Toronto Queens Quay & Water's Edge Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

[W. K. Lis]

But we can make some great things, like furniture, from those dead trees.

From link.

 

[aquateam]

There's a little known tree with a leaf that is on our national flag--and also appears on the jerseys of a certain hockey team. The name escapes me but I'm fairly certain they can grow in this climate.

Does this species of tree bear any relation to the patterns embedded/paved directly below the planned canopy?

 

[raptor]

Guys, Maple doesn't grow as fast as London Plain (when healthy).

 

[Northern Light]

Guys, Maple doesn't grow as fast as London Plain (when healthy).

Ummmm

Data I have would suggest Maples out perform London Plane, in general, albeit only marginally.

http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/system/files/ond080103.pdf

Relevant Data:

Species Average Height after 5 years (2 nursery, 3 in field)

Silver Maple 8.5ft

Red Maple 9.1ft

* note that Acer Freeman, the most common Maple street tree is a Red/Silver Cross

London Plane Tree 8ft

 

[DSC]

I got a response from WT re the QQ trees. Not quite sure why their investigation was allowed to run on into the spring 2018 planting season nor why they cannot cut down the (many) dead trees but ..

Thanks for your email and for following up with us on this matter.

First off, the trees planted on Queens Quay West are still under extended warranty and we have been monitoring the health of the trees since 2015. Our contractor has identified a number of trees that need to be replaced and we initially had planned on replanting them this Spring. However, due to a number of factors we have decided to return in Fall 2018 to replant the trees.

This decision to postpone until fall was to ensure that we had a comprehensive understanding of why some trees did not survive and how to best ensure the new trees will flourish. This includes selecting an appropriate tree species that will thrive and also complement the new Queens Quay design.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have further questions.

 

[PinkLucy]

Having worked with the city in the past to have dead trees replaced, this doesn't surprise me.

 

[pstogios]

Can we get a ten page discussion for trees like we did for washrooms?

Yes, actually we need one hundred pages to discuss trees. This is much more important than washrooms, names of stations, fantasy maps, Spanish solution, or any other obviously critical topics that are typically discussed on UT. /endsarcasm

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I got a response from WT re the QQ trees. Not quite sure why their investigation was allowed to run on into the spring 2018 planting season nor why they cannot cut down the (many) dead trees but ..

Thanks for your email and for following up with us on this matter.

First off, the trees planted on Queens Quay West are still under extended warranty and we have been monitoring the health of the trees since 2015. Our contractor has identified a number of trees that need to be replaced and we initially had planned on replanting them this Spring. However, due to a number of factors we have decided to return in Fall 2018 to replant the trees.

This decision to postpone until fall was to ensure that we had a comprehensive understanding of why some trees did not survive and how to best ensure the new trees will flourish. This includes selecting an appropriate tree species that will thrive and also complement the new Queens Quay design.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have further questions.

And it made the Star Fixer - pretty much the same response.

https://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto...eet-trees-dying-in-droves-on-queens-quay.html

Oh wait

AoD

 

[achender]

Is there any dock wall work planned along Queen's Quay this summer?
I saw this rig next to Sugar Beach and another ,smaller one, at the foot of Yonge next to Pier 27.

 

[DSC]

They are fixing dock wall at Yonge and building the new landform and fillling in area at Cherry Street.

Two recently awarded contracts:

Dockside – Block 1 Dockwall Reinforcing at East Side of Jarvis Slip – Somerville Construction ($1,260,214)

and

Dock Wall Management Pilot Project Yonge St. Slip - East Side - York Bay Marine Services Inc.

 

[pman]

Yes, actually we need one hundred pages to discuss trees. This is much more important than washrooms, names of stations, fantasy maps, Spanish solution, or any other obviously critical topics that are typically discussed on UT. /endsarcasm

Sarcasm aside, we do need to ask why Toronto even pretends to try when it has such a dismal record with street trees. When even a competent agency like WT, doing a new build with specific accommodation for root beds, has a lot of its trees die off after three years then we have a problem. Saying we can replace them with new trees every three years because they’re under warranty doesn’t really solve the problem. The new trees will die young - you know this - then WT will rinse and repeat. The whole thing will always look sad. So, accepting that street trees are yet another normal urban thing Toronto is incapable of executing, I’d suggest we give up on the whole idea and save the money. We can have lots of virtual mature street trees in all those lovely construction renders where it’s always summer, the sidewalks are wide and crammed with attractive people, and there’s not an overhead wire in sight. We just can’t have actual, physical mature street trees, because Toronto...

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Sarcasm aside, we do need to ask why Toronto even pretends to try when it has such a dismal record with street trees. When even a competent agency like WT, doing a new build with specific accommodation for root beds, has a lot of its trees die off after three years then we have a problem. Saying we can replace them with new trees every three years because they’re under warranty doesn’t really solve the problem. The new trees will die young - you know this - then WT will rinse and repeat. The whole thing will always look sad. So, accepting that street trees are yet another normal urban thing Toronto is incapable of executing, I’d suggest we give up on the whole idea and save the money. We can have lots of virtual mature street trees in all those lovely construction renders where it’s always summer, the sidewalks are wide and crammed with attractive people, and there’s not an overhead wire in sight. We just can’t have actual, physical mature street trees, because Toronto...

Before we get overly depressing - this isn't a default outcome. Take Bloor Street Revitalization as an example, with similar die-offs and problem resolution by planting changes. Also, keep in mind WT executed plantings that did very well for the Sugar Beach/East Bayfront promenade as well. I'd treat this as a learning exercise - and I am confident WT isn't just going to replant what doesn't work and leave it at that.

AoD

 

[Northern Light]

Sarcasm aside, we do need to ask why Toronto even pretends to try when it has such a dismal record with street trees. When even a competent agency like WT, doing a new build with specific accommodation for root beds, has a lot of its trees die off after three years then we have a problem. Saying we can replace them with new trees every three years because they’re under warranty doesn’t really solve the problem. The new trees will die young - you know this - then WT will rinse and repeat. The whole thing will always look sad. So, accepting that street trees are yet another normal urban thing Toronto is incapable of executing, I’d suggest we give up on the whole idea and save the money. We can have lots of virtual mature street trees in all those lovely construction renders where it’s always summer, the sidewalks are wide and crammed with attractive people, and there’s not an overhead wire in sight. We just can’t have actual, physical mature street trees, because Toronto...

There are many examples of high quality street tree planting in Toronto which I have cited here in the past.

St. George is a signature piece (College to Bloor)

But several smaller chunks have been done well, notably the planters in front of MLS on York, and the current iteration of those outside the Eaton Ctr on Dundas.

Review the successful examples.

Review the failures.

One common trait to the (big) failures, London Plane trees.

By contrast, there is wide variety among the successful sites I noted, featuring Silver Maple, Pear Trees (no fruit), and a wide variety of native species including many Oaks.

On Bloor, we know the contractor did not put in the appropriate soil/drainage. They didn't follow the specs.

Can't be certain about Queen's Quay yet on that score.

But to me this isn't that hard.

1) Choose appropriate species and a variety of them, do not use London Plane as a street tree, in Toronto.
2) Project management. Oversee your contractor and make sure they are following the spec.
3) Wherever possible, do not put street trees under paving, even the interlocking variety. A slight elevation, with open soil, provides much greater access to moisture and a curb of roughly sitting height around a tree planter/trench will afford a significant reduction in salt exposure.
4) Trenches or open planting beds/planters are preferred to single tree pits or planters. It affords more growing spaces, more access to water, but also trees benefit from others of their kind and compatible shrubs/herbs. (not metaphysical thing, LOL, but to do w/mycorrhizae as well as the fact related trees can actually assist one another (resource share) through their root system.
5) If you must use interlocking pavers, you miss the point (permability) if you use mortar, have nearly invisible seams between bricks or otherwise impede the permeable characteristic. Think about the design choice and material palette carefully.
6) Finally, salt-management is key regardless, but if you are going to keep the trees flush w/the ground or close to w/o a lip or curb etc, then salt management is essential. Sidewalk heating should be considered, or the use of alternate agents to manage winter conditions such as sand.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

There are many examples of high quality street tree planting in Toronto which I have cited here in the past.
6) Finally, salt-management is key regardless, but if you are going to keep the trees flush w/the ground or close to w/o a lip or curb etc, then salt management is essential. Sidewalk heating should be considered, or the use of alternate agents to manage winter conditions such as sand.

I have also heard of spring flushing as a possibility.

AoD

 

[W. K. Lis]

Heated sidewalks? Which turn on only during a snow or ice fall.

From link.