Toronto Toronto City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto | Perkins&Will

Anyone know what this ramp is/was for? Looks like it’s been abandoned for ages…
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^I was gonna say it's the new super secret entrance to the Batcave, thus lost its civic use... 😼
 
while we're on the topic... they should close the redundant city hall parking entrance on the south side of Queen and give that space back to pedestrians. (It leads to the same garage as the one across the street, correct?) Would be a nice, symbolic way for city council to show they are committed to improving the public realm. (won't happen as long as Holyday and DMW are on council though...)

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while we're on the topic... they should close the redundant city hall parking entrance on the south side of Queen and give that space back to pedestrians. (It leads to the same garage as the one across the street, correct?) Would be a nice, symbolic way for city council to show they are committed to improving the public realm. (won't happen as long as Holyday and DMW are on council though...)

This should absolutely be part of a wider effort to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity around NPS, seeing as it is of course one of the city's most important and symbolic civic spaces, and currently looks and operates like horse dung.

The fact that there is a slip lane at the SE corner is sort of perfectly emblematic of how awful the current state of affairs is. The entire eastern frontage actually sucks for pedestrians and access more generally.
 
This should absolutely be part of a wider effort to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity around NPS, seeing as it is of course one of the city's most important and symbolic civic spaces, and currently looks and operates like horse dung.

The fact that there is a slip lane at the SE corner is sort of perfectly emblematic of how awful the current state of affairs is. The entire eastern frontage actually sucks for pedestrians and access more generally.
Well I mean there was the whole Nathan Phillips Square project...which of course the city cheaped out on and cut various aspects of the overall revitalization plan.
 
Somehow this half-ass “revitalization” won an award. Go figure. I gave up on NPS and the grimy state of city hall’s exterior many many years ago. The photo posted by Milkycontent says it all. Yeesh, our most prominent public space too.
 
while we're on the topic... they should close the redundant city hall parking entrance on the south side of Queen and give that space back to pedestrians. (It leads to the same garage as the one across the street, correct?) Would be a nice, symbolic way for city council to show they are committed to improving the public realm. (won't happen as long as Holyday and DMW are on council though...)

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Speaking of which…

Don Valley East councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong says he won't seek re-election this fall​


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General Government and Licensing Committee consideration on April 29, 2022
GL30.17
ACTION​
Ward: 10​
Award of Request for Tender Ariba Document Number 3275897747 to Buttcon Limited for the Indian Residential School Survivors Restoration of Identity Project on Nathan Phillips Square

Work for this is underway: Photos taken Sept 11th, 2022:

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While I was at City Hall, I made note of a few past and ongoing works. I will share some pics and my thoughts. Photos taken Sept 11th, 2022:

We'll start w/things I have complaints about, and then finish on a brighter note.

The corridor beside Osgoode Hall, has entirely contemporary streetlights that look ridiculous next to this building and lack any character or ambiance at all.

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The integration of 'wild' plants into the seating area by the Peace Garden has to be written off as a fail. I like nature, but this just doesn't look good at all. It reads as neglected rather than natural.

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Clean that nonsense out.....we can keep some green here, but it needs to be much shorter and convey the appearance of a cared-for space.

*****

On a brighter note, the Aspens here look phenomenal, and are nearing mature height, fall colours are setting in a bit early on them (I'll bet they are from northern Ontario planting stock)............but it just looks lovely.

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