Toronto Parks

[Towered]

The city seems to slowly be adding more outdoor fitness equipment to various parks, which is fantastic. It’s so convenient to be able to knock out some quick sets if you don’t feel like or are able to hit a gym. Is there a detailed rollout available somewhere? Way more parks need this:

 

[Uchihakira43]

Summerlea park: does anyone know about the community garden in Summerlea park near the ice rink?

 

[rdaner]

Putting this here as I think that this is a great way to increase activity space in the urban environment.

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[rdaner]

I have a question about the 2024 Budget and community centres. What is the Downtown Community Recreation Centre (Ramsden)?

The East Bayfront CC is in the Aquabella building?

What does the money for John Street corridor cover?

Thanks!

 

[Northern Light]

I have a question about the 2024 Budget and community centres.

I'm reading.

What is the Downtown Community Recreation Centre (Ramsden)?

Yes

The East Bayfront CC is in the Aquabella building?

Yes * (Aqualuna, actually)

What does the money for John Street corridor cover?

Given that no construction is due on the corridor this year, I'm going to suggest these are probably design funds, I assume most of the funds for this project are over at Transportation, but if I had to guess, this might be for the public square space contemplated the s/w corner of King/John. Not sure on that.

 

[rdaner]

I'm reading.



Yes



Yes * (Aqualuna, actually)



Given that no construction is due on the corridor this year, I'm going to suggest these are probably design funds, I assume most of the funds for this project are over at Transportation, but if I had to guess, this might be for the public square space contemplated the s/w corner of King/John. Not sure on that.

Thanks for the reply! On Ramsden I would think that this is in Ramsden Park but is meant to serve Yorkville as well?

 

[Northern Light]

Thanks for the reply!

You're welcome.

On Ramsden I would think that this is in Ramsden Park but is meant to serve Yorkville as well?

Its the site of the current works yard just to the south of Ramsden, fronting Yonge.

It will be the principle recreation centre for northern downtown and Yorkville.

 

[rdaner]

I am putting this here as there are no proposals yet but an interesting section in the 2017 Portlands Report recently posted in the Portlands thread. McCleary Park and the Commissioners Transfer Station are mentioned as having enormous potential as a major open space and community/cultural centre. Just a few images to get ideas going.

 

[flonicky]

Raindrop Plaza at Cowell & Dundas is mostly done:

That's a lot of hard surface for a piece of "green infrastructure". Maybe it should have been called "Heat Island Plaza." If this was a front yard, it wouldn't meet the city's soft surface proportions.

I prefer the little oasis at Coxwell and Fairford:

The sad, little Edgewood Commons has more green, but not a great design:

 

[Northern Light]

Above @flonicky has good photos and excellent comments regarding Raindrop Plaza.

This is NOT the original design plan, this is supposed to be a rain garden which would help treat some local run-off as well.

How this design got altered to include a large amount of asphalt where softscaping had been planned is something for which I have been unable to obtain a satisfactory explanation.

Not Acceptable!

Maybe someone would like to write Councillor Bradford's office in search of answers. (I'm not the right person, this time)

***

This was the last version of the plan I saw:

Still too hardscapey, (yes that's a word now, I just invented it) ; but even here, you see trees over the asphalt patch.

This was a much earlier version, also too hardscapey:

This thing has had so many iterations. None all that good.

Still this is really disappointing.

 

[rdaner]

The City is looking for feedback on a cricket strategy. This fits nicely into how does one squeeze more uses out of a static network of spaces? I wonder if putting a few pitches into the ravines is viable/desireable?

As far as the central area goes I would like to see at least one in Villiers Park.

Cricket Strategy

Provide feedback on key goals and actions for the City’s first Cricket Strategy. The survey closes on June 2, 2024. Take the Survey Cricket is popular in Toronto and is one of the fastest-growing sports across the region. City staff are in the process of developing a Cricket Strategy to better...

www.toronto.ca

 

[Northern Light]

This fits nicely into how does one squeeze more uses out of a static network of spaces? I wonder if putting a few pitches into the ravines is viable/desireable?

Not a permissible use, nor a practical one. Lighting is prohibited in natural ravine areas. (new installs)

It exists in one or two historically; but in those cases too, it may be subject to removal when the system gives out.

As far as the central area goes I would like to see at least one in Villiers Park.

Plausible, but the waiting list for soccer pitches in the core is huge. I'm not certain the demand for cricket, in that area, is as high.

I expect demand in other areas of the City is much higher, including areas, where baseball might be removed due to low demand.

***

This speaks to the need for more total parkland, particularly in the form of larger parks (new or by way of expanding existing) that can accommodate sports fields.