Waiting for architecture to happen is a lonely sort of cliffhanger, but dear me, this is taking a hell of a long time. I remember after the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 (when they redid their waterfront in a spectacular fashion) people in Toronto started to talk about how lovely it would be to have something expansively lovely and similar here. Now, almost ten, fifteen, twenty years later we're dribbing it out a few buildings at a time - and still without even a coherent or continuous streetcar line along it.
I'm thrilled we thwarted the Ford's hideous landgrab on the waterfront. I'm very happy WaterfronToronto is helming this, with all it's attendant quality. I'm rooting for them. But dear gawd - it'd be great to see some real architectural momentum both north and south of Queen's Quay - impressive - dynamic - exciting momentum. Thrilling, optimistic, engaging momentum! Not more of this awfully understanding, quiet, strained waiting.
I walked down to Sherbourne common tonight to see it in the warm evening light. It was wonderful. Still - all around - almost nothing. Yes, there's sugar beach and that work done along the water. But there's vacant lots north of Corus and the incomplete George Brown college. Fences, empty space, lots of promises and brownfields. A fed-ex delivery station. Guverment and two-storey depots. Lots of promises.
It's frustrating. There's all sorts of apologetics to offer as to why it can't be done at a pace people could be inspired by. Finances, markets, investments, etc - lots of reasons. But time is part of the equation too - and the seemingly geologic time frame that's been allowed is depressing. This is too slow. Sure we've saved the waterfront from the worst, but I don't think getting it done this slowly or in these horrible pieces (looking at you, TTC!) is our best. Just getting it done eventually is not enough.
Yes - Bayside is starting...to be finished in 2021! Ten. More. Years. This is not a large parcel of land - in one of the hottest real estate markets on the continent. The Eastern Bayfront? No projected finish time. The Queen's Quay streetcar line from Bay to Cherry? Not a f*%^kin' clue. All the land north of Queen's Quay, from Jarvis to Cherry? Not a mention. Except one Safdie condo.
Despite all the glad talk - this is a pace so ridiculously slow that it is starting to risk looking like thorough incompetence or corruption. Yes, some things have been done. Yes, we're told this is a gigantic project. Yes, we know the work's been underground, unlovely, mucky. Lots of excuses. But where are the livable, visit-able, enjoyable, real results? Scraps, parcels, parks and pieces so far. Out of all the buildings featured in the renderings and drawings, we've got two. That's it. Two! It's not like we're building the Sydney Opera House here - or even Clyde. We're not even aiming for something futuristic, thoroughly innovative, unseen before. We're looking to build some pleasant, competent neighbourhoods with engaging design features. We have to do better.
Hmmpf. Generally, I'm pretty supportive of all this on here, and optimistic about it. But feeling like the crisis with the Fords over this is over, and after taking a walk there tonight, I was depressed about the disparity between what we've been promised and been waiting for, and what actually has been done.
But I guess every now and then you need to rant. I'd like to hear ideas about how it might be speeded up that were viable, instead of the reprehensible stab at it by the Fords.
