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Rail Deck Park (?, ?, ?)

Instead of "Rail Deck Park", maybe we should call the park, south of Front Street, "Esplanade Park"?

From link: Originally conceived as a city beautification project to clean up the city's waterfront in the 1850s, the street (Esplande) was taken over by the coming of the railways to Toronto in 1850.

The original Esplanade was to be a walkway in a park setting, where the citizens of the early city of Toronto could walk along the shoreline. It wasn't to be. At least, turn part of the land that the railway took over back.
 
DonValleyRainbow said:
Sounds like empty promises. This ain't Chicago, where philanthropists and soft-hearted developers get behind something.
Click to expand...

It's all about naming rights. A free billboard for 25 years. I'm all for it...why do we name them after recent politicians or "leaders of the community" (which probably supported politicians elections)? Let's get corporations to get brand recognition while giving back to the community.
 
W. K. Lis said:
Instead of "Rail Deck Park", maybe we should call the park, south of Front Street, "Esplanade Park"?

From link: Originally conceived as a city beautification project to clean up the city's waterfront in the 1850s, the street (Esplande) was taken over by the coming of the railways to Toronto in 1850.

The original Esplanade was to be a walkway in a park setting, where the citizens of the early city of Toronto could walk along the shoreline. It wasn't to be. At least, turn part of the land that the railway took over back.
Click to expand...

Really?

1850?

We're supposed to get advice from 1850?

Rail Deck Park is just fine (should it ever come to be and that is a low probability), thank you very much.
 
Really wish the Union roof was a deck now, we might've been able to walk from Liberty to the Distillery district.
 
Some must-haves? A Washington Square scale fountain with surround outdoor furniture and chess tables, monumental art, reflection pools, Japanese gardens, café kiosks with seating, an outdoor performance theatre. It's hard not to reference Millenium Park with its shifting LED fountain walls, but there should be some incorporation of the railways to pick up on the distinct history and identity of the area, such as glass floor reveals of the tracks below, which could be floodlit. It would be great to have a grand monument, perhaps a tall sculpture celebrating diversity. If we get an ST/GO RER station, the entrances should be elegant. While we could have a small multi-use field, I wouldn't get carried away with wide open space. We get that already in Roundhouse Park and Canoe Landing. I think it would be more interesting as a programmed linear park meant to be experienced along routes planted with interesting grasses, trees, and of course, it would be cool to get some Canadian shield or giant pre-Cambrian rock into the mix.
 
pstogios said:
Really?

1850?

We're supposed to get advice from 1850?

Rail Deck Park is just fine (should it ever come to be and that is a low probability), thank you very much.
Click to expand...

Boo.

Esplanade Park is really a very clever suggestion. A pleasant name long applied to this area. And sort of a wink to Toronto's long history of failed mega-project planning. Well done, WK!
 
As for Euphoria's idea of a " programmed linear park ", I think the notion has merit, but we shouldn't forget that the surrounding structures will provide some spectacular scenery as well. There are suggestions coming forward that other developments along the rail corridor, ( and some north/south points along the way as well ), may fold into the park vision . The elaboration of vital open spaces in this new " found " public realm is Toronto's next big project, perhaps the biggest and best of them all. Time to think big. This heralds the kind of big thinking that many say is lacking in Toronto, so it's fascinating seeing this concept gathering steam.
 
It will be interesting to see if this repurposing of this land changes the planning criteria for further development. The wall of towers on the south side was acceptable when the land was being used for trains. but it wouldn't pass a shadow study. It will be a challenge to preserve sunlight. This tract is much narrower than say Central Parkp or Grant Park, and the wall-of-buildings border will need careful management.

- Paul
 
Euphoria said:
Some must-haves? A Washington Square scale fountain with surround outdoor furniture and chess tables, monumental art, reflection pools, Japanese gardens, café kiosks with seating, an outdoor performance theatre. It's hard not to reference Millenium Park with its shifting LED fountain walls, but there should be some incorporation of the railways to pick up on the distinct history and identity of the area, such as glass floor reveals of the tracks below, which could be floodlit. It would be great to have a grand monument, perhaps a tall sculpture celebrating diversity. If we get an ST/GO RER station, the entrances should be elegant. While we could have a small multi-use field, I wouldn't get carried away with wide open space. We get that already in Roundhouse Park and Canoe Landing. I think it would be more interesting as a programmed linear park meant to be experienced along routes planted with interesting grasses, trees, and of course, it would be cool to get some Canadian shield or giant pre-Cambrian rock into the mix.
Click to expand...

Will it get a giant Ferris Wheel?
 
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