Toronto MEC Queen Street (Mountain Equipment Coop) | 21.03m | 3s | Parallax | Sweeny &Co

They just need to plant some trees to cover up the blank wall.
The plywood in the sidewalk may be covering future tree wells.
 
MEC Toronto gears up to open relocated flagship store on Queen Street West this April

www.newswire.ca

MEC Toronto gears up to open relocated flagship store on Queen Street West this April

/CNW/ - MEC, Canada's go-to place for outdoor gear and know-how, confirmed its highly anticipated relocated Toronto flagship store will open April 13, 2019....
www.newswire.ca www.newswire.ca

New 35,750-square-foot outdoor retail destination offers greater accessibility and wider assortment of unique products and services for active Torontonians

TORONTO, March 22, 2019 /CNW/ - MEC, Canada's go-to place for outdoor gear and know-how, confirmed its highly anticipated relocated Toronto flagship store will open April 13, 2019. MEC will occupy two levels of the 54,000-square-foot development located at 300 Queen Street West, offering the 490,000 Co-op members in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) a wider assortment of unique products and services. In addition to a better layout and inspiring store experiences, the new flagship will serve as a community hub, offering clinics, events, member services and spaces for local outdoor groups and organizations to reserve and use.

Notable features of MEC's new Toronto flagship include:

"Basecamp" open-concept community space: used to host how-to clinics, community events and to connect members with places to camp, hike and get active outside in Ontario.
Bouldering wall: a 1,000-square-foot wall for in-store climbing
Full-service bike repair and ski shop: a new open-concept design offering a welcoming space for MEC specialist staff to help members gear up for biking and skiing adventures
"We're honoured to join the vibrant and historic shopping community on Queen Street West," said MEC Director of Store Development, George Bevan. "The new Toronto flagship will act as a hub for local residents, urban commuters and active people across the GTA, making it the place to start any adventure. By relocating to this highly accessible location, we are better able to serve our members, adding lasting value, vibrant in-store experiences and vitality through our services and programming."

Accessibility

Continuing the focus on accessibility, MEC's new Toronto flagship can be easily reached by foot, by bike from multiple routes including Soho Street, St. George Street and Peter Street – by transit from Osgoode Station, and both 301 Queen and 510 Spadina Streetcars – or by car via the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) and Gardiner Expressway. Three levels of underground parking are available to store visitors providing 116 spaces for vehicles including five spaces for disabled parking. Thirty-two bike parking stalls are also on hand outside the front doors.

An Inclusive Space

As part of the organization's commitment to ensure more people feel welcome at MEC stores, MEC Queen West will have fully accessible, universal changeroom facilities on each floor, and a fully accessible universal washroom facility on the second floor. Additionally, the store's entrance will feature MEC's first written land acknowledgement to recognize the Indigenous land the building is located on, accompanied by an installation that highlights a local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.

Product and Service Offerings

The flagship will feature the latest MEC Label spring collection, developed by new Senior Director of Product Design and Production, Wendy Youds. The collection focuses on timeless designs made from technical materials that are durable, easy-care and sustainable. The store will also have a wider selection of technical outdoor gear for camping, climbing, paddle sports and snow sports, an extensive array of men's and women's apparel for cycling, travel, hiking, running, fitness and yoga, as well as footwear, outerwear, kids' and casual clothing. An industry leader in product sustainability, MEC carries over 1,300 environmentally preferred products.

The flagship location will also provide an enhanced version of MEC's low-cost equipment rental program, offering camping gear, skis, boats and more to enable people to get active outdoors.

Store Design

The new purpose-built store features a distinctive floating canopy to mark the store's entrance and interior wood elements to define the store and display merchandise. Like all MEC buildings, the MEC Toronto store will be operationally carbon neutral, using renewable energy, when it opens.

Community, Events and Programming

MEC's Toronto flagship store is designed as a community hub, connecting everyone with places to explore, people to go with and the skills needed to get there. The Queen Street store will offer events and clinics nearby and in-store, everything from "Learn-to-Camp" sessions hosted with national partner Parks Canada, to workshops that develop members' running, cycling or climbing skills. MEC will also launch new events programming tailored to the neighbouring community. Planned events include in-store experiences with local artist Maria Qamar (known as Hatecopy), exhilarating film screenings with Red Bull and a Mother's Day hike with community partner Parkbus.

A community room within the new MEC store will also serve as a meeting space that comfortably seats 12 people, available for use by local outdoor groups and environmental organizations.

As part of MEC's nationwide community investment program, in the past five years, MEC has contributed nearly $2.6 million in gear, funding and community grants in Ontario. This investment includes $2 million through 150 grants, over $450,000 in funding to 38 province-wide partners, and support for 263 Ontario organizations with product donations valued over $46,000. Local organizations that have received MEC grants include: CultureLink, Ontario Parks, Charlie's FreeWheels, and Parkbus.
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Irishmonk said:
Everyone involved in this disaster should be thoroughly ashamed with themselves. This building site which lay fallow for generations and promised so much has delivered an outcome far worse than anyone could or would want to imagine. Frankly, I don't understand how something so subpar could end up desecrating such a prominent and supposedly protected streetscape. I'm almost at a loss for words to express my shock and disgust.

The longer I've lived away from the city the more obvious it's become to me that it's fallen utterly into the hands of political hacks and beancounters. In the current leadership vacuum It seems that any kind of civic pride, vision or character that once existed has been swept away by the almighty bottom line. Everything now is purely transactional, all other priorities rescinded. The most galling thing of all is the lack of outrage over this and countless other abominations that have sprung up everywhere in the past decade and a half.

Sorry for the rant, it's just that this utter lack of care saddens me completely. I used to have so much hope for the city and now it's evaporated. Every visit leaves me more depressed.
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This rant is perfectly put. I, too, am becoming increasingly disappointed in Toronto, a city in which I used to have incredible pride.
 
Miscreant said:
This rant is perfectly put. I, too, am becoming increasingly disappointed in Toronto, a city in which I used to have incredible pride.
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As fugly as this building is (and I think it's actually getting too easy a ride from some on here), it's important to acknowledge that there are lots of positives related to it, by which those who subscribe to notions of civic pride can be comforted; from the release:
  • Like all MEC buildings, the MEC Toronto store will be operationally carbon neutral, using renewable energy
  • MEC will also launch new events programming tailored to the neighbouring community. Planned events include in-store experiences with local artist Maria Qamar (known as Hatecopy), exhilarating film screenings with Red Bull and a Mother's Day hike with community partner Parkbus.
  • A community room within the new MEC store will also serve as a meeting space that comfortably seats 12 people, available for use by local outdoor groups and environmental organizations.
  • "Basecamp" open-concept community space: used to host how-to clinics, community events and to connect members with places to camp, hike and get active outside in Ontario.
  • Bouldering wall: a 1,000-square-foot wall for in-store climbing
  • As part of the organization's commitment to ensure more people feel welcome at MEC stores, MEC Queen West will have fully accessible, universal changeroom facilities on each floor, and a fully accessible universal washroom facility on the second floor. Additionally, the store's entrance will feature MEC's first written land acknowledgement to recognize the Indigenous land the building is located on, accompanied by an installation that highlights a local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.

So, there's lots to celebrate with this building, and MEC should be recognized , even though the design is a massive (and completely avoidable) missed opportunity.
 
ADRM said:
As fugly as this building is (and I think it's actually getting too easy a ride from some on here), it's important to acknowledge that there are lots of positives related to it, by which those who subscribe to notions of civic pride can be comforted; from the release:
  • Like all MEC buildings, the MEC Toronto store will be operationally carbon neutral, using renewable energy
  • MEC will also launch new events programming tailored to the neighbouring community. Planned events include in-store experiences with local artist Maria Qamar (known as Hatecopy), exhilarating film screenings with Red Bull and a Mother's Day hike with community partner Parkbus.
  • A community room within the new MEC store will also serve as a meeting space that comfortably seats 12 people, available for use by local outdoor groups and environmental organizations.
  • "Basecamp" open-concept community space: used to host how-to clinics, community events and to connect members with places to camp, hike and get active outside in Ontario.
  • Bouldering wall: a 1,000-square-foot wall for in-store climbing
  • As part of the organization's commitment to ensure more people feel welcome at MEC stores, MEC Queen West will have fully accessible, universal changeroom facilities on each floor, and a fully accessible universal washroom facility on the second floor. Additionally, the store's entrance will feature MEC's first written land acknowledgement to recognize the Indigenous land the building is located on, accompanied by an installation that highlights a local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.
So, there's lots to celebrate with this building, and MEC should be recognized , even though the design is a massive (and completely avoidable) missed opportunity.
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Yeah, but all of this could have been done in a better, more urbanistically ambitious building. Program does not preclude aesthetics.
 
Blixtein said:
Unimaginable atrocity.
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It's certainly a mediocre building but I don't think it rises to the level of, say, genocide.

This one small building has now become the lightning rod for every disappointment, frustration and failure in our modest, not-so-world -class city. It's a heavy burden for what, after all, is just a sporting goods store.
 
ADRM said:
As fugly as this building is (and I think it's actually getting too easy a ride from some on here), it's important to acknowledge that there are lots of positives related to it, by which those who subscribe to notions of civic pride can be comforted; from the release:
  • Like all MEC buildings, the MEC Toronto store will be operationally carbon neutral, using renewable energy
  • MEC will also launch new events programming tailored to the neighbouring community. Planned events include in-store experiences with local artist Maria Qamar (known as Hatecopy), exhilarating film screenings with Red Bull and a Mother's Day hike with community partner Parkbus.
  • A community room within the new MEC store will also serve as a meeting space that comfortably seats 12 people, available for use by local outdoor groups and environmental organizations.
  • "Basecamp" open-concept community space: used to host how-to clinics, community events and to connect members with places to camp, hike and get active outside in Ontario.
  • Bouldering wall: a 1,000-square-foot wall for in-store climbing
  • As part of the organization's commitment to ensure more people feel welcome at MEC stores, MEC Queen West will have fully accessible, universal changeroom facilities on each floor, and a fully accessible universal washroom facility on the second floor. Additionally, the store's entrance will feature MEC's first written land acknowledgement to recognize the Indigenous land the building is located on, accompanied by an installation that highlights a local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.
So, there's lots to celebrate with this building, and MEC should be recognized , even though the design is a massive (and completely avoidable) missed opportunity.
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I didn't know any of that, actually. All points well taken. That shows a positive contribution to the city, for sure.
 
I have to say I walked past this last night and was hit with a wave of nausea that mirrored the feelings of disgust mentioned above. There is just no reason that the colour palette had to be so sickly, the materials so third rate, and the profile so suburban strip mall.

So it does add to that sense of Toronto falling into a hole, all the promise that was held out when I moved here ten years ago dissipating. There are so many examples where that is the case. The city is transactional, having fallen into the hands of Ford and now Tory, who epitomizes that ethos.

On the other hand - and I try to remind myself of this - there have been some pretty great developments as well, a general sense of vibrancy throughout the downtown, with some great new towers, including hotels and commercial towers, many great new restaurants and stores and events. Other transformative developments are also ongoing, with things like Mirvish Village and The Well promising to add a lot to the city, while the east side continues its march toward increased vibrancy and the waterfront in general continues to steadily improve.

Still, that's tough to remember when something this bad happens, because atrocious it is indeed.
 
I just don’t understand why they would allow their flagship location to look worse than their run of the mill locations. Personally I think the below maybe with some more ground floor windows on the front would have looked better than what they built
3AABCF7F-502C-4407-8551-BD222B09EF38.jpeg
 
ADRM said:
As fugly as this building is (and I think it's actually getting too easy a ride from some on here), it's important to acknowledge that there are lots of positives related to it, by which those who subscribe to notions of civic pride can be comforted; from the release:
  • Like all MEC buildings, the MEC Toronto store will be operationally carbon neutral, using renewable energy
  • MEC will also launch new events programming tailored to the neighbouring community. Planned events include in-store experiences with local artist Maria Qamar (known as Hatecopy), exhilarating film screenings with Red Bull and a Mother's Day hike with community partner Parkbus.
  • A community room within the new MEC store will also serve as a meeting space that comfortably seats 12 people, available for use by local outdoor groups and environmental organizations.
  • "Basecamp" open-concept community space: used to host how-to clinics, community events and to connect members with places to camp, hike and get active outside in Ontario.
  • Bouldering wall: a 1,000-square-foot wall for in-store climbing
  • As part of the organization's commitment to ensure more people feel welcome at MEC stores, MEC Queen West will have fully accessible, universal changeroom facilities on each floor, and a fully accessible universal washroom facility on the second floor. Additionally, the store's entrance will feature MEC's first written land acknowledgement to recognize the Indigenous land the building is located on, accompanied by an installation that highlights a local Indigenous community partner, Outdoor Reconcili-Action.
So, there's lots to celebrate with this building, and MEC should be recognized , even though the design is a massive (and completely avoidable) missed opportunity.
Click to expand...
I would have preferred a street presence that enhances the neighbourhood, over a "accessible universal washroom facility on the second floor". Give me a break. They really included this in their press release? I am shocked this disaster hasn't be criticized in every Toronto publication.
 
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