I know quite a few people who have gone to NPS recently because of the sign. So yeah, it's a draw for some.
Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto
freshcutgrass, you are taking a vacation from UrbanToronto for a while because you have ignored requests to move on from this topic.
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salsa
Senior Member
Armour
Senior Member
Who was hosting an event there last night? City TV doesn't still put on those terribly cheesy New Year's shows with useless hacks like Shawn Desman, do they?
taal
Senior Member
I've never seen that many people; Mind you one year for Cavalcade of lights it was pretty close to that (maybe 5-7 years ago ... when it was a multiple week event) it was extremely warm and the first showing (early Nov), a lot of Queen street was full. But wow yea NYE isn't usually that bad.
Also its a pretty terrible showing; 5 min fireworks, nowadays artists that aren't really known (mind you for some folks they probably don't mind that) and just about 0 air time on TV
Also its a pretty terrible showing; 5 min fireworks, nowadays artists that aren't really known (mind you for some folks they probably don't mind that) and just about 0 air time on TV
Torontovibe
Senior Member
The turn out was massive, especially when there were no name entertainers. The metal fencing on the east side of Bay Street was actually a danger to the crowd, as people were rammed up against it from over-crowding. You could hear people screaming for the crowd to stop pushing and some people were saying they couldn't breath. I saw one woman carried out on a stretcher. I was trapped in that crowd and was kinda freaking out for a few minutes. I will NOT do that again. You can see how bad it was in one part of the New Year's Eve video I posted. It's a disaster just waiting to happen.
So my question is, why is it there? What is the purpose of blocking off the east side of the square? It looks terrible and after spending all that money to fix up the square, why was nothing done to change it?
So my question is, why is it there? What is the purpose of blocking off the east side of the square? It looks terrible and after spending all that money to fix up the square, why was nothing done to change it?
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salsa
Senior Member
I said the exact same thing about that stupid fence after my Cavalcade of Lights experience. Ridiculous.
taal
Senior Member
A couple suggestions for folks: A great place to see a lot of the events that folks don't know about is the new peace garden, and the steps that lead up; You can see a ton directly from there.
Armour
Senior Member
I don't understand the appeal in going to an event and being hemmed in from all sides like that (it's like March of the Penguins). I can't stand large crowds, myself. I was in London during the Queen's jubilee a few years ago and it was brutal, being stuck in such tight quarters with complete strangers.
Lenser
Senior Member
Depends on the strength of one's phobias, I suppose. I was at the first reunion of Simon & Garfunkel in Central Park. That was half a million people crammed into the park and beyond. We got as close to the stage as possible but owing to the insane crush of people we actually backed off a hundred yards or more, just to get some breathing room. At one point, before we extricated ourselves, it was distinctly uncomfortable. We had a great time though. The act was far away but we heard everything. At such events the crowd itself is very much part of the spectacle anyway.
Armour
Senior Member
Surely Simon & Garfunkel couldn't match the originality and greatness of whomever performed last night at Nathan Phillips Square.
Lenser
Senior Member
Surely.
The point still stands, however. Many people feed on the adrenalin of crowds - a huge mass of people amplifies the magnitude of a given event, whether to good or bad effect. However, some folks simply can't stand the unpredictable surges of a crowd and the attendant lack of individual control. I didn't go to NPS this year - come to think of it, the last huge crowd event I was there for was the impromptu gathering the night Lennon was shot. As the years go by I find my taste for such massive events lessens. This new years I was at a small dinner party in Riverdale - all of six people, with great food and drink. It was perfect.
The point still stands, however. Many people feed on the adrenalin of crowds - a huge mass of people amplifies the magnitude of a given event, whether to good or bad effect. However, some folks simply can't stand the unpredictable surges of a crowd and the attendant lack of individual control. I didn't go to NPS this year - come to think of it, the last huge crowd event I was there for was the impromptu gathering the night Lennon was shot. As the years go by I find my taste for such massive events lessens. This new years I was at a small dinner party in Riverdale - all of six people, with great food and drink. It was perfect.
kotsy
Senior Member
Absolutely! When I was younger I used to eat up the massive all access long weekend events at The Guvernment and the first few Digital Dreams events but now I prefer not to be jammed in the middle of the thousands. The Guv was famous for overcrowding as well. You literally felt like sardines in a can. It's astounding how they got away with it but I'm sure they were paying off the cops/fire marshalls. I've never done NYE at a club because of this. They are always way overcrowded and overpriced. Smaller gatherings with friends will always take the cake for me.
greenleaf
Senior Member
NBGtect
Active Member
It's nice to have such an iconic City Hall. Just wish they'd change the colour of the nighttime lighting sometimes.