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

Just for reference:
npspai_overview-day-note.jpg
 
Even though it's not the best time to think about this, the Queen st. forecourt and Bay St. sidewalk design should be extended to include those of Old City Hall.

Combining the plans and the design for the sidewalk for both City Halls would save on time and money and complete both very needed redesigns on the sidewalks in front of both civic buildings.
 
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i thought about bringing this out from the back pages. it's a damn beautiful and important project.

below is a national post article. as usual, it sides with the suburban councillors and criticizes miller.

miller though, justifies the city budget's inclusion of the NPS revitalization. he claims it would create jobs, and beautify downtown.

most importantly, he reminds critics that should toronto get the pan ams in 2015, the medal ceremonies would certainly be held in the square. so it seems, if toronto does get the games, this project would be fasttracked.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...ks-not-nathan-phillips-square-councillor.aspx
 
Isn't this EXACTLY the sort of thing we should be funding right now as part of economic stimulus measures? The plan is there, we are ready to get going and create jobs as soon as the money is there. This project is "shovel ready".

The government (federal + provincial) should be helping here if the city can't afford it.

Makes a lot more sense to me than shoveling billions into bankrupt car companies, but I may be biased.
 
barrytron3030 said:
most importantly, he reminds critics that should toronto get the pan ams in 2015, the medal ceremonies would certainly be held in the square. so it seems, if toronto does get the games, this project would be fasttracked.
Click to expand...

It is somewhat sad to think that completion by 2015 would be considered "fasttracked". I mean, they can build skyscrapers from nothing in less time than that. This is just some rearranging and resurfacing of a big flat area.

I too would love to see this go ahead soon; I disagree that most reasonable people would see this as the city spending money on itself. The square is a public space for everyone. Then again, I'm probably giving people too much credit. Sigh.
 
How unimaginative - the Chia Roof's designer(s) will interpret a painting by Paul Klee. Could they not find local art inspiration? We're hardly lacking in sources appropriate for a civic landmark.

For instance, a couple of days ago - roaming around the ghastly NY Towers at Sheppard and Bayview in the rain - I stumbled across a work by Panya Clark Espinal ( who did those fun trompe l'oeil things in the nearbye subway station ) based on a Tom Thomson's Jack Pine. It isn't a major work, but she appropriated an iconic image from Canadian art and did something new with it:

http://www.panyaclarkespinal.com/p_jackpine.html
 
I think the green roof is a great idea, although I found this line from the document (listing one of the benefits of the roof) to be sort of funny:

- Increases habitat for invertebrates ... in the heart of the city

I was just thinking to myself that the heart of the city was a little low on invertebrates. On a serious note, I also notice from the document that the rest of the NPS upgrade is set to proceed in stages and be finished by late 2012. Let's hope that actually happens...
 
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The green roof is important and I'm glad it's first on the list. Access to that roof has been closed off for far too long.

During Doors Open last year, I was impressed at how much space there is up there.

My choice for second project: Queen street entrance area. It's the "welcoming mat" to Nathan Philips Square and it's currently a mess of muddy grass, concrete patches and hot dog vendors.

Removing the grass and tiling the sidewalk with a nice pattern would be relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. It involves no major structural work, just clearing the land and tiling yet it would make a big difference in beauty and access to the square.
 
I took a walk on Saturday and ended up crossing Nathan Philips Square.

Goodness, the square has become a dump. Of course the City will take a painstakingly long time with the renovation -- no gumption to just "get it done". I wouldn't take a tourist there.
 
the square was looking terrible... I hate it when tourists are there and thats the image they get of our most important civic space!.. sad
 
I made a comment about the poor condition of a section of concrete after a packed evening in the Square watching the Cavalcade of Lights in Dec. 2007. I could barely see my feet for the crowd and could feel uneven sections at about the middle of the Square but I got the hell slapped out of me here for daring to suggest such a thing.
 
The general apathy of Torontonians with regard to their civic spaces and public realm is embarrassing, and shameful.
 
Had lunch there today. The place is a complete eyesore, as is the area in front of Old City Hall. Cracks everywhere, litter, shoddily covered-up graffiti on those huge bunkers facing Queen, the ugly food trucks, the mishmash of construction equipment and sets and stage equipment on the square itself, pathetic lawns, ugly and degraded street furniture...it just goes on and on.
 
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