Cabbagetown Streetscape Revitalization Plan (Sun Arts Design)

[DSC]

I certainly agree that there are far more annoying things in Toronto (for both residents and tourists) than wooden poles and overhead wires but I should point out that when areas are redeveloped the wires DO get buried. There are very few in the St Lawrence area south of Front street, none at City Place or the Pan-Am Village site and the City and the local BIA are in the middle of having most of them on Front Street east of Jarvis buried at a cost of over $500,000.

 

[Adjei]

Do you really think that a city that elects bean counters like Ford will bring forward initiatives to tame our nasty public realm? Maybe in another generation or two the attitudes will change. Right now, all the political scraps are about "wasting money". Let's just face it, that's the flavour of our politics right now. I don't expect the very next elected administration of this city to change the channel. Can you think of any way to change things?

Exactly a city who elects clowns like Rob Ford is not interested in buried hydro poles or public realm. It would be deemed a waste of money which is why most areas of this city look terrible even the so called touristy areas.

 

[UserNameToronto]

Toronto, 1953: "We need to get rid of these old Victorian buildings, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 1973: "We need to get rid of these damn streetcars, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 2013: "We need to get rid of these bloody hydro poles, they have no place in a modern city."

 

[mrgrieves]

Toronto, 1953: "We need to get rid of these old Victorian buildings, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 1973: "We need to get rid of these damn streetcars, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 2013: "We need to get rid of these bloody hydro poles, they have no place in a modern city."

Except that most cities buried their hydro poles decades ago, or at least put them out of sight by having them run behind buildings, not on the street. I doubt that any regret the investment. Also keep in mind buried hydro infrastructure is also more reliable.

 

[piano cat]

Hello! Just read your post and my husband and I are thinking of putting in an offer on a house in the area. One keeps hearing though how it is not that great of a place to raise kids and the public schools leave something to be desired. Are there really lots of kids in the area and do most of them go to private school, lol? We just love everything about the neighbourhood but have a few reservations on this front. It is hard to know what is truth and what is rumour. I don't know of anyone who lives there....

 

[hawc]

Toronto, 1953: "We need to get rid of these old Victorian buildings, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 1973: "We need to get rid of these damn streetcars, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 2013: "We need to get rid of these bloody hydro poles, they have no place in a modern city."

Source for quotes?

 

[hawc]

My husband and I are thinking of putting in an offer on a house in the area. One keeps hearing though how it is not that great of a place to raise kids and the public schools leave something to be desired. Are there really lots of kids in the area and do most of them go to private school, lol? We just love everything about the neighbourhood but have a few reservations on this front.

They are at least two public schools right in Cabbagetown that seem to be full of happy young kids and dedicated teachers. Are the kids mostly black/ south-asian/other minority? Yup. Does that mean the schools 'leave something to be desired'? I guess that depends on your persepective.

 

[piano cat]

Okay! Thanks for your response. It is just that you always hear the public schools are not that great and that everyone send their kids to private school but good to know that you have found them to be nurturing and with great teachers.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Hello! Just read your post and my husband and I are thinking of putting in an offer on a house in the area. One keeps hearing though how it is not that great of a place to raise kids and the public schools leave something to be desired. Are there really lots of kids in the area and do most of them go to private school, lol? We just love everything about the neighbourhood but have a few reservations on this front. It is hard to know what is truth and what is rumour. I don't know of anyone who lives there....

I've lived in CT since 1998 (less a 3 year transfer to Fredericton from 2004-2007) and love the area. My wife and I have two young kids, and the area has become very family focused. Send me a message and I'll give you some hints on local schools.

 

[pman]

Toronto, 1953: "We need to get rid of these old Victorian buildings, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 1973: "We need to get rid of these damn streetcars, they have no place in a modern city."
Toronto, 2013: "We need to get rid of these bloody hydro poles, they have no place in a modern city."

That's a ridiculous analogy. Basically all western European cities have preserved a much richer stock of historical buildings than we have, and would take our propensity to string masses of overhead wires from cheap wooden poles as completely bizarre. You can always find someone to say they like the gritty, authentic and urban feel of our uniquely Torontonian overhead wires, but we can at least take it as a fact that no major city in western Europe would ever dream of putting up such a shabby, ugly mess on its main streets because they both recognize and care about decent urban design.

 

[MisterF]

That's a ridiculous analogy. Basically all western European cities have preserved a much richer stock of historical buildings than we have, and would take our propensity to string masses of overhead wires from cheap wooden poles as completely bizarre. You can always find someone to say they like the gritty, authentic and urban feel of our uniquely Torontonian overhead wires, but we can at least take it as a fact that no major city in western Europe would ever dream of putting up such a shabby, ugly mess on its main streets because they both recognize and care about decent urban design.

Indeed, burying hydro wires doesn't make a neighbourhood any less "authentic", "urban", or "gritty". People who make those claims really need to travel more.

 

[UserNameToronto]

Indeed, burying hydro wires doesn't make a neighbourhood any less "authentic", "urban", or "gritty". People who make those claims really need to travel more.

I suppose it's an opinion. I've been living in a major European city for the past 4 years...my passport has dozens upon dozens of stamps...and yet nothing brings me home to Toronto like a tangle of overhead wires & old hydro poles.

Shabby chic. No other city like it.

 

[junctionist]

Shabby chic is one particular style. It's not a good look for an entire city. Kensington Market is shabby chic--we can preserve the wires there. But even Kensington Market would be better without the wires. You'd see more storefronts as you look down the streets. Currently, the views are obstructed by wires. Sitting on a patio or by the curb, you'd see more blue sky and trees and less crap like overhead wires.

 

[MisterF]

No other city like it.

There's a reason for that.

 

[PB1]

What baffles me is why the city sometimes replaces older concrete poles with wooden poles... does a wooden pole maker have a cousin at city hall?