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

jallan71 said:
If they're already stripping the Peace Garden, then it sounds like they've started on Phase Two of the plan, which is designed to overlap with Phase One. I'm hoping it also means that we may see some more significant elements of the renewal started before the election at the end of next month.

For more info on the phases, see notes and link below:


* In Phase 1 (tentatively April 2010 to November 2010), the existing skate concession building will be demolished and replaced with a new skate pavilion, for opening by the end of November 2010.


* Phase 2 (tentatively June 2010 to September 2011) will include:
o constructing the new theatre stage;
o installing new plantings and other features for the relocated Peace Garden;
o landscaping the western area of NPS;
o creating the new access lane at the northwest corner of the site and modifying Osgoode Lane for pedestrian use only;
o upgrading the western section of the overhead walkways;
o replacing the existing children’s playground equipment; and
o implementing the realigned underground PATH pedestrian walkway.

* Phase 3 (tentatively September 2010 to Mid-2012) will include:
o constructing the new underground bicycle parking facility;
o constructing the new NPS restaurant;
o constructing the new Visitor Information Kiosk;
o landscaping the Queen Street forecourt and Bay Street and Hagerman Street frontages;
o installing the new water fountain feature on NPS; and
o upgrading the southern and eastern sections of the overhead walkways.

http://www.toronto.ca/nps/revitalization/phases.htm
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I hadn't noticed, but even phase 3 overlaps with phase 1. I'm hoping they're installing those fountains along with the removal of the Peace Garden. It makes sense: why would they remove the garden and rebuild the floor, only to go back and remove it to install the fountains?

It appears that council already approved this 100%, to be inserted into the budgets for years 2007 to 2012. I guess a future council can over ride that by voting to remove it but the good news is that votes to include it are no longer necessary.

If something has to go, I could do without the restaurant. It will be nice but not essential. A private developer could even be leased the land to build it on.

What is immediately obvious is how far behind they are on the skating services pavillion. There's no way it'll be done in the next few months in time for skating season. I'm expecting a temporary structure for skate rentals. Hopefully it's not cinderblock...
 
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nprs29.jpg
 
Hey... this might actually meet the goal of opening the new ice rink support facility by this winter's skating season. It shouldn't take more than a couple of months to get this done. That'll take us to the beginning of December.

Any update on the Peace Garden?

EDIT: I'm worried that the stage won't get done in time for NYE. It would have been a perfect grand opening for the stage. From this picture, it doesn't look like they've even started on it.
 
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Sorry to repost - not sure if anyone noticed or has an answer but from everything I can gather they're not replacing the flooring at all (throughout the square) - is that correct? That's a pretty big disappointment in my books and is one of the things that can use an upgrade.
 
The concrete blocks throughout the square will not be replaced. I too would like to see that happen but if they chose something like granite, this thing would cost a gazzilion dollars. The square is absolutely massive.

The Queen st. forecourt will get a new patterned tiling though. Everything from the street curb to the walkways will be redone.

I think what could be done relatively cheaply would be to use different shaded concrete to create a pattern. If you've seen one of those big tiles removed, the entire square is standing on 2 foot pillars. There is room under the square for piping for the fountains. So this wouldn't just be your usual gravel, sand and stone deal. If they wanted to use a different paving material, they'd have to create special self contained tiles where they could add regular paving to.

Personally, I'd love to see something like this:

19644345.jpg


Individual pavers could contain cobblestone (or even faux cobblestone, pre-laid into the blocks)

This is in Helsinki, a nod to Viljo Revell.

Regardless of what we're hoping for though, we're entering an era of cutting "wasteful spending" at City Hall. I can't imagine they'd spend more money than already budgeted for NPS. Maybe some time in the future...
 
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Thanks a lot for the answer!

I'm glad they're doing the segment along Queen at the very least - but honestly, anything would be an improvement over that mess today (the part along Queen that is).

Oh I knew granite was out of the picture - I was thinking something along the lines of what your posted above - maybe a good scrubbing at the very least.
 
MetroMan said:
Hey... this might actually meet the goal of opening the new ice rink support facility by this winter's skating season. It shouldn't take more than a couple of months to get this done. That'll take us to the beginning of December.

Any update on the Peace Garden?

EDIT: I'm worried that the stage won't get done in time for NYE. It would have been a perfect grand opening for the stage. From this picture, it doesn't look like they've even started on it.
Click to expand...


They have done little but work on this particular structure, pictured above. The new peace garden and the stage have not even been started and will probably only start when this building is done (and in the case of the peace garden, when the spring starts). They appear to have very few workers on site.
 
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MetroMan said:
Personally, I'd love to see something like this:

19644345.jpg


Individual pavers could contain cobblestone (or even faux cobblestone, pre-laid into the blocks)

This is in Helsinki, a nod to Viljo Revell.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that it's a nod to Revell, but I'm certain he'd be spinning in his grave ;)

I like cobblestone a lot, but absolutely not here, on this most modernist of structures. It would clash horribly.
 
androiduk said:
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nprs29.jpg
Click to expand...

Glad to see that this is moving forward, but a quick question.

It was my understanding that the various new buildings were all going to be two-storey structures with public rooftops/second-floor-areas and they would be connected to the raised walkways -- which would give the walkways some actual purpose/function. The footprint of this one distinctly looks like it's NOT going to connect to the nearby walkway.

Anybody know more about that?

- J.
 
My quick guess is that this building is going to be a stand-alone. The 'restaurant' building, which will be built on the west side of the walkway, will be attached to the walkway though (I stand to be corrected).
 
grey said:
I appreciate that it's a nod to Revell, but I'm certain he'd be spinning in his grave ;)

I like cobblestone a lot, but absolutely not here, on this most modernist of structures. It would clash horribly.
Click to expand...

Agree--I suspect the concrete pavers, and the technology behind them, are being treated as a "heritage attribute" (and all in all, they haven't aged that badly, visually and functionally speaking--which, considering the technical pitfalls that have plagued many an "innovative" modernist solution, is remarkable)
 
MetroMan said:
I think what could be done relatively cheaply would be to use different shaded concrete to create a pattern. If you've seen one of those big tiles removed, the entire square is standing on 2 foot pillars. There is room under the square for piping for the fountains. So this wouldn't just be your usual gravel, sand and stone deal. If they wanted to use a different paving material, they'd have to create special self contained tiles where they could add regular paving to.
Click to expand...

I haven't been to NPS in a couple of years but I seem to recall that there is a gap between each of the large pavers. If there is already room underneath the pavers, how about an LED installation under the square. At night the light would leak out around the individual squares even changing colour and brightness - perhaps tied to a performance on the stage. I think it would be pretty cool if it can avoid feeling too Saturday Night Fever-ish.
 
The gaps are there but they're very narrow and uneven throughout the square. They wouldn't look that great with light highlighting them.

Ok, maybe the cobblestone wouldn't jive well with the modernist architecture of the square, but a little more pattern and/or shade variety would be welcome to break up the huge expanse of concrete.
 
jallan71 said:
Glad to see that this is moving forward, but a quick question.

It was my understanding that the various new buildings were all going to be two-storey structures with public rooftops/second-floor-areas and they would be connected to the raised walkways -- which would give the walkways some actual purpose/function. The footprint of this one distinctly looks like it's NOT going to connect to the nearby walkway.

Anybody know more about that?

- J.
Click to expand...

The new services building will be connected via a bridge to the walkways. On the other side there'll be a restaurant which will be able to use the roof of this new building as a patio. The stage will also connect to the walkways.
 
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