Head of Slips (Waterfront Toronto, West 8/DTAH)

[AlvinofDiaspar]

From the Key Facts:

LIGHTING
24 in-water LED lights have been installed as part of the Spadina WaveDeck and can be programmed to create an in-water lighting show. The LED lights are highly-efficient with a 20-year life cycle.

http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/dbdocs//48cacbca1a000.pdf

AoD

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

West beats east.

As a die-hard east-ender and downtown working type, my experience of Harbourfront tends to be Cherry, the Bistro at the tennis bubble, riding bikes with the girls to the Island ferry, the LCBO shrine to all things alcoholic, or an event at Harbourfront Centre. i.e. I had completely missed the nicest, and most fun, Harbour neighbourhood.

I parked on Little Norway and backtracked to take a look at the deck. Since the Gardiner rises and sets back at this point, it's almost transparent looking north into CityPlace. This'll be the park end (I think) so combined with Fort York and Coronation, there's a ton of big green space.

But more importantly, the condos are smaller and more neighbourly. The parks on the south side, particularly HtO and Music Garden, are beautiful (HtO West and the park west of the Music Garden are a little scruffy.) It really feels like a place I would want to live. Can't say the same for the central waterfront. I hope the eastern build-out mimics this portion!

The deck was neat. Beautiful, understated. The thing that makes it powerful is more that it's a necessary piece of the whole -- it makes the Spadina marsh, the tall ships, HtO, etc. come together.

Bravo.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

A shot of the Wavedeck with lighting at night, from DTAH:

http://www.dtah.com/projects/landscape/waterfront/spadina-wavedeck/
(4th pic).

AoD

 

[taal]

Is it even visible when on the slip??

 

[Hydrogen]

The deck is great, and adds to what Urban Shocker aptly called the "contrast" of the water front.

 

[AKS]

I wonder if the government will ever implement a waterfront light show. In HK, once a week they have dancing lights to music once a week. But I guess people won't be able to see it unless they're looking from the island or boat. But it would make an interesting attraction.

 

[smuncky]

from today.

 

[T-Squared]

^ all the photos look great, and I can't wait to get down here and experiencing it for myself. But how come there aren't more people embracing this slip? The benches are always devoid of bums sitting on it!

 

[androiduk]

The western end of Queens Quay is usually not that busy. There's not as much there to draw people but if they would advertise the beautiful Music Garden, that would help.

 

[jn_12]

It's also mid-september and it's usually a few degrees colder down here than even just a few blocks further inland. I've actually seen quite a few people hanging out on the slip as I've walked to work or waited for the street car in front of the slip, so it's just a matter of timing. He just happened to go there when there weren't (m)any people around. I think that come next summer this thing will be insanely popular.

What would really help is if the Coffee Time across the street was actually a second cup or starbucks or some other trendy type of cafe. People would flock to the deck and use it as a patio. I rarely see anyone in the coffee time (other than the homeless) and as much as there's nothing wrong with affordable coffee, an upper tier coffee shop would just seem more fitting for the area. I don't know if the waterfront is considered trendy, but I'm sure people would rather be seen with their mocha-latte-half-frap-double-shot-espresso-with-a-hint-of-cinnamon than their stale black coffee time brew.

 

[smuncky]

It's also mid-september and it's usually a few degrees colder down here than even just a few blocks further inland. I've actually seen quite a few people hanging out on the slip as I've walked to work or waited for the street car in front of the slip, so it's just a matter of timing. He just happened to go there when there weren't (m)any people around. I think that come next summer this thing will be insanely popular.

agreed. these were taken in the early evening, just before 7pm. i can see it being used more on the weekends. plus with all the awesome sunny weather we'll be having in the next 2 weeks, i'm sure it'll see a lot of use.

 

[T-Squared]

agreed. these were taken in the early evening, just before 7pm. i can see it being used more on the weekends. plus with all the awesome sunny weather we'll be having in the next 2 weeks, i'm sure it'll see a lot of use.

Thanks, count me in as one of the many who will be there.

 

[jswag]

Went down to see this on my lunch break the other day. I thought it was pretty neat, the wood planks are really nice. I was one of the only ones there, but it was cool to sit on that bench and either watch the streetcars go by or turn the other way and listen to the small waves lapping up against the bottom of the deck. The "wave" effect is actually pretty neat, because if you sit at the low end, your eyes are almost level with the street... gives you a whole new perspective.

Overall, I approve. Give this area a few more years to mature and this will be hugely popular, along with HTO.

 

[markel]

Head of Slips

Looks like they are starting to set up for the construction on the head of slip at the foot of Rees St. They have it fenced off and a trailer office is on site.

 

[drum118]

Looks like they are starting to set up for the construction on the head of slip at the foot of Rees St. They have it fenced off and a trailer office is on site.

Simcoe is being fence off also.