could be built in the suburban parts of the city near higher density nodes and where transit is better. They could become the centres of life in various neighbourhoods with programming and if framed by institutions, stores, restaurants and bars.
 
When I landed in Barcelona a year ago i was right away amazed by their shiny, beautiful airport. I wondered where the money to use those shiny tiles came from. Well now I know. The European Union lend them the money to build and build. A few years later...look at them now. Bankrupt, unemployed, poor. The gothic quarters are cool, but just don't look up. People live in very bad conditions. Having said that, it doesn't mean that toronto should not build beautiful parks in the city, especially now that we have all those condos going up in the city.
 
vatche said:
When I landed in Barcelona a year ago i was right away amazed by their shiny, beautiful airport. I wondered where the money to use those shiny tiles came from. Well now I know. The European Union lend them the money to build and build. A few years later...look at them now. Bankrupt, unemployed, poor. The gothic quarters are cool, but just don't look up. People live in very bad conditions. Having said that, it doesn't mean that toronto should not build beautiful parks in the city, especially now that we have all those condos going up in the city.
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Not for the first time here...

Spain's problems are NOT about government debt, which it's not bad on at all. It's much more about the collapse of the housing sector, which meant the loss of jobs and a credit lock-up by the private banks.

Building infrastructure is not their problem!
 
The best thing I can say about it is that it's better than the parking lot it replaced.
 
We cheapened out as usual and instead of something brilliant, we are left with this boring thing.
 
canadan said:

Still don't know what to think of this one. Will have to reserve judgment until a good year or so.
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What disappoints me is that there don't appear to be more places for people to sit. For example, the planter curb in the photo above could and should be higher so that people will be encouraged to use it as a bench. On a hot summer's day, after wandering around the wavedecks, or QQ centre, or any of the other attractions, people would almost certainly look for such a spot that was conducive to resting.

Even that would more than likely animate this area and draw in people. The recent overhaul of the CN Tower's base has accomplished this brilliantly.

Personally I would have preferred a proper square, but I understand that during community consultations the respondents were decidedly in favour of much greener spaces, and that's what's been delivered.

Still, here's hoping that the planter curb above isn't a finished product.
 
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Not that I don't think this park would look better with a nice splash pad or fountain, but keep in mind that the look and feel of the place will look very different from now when those redwoods mature. They are going to get much larger than they are now.
 
A park is a nice addition no matter what. The trees mature, cafés open. Look at Bryant park in NY. It's just a park.
 
But these are not parks. Aren't these both meant to be public squares? Should a public square be different than a park? For me, a public square is a more urban space and not just a typical park with trees and a few benches. I think a public square should aspire to be something more. A public square should be more monumental, with a stronger, more distinctive design.
 
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