Public urged to pressure politicians to create park on Wellesley St. site of stalled apartment project - Page 3

***Taller, Better*** · October 29th, 2012, 07:29 AM

Well, I guess step number one is finding out if it will become a park.

ONE HUMAN · October 29th, 2012, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Bryant Park also offers seating that's more generous and formal. Black metal benches as opposed to cinder blocks or rocks to sit on.

And don't forget all the bistro-style folding chairs that are available in Bryant Park. I think there as many as 3,000. You can sit wherever you want.

Me Too · October 30th, 2012, 06:20 PM

The idea isn't for it to become an 'urban park' like Yorkville, Bryant Park or Dundas Square. It is meant to be a small piece of greenspace for the local residents. If it happens, it will be a more traditional park with grass and trees and maybe a small play area for children. Those are sorely lacking in the area.

monkeyronin · October 30th, 2012, 11:52 PM

Bryant Park is very much a traditional park with grass and trees...

isaidso · October 31st, 2012, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me Too

The idea isn't for it to become an 'urban park' like Yorkville, Bryant Park or Dundas Square. It is meant to be a small piece of greenspace for the local residents. If it happens, it will be a more traditional park with grass and trees and maybe a small play area for children. Those are sorely lacking in the area.

Where are you getting that information from? Are there official proposal drawings done that you are privy to? If so, care to share? And who is it that wants this to be a small piece of green space for local residents rather than a significant city public space?

It's right off Yonge so it's destined to be a major city asset not just a small neighbourhood amenity. It will get swamped immediately just like Dundas Square so they better design it with that in mind.

This is downtown Toronto; just laying down some grass and a play set? That's suitable in the suburbs, but not here. What's next, building a split level house next to the Bay-Adelaide Centre?

isaidso · October 31st, 2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

Well, I guess step number one is finding out if it will become a park.

Quite right. I walked by the site the other day, but there wasn't anything in the way of information. Someone has painted a mural suggesting a neighbourhood park, but it doesn't look like anything official.

isaidso · October 31st, 2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONE HUMAN

And don't forget all the bistro-style folding chairs that are available in Bryant Park. I think there as many as 3,000. You can sit wherever you want.

There aren't too many things I'll openly drool over, but that park is one of them. I wouldn't mind if they re-created this bit inch for inch.

***Taller, Better*** · October 31st, 2012, 06:48 PM

I'd be very happy with it, too. Particularly the wide open spaces as this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONE HUMAN

And don't forget all the bistro-style folding chairs that are available in Bryant Park. I think there as many as 3,000. You can sit wherever you want.

Me Too · November 1st, 2012, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Where are you getting that information from? Are there official proposal drawings done that you are privy to? If so, care to share? And who is it that wants this to be a small piece of green space for local residents rather than a significant city public space?

That's how Krystin Wong-Tam has portrayed her plan and how the petition was presented.

http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=188025

“This site represents the only opportunity to provide the densest urban centre in Canada with a dynamic and functional community park,” Norm Waite of the Bay Cloverhill Community Association told the crowd of roughly two dozen.

Tyler Greenleaf, who lives near the Wellesley site, said he wants a park built so he his one-year-old son has a place to play outdoors.
“People need a place to go, children need a place to go,” he said. “This is the last large space in downtown Toronto. [It’s] a huge opportunity for the city to create a legacy for all Torontonians.”

***Taller, Better*** · November 1st, 2012, 05:28 AM

That article may be confusing for people; it was printed on Aug 2 before this announcement was made.

isaidso · November 1st, 2012, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me Too

That's how Krystin Wong-Tam has portrayed her plan and how the petition was presented.

Thank you for the information and naming Wong-Tam. It's good to know who's personally involved, but Taller is right that it's far too early to form any concrete ideas about how this will unfold.

If this does become a park/public square, it will likely go through the same public consultation and design review process as the Yorkville park and Dundas Square.

Honestly, I'd be surprised it if this ended up just being some grass with a play set on it.

Mollywood · November 3rd, 2012, 12:50 AM

I wouldn't be surprised. Lots of parks in Toronto tend to be grass, with a few trees randomly placed and a few measly benches, also seeming randomly placed. There appears to be very little effort put towards design, art, creativity or social interaction. I wish more of our featureless parks, were proper, public squares, designed so Torontonians could inter-act with one another. A bit of art or fountains, wouldn't hurt either. (oh, but those cost money and we are so god damned poor)

October 29th, 2012, 07:29 AM	#41
*Taller, Better* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 52,786 Likes (Received): 399	Well, I guess step number one is finding out if it will become a park. __________________ Please visit my photoblog! Montréal \| Mexico \| Niagara-on-the-Lake \| Brazil \| Hamilton aka "The Hammer"! "Fine words butter no parsnips"-17th Century proverb.

November 1st, 2012, 05:28 AM	#50
*Taller, Better* Administrator Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 52,786 Likes (Received): 399	That article may be confusing for people; it was printed on Aug 2 before this announcement was made. __________________ Please visit my photoblog! Montréal \| Mexico \| Niagara-on-the-Lake \| Brazil \| Hamilton aka "The Hammer"! "Fine words butter no parsnips"-17th Century proverb.

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October 30th, 2012, 06:20 PM	#43
Me Too Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 137 Likes (Received): 0	The idea isn't for it to become an 'urban park' like Yorkville, Bryant Park or Dundas Square. It is meant to be a small piece of greenspace for the local residents. If it happens, it will be a more traditional park with grass and trees and maybe a small play area for children. Those are sorely lacking in the area.

October 30th, 2012, 11:52 PM	#44
monkeyronin Mơמkƹ͛ƴ∆ґơɲiɲ Join Date: May 2006 Location: London Posts: 4,427 Likes (Received): 59	Bryant Park is very much a traditional park with grass and trees...

November 3rd, 2012, 12:50 AM	#52
Mollywood Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,988 Likes (Received): 16	I wouldn't be surprised. Lots of parks in Toronto tend to be grass, with a few trees randomly placed and a few measly benches, also seeming randomly placed. There appears to be very little effort put towards design, art, creativity or social interaction. I wish more of our featureless parks, were proper, public squares, designed so Torontonians could inter-act with one another. A bit of art or fountains, wouldn't hurt either. (oh, but those cost money and we are so god damned poor)