rdaner
Senior Member
I see this thread renewed and always think that the opening of the food hall has been announced. Never the case. Lol
Toronto Waterworks Building Redevelopment | 47.55m | 13s | MOD Developments | Diamond Schmitt
- Thread starter atodaso
- Start date
Towered
Superstar
I know that feeling of frustration - the biking booty shorts will be in hibernation soon...
Northern Light
Superstar
What are you going to wear when treating @AlbertC and I to that meal at https://www.danicotoronto.com/ ?
I was totally banking on the booty shorts; picturing the staff as you pick up the tab for our 1k adventure while wearing those......
Somethings money can buy; some are priceless! LOL
FastidiousHack
New Member
Heartbreaking, but understandable. My only hope is that they replant something new in its place.
Northern Light
Superstar
I missed this bit of this thread originally.......odd that no one tagged me, ah well.
I should chime in here. Filling in tree cavities is frowned on these days.
It's considered to do more harm than good.
There are different materials that were tried over the years, but in general the following was found:
1) Use of hard materials like cement create problems, one of which is that they don't bend or sway in wind the way trees do, and they can impair a tree's natural movement. Another is that in covering any infection, they can actually obstruct the trees
natural defences against disease.
2) Use of soft materials such as expanding foam may serve to keep insects out, but they do not add any structural support.
from: https://tgaw.wordpress.com/2008/10/14/cavity-filling/
In general, the best practice in the arboricultural industry right now is that if a tree were hollow in a forest, or low-risk setting, you leave it and let nature take its course. But in a high-risk scenario like a well used playground or public space, the tree must be removed.
A Torontonian Now
Senior Member
It always seems like a shame to me for all that beautiful wood to get tossed in the wood chipper. There should be a process to save and sell or donate at least the trunk pieces to local craftspeople
Full Metal Junkie
Active Member
I managed to get a sneak peek into the Food Hall construction on Saturday, Oct 14 as part of the Heritage Toronto bus tour.
Spoiler alert: this is going to be an exceptional public space.
Most windows were bricked up almost to the top in order to block the sunlight back when this was the Waterworks building. The windows were restored true to the original with single pain glass in a steel frame:
The vaulted skylight was covered by plywood and shingles when this was Waterworks. The building was not air-conditioned, so the workers blocked most of the sunlight to control the temperature in the summer. The skylight was restored to its original glory along the full length of the Food Hall.
The structural metalwork was preserved in a slick gunmetal grey. Looks fantastic.
They had to remove the overhead gantry for the shoring work. The gantry was later placed back atop its rails, complete with the crane hook:
The lighting fixtures...
The staircase to the mezzanine level is finished with end-grain wood blocks which harken back to the original flooring of the Waterworks. They were originally planning to install these as flooring but decided against it due to longevity concerns. The staircases also display brass water pipe fittings that used to connect pipes here:
Food stalls are being outfitted:
No concrete date of opening.
Spoiler alert: this is going to be an exceptional public space.
Most windows were bricked up almost to the top in order to block the sunlight back when this was the Waterworks building. The windows were restored true to the original with single pain glass in a steel frame:
The vaulted skylight was covered by plywood and shingles when this was Waterworks. The building was not air-conditioned, so the workers blocked most of the sunlight to control the temperature in the summer. The skylight was restored to its original glory along the full length of the Food Hall.
The structural metalwork was preserved in a slick gunmetal grey. Looks fantastic.
They had to remove the overhead gantry for the shoring work. The gantry was later placed back atop its rails, complete with the crane hook:
The lighting fixtures...
The staircase to the mezzanine level is finished with end-grain wood blocks which harken back to the original flooring of the Waterworks. They were originally planning to install these as flooring but decided against it due to longevity concerns. The staircases also display brass water pipe fittings that used to connect pipes here:
Food stalls are being outfitted:
No concrete date of opening.
Last edited:
Towered
Superstar
Simply stunning. The biking booty shorts await its opening...though I need an actual bike first...
Northern Light
Superstar
The streetscape has now been re-done: Photo taken Nov 5th, 2023:
As the quote above obscures the 'before' shot:
DSC
Superstar
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This is SUCH an improvement!
rdaner
Senior Member
Maybe that this is now done they can work on opening the Food Hall and YMCA! Lol
DavidCapizzano
Senior Member
aspen trees
Northern Light
Superstar
You're expanding your savant range from bricks to trees?
LOL
***
I didn't play close attention when I walked by, so you got me looking at the pics, I concurred, but as I hate being wrong, I sent the pics to a forester for a double-take.
The consensus was Trembling Aspen; with no leaf or bud visible, difficult to distinguish from Eastern Cottonwood; but that would be an improbable choice, so Aspen it is.
***
The forester was not convinced of virtue of the all-Aspen choice.
I got this back.
"They can do well for 5-10 years but then they’ll start to get hypoxylon canker when they get about 6” DBH and die off. It kills individuals but the colony will continue on. Likely better to plant a mix."
I get what they were thinking, given that these were next to the building, they were thinking columnar trees as well as fast growing.
But anytime you go entirely with one species and/or genus you're a high risk of something going wrong, and nixing all your trees.
Aspen, being colonial, also offer a different challenge, new ones popping up everywhere, which will mess w/the shrub and tree pattern.
Cottonwood are also colonial and would offer the same issue.
***
I like Aspen, more urban-tolerant than Birch, but offer a somewhat similar look (not as white, not a peel'ish bark) but still.
I think it may have been wiser to organize this slightly differently. Still a vast improvement over using the boulevard for parking.
AnnetteMeetsJane
Active Member
Shame about the four yellow posts in the pedestrian way protecting a metal grating. Obstacles like this are a threat to those with low vision, and it is only a matter of time before some real estate agent parks their board(s) in the protected space.
Anyone know why we need four waist-high bollards to protect a small metal grating?
Anyone know why we need four waist-high bollards to protect a small metal grating?
FastidiousHack
New Member
Looks to be left over from the vehicle parking, they didn't want wheel loads on the grate. But now that cars don't park there, I imagine they thought it was easier to just leave them.