Toronto Queens Quay & Water's Edge Revitalization | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

Bike ring installation seems to go a bit quicker if it's a business requesting one in front of their building, rather than individuals requesting them. May want to give that a shot if there's somewhere you go often that lacks adequate bike racks.
 
PinkLucy said:
hahahahaha, I wish. I know of a number of spots where multiple people, including the councillor's office, have been requesting with no joy. We are told there will be an 18 month wait, minimum.
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Hmm, I requested a bike ring in front of a Shoppers Drug Mart by Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton two years back and they got it done within 3 months.
 
WislaHD said:
Hmm, I requested a bike ring in front of a Shoppers Drug Mart by Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton two years back and they got it done within 3 months.
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I've heard similar stories; when talking about it with the councillor I was told that's likely because it had already been requested. I've also heard that they install x number each year hence the wait.
Napalm Frog said:
Bike ring installation seems to go a bit quicker if it's a business requesting one in front of their building, rather than individuals requesting them. May want to give that a shot if there's somewhere you go often that lacks adequate bike racks.
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Resident associations and BIAs are requesting them, as is the councillor's office, with no luck.
 
I gave an impromptu tour to a family of Brazilian tourists who asked me for directions and a Mexican athlete that we picked up along the way. At the base of the CN Tower, they asked me for advice on what to see in the city on their first day. I took them through Roundhouse Park to the waterfront.

I was embarrassed about taking them under the Gardiner as one would be to receive unexpected guests and have the living room a mess. But once we arrived on to Queens Quay, my heart swelled with pride. Thankfully, they didn't notice the shitty buildings lining Queens Quay because they were too busy admiring the wave decks and asking questions about our streetcar row and bike network.

We spent some time at Harbourfront. All the PanAm activity there was amazing! I loved the tents with displays tuned to a CBC feed showing the games. I walked them again under the Gardiner (ugh) and quickly up to Bremner, the ACC, through Union Station on to the gorgeous new Front Street, then through Calatrava's Brookfield Place and up Bay to Old City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square.

I highly recommend finding the hospitality in yourself and personally giving people a tour of your city if you have the time. I had a blast and my dog walked 15km today so she's passed out for the day.

To finish off and get back on topic, Queens Quay is certainly the new jewel of the city. Years ago when it was just a mere idea, West 8's Adriaan Gauze liked to say that Queens Quay would be Toronto's La Rambla. Imagining how the tree canopy will grow (am I crazy or do the trees already look bigger?) and seeing the amount of people already using it, I have a good feeling that he will be proven right.
 
MetroMan said:
I gave an impromptu tour to a family of Brazilian tourists who asked me for directions and a Mexican athlete that we picked up along the way. At the base of the CN Tower, they asked me for advice on what to see in the city on their first day. I took them through Roundhouse Park to the waterfront...
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Amazing hospitality, MM. Now those people are going to tell dozens of their friends about how wonderful Torontonians are :)
 
MetroMan said:
I gave an impromptu tour to a family of Brazilian tourists who asked me for directions and a Mexican athlete that we picked up along the way. At the base of the CN Tower, they asked me for advice on what to see in the city on their first day. I took them through Roundhouse Park to the waterfront.

I was embarrassed about taking them under the Gardiner as one would be to receive unexpected guests and have the living room a mess. But once we arrived on to Queens Quay, my heart swelled with pride. Thankfully, they didn't notice the shitty buildings lining Queens Quay because they were too busy admiring the wave decks and asking questions about our streetcar row and bike network.

We spent some time at Harbourfront. All the PanAm activity there was amazing! I loved the tents with displays tuned to a CBC feed showing the games. I walked them again under the Gardiner (ugh) and quickly up to Bremner, the ACC, through Union Station on to the gorgeous new Front Street, then through Calatrava's Brookfield Place and up Bay to Old City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square.

I highly recommend finding the hospitality in yourself and personally giving people a tour of your city if you have the time. I had a blast and my dog walked 15km today so she's passed out for the day.

To finish off and get back on topic, Queens Quay is certainly the new jewel of the city. Years ago when it was just a mere idea, West 8's Adriaan Gauze liked to say that Queens Quay would be Toronto's La Rambla. Imagining how the tree canopy will grow (am I crazy or do the trees already look bigger?) and seeing the amount of people already using it, I have a good feeling that he will be proven right.
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Awesome! It's great to show people round the city and show it off a little. Were there any specific things you think they liked?

I wouldn't worry too much about the Gardiner - they probably have a whole bunch of overpasses back home as well ...
 
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It is great to see all the new trees along QQ (most of which seem to be alive). It is interesting to see that most have the tree watering bags attached to them but I noticed today on the trees they planted last week on QQ East (east of Lower Jarvis) that the bags are empty. The bags are a great idea but they DO need to be kept filled up!
 
the lemur said:
Awesome! It's great to show people round the city and show it off a little. Were there any specific things you think they liked?
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They loved the wave decks and spoke at length about the bike lanes and streetcar ROW. Boy, if only they knew how Queens Quay is an exception and that the car rules in Toronto... but I kept my mouth shut.

Walking through the city, they were less impressed by skyscrapers and modern architecture. They stopped for quite some time at Old City Hall admiring the brickwork and the clock tower with its gargoyles.

Several years back, I had some friends over from Brazil and they had a similar reaction. I didn't feel like they were too imprsessed with Toronto until I took them around UofT. The leafy streets and Victorian architecture isn't something you see in South America.
 
Another derailment at Spadina/Queens Quay. Not sure whether its a CLRV or one of the new streetcars though.

Edit: Turns out it was a new streetcar.
 
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