Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto

This report on the work at NPS is coming to the Government management Committee next week. See: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.GM21.11

Project Elements and Schedule

The NPS project construction (including revitalization and State of Good Repair (SOGR) work) is divided into four phases with various project elements scheduled for completion from 2010 to 2014 and is summarized as follows:

Phase 1A was completed in May 2010 with the construction of the new City Hall
Podium Green Roof.

Phase 1 was completed in 2010-2011 as follows:
o replacement of the children's playground equipment (completed December 2010);
o new Skate Pavilion and Concession building (completed November 2011); and
o underground infrastructure work for other project elements, including electrical,
data, water, sewer, and gas site services (completed December 2011).

Phase 2 was completed in 2012 as follows:
o the new northwest vehicular laneway (completed February 2012);
o a nine-jet water fountain feature and new electrical and data hydrants in the middle
of the Square (completed July 2012);
o the new theatre stage ( completed in December 2012); and
o the relocated Peace Garden (partially completed in 2012)

Phase 3 is targeted for completion by the middle of 2014:
o increased landscaping along the western edge of the Square - completion by end of
2013;
o completion of deferred work related to the relocated Peace Garden – completion by
end of 2013;
o new planting and landscaped surfaces for the Queen Street frontage of the Square;
and
o upgrading the existing building at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets;

Phase 4 is targeted for completion by the end of 2014:
o Bay Street streetscape; and
o Upgrading the underground PATH pedestrian walkway.

The proposed new restaurant will be constructed separately (tentatively scheduled for
2013-2015), based on a Request for Proposals selection process and a business case to
lease the restaurant to a private restaurant operator.

Renovation of the Ceremonial Ramp is being constructed separately as part of the State
of Good Repair scope of work and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2019.
 
What's happening with the ramp?
 
Thanks rdaner and DSC!

Weirdly, they didn't mention the overhead walkways in that report (other than the ramp). What's the status of the work on the railings, benches, etc.?
 
A terrific photo of City Hall/NPS following completion in 1965 before the Sheraton was built. Photo by Joe Underwood, Toronto Fire Department

nps_1965_zps6c2b89d8.jpg
 
defence5:

Indeed. Meh - bit of a non-issue either way. Not a huge fan of it, but it's not the end of the world either. And some good may come out of it if it displaces those truly awful food trucks.

AoD
 
defence5:

Indeed. Meh - bit of a non-issue either way. Not a huge fan of it, but it's not the end of the world either. And some good may come out of it if it displaces those truly awful food trucks.

AoD

Great point. I totally forgot about the effect that having a burger spot here would have on the food trucks. NPS would look much better without them.
 
Great point. I totally forgot about the effect that having a burger spot here would have on the food trucks. NPS would look much better without them.

That was part of the debate with the Hero Burger bid and the seasonal food building in Council on Tuesday, some wanted Staff to send the issue back for further consultation for more ethnic or healthier options including KWT, which I disagree with. Anyway, the food trucks and sidewalk carts are going to be addressed separately now as there was considerable concern expressed that they present a bad face to NPS, especially after the $60M revitalization, and I do agree with that.
 
I'd welcome a Hero Burger here, as it should be a popular destination. NY has Shake Shack in the heart of Madison Square Park and it's become an institution for fast food in the city.
 
...

Anyway, the food trucks and sidewalk carts are going to be addressed separately now as there was considerable concern expressed that they present a bad face to NPS, especially after the $60M revitalization, and I do agree with that.

Strange that they are just discovering this "bad face" bit. It's been like that for damned near 40 years.

Let's hope they relocate the chipwagons!
 
dt_to_geek

That was part of the debate with the Hero Burger bid and the seasonal food building in Council on Tuesday, some wanted Staff to send the issue back for further consultation for more ethnic or healthier options including KWT, which I disagree with. Anyway, the food trucks and sidewalk carts are going to be addressed separately now as there was considerable concern expressed that they present a bad face to NPS, especially after the $60M revitalization, and I do agree with that.

I dislike the notion of having Hero Burgers as the sole, all year purveyor at NPS given its' limited menu offering. That said, as far as I know the RFP really didn't specify a healthy, diversified menu as one of the requirement so that is a fairness argument as well.

On the bright side, a restaurant is supposed to go in as part of the revitalization and perhaps THAT can be one of the RFP requirements?

AoD
 
dt_to_geek
I dislike the notion of having Hero Burgers as the sole, all year purveyor at NPS given its' limited menu offering. That said, as far as I know the RFP really didn't specify a healthy, diversified menu as one of the requirement so that is a fairness argument as well.

On the bright side, a restaurant is supposed to go in as part of the revitalization and perhaps THAT can be one of the RFP requirements?

AoD

The debate over Hero Burger went on for hours on Tuesday, it was ridiculous. Consultants had been brought in (and paid of course) to identify what would work best in this small 600 sq. foot (+/-) space, Staff studied it and wrote their recommendations based on what Council had asked for originally and what the consultants recommended, the bidding process goes out and Hero Burger gets awarded the contract. It arrives at Council for a vote on Tuesday and one Councillor decides they want to go back to the drawing board and a debate breaks out for two hours, finally deferred for a vote the next day. Endless red tape. They even read from the Hero Burger menu which offers the standard hamburger fare (albeit no hormones/antibiotic traces in their meat), salmon burgers, veggie burgers, chicken burgers etc. and argued that it was a good fit with healthier menu options. Then someone (Holyday?) decided he wanted the place to train new chefs and it went on and on again then the food carts and trucks came up in the middle of all of this. In the end it seemed to come down that the full service sit-down restaurant (not the Hero Burger takeaway joint) could be better fleshed out in the future for training young chefs, more ethnic and healthier food options and would likely face Queen Street about where the Winston Churchill statue is now (relocated from the side of the Square) so that seemed to please some of those who wanted to go back to the drawing board. The contracts awarded for these three food service establishments (Hero Burger, the seasonal joint and the sit-down) are 5 year contracts so if the fit isn't right in five years Council has the option to go through the bidding process again based on what they think might work better or serve products that people want more. The food trucks/carts have to go to a different department and Staff were asked to write a report on what it would take to move them out of there, they are on yearly contracts with the City (sidewalk carts) and the Transportation department (food trucks).
 
What's the point of bringing in paid consultants, if they can't even get the bidding process properly done? A variety of food options should have been one of the main requirements, to even make a bid. I, like many people don't like burgers, so I will have to find another place to eat. I'll take Shopsy's across the street but I shouldn't have to leave the square.

So does that mean the upstairs deck will finally get some seating? (umbrellas?)
 

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