Toronto Rees Park Playground and Pavillion | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

[TSC]

In my case, it's not "the people" that I wouldn't want, but rather the annoying racket associated with skateboarding. If there is any way to dampen it, I'm all for it.

s
Would the racket near Lake Shore and the Gardiner be caused by skateboards or the endless traffic??
This response is typical when we have community meetings and for the most part the noise associated with skateboarding is caused by the wheels rolling over the endless expansion joints of a sidewalk. Modern skateparks have very smooth, seamless concrete and are less noisy than a board rolling on the street or sidewalk. In addition, skateparks are located where there is existing noise (this area is very noisy) and a safe distance from residential areas. I suggest you visit one of the existing skateparks and see, or I should say Hear, for yourself. thanks for the comment.

For more information about noise and skateparks please visit http://publicskateparkguide.org/maintenance-and-operations/noise/

 

[Northern Light]

Though it is probably a tougher business here than in Europe - low population density, limited visits, long winters.

AoD

Year-round establishments certainly would not flourish in many parks.

But anyone whose been to the passable, but far from brilliant establishment in High Park will tell you, there is demand, and much of it still latent.

I think good spaces could made to work in location such as this.

We want to be careful not to the turn the park over to buildings.

But whether in dedicated space, or thoughtfully worked into an adjacent private property the central waterfront offers real opportunity.

Trillium Park, is as yet, too isolated, but should be workable in the future for dining establishments or within adjacent spaces.

Trinity-Bellwoods could work this into its next re-fit/replacement of the Rec. Ctr there, I could foresee something very nice adjacent to the new promontory park in the Portlands and were in the eastern
Beaches not tied up w/that dubious contract, much could be done there.

 

[Bayer]

s
Would the racket near Lake Shore and the Gardiner be caused by skateboards or the endless traffic??
This response is typical when we have community meetings and for the most part the noise associated with skateboarding is caused by the wheels rolling over the endless expansion joints of a sidewalk. Modern skateparks have very smooth, seamless concrete and are less noisy than a board rolling on the street or sidewalk. In addition, skateparks are located where there is existing noise (this area is very noisy) and a safe distance from residential areas. I suggest you visit one of the existing skateparks and see, or I should say Hear, for yourself. thanks for the comment.

For more information about noise and skateparks please visit http://publicskateparkguide.org/maintenance-and-operations/noise/

I am thinking more of the sharp sounds associated with some tricks, and that might be more annoying subjectively than louder continuous sounds, especially when you are not looking at the skateboarders (and therefore cannot anticipate the noise). But I will read your link and check it out.

 

[Tulse]

Underpass Park in the West Don Lands is right next to the occupied River City 2 to the north and the under-construction River City 3 to the south (with Canary Park relatively close by) . I haven't heard of any noise complaints.

 

[ADRM]

Underpass Park in the West Don Lands is right next to the occupied River City 2 to the north and the under-construction River City 3 to the south (with Canary Park relatively close by) . I haven't heard of any noise complaints.

Though I am generally wary of engineering the fun out of cities, I too had the same thought with regard to the notion of giving skateboarders dedicated space here. Underpass Park exists in a built environment that is very different from this site (it's under the OG loud urban blight).

The thwacking of the skateboards would be occurring into the wee hours of the morning directly beside a condo, here. Again, I'm generally in the "if you want zero noise outside your window, move to rural North Bay" camp, but I just think this isn't the best site for a skateboard park.

 

[dowlingm]

Have just been looking at the display boards and Street View. What about building a wall to just about level with the Gardiner to act as a visual and sound barrier to road traffic? Realistically, there are no notable view angles through the Gardiner in either north or south direction because of visual clutter and the Dome wall is boring.

This could then form the basis for a multi-level or terraced structure facing the harbour. In terms of content, given that it is on the north side of QQE, maybe it should be programmed particularly for the adjoining residents (especially given the Maple Leaf Quay intensification), rather than as a destination as many of the south side parks might be thought?

I'm really hoping there is a better rationale for deferring the drainage structure than "no budget" - it would be so typical of Toronto to get people excited about a new facility then fence it off for years (Ireland Park, for example)

 

[innsertnamehere]

Toronto is not very good at folding dining/drinking options into their park spaces, as is standard in Europe. For example, I visited the newly-opened Trillum Park this weekend with friends, and our only option to eat something by the water was a popsicle stand....

Much of the waterfront has food options. Woodbine beach is full of stands and small retail booths, there is a snack pavillion along the Humber Bay trail, etc.

 

[interchange42]

I agree with @Roy G Biv on this one: Toronto's drinking/dining options in parks are few (and far between), and often awful. Every German city boasts at least one beer garden in every major park that offers decent food (not just the junk options available alongside Humber Bay for example), and they typically provide beautiful settings to sit down and relax. The only one I can think of here that compares in terms of offerings is The Grenadier in High Park, and it has a ways to go to catch up ambiance-wise. We should loosen up and do better in this regard.

@dowlingm, I've been pretty much suggesting the same terraced thing as you for this park—a landscaped and terraced hill that builds up towards the Gardiner to block sound (and which would provide great views of the Harbourfront area). The problem with my proposal is that I figure you'd need parking beneath it to pay for it, and the City wants to avoid more strata parkland on top of parking garages as it means having to scrape the whole park off every 40 years to so to repair the waterproof membrane up top. They're not crazy about having to do that.

42

 

[jje1000]

As mentioned before- I think a permanent farmer's market would would work well here- maybe a St Lawrence Market South?

It could be integrated into and under the park itself.

 

[dowlingm]

@dowlingm, I've been pretty much suggesting the same terraced thing as you for this park—a landscaped and terraced hill that builds up towards the Gardiner to block sound (and which would provide great views of the Harbourfront area). The problem with my proposal is that I figure you'd need parking beneath it to pay for it, and the City wants to avoid more strata parkland on top of parking garages as it means having to scrape the whole park off every 40 years to so to repair the waterproof membrane up top. They're not crazy about having to do that.

42

I don't accept the premise that the park has to pay for itself, because of the following:
1. Underground parking doesn't jive with the stormwater plan, but also the recent Lake Ontario level problems may give pause to anyone considering underground anything south of the Gardiner.
2. The Maple Leaf Quay tower will (presumably?) attract an S.37 amount which can be directed to an adjoining amenity
3. (and most importantly) Rail Deck Park isn't paying for itself. In fact, it threatens to empty the entire downtown park acquisition kitty and more besides. Why should this or any other Park be compromised when costing a percent or two of what it is proposed to throw at RDP?

Does anyone know if Harbourfront Centre pays much for the land lease, or does it amount to a way for Council to subsidise it without looking like it does?

 

[stjames2queenwest]

Honestly most options would be better than the parking lot it is now.

 

[ponyboy]

Food -- much of the world offers street food, but our city still makes it terribly difficult for mobile vendors to thrive. We haven't really moved past hotdog stands. The food cart experiment a few years back was financially prohibitive for vendors and a bureaucratic mess. Since demand for food in parks is so seasonable in Canada, we should emphasize mobile food vendors (and gasp, beer stands!), and really tap into the multicultural offerings that have been stymied by our government (and surrounding restaurants that don't want competition). A couple of movable carts can bring everything needed to cook and serve food, as well as folding chairs, small tables, and even umbrellas. They can be deployed based on demand by the proprietor, and cheaply add that missing factor of many Toronto public spaces.

However, with Harbourfront centre across the street, and their regular food events, it makes no good sense to contemplate this parcel by the Gardiner for such a purpose.

It is puzzling why this site wouldn't be sold off for a modest building here, so the funds could be used elsewhere. If they are worried about a potential building compromising the Rogers Centre view, then allow only midrise, or better yet, a midrise building with an arched profile that lines up with the Rogers centre's profile.

typical street food in Malaysia
from: http://blog.tootoomoo.co.uk/2015/11/introduction-to-malaysian-food/

 

[jje1000]

I am constantly amazed at how stifling Toronto's street food laws are.

For all the supposed health concerns (which was what killed the street cart project), it's an interesting comparison how Singapore has an absolutely vibrant and affordable street food culture while maintaining almost clinical levels of public realm cleanliness.

New York has been trying to get in some more diverse street food offerings in some "street markets", but of course, it's mostly been $12+ Instagramable hipster fare rather than any genuine cheap eats.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Cheap eats require volume sales - I think you might be a little limited in terms of viable locations. I am all for starting low though - choose a place that is highly accessible, set up a plaza with built in services and cordon a chunk off for food trucks instead.

AoD

 

[biospherian]

Here's how Vancouver is transforming their waterside parking lot: The city with arguably the best waterfront in Canada.
Maybe we can learn from them?

They're getting their own F&B Row by the waterfront -- we need this.

This terraced building will house an art museum + hotel + restaurants

And the new creekside park: