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The Fountains Of Toronto

thecharioteer said:
How long did it take to repair the fountain at Queen and University? Five years? I know that landscape architects are reluctant to propose water features of any kind in city parks as they know they will not be maintained. In the meantime, how many $100's of millions have been collected by the city from developers as part of the "parkland dedication" payoff that has not been spent? While we have some recent showpieces like the renovation of Grange Park, for the most part the situation is very sad with no signs of improvement.
Click to expand...

I have an entire thread devoted to critiquing our parks; but I think that's a bit much.

We have Berczy which is tremendous; we have Grange, we have the new Cormier Park coming to the waterfront, Queen's Park north's re-do was good as far it went, missing out on the Fountain and also cutting a some features of the Allee (flower beds and a second row of lights.)

The new park at Bay and Wellesley looks promising.

Village of Yorkville Park is set to be extended eastwards to Bay Street.

The parks parallel to Yonge (south of Charles) are all getting a refresh.

The Allan Gardens palm house is set to be restored.

Moss Park will be re-done.

Lots of other new parks are en route. (229 Richmond, Spadina/Adelaide, Queen's Quay/Rees, Queen's Quay at Sugar Wharf, Mouth of the Creek) and several more

Lets be clear, we should be doing much better, but 'no signs of improvement' is at least one step too far.
 
thecharioteer said:
How long did it take to repair the fountain at Queen and University? Five years? I know that landscape architects are reluctant to propose water features of any kind in city parks as they know they will not be maintained. In the meantime, how many $100's of millions have been collected by the city from developers as part of the "parkland dedication" payoff that has not been spent? While we have some recent showpieces like the renovation of Grange Park, for the most part the situation is very sad with no signs of improvement.
Click to expand...
The problem at Queen and University was that water leaked into stuff below. While the City is far from perfect, that should not be an issue with this one.
 
thecharioteer said:
How long did it take to repair the fountain at Queen and University? Five years? I know that landscape architects are reluctant to propose water features of any kind in city parks as they know they will not be maintained. In the meantime, how many $100's of millions have been collected by the city from developers as part of the "parkland dedication" payoff that has not been spent? While we have some recent showpieces like the renovation of Grange Park, for the most part the situation is very sad with no signs of improvement.
Click to expand...

More than 5:

www.thestar.com

University Ave. fountains still dry, five years later: The Fixer

They worked for a week in June after an extensive overhaul, but were shut down again due to new mechanical problems.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

Those fountains didn't even get turned on for about a year after that article (see: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/the-fountains-of-toronto.21480/post-1119556 in this very thread). We also had similar drama with the Fountain Run over at CN Tower as well. Once an exception, twice a coincidence - but what's happening in the city is clearly a pattern.

AoD
 
Northern Light said:
I have an entire thread devoted to critiquing our parks; but I think that's a bit much.

We have Berczy which is tremendous; we have Grange, we have the new Cormier Park coming to the waterfront, Queen's Park north's re-do was good as far it went, missing out on the Fountain and also cutting a some features of the Allee (flower beds and a second row of lights.)

The new park at Bay and Wellesley looks promising.

Village of Yorkville Park is set to be extended eastwards to Bay Street.

The parks parallel to Yonge (south of Charles) are all getting a refresh.

The Allan Gardens palm house is set to be restored.

Moss Park will be re-done.

Lots of other new parks are en route. (229 Richmond, Spadina/Adelaide, Queen's Quay/Rees, Queen's Quay at Sugar Wharf, Mouth of the Creek) and several more

Lets be clear, we should be doing much better, but 'no signs of improvement' is at least one step too far.
Click to expand...
Believe me, I would love to be proven wrong! Toronto is great at the grand gesture (Grange, Berczy), not so great at maintenance. I would love to know if the fountains are working again at Trinity Square, Courthouse Square and Centre Island. Have things truly changed since Marcus Gee wrote this article five years ago?

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...ion-that-nobody-gives-a-damn/article31389042/
 
thecharioteer said:
Believe me, I would love to be proven wrong! Toronto is great at the grand gesture (Grange, Berczy), not so great at maintenance. I would love to know if the fountains are working again at Trinity Square, Courthouse Square and Centre Island. Have things truly changed since Marcus Gee wrote this article five years ago?

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...ion-that-nobody-gives-a-damn/article31389042/
Click to expand...

Courthouse Square was working in 2018 according Streetview: (most recent image)

1624057970496.png


The most recent image (fall 2020) of Trinity Square suggests it was dry. (though I'm not sure when they shut it down each year as its not an all-year fountain) and I believe they left most or all of them off last year in any event. (but it was dry in 2019 summer as well)

The Toronto Islands Images shows the fountains working .....but, that 2011 (most recent image)

****

I concur that maintenance standards do need to be higher..............much higher...........

I just think you were a bit too gloom and doom.

Its unacceptable; not hopeless.
 
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
More than 5:

www.thestar.com

University Ave. fountains still dry, five years later: The Fixer

They worked for a week in June after an extensive overhaul, but were shut down again due to new mechanical problems.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

Those fountains didn't even get turned on for about a year after that article (see: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/the-fountains-of-toronto.21480/post-1119556 in this very thread). We also had similar drama with the Fountain Run over at CN Tower as well. Once an exception, twice a coincidence - but what's happening in the city is clearly a pattern.

AoD
Click to expand...
In both cases the problem was that the fountains leaked into stuff (parking garages) below them. That is not to say the City is good with ANY of its outdoor fountains but ......
 
My favourite fountain hasn’t been around for a while. It looked like a Muskoka grotto with rocks and trees.…it was more like a series of waterfalls. It went down below street level so you looked down into it. It was on the Bay Street side of the Manulife Centre. Sadly, it was ripped out to add some ugly entrance I think. Does anyone remember it?
 
ceaz40 said:
My favourite fountain hasn’t been around for a while. It looked like a Muskoka grotto with rocks and trees.…it was more like a series of waterfalls. It went down below street level so you looked down into it. It was on the Bay Street side of the Manulife Centre. Sadly, it was ripped out to add some ugly entrance I think. Does anyone remember it?
Click to expand...

I don't remember it, but a photo was posted here of it...............not sure if it was by me! LOL

Found a pic:

1628041147458.png


From: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EIUWKeKX0AIOHlO?format=jpg&name=large

I think I would have really liked this one..........but it was gone by the time I was old enough to remember such a thing.
 
Passed by Parliament and Gerrard yesterday and noticed that there's a fountain at Anniversary Park. A simple fountain of three boulder stacked upon each other and water bubbling out from the top. Couldn't help but notice how calming it is in such a corner but it attracted a lot of people to linger and relax around it. If only there were more of these simple water features than the overly expensive complex ones.
 
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