Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto

Presumably, those huge lights that illuminated the north side of the two towers were removed last summer to install the green roof as there's been no light back there since then. For the first time the lights are back on tonight, it looks like they are aligning them to project light on the rear side of the towers evenly. I presume (and hope) that these are LED lights, does anyone have any info. on this? The lighting tonight is a very bright white, it used to have a little more yellow in the light. It looks really good to see them back on again. A little colour to signify various events in the city like the CN Tower does would be cool too.
 
Facelift for 'shabby' Nathan Phillips

Construction on Toronto’s hip new square begins Friday.

The $42.7 million, two-year Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization project will restore and update the original 1965 vision of Finnish architect Viljo Revell.

The proposed budget had been $40 million but that has been recently upped.

Toronto Chief Corporate Officer David Bowes said a sharper, modernized square will emerge by the end of 2012.

“It’s almost 50 years old ... and it just got tired,” Bowes said Tuesday. “It really is a nice place to be around but it just needs to be spruced up and this is really going to change the whole look of it.”

Mayor David Miller and Councillor Kyle Rae will officially kick off square construction Friday morning.

More...........http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/04/06/13490206.html
 
Construction will begin in the south-western section of the square with a new skate rental area and stage.
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Finally, some information about what will kick off the renovation.

Replacing those cinderblock buildings were high on my list of priorities for the square. It's great to see them start there. The Queen st. sidewalk is another major priority. The dead grass suits no purpose and just robs the opportunity for people gathering here. People just walk right by what should be the Welcome Mat to the square.
 
Work on one component of the revitalized square – a green roof – began last year and is near completion.

“It’s like a park,†Bowes said. “It’s the biggest (green) roof system in Canada.â€

The public will get their first peak at the green roof during Doors Open Toronto weekend on May 29-30.

In addition to the roof, a new forested perimetre will be planted with at least 200 new trees.

A soil support system will be installed to allow for paving, trees and a storm water “sponge.â€

Bowes said his favourite part of the project is the added greenery.

“It’ll just look like a green oasis amongst the concrete (of downtown Toronto),†he said.
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200 new trees aint too shabby either
 
They should also start to think about upkeep of the square - in particular, the possiblity of having citizens volunteer for light maintainence and planting programs as well as getting some sort of endowment fund set up.

AoD
 
Best news of the year. Now let's hope that no mayor hopeful makes a promise to halt the renovation.
 
alklay said:
Best news of the year. Now let's hope that no mayor hopeful makes a promise to halt the renovation.
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That's exactly why I'm so happy to see this starting NOW -- so that the project will be in full swing by the time the election takes place.
 
Well, if Rob Ford, Rossi and even maybe Smitherman win, we'll probably have to be content with just the stage and the new skating support building as the rest will be cancelled. I give it by the end of today for all or some of these candidates to come out swinging about this "waste of money". Rob Ford will definitely come out against it.

Pantalone is the lone candidate that seems to understand that beautifying the city is just as important for the life of its citizens as Police services, garbage collection and other core municipal responsibilities.
 
indeed, by the time the election takes place, the project will be thoroughly underway. of course, the restaurant, the stage and the new peace park will have to be constructed. if however, the green roof becomes a huge success, and the square see more and more traffic this summer, i think it will be politically unpopular to postpone this project. moreover, miller claimed that the pan am medal ceremony will be held in the square. i hope the candidates (excluding that moose rob ford) understand the importance of this project.
 
Traynor said:
That shot of NPS reminded me of one from The Toronto Archives posted over at the Then & Now thread. It was taken from The TD Tower, I'm guessing around Spring 1968. It's fun to compare it to the recent aerial shot showing the green roof.
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Here's a similar view taken last week with the roof not looking so green yet -- that'll change after the thunderstorm we had today.




AlvinofDiaspar said:
They should also start to think about upkeep of the square - in particular, the possiblity of having citizens volunteer for light maintainence and planting programs as well as getting some sort of endowment fund set up.

AoD
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Agreed. They need to address the problem that started this whole thing in the first place.
 
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AlvinofDiaspar said:
They should also start to think about upkeep of the square - in particular, the possiblity of having citizens volunteer for light maintainence and planting programs as well as getting some sort of endowment fund set up.

AoD
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or how about the possibility of getting some city employees to actually do their jobs and perform the upkeep .. it is one of the preeminent spaces in the city.. of course this being Toronto you wouldn't know it
 
barrytron3030 said:
indeed, by the time the election takes place, the project will be thoroughly underway. of course, the restaurant, the stage and the new peace park will have to be constructed. if however, the green roof becomes a huge success, and the square see more and more traffic this summer, i think it will be politically unpopular to postpone this project. moreover, miller claimed that the pan am medal ceremony will be held in the square. i hope the candidates (excluding that moose rob ford) understand the importance of this project.
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Good point about PanAm. It will help draw this project to its full completion. Another way to guarantee it's finished is to sign contracts with the parties who will build it where cancelling it would result in a lawsuit against the city.
 
nstuch:

Why shouldn't the public take ownership of a space that is ultimately their's? Resources aren't unlimited - and if citizens can contribute and free some time and money for the city to use in other projects, why not?

AoD
 
Well, the City has demonstrated a very limited ability to maintain the square for the past 50 years with whatever operating budget money that was allocated for the purpose.
 
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