Toronto Aura at College Park | 271.87m | 78s | Canderel | Graziani + Corazza

This is crazy--How quickly a little information gets miscontrued.. Can we get back on topic please and talk about how ugly this building is?
 
Wow, I hope i never get "honored" with a park like Barbara Ann Scott did. First the city lets it fall into a shocking level of disrepair, and now they're going to rip out the rink in a low-budget makeover. Apparently, there isn't enough money to rebuild the rink. What?

"Toronto plans to scrap skating rink dedicated to Barbara Ann Scott months after Olympic champion’s death":
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...n-scott-months-after-olympic-champions-death/

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The budget is what the budget is, and I'd rather they spend it toward addressing the disjointed shabbiness of the park than a single feature like a rink/fountain. As long as they include some sort of provision to add the feature at a later date I don't think it's the end of the world. Maybe funds from 460 Yonge and the Bay/Gerrard project can be applied toward an eventual rink.
 
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/0...n-scott-months-after-olympic-champions-death/
Now Toronto has decided to demolish the rink and the skate house — and cut down all the trees — as part of a $3-million rethink of College Park.

Is this story accurate? Are they actually going to cut down all the trees in this park? I hope not! If this is what Wong-Tam has planned for this park she needs to be stopped!

There was no need for a major "re-think" of the park. For $3 Million the city could have refurbished the park - fixed up the rink and skate house.
 
I absolutely agree Peepers. The park needs some TLC, additional lighting, upgraded walkways, new street furniture and perhaps some minor restoration to the water feature/rink and a bit of work on the skate house. I can see how a few of the coniferous trees either have to go (for safety reasons) or trim them up to perhaps 7' to eliminate blind spots, if that can be done without harming the trees. Apparently safety at night is a real problem in this park.
 
I've heard the safety concern a few times, anyone can shed some details ? I friends who live in the building who say for the most part its OK, but there can be gatherings of teanagers and the like, there are fights as well.

What can they do to improve safety ?
 
This are could be one of Toronto's best parks if they put some money into it! So much potential once the walkway between College Park and Aura opens up! A park like the Columbus Commons would be nice w/ a large fountain.
 
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I've heard the safety concern a few times, anyone can shed some details ? I friends who live in the building who say for the most part its OK, but there can be gatherings of teanagers and the like, there are fights as well.

What can they do to improve safety ?

I read somewhere on UT some time ago that robberies were fairly common in the park at night. I've never been in there at night, only by day & it's fine during the day, save for the odd homeless person, which is fine.

Improving lighting and eliminating blind spots in city parks are very helpful in reducing crime, the same will be happening with the Cawthra Park revitalization on Church north of Wellesley St. I see street kids on occasion in Cawthra Park during the day and at night but it's sporadic and they don't seem to bother anyone. It used to be much, much worse but since additional lighting was added far fewer kids are hanging out at night plus I've heard the park is now being patrolled by police too.
 
I'd hope they do something with that park... given the size, it's pretty small given the number of potential people in the condo's surrounding it. Wonder if the builder would work on the city for this...
 
Regarding the building of Aura, part of the city's deal with Candrel involved the builder spending a good deal of money toward the renovation of the park.
 
That's the $3M from Candrel, perhaps part of S37 funds?
 

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