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

[Tewder]

To repeat what I've suggested before: lamenting the persistence of the NPS walkways is to Toronto as lamenting the persistence of Boston City Hall is to Boston.

The issue with the walkways is one of design and function, not aesthetic (regardless of how one feels about concrete). I don't like BCH/plaza but I wouldn't touch it, can't think of a need to.

 

[Tuscani01]

Umm... I thought the Plaza outside of Boston City Hall was being redesigned to make it more inviting? Wouldn't that example support the idea to remove the walkways around NPS to make it more inviting?

 

[salsa]

The city could end up plowing an additional $10 million into the renovation of Nathan Phillips Square — and it might not be done until 2019

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/01/05/nathan-phillips-square-reno-costs-jump

 

[Register123]

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/01/05/nathan-phillips-square-reno-costs-jump

No doubt it will take this long, with a crew of what 6-7 guys working on it for a day or two every other week. What a joke.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Umm... I thought the Plaza outside of Boston City Hall was being redesigned to make it more inviting? Wouldn't that example support the idea to remove the walkways around NPS to make it more inviting?

Except that the NPS isn't a failure in civic space even with the presence of the walkways, and that making it more inviting does not necessitate removal either.

AoD

 

[Torontovibe]

No doubt it will take this long, with a crew of what 6-7 guys working on it for a day or two every other week. What a joke.

It's more like 2 or 3 guys working on it.

 

[Automation Gallery]

It's more like 2 or 3 guys working on it.

Lol no wonder

 

[interchange42]

Lol no wonder what? Tvibe is not offering any information, that's just some cynicism.

42

 

[MetroMan]

Possibly some good news: There's a good chance that Tory will push for — and City Council will approve — up to $10M in this and next year's budgets to finish some of the cut items to begin work in the Fall after the PanAm Games have left town. The reinstated items: the ceremonial ramp, the walkways, the PATH entrance on Queen St. and the Bay St. edge. Tory is embarrassed about this and has taken a special interest in getting Nathan Phillips Square finished.

The Sheraton bridge is likely to remain in limbo until it gets into a state of disrepair that the city will have to just bight the cost and take it down itself without the Sheraton's cooperation.

If I were to guess, the restaurant won't be done for a decade or more. It's not essential to the project and no business is going to approve of such a high capital cost to build a restaurant. Maybe it'll get revisited some time in the future but my guess is that it's dead.

 

[jallan71]

One quick question about something I haven't seen addressed in any of the recent discussions about cost overruns and other elements of the project -- the street/square furniture.

At some point there was discussion about replacing the various pieces of furniture in the the Square, and the new pieces included (as I recall) various lighting elements designed to provide additional animation and safety elements. Is this new "street furniture" still a part of the project or has it gone the way of the walkway upgrades? Any word on this?

 

[ksun]

It's more like 2 or 3 guys working on it.

I walked by it today and nothing is happening.
this is why the Shanghai Disneyland Park is close to completion and NPS is nowhere near.
The former started even later (April, 2011)

 

[DSC]

I walked by it today and nothing is happening.
this is why the Shanghai Disneyland Park is close to completion and NPS is nowhere near.
The former started even later (April, 2011)

As you were outside you may have noticed it's below freezing. It is very expensive to pour concrete in the cold and planting until April is not going to work either. I completely agree that it has all taken a long time but ...

 

[Automation Gallery]

As you were outside you may have noticed it's below freezing. It is very expensive to pour concrete in the cold and planting until April is not going to work either. I completely agree that it has all taken a long time but ...

I dont know about blaming winter and the cold for the Snail's Pace, while everything else around town gets built...Its a city project, PERIOD.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I dont know about blaming winter and the cold for the Snail's Pace, while everything else around town gets built...Its a city project, PERIOD.

Considering most of the work is related to soft landscaping, I am not sure if it is realistic to expect much work done this winter.

AoD

 

[wolfewood]

I dont know about blaming winter and the cold for the Snail's Pace, while everything else around town gets built...Its a city project, PERIOD.

Did you actually read his post? Planting can't be done right now, it's cold out. Presumably, if concrete pouring is expensive at this temperature, it's a cost-saving measure NOT to work. Are you suggesting that the city should allow for cost overruns instead? It'd certainly give you something else to bitch about later eh?