Should the Toronto Islands be kept as-is?

[CanadianNational]

Yer right, 44North - Those three thingies coming out of the ferry dock are lines overlaid on the view from Google Maps. So, yeah, while I was matching the water colours of my imaginary canal to the harbour, I kept going and sortof airbrushed most of them out. Only a ghostly trident remains.

I've been poking around on line, but I'm not finding much conclusive about those parts of the islands I'd like to see new paths go through. Does anyone know what they are used for - and why they are off limits? I understand why the authorities would not want to allow access to the filtration plant pools and buildings, but what's in back of it? Maybe intakes for the plant?
From above, though, the land doesn't look like it's being used for much except as a kind of backlot.
Also, maybe it's just me, but I always find that ultra-flat field with those evenly spaced antennae in it a weird thing to look at. I'm guessing that's the roof of a reservoir. Actually, even stranger, there is a little house that sits right in front of them, just back from the main path from Hanlan's to Centre. You can go right up to it and look in the window. It's in okay shape - but oddly devoid of life. Nothing around it. It's all got a strange feeling to it, especially in contrast to the relaxed setting at hand.

Nice link about islands history with lots of old pictures on Blog TO:
http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/07/a_visual_history_of_the_toronto_islands/

Reservoir pool:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toronto_Islands_Water_Filtration_Plant.jpg

Someone's cool flickr photo set from inside the plant:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thephotomat/sets/72157622401349963/


I love that the island used to be all honky-tonk, with saloons, amusement parlours, shady dames and whatnot. I love the look of those old wooden hotels, too. Firetraps to the inch, no doubt, but - what a cool place to stay.

 

[themarc]

Do they use that same pipe/water for the Enwave cooling system?

Yes. In fact the filtration plant is being stood down and the water capacity is going to be used exclusively for the Enwave cooling system. I was told that Toronto has surplus water filtration capacity making the dedication of the Island plant capacity to Enwave viable.

 

[44 North]

When I was in elementary school we stayed for a week at Island School. Now IIRC, just north of the school and west of the filtration plant, there was an area where horses were kept. I remember pigs, too. They were used to eat the school's food scraps. But I remember someone saying that the horses were retired police horses.

This was almost 20 years ago. But that might be what the closed off area is still used for. Though the area in question is very large. Much too big for just containing horses. When I worked at the City, I heard a story from an old-timer about city guys that grew a shit-ton of weed somewhere on the island. Seems there's enough closed-off areas for that.

 

[canmark]

Global News: Visitors complain Toronto Islands are showing their age

Lush green spaces, sandy beaches and family-friendly attractions draw more than a million people to the Toronto Islands every summer. What they’re increasingly finding, though, are rundown buildings, crumbling benches, and aging facilities.

“It definitely looks like it needs a bit of sprucing up,” says Tanya Henderson of Illinois. “There are some nice places but there are also a lot of places that are dirty and not in such good shape.”

Carlos Breno, visiting from Portugal with his wife and two children, agrees. “We saw a lot of stuff that needed to be fixed or cleaned-up. I guess it’s hard to maintain such a big place but it wasn’t what we expected.”

The 570-acre urban park, largely developed in the 1960s, is showing its age.

“It’s a matter of trying to keep up,” admits Richard Ubbens, Parks Branch director at Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation. “Things [on the islands] are old and exposed to the elements. It’s high maintenance.”

At the Centre Island ferry dock, Canadian flags fly next to several faded Ontario flags and an empty flagpole. A broken wooden sign post points the way to Franklin Gardens. A pair of Bell payphones, covered in cobwebs and dirt, are virtually unusable. Rusted metal lockers sit next to a small information kiosk in need of a fresh coat of paint.

 

[Tuscani01]

The Rectory Cafe is fantastic, so no complaints there.

I'd like to see a cheap non-franchised pizza place, for example. Where food is made AFTER you order it. Everything is outrageously expensive so far, except the Pizza Pizza which is still very expensive for what they give you.

I get the feeling that bar the Rectory, all food places are just there to milk people of cash, rather than to provide a cuisine that the chef wants to share.

See, everyone keeps pointing to the Rectory as being fantastic, but it is far from that. It is only fantastic because it is leaps and bounds better than the fast food crap on the island. The service sucks, the food is inconsistent and it seems like they are always out of what I want.

If thats the best we can get on the island, it desperately needs improvement.

 

[Peepers]

See, everyone keeps pointing to the Rectory as being fantastic, but it is far from that. It is only fantastic because it is leaps and bounds better than the fast food crap on the island. The service sucks, the food is inconsistent and it seems like they are always out of what I want.

If thats the best we can get on the island, it desperately needs improvement.

The problem with the food on the Islands is the city awarded a near monopoly for food and beverage concessions to one company - Beasley Amusements who also operate the rinky-dink amusement park.

If I could change one thing about the Islands it would be to break up this monopoly.

As the Global article mentions, the contract with Beasley ends this year (probably the reason why things look especially shabby over there this summer). Unfortunately it seems like the local councilor - Pam McConnell is trying to negotiate another exclusive arrangement, if not with Beasley than with another company. I am afraid that this is turning into another Boardwalk Cafe situation where the public outcry didn't come until after a 20 year contract was signed, i.e., after it was too late to do anything about it.

 

[adma]

Generally, rather than the Rectory, I'd rather opt for whatever's on offer at the Ward's Island clubhouse...

 

[Red October]

The problem with the food on the Islands is the city awarded a near monopoly for food and beverage concessions to one company - Beasley Amusements who also operate the rinky-dink amusement park.

If I could change one thing about the Islands it would be to break up this monopoly.

The only reason I'd have some misgivings about that is because I wouldn't want chains to start invading the islands, I'd rather the little cafes and restaurants.

 

[Peepers]

The only reason I'd have some misgivings about that is because I wouldn't want chains to start invading the islands, I'd rather the little cafes and restaurants.

Breaking up the monopoly doesn't have to mean an invasion of fast food chains in fact under the current arrangement Beasley operates a Pizza Pizza outlet on the island.

This was the same argument made a few years back for awarding a 20 year monopoly for food and beverage concessions to "Tuggs Inc." - operator of the Boardwalk cafe - but Tuggs also operated a Pizza Pizza outlet.

 

[Peepers]

Global news had an article on this yesterday which sums up pretty well this miserable situation, a situation that is likely to persist for another ten years since the city has decided NOT to open up the Islands to competition. It looks like they are getting ready to sign another monopoly agreement and Beasley seems to have the inside tack.

http://www.globaltoronto.com/toronto+island+food+contract+up+for+grabs/6442695947/story.html

Notice from the article that in exchange for this monopoly agreement Beasley only pays a basic rent of $375K per year. This is not much more than it costs the city to operate the "Far Enough Farm". In addition to the minimum rent Beasley is suppose to pay a percentage of sales, but the last time the contract was renewed with Beasley it was found that only once did Beasley pay more than the minimum rent!

Also note from article the huge number of food safety violations discovered by the health department. The attitude from Beasley is disgusting. People are getting food poisoning from eating at his establishments and his response is "there are challenges operating in buildings and facilities that are, in some cases, more than 50 years old". If Beasley is not up to the challenge of providing SAFE food for people to eat they should get out of the business!

 

[k10ery]

I don't want to sound like Rob Ford here, but is there any explanation for all these exclusive contracts - other than official corruption?

 

[adma]

I don't want to sound like Rob Ford here, but is there any explanation for all these exclusive contracts - other than official corruption?

Stay-the-course entropy + (I presume) the lack of an alternate bidder w/some credibility. The eternal Beasley contract is hidden in plain sight.

And unfortunately, this is a case where the scorched-earth planning principles that de-occupied Centre Island in the 50s/60s are a liability; unlike w/Ward's, there's no real effective residential etc constituency to "answer to". It's an insular kids'n'families "domestic tourist" zone to a fault...

 

[Automation Gallery]

I could see Centre Island going down the same path as Ontario Place unless they build a fixed link (pedestrian), i believe in the future thats the only way that Centre Island will survive.

 

[Peepers]

I don't want to sound like Rob Ford here, but is there any explanation for all these exclusive contracts - other than official corruption?

I cannot understand the explanation for these exclusive contracts that do not benefit the citizens of Toronto. The only explanation that I can think of is that someone must have received a very big kick-back at some point in time (I don't have proof of this - just my gut feeling / opinion).

If we look at the Beasley contract, how exactly is the city benefiting? The base rent is only $375K per year and the last time I looked into this in detail there was only one year where the city received more than the base rent. To put this figure into perspective it costs the city more than $200K a year to run the little farm.

In exchange for this modest rent Beasley has the exclusive food and beverage concessions for the millions who visit the Island's each year. You can't even plan a picnic without contracting with Beasley for their overpriced services. Not only is the food overpriced garbage it is not safe to eat as the numerous food safety infractions attest to. I wonder how many visitors have come away from the Islands with severe food poisoning?

While I can understand how the original contact was awarded (in my opinion, probably with lots of money being exchanged under the table) I do not understand how in this day and age we are about to see it renewed for another ten years! You would have thought that the city would have learned something from the Boardwalk Cafe fiasco.

Where is the outcry from the public? Will this end up like the Boardwalk Cafe where the public only woke up after the contract was signed, after it was too late?

I suppose that city hall will argue they need to enter into an exclusive arrangement if they want to save Centreville Amusement Park but is this pathetic third rate "amusement" park worth saving? I can't imagine any family spending the $100 on an all-day pass when for the same kind of money they can go to Canada's Wonderland and ride on 300 foot high roller-coasters as well as many other world-class attractions. Centreville is a joke!

I think that the time has come for Beasley to pack up his rinky-dink amusement park - which is nothing but an embarrassment to the city - and get off the Islands. The time has come for the city to open up the Island's to a variety of restaurants and food concessions all competing against each other on the basis of price and quality.

 

[Automation Gallery]

I think that the time has come for Beasley to pack up his rinky-dink amusement park - which is nothing but an embarrassment to the city - and get off the Islands. The time has come for the city to open up the Island's to a variety of restaurants and food concessions all competing against each other on the basis of price and quality.

I agree... look around, its time for some new blood