Toronto Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

AlvinofDiaspar said:
From the Nov WT DRP:

Destination Playground Schematic Design: https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/sites/default/files/2022-12/November 30, 2022 WDRP_Destination Playground_Schematic Design.pdf

Dining Terrace Schematic Design: https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/sites/default/files/2022-12/November 30, 2022 WDRP_Destination Playground Pavilion + Dining Terrace_Schematic Design.pdf

AoD
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Some docs from the above:

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Lots more when you follow @AlvinofDiaspar 's link. No detailed renders of THIS playground at this point, lots of images of precedents, but I thought that might confuse things, so those are omitted here.
 
evandyk said:
To be honest, the opposite trend is happening in Toronto. The newer playgrounds are generally the most fun. St. James and Grange are two recently opened ones that we frequent, and they're way better than the older ones.
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This doesn't fit the unfortunately prevalent narrative around here that the city is getting worse in every respect every year. Blasphemy!
 
evandyk said:
To be honest, the opposite trend is happening in Toronto. The newer playgrounds are generally the most fun. St. James and Grange are two recently opened ones that we frequent, and they're way better than the older ones.
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Meh. We've done both of those. Are they more fun? Not really. Just new. The big playground at High Park (Castle Playground) is probably the most incredible and it's older (and has been burned down and rebuilt once.) the one at the top of High Park is also pretty great. There aren't really any other crazy stand out playgrounds in Toronto. If you can think of some please prove me wrong.
 
I dunno...once that playground is built, I suspect it would look pretty stand out if the renders are to believed and realized.
 
hawc said:
Meh. We've done both of those. Are they more fun? Not really. Just new. The big playground at High Park (Castle Playground) is probably the most incredible and it's older (and has been burned down and rebuilt once.) the one at the top of High Park is also pretty great. There aren't really any other crazy stand out playgrounds in Toronto. If you can think of some please prove me wrong.
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I don't have kids, and my niece is no longer a young one (first year uni) but I took her to a few over the years, and obviously stroll through lots of parks on a regular basis, sometimes reviewing them for UT. So I have a chance to see lots of them and also whether they are particularly popular.

I can say. Grange Park rates well:

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from BlogTO

Vermont Square Park's Dennis Lee Playground gets a lot of love:

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from Savvy Mom

Ramsden Park gets its share of plaudits:

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from : Danforth Dad

Neshama at Oriole Park is on most 'best' lists for playgrounds:

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from Chatterblock

Corktown Common is oft mentioned

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from Canada Gold


As to age, I can't speak to the dates for all of them. Certainly Grange and Ramsden are both in the last decade, and Corktown isn't that much older.
 

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I mean, they're playgrounds, so I'm not sure what "crazy stand out" would look like. The big slide at St. James is pretty "stand out" to a three year old. He also likes the pirate ship at Cherry Beach, the climbing structures at places like Morse St and the Beaches, the splash pad (and big slide) at Corktown, etc. When it comes down to it, a playground is a somewhat utilitarian type of facility that can only have so much variety.

Between the merri-go-round and the big slide (plus church bells), St. James is definitively "more fun" for a three year old than most other parks in the city. Yes, it's true that we can go to a lawn with a soccer ball and it will be almost as much fun, but there are some really good new playgrounds.
 
Saw a tweet about city council discussing the Port Lands density today in regards to housing plans. I’d like to boldly propose that the only people who get to discuss the topic be folks who live through the Christmas market every year. I mean, if you wanna talk about the experiencing the impact of adding thousands to the area… hell, you’d just have to experience Cherry during the summer after Rebel and Cabana let out.

Just how many residents do you put on a tiny island with limited means of exit?
 

Traffic Update​

Northbound Cherry Street between Lake Shore Boulevard and Mill Street: Temporarily Open During Select Times, December 16-31
To help relieve traffic congestion around the Distillery District related to the Winter Market, Northbound Cherry Street between Lake Shore Boulevard and the rail corridor bridge will be open to vehicular traffic during peak times. Access will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists, as it has been throughout construction.
The northbound lanes will be open between December 16-31 at these times:
  • Fridays: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Saturdays and Sundays: Noon to 10:00 p.m.
  • Tuesdays – Thursdays: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • Mondays: no lanes open
  • December 25: no lanes open
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Above: A map showing where Cherry Street is closed to southbound traffic and open to northbound traffic.
WHAT TO EXPECT - VEHICLES
  • Cherry Street will remain closed to southbound traffic between the rail corridor and Lake Shore Boulevard East
    • No access from Cherry Street southbound to Lake Shore Boulevard
  • Cherry Street will be open to northbound traffic at Lake Shore Boulevard East
    • Vehicles travelling westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard will be able to turn right on to northbound Cherry Street
  • No access from eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard to Cherry Street northbound
Pedestrians and Cyclists:
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Above: A map showing the cycling routes on Cherry Street, including where to cross Lake Shore to connect to Cherry Street south.

WHAT TO EXPECT - PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS​

  • Pedestrians are encouraged to walk on the east side of Cherry Street to continue south
  • For southbound cyclists from Cherry and Mill Street:
    • Take the bike lane on the west side of Cherry Street
    • At Lake Shore Boulevard, cross Cherry Street to the east side of the road. This crossing will be controlled by a flagger
    • Follow the Martin Goodman Trail on the northeast corner of the intersection towards the existing crossing where Lake Shore Boulevard meets Cherry Street southbound
  • No change to routes for northbound cyclists
UPCOMING TRAFFIC IMPACTS
  • Starting in January, expect overnight Lane Closures on Lake Shore Boulevard at the Cherry Street intersection. More information will be included in a future notice.
OTHER TRAFFIC IMPACTS
  • The City of Toronto is performing routine maintenance for the Gardiner Expressway between Cherry Street and Don Roadway. This work will require a full closure of Lake Shore Boulevard between Cherry Street and Don Roadway in each direction, daily between Midnight and 5:00 a.m., starting Monday December 19 until Friday December 23. For more information, visit the City of Toronto’s website: https://www.toronto.ca/services-pay...losures/restrictions-map/#location=&lat=&lng=
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Construction Update​

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Above: Excavators placing armour stone in the Ice Management Area south of Villiers Street. The stones make up the river bottom and are used here to help break up ice that flows down the river before it reaches the central river valley.
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Above: Looking northeast along the central river valley. This is approximately the westernmost section of the completed riverbed. Construction will continue from this point west and connect with the Polson Slip.
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Above: The islands in Canoe Cove.
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Above: A machine used to dig the cut-off walls underneath old Cherry Street. This area will connect the Polson Slip with the main river channel that is already excavated.
 
That traffic plan… is nuts.

So to alleviate traffic for the Christmas market they’ll be allowing cars north? To where? The zero parking spots available? To Mill, where you won’t be allowed to enter unless you’re a resident or delivery? As if everyone won’t just stop directly in front of the Distillery Cherry street entrance for dropping people off?
 
jsmith77 said:
That traffic plan… is nuts.

So to alleviate traffic for the Christmas market they’ll be allowing cars north? To where? The zero parking spots available? To Mill, where you won’t be allowed to enter unless you’re a resident or delivery? As if everyone won’t just stop directly in front of the Distillery Cherry street entrance for dropping people off?
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I am not sure why they did not allow northbound traffic on Mill weeks ago. I agree it's no great help for Christmas Market but it will help the congestion on Lake Shore westbound caused by the gas pipeline work- which is supposed to wrap up soon.
 
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