Toronto The Florian | ?m | 25s | Mirabella Dev Corp | Hariri Pontarini

Hipster:

Actually I think there is a good case for politicizing the public realm debate in an opposite manner - for the right - an improved public realm is good for business and for the left - it encourages public ownership, neigbhourhood investment and opportunities where none previously existed. The historical zero sum view really isn't helping anyone on any side of the political spectrum.

AoD
 
Did you read his post? He was saying that it was BS that we are politicizing the public realm debate, and he criticized the right for their view of the public realm as 'gravy' as much as he criticized the left for making that false dichotomy between public realm spending and spending on social programs.
Click to expand...

Yes he did. My point is that I do not see the councillors or mayor on the left, at least since the start of the Miller years, making the "false dichotomy" argument you and Tewder refer to.

As has been detailed in the Shabby Public Realm thread, there are a host of public realm improvements that were initiated during the Miller years. There are also many improvements resulting from development, apparently including (to try to keep some relevance to the thread) at this Bay/Davenport intersection, which has long been an unpleasant spot on the edge of the core (and not really a part of Yorkville, though it may become one through continued development).

I appreciate that many here do not think they are enough, but the so-called left has been the driving force behind the many significant improvement projects undertaken by the City and Waterfront Toronto over the past 10 years, many of which are under construction now. And I think it is tremendously harmful to the debate about improving this City to say: "a pox on both their houses", because the right, and Ford and his gang in particular, are the biggest opponents of any of these sorts of improvements. The same goes with even stronger force on the transit front.
 
In feels a little silly debating whether the left is appreciably better than the right on the public realm issue; it's a little like debating who was the nicer guy, Hitler or Attila. Ford is pretty ineffectual on this, to be sure, but Toronto's ugly and decrepit public realm certainly dates back to before him which would implicate Miller and former mayors in this too. In other words, there seem to be deeper issues at play here, which is why when we are talking about the 'left' or the 'right' we are looking at political ideology and discourse and how this plays out in the public realm vs the real specific left and right actors in this, which change over time anyway.

Grimace, I don't completely disagree with you that Miller was probably a little better but I think it is highly debatable just how earnest and effectual he truly was with his 'City Beautiful' initiative...
 
Last edited:
15 December 2012: I go nuts with the shutter. :)

20121215142907.jpg


20121215143336.jpg


20121215143356.jpg


20121215143407.jpg


20121215143419.jpg


20121215143428.jpg


20121215143435.jpg


20121215143507.jpg


20121215143517.jpg
 
Thank you for such a thorough update UD!

42
 
I have to say, the best project in Toronto when it comes to details ! I'd say it even surpasses all the high end hotels, maybe less the Four Seasons.
 
I'm not a fan of how the balconies appear to have been an after thought, just tacked on the center of each side. However, the attention to detail, and quality material make this a gorgeous building, especially at ground level. Kudos, aA.
 
Beautiful building. But I still can't figure out why some of the balconies STILL have white plywood instead of glass. Isn't construction over? I wonder if there was an issue with the glass orders.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top