Toronto Parks

[DonValleyRainbow]

I thought the thread was about Toronto parks. It seems more like the discussion is berating each other's views on Vancouver's park situation.

 

[Ayan]

I thought the thread was about Toronto parks. It seems more like the discussion is berating each other's views on Vancouver's park situation.

There's nothing wrong in comparing Toronto parks to parks in other cities just as people are comparing Toronto buildings/architecture to those in other cities in other threads.

Before the discussion around the lack of quality park spaces in downtown Toronto relative to downtown Vancouver and downtown Montreal, there were fewer than 10 posts in this thread this year (with no posts during the entire year of 2013).

No one is holding you back from discussing Toronto parks to your heart's content. You can start a park topic anytime.

Likewise, no one is forcing you to read posts that you don't want to read. You can choose to ignore/block posters.

As for posters who make absurd statements, you can report them.

 

[nfitz]

Aside from the fact that I used quotation marks, colloquially most Montrealers refer to BOULEVARD De Maisonneuve as Maisonneuve (another indication that you are not familiar with Montreal).

I spent years in Montreal. Went to school there, and lived a block away from de Maisonneuve. Heck, my CEGEP was block away too ... used to jog along de Maisonneuve in gym class.

Not once do I recall anyone ever calling it Maisonneuve. Well, perhaps the ignorant twits who still called de Montagne "Mountain Street" ... but those Westmount Rhodesians were a dying breed.

Being open to learning from other cities when it comes to urban planning is a good thing. Your narrow Toronto-centric views will do more harm to the city than good.

I'm quite happy to accept learning from other cities. I simply do not suffer fools gladly. Particularly pompous ones.

Now can we get back to discussing Toronto parks?

 

[freshcutgrass]

I have been discussing the lack of quality park spaces in DOWNTOWN Toronto relative to downtown Vancouver

Except all the evidence and facts (including even what you presented LOL) does not support this theory.

 

[Ayan]

I spent years in Montreal. Went to school there, and lived a block away from de Maisonneuve. Heck, my CEGEP was block away too ... used to jog along de Maisonneuve in gym class.

Not once do I recall anyone ever calling it Maisonneuve. Well, perhaps the ignorant twits who still called de Montagne "Mountain Street" ... but those Westmount Rhodesians were a dying breed.

I'm quite happy to accept learning from other cities. I simply do not suffer fools gladly. Particularly pompous ones.

The good thing about being open-minded is that you can learn from your mistakes.

http://www.la-rue-st-denis.com/metro.htm

 

[nfitz]

The good thing about being open-minded is that you can learn from your mistakes.

Well, I'm glad you finally apologized. Hopefully this is now over.

I'm not sure what that website is. It's certainly not English. And it certainly doesn't look official. Looks like some kind of spam advertising site.

 

[Ayan]

Well, I'm glad you finally apologized. Hopefully this is now over.

I'm not sure what that website is. It's certainly not English. And it certainly doesn't look official. Looks like some kind of spam advertising site.

Um I meant YOU could learn from YOUR mistakes. The website is just an example of how Montrealers (not just “Westmount Rhodesiansâ€) use “Maisonneuve.†For someone who “spent years in Montreal,†I am surprised that you can't navigate a website in French!

 

[Tewder]

Ayan, you're clearly being trolled, posts such as these contribute absolutely zero to the conversation:

Hampton and Maissoneuve is nowhere near as far as Scarborough from Downtown Montreal. It's 3.5 kms from downtown Montreal. You clearly know nothing about Montreal so please remove it from anything you have to say to prove any point you are trying to make because you are failing in extraordinary fashion.

And yet in Vancouver it seems much further to walk to a playground, when they are a lot closer in Toronto.

Why on earth are you calling "de Maisonneuve" as "Maisonneuve". Not spelling it right is one thing ... but who has ever called it just "Maisonneuve"?!?

The discussion isn't about parks in downtown. It's about parks in Toronto. As we've proved without a shadow of a doubt that the park situation in Vancouver as a whole is quite pathetic, I really don't know why we are still mentioning such a park-poor city in this discussion.

And really, are we surprised that the park situation in Vancouver is so pathetic? Have you spent much time in Vancouver? You start walking around, and the state of the urban infrastructure is shocking. There's still pedestrian crossings with no wheelchair ramps in place. There are sidewalks that have massive heaving because of tree roots, and no attempts to fix them for many years. And what's really surprising is that with the very mild winters, there's generally much less need for pavement and sidewalk replacement each year - and yet even then they can't keep up.

Perhaps there should be a separate thread for those with a Vancouver fetish to discuss how their grass is greener?

I'm not sure where I fall on your premise but reasoned discussion is interesting and has merit and is appropriate in this thread. It's sad that the same old tired posters relentlessly continue to hijack and sabotage yet another thread.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Well here's something else we could talk about.

As mentioned earlier, I am going through Toronto's parks on Google Maps. There are a few spaces that seem to be designated as open space, but do not have names. Example: 35 Gwendolen Ave. Is anyone familiar with what the process is for naming public spaces? It would be interesting to assign names to these nameless spaces.

 

[DSC]

Well here's something else we could talk about.

As mentioned earlier, I am going through Toronto's parks on Google Maps. There are a few spaces that seem to be designated as open space, but do not have names. Example: 35 Gwendolen Ave. Is anyone familiar with what the process is for naming public spaces? It would be interesting to assign names to these nameless spaces.

1. There is a listing of all of Toronto's official parks at: http://www1.toronto.ca/parks/prd/facilities/parks/index.htm

2. If you want to name a City property (or street/laneway) your best bet is to talk to the local Councillor. There is a City policy thayt reads:

Naming & Renaming Policy - Parks and Recreation Facilities

The process of naming and renaming parks/facilities should be within the purview of the Community Councils to recommend. All requests for the naming of parks or recreation facilities must be referred to the General Manager of PF&R in a written report.

Policy Statement

Naming and Renaming for Parks and Recreation Facilities - Revised Sept 16, 2009
Parks and Recreation facilities should be named on the basis of either the street or geographic area that most appropriately describes and identifies the location of the park or facility. Where appropriate parks and facilities may be named to honour and commemorate persons, places and events or things that have made a significant contribution to the City.

No doubt this explains why we have a Douglas B. Ford park

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

No doubt this explains why we have a Douglas B. Ford park

Well they voted for them, and he served them. We might roll our eyes but it reflects how they feel I guess.

 

[freshcutgrass]

In terms of both number and quality of parks, downtown Toronto lags downtown Vancouver

http://www.canurb.org/cui-news/the-value-of-investing-in-canadian-downtowns.html


there are 29 other parks in downtown Vancouver.

http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation...d-beaches.aspx

Sorry, but I'm going to have to insist you back up your claims with actual facts, or retract them.

The 29 parks listed for "downtown Vancouver" is for the actual downtown Vancouver as I pointed out earlier...Downtown plus Downtown Eastside = 579 ha (which also does not even come close to the number of parks in downtown Toronto).

But since you insist on using the definition as presented in the map you provided, please tell me how many of these 29 parks fall within that boundary.
And then give me the corresponding info on downtown Toronto;

Once you're done that, you can try to explain how the "quality" of these parks are superior to downtown Toronto's.

 

[nfitz]

Sorry, but I'm going to have to insist you back up your claims with actual facts, or retract them.

The 29 parks listed for "downtown Vancouver" is for the actual downtown Vancouver as I pointed out earlier...Downtown plus Downtown Eastside = 579 ha (which also does not even come close to the number of parks in downtown Toronto).

But since you insist on using the definition as presented in the map you provided, please tell me how many of these 29 parks fall within that boundary.
And then give me the corresponding info on downtown Toronto;

Once you're done that, you can try to explain how the "quality" of these parks are superior to downtown Toronto's.

If you follow the links in the list of "29 parks" (list shows 23 as far as I can see) some are little more than some paving stones and perhaps some bushes at an odd intersection:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/@4...1s0x54867176d92b2263:0x64c550ae49e70958?hl=en

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2746...m4!1e1!3m2!1s6OE7pIUZxOy8iDCsP6VKVQ!2e0?hl=en - BTW, you have to check out the duck flying through the interesection in this shot!!

I suppose this is technically a park! LOL! https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2841...m4!1e1!3m2!1suWAV745Hj0xrVN6CWGN4MQ!2e0?hl=en Only about 5 or so actually have a playground or play structure of any kind, as far as I can see!

I don't really see any point to this discussion.

 

[salsa]

If you follow the links in the list of "29 parks" (list shows 23 as far as I can see) some are little more than some paving stones and perhaps some bushes at an odd intersection:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/@49...49e70958?hl=en

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.27463...VKVQ!2e0?hl=en - BTW, you have to check out the duck flying through the interesection in this shot!!

I suppose this is technically a park! LOL! https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.28410...N4MQ!2e0?hl=en Only about 5 or so actually have a playground or play structure of any kind, as far as I can see!

Your flying duck park appears to have a playground if you just zoom in a bit. You could say it's just some "bushes at an odd intersection", but it looks really nice. However if playgrounds are the only things that matter to you, then I guess the Music Garden is not a real park, Allan Gardens is not a real park, and Queens Park is not a real park.

I don't really see any point to this discussion.

Then perhaps it's time to move onto another topic.

 

[nfitz]

Your flying duck park appears to have a playground if you just zoom in a bit.

I looked at that from a few angles, and the mapping, and I think that structure, behind a very high fence, is actually part of the condo complex nearby, and is presumably private. But I'm making assumptions here. However, when you look at the list of parks that were provided - http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-gardens-and-beaches.aspx there is no reference to the playground. Nor is there any mention on the park page http://cfapp.vancouver.ca/parkfinder_wa/index.cfm?fuseaction=FAC.ParkDetails&park_id=23 - descriptions of other parks do mention playgrounds. This just seems to be some greenery along a walkway, more akin to Norman Jewison Park, James Canning Gardens, or George Hislop Park in Toronto - none of which I'd think to list if I was listing parks in Toronto (despite the prominence in discussing them in this thread).

You could say it's just some "bushes at an odd intersection", but it looks really nice. However if playgrounds are the only things that matter to you, then I guess the Music Garden is not a real park, Allan Gardens is not a real park, and Queens Park is not a real park.

There's a swing-set at Allan Gardens, or at least there used to be ... a see-saw too - and aren't they in the middle of building a new playground? My 2-year old was running around in it earlier this summer, dodging the whinos while we were waiting for a streetcar, and there was a large fenced off area and some signs. The Music Garden doesn't have a traditional playground, but it's extremely playable, especially with the "maze" and all the other features - and there is a playground about 100 metres further west at the southeast corner of Eireann Quay and Queens Quay. Queens Park does indeed appear to be playground deficient, though I can't think of any nearby residences - though my kids think the entire ROM is a playground ...

Then perhaps it's time to move onto another topic.

Probably - but we keep getting this odd comments about how many more parks there are in downtown Vancouver than Toronto ... and yet the list of the number of parks in downtown Vancouver is less than 30, some being just little parkette's. My gosh, if we started counting all those in Toronto. The Vancouver website even notes that there are ONLY 220 parks in the entire city! Ouch!

A quick look at the City's website - http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...VCM10000071d60f89RCRD&appInstanceName=default shows so many parks downtown, I can't even begin to count them! And it doesn't include school playgrounds which are open outside of school hours, or all of the city parks - such as Williamson Park Ravine, or a lot of parkettes at intersections (though does include some).