Toronto The Bentway (was Under Gardiner) | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

What should be the permanent name for the park under the Gardiner?

  • The Artery

    Votes: 12 6.3%

  • The Bentway

    Votes: 83 43.7%

  • Under Gardiner

    Votes: 52 27.4%

  • None of the above

    Votes: 43 22.6%
  • Total voters
    190
Armour said:
Under Gardiner is generic because it's so literal and not creative at all (not that a simple name can't work). It's as if the conversation that was held to market this prospect went like this: what should we call this place? Well, it's underneath the Gardiner...How about, 'Under Gardiner'? We should just get Kim Mitchell to name it. He has a corny way with words (lyrically). Rock N Roll Wings Park could work.
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The same could be said of most parks in the city that aren't named after people. We don't even have a name for the islands, it's just "The Islands". Personally I would prefer "Gardiner Park" since it indicates it's actually a park in the name and is easier to use in conversation, which is what you should be aiming for with a public space name. Boring? Yes, but it works.
 
P23 said:
The same could be said of most parks in the city that aren't named after people. We don't even have a name for the islands, it's just "The Islands". Personally I would prefer "Gardiner Park" since it indicates it's actually a park in the name and is easier to use in conversation, which is what you should be aiming for with a public space name. Boring? Yes, but it works.
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Ward's Island, Algonquin Island, Hanlan's Island, Mugg's Island, Olympic Island...
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
From the Star:

‘Suspicious voting activity’ investigated in Gardiner park naming contest
https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...stigated-in-gardiner-park-naming-contest.html

AoD
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Great, just what I wanted to hear. Particularly since all the names seem not all that great anyway. And I've never once heard the term "bent" for a support column, granted I'm not an engineer or architect.

I guess I should've submitted it when I had the chance, but I always imagined calling the area under the Gardiner DUGO (Down Under the Gardiner Overpass). Which is a play on NYC's DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). I already tried using it a few times on this forum over the years separate from this project. But I'd also prefer an obscure Algonkin, Iroquois, or Ojibiwe word...any word. It'd be meaningless to most, but would create interest and intrigue, and allow us to use our heritage. Not to mention it'd be a helluva lot better than "Bentway" or "Artery", IMO at least. Remember Ataratiri (or Atiratari) for what's now the West Don Lands? It's obscure, strange, not in any English dictionary, and unique.
 
I wish there had been a "none of the above" option for the voting. Then I would have voted.

So 3,500 votes. That's what? 1/10 of 1% of the Toronto population or thereabouts? and less than 10% of the population that lives in the area near the project.
 
PinkLucy said:
I wish there had been a "none of the above" option for the voting. Then I would have voted.

So 3,500 votes. That's what? 1/10 of 1% of the Toronto population or thereabouts? and less than 10% of the population that lives in the area near the project.
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Indeed - they are welcome to using this irregularity to kill the entire competition.

AoD
 
44 North said:
Great, just what I wanted to hear. Particularly since all the names seem not all that great anyway. And I've never once heard the term "bent" for a support column, granted I'm not an engineer or architect.
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I studied civil engineering and even I didn't know that the Gardiner support columns were called "bents". Yet somehow they expect "The Bentway" to resonate with the public? I don't think so.
 
The whole process was a mess. The thing is, Waterfront Toronto is usually pretty good at creating brands. HTO Park is very clever and Sugar Beach sounds like a fun place to visit. Both are successful Waterfront Toronto brands.

The problem this time is that they left it to a committee who doesn't exactly have a marketing background then put 4 consensus names to a popular vote which further diluted any skilled branding potential. A textbook case of ruining an idea through "design by committee".

They nearly had it with UnderGardiner but I don't like the Gardiner connection. It literally sounds like "under the highway" which isn't exactly a favourable connotation.

However, their yellow and black branding and focus on the bents is spot on but the word "bent" just doesn't fit.

I mocked up these two images and will be pushing for them (or City Council) to scrap the competition and go with UNDERLINE. I think it's clever, catchy, and most importantly, marketable.

puE1JqC.png

R1gRrNX.jpg


If you want to help, Retweet these tweets:

https://twitter.com/metromanto/status/729790933408059392

https://twitter.com/metromanto/status/729793427760513024
 
Wow, nice editing. And I definitely like the name Underline.

Sorry if I'm derailing this. But to add on to my point above about using First Nations words, I flipped through an Ojibwa dictionary and found a few words that could be used. That is, if we were to choose something obscure with a touch of heritage attached. I never saw the long list of names, so perhaps some of these were even included at one time. I personally would prefer any of these instead of Bentway or Artery.

Aazhogan (bridge)
Abitan (live in, occupy it)
Anaam (located directly underneath something)
Annamayi’ii (under)
Annamakamig (under the ground)​
Baakin (uncover)
Baakise (comes open, comes uncovered)
Baakaakonan / Baakaakonigaade (open something that is stick-like)​
Dapaabi (peek through an opening)
Mizhishawisin (it lies in the open)
Zhiibaa (passage or tunnel underneath something)
 
FNTS said:
The Underline was proposed but discarded because there is already a park proposed for Miami with the same name.
https://www.theunderline.org/
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Miami's is a concept that is not yet funded. Toronto's will be built by next year. I'm fairly sure that we'll have a head start at owning the brand.

Nonetheless, there are other "high lines" popping up around the world (including one proposed in Toronto) and I know of at least another SkyDome. Nobody owns exclusivity to Underline. I think we could own it if we use it to brand our funded and soon to be built linear park.
 
I feel like naming it after a first nations word is going down the path of cultural appropriation & tokenism - especially when so many first nations communities are in crisis right now. Perhaps once Canada lifts it's indigenous populations out of such dire straits we can consider naming our multi-million dollar hipster parks after their words.
 
I'm perfectly fine with Under Gardiner. I have zero problems with the connection that name makes, and in fact I think it's important, like a "reclaim the name" type campaign. The park itself should be designed to celebrate the fact that it is in fact under the Gardiner, and anyone who can't handle that, well, sorry, but boohoo, get over it, if the idea doesn't appeal during process, fine, but once it's done, go down and check it out. If they never do, the name The Bentway was not going to be the magic moniker that would have convinced them otherwise.

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