Yonge-Dundas Square/Sankofa Square (Brown + Storey Architects)

[doug]

"Are you an expert on old neon tubes?"

No, are you?
I've only made them as a hobby. Neon tubes contain neon...no lead, no mercury.
Still sounds like BS, but no-one has offered any further information.

 

[doug]

I know they are not environmentally friendly

How so?

 

[Torontovibe]

How so?

I don't know enough about neon to answer that question but over the years I have read that neon is frowned upon because it's not good for the enviornment. My view is, that neon is creative, lively and urban and we should at least keep a few examples of it to enliven our central core. There is almost no neon left anywhere in this city. All we seem to get is big TV screens, like every other city! (not creative, distinct or interesting)

I'm not against neon, I love the colour and glow of neon light! It's so much more creative than a dull LED screen!

 

[gabe]

I don't know enough about neon to answer that question but over the years I have read that neon is frowned upon because it's not good for the enviornment. My view is, that neon is creative, lively and urban and we should at least keep a few examples of it to enliven our central core. There is almost no neon left anywhere in this city. All we seem to get is big TV screens, like every other city! (not creative, distinct or interesting)

I'm not against neon, I love the colour and glow of neon light! It's so much more creative than a dull LED screen!

Agreed. Toronto isn't the only place losing its neon. Times Square and the Las Vegas strip is pretty much all video screens now. Every year Vegas loses more and more neon signage. I miss the flickering lights, and those ornate metal signs, with either neon lights or mini light bulbs. Signs today seem so bland and the lighting doesn't have that vibrant glow that neon had.

 

[am29]

Agreed. Toronto isn't the only place losing its neon. Times Square and the Las Vegas strip is pretty much all video screens now. Every year Vegas loses more and more neon signage. I miss the flickering lights, and those ornate metal signs, with either neon lights or mini light bulbs. Signs today seem so bland and the lighting doesn't have that vibrant glow that neon had.

I’m sure when Neon signs became a thing people missed whatever they replaced. Sadly, thus is life.

 

[kotsy]

Las Vegas strip is pretty much all video screens now.

Was there ever neon on the main strip? I thought that was just old/downtown Vegas, which still had loads of Neon when I was there a year and a half ago.

 

[gabe]

Was there ever neon on the main strip? I thought that was just old/downtown Vegas, which still had loads of Neon when I was there a year and a half ago.

Yes the main strip was famous for its neon lights, back in the 70s 80s before the mammoth casino hotel complexes were built. Some those historic neon signs are now in the neon museum in Vegas.

 

[kotsy]

Ah, that's the north part of the main strip. Some of these casinos/hotels are still there and others are abandoned. It should be noted that most of the area in that picture (Sahara and below) and the area to the south (where all the mammoth casino hotels were built) aren't actually located in Las Vegas, but in the towns of Paradise and Winchester. The oldest part of Vegas (that is actually located in Vegas) is just called Old Las Vegas or Downtown Vegas and there's still neon aplenty.

It's kind of amusing that most hotels/casinos that people associate with Vegas (like Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Monte Carlo etc) aren't actually Vegas but almost everyone talks like they are.

 

[doug]

I don't know enough about neon to answer that question but over the years I have read that neon is frowned upon because it's not good for the enviornment.

I think you're wrong.
The manufacture of semiconductors, such as LEDs and solar panels...is destructive to the environment.

 

[MetroMan]

They’re taking down the screen canopy at the corner of Y&D.

 

[MetroMan]

Brown + Story’s concept of a clean and simple square that was subdued to allow its surroundings to shine, has clearly been thrown out. The square itself is now going full steam ahead on gaudy and flashy, trying to compete with the signs around it. Too bad... they had it right the first time.

 

[Lenser]

I was just in the area yesterday to catch The Shape of Water. I like the gaudiness, it's impressive in its scale. I'm glad it's confined to one little area mind you but there's something deliciously surreal about it.

Regarding the use of neon and its decline... could it be energy-inefficient compared to LEDs and other newer display tech?

 

[kotsy]

Sam the Record Man sign official re-lighting ceremony on Wednesday

 

[steveve]

A shot of ongoing work on the square + the Sam sign:

 

[maestro]

"Are you an expert on old neon tubes?"

No, are you?
I've only made them as a hobby. Neon tubes contain neon...no lead, no mercury.
Still sounds like BS, but no-one has offered any further information.

I can't say you're that convincing with your neon tubes contains neon. I don't know much about neon but, I know different gases and combinations are used to get the different colours. Neon makes red (warm colours). Mercury vapour makes Blue (cool colours).

It's an art form and a very expensive one at that. No one should be surprised it's dying for cheaper alternatives.