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Toronto-Age |OT2|

E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
Maybe we'll finally have the water front developed! Well, sort of. As if it was a nightmare come true. Mega mall, Ferris wheel, monorail and boat in hotel. :S

http://www.thestar.com/news/article...erris-wheel-monorail-and-a-boat-in-hotel?bn=1

Councillor Doug Ford has laid out his most detailed vision for Toronto’s eastern waterfront, with a monorail skimming along the shore, a 1.6-million-square-foot “megamall” and island airport users boating right into their hotel lobby.

Ford, the brother and closest adviser of Mayor Rob Ford, laid out his vision in an interview Tuesday morning on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning.

The interview came on the heels of the Ford administration revealing it wants to seize control of port lands redevelopment from Waterfront Toronto, a tripartite agency to which Ottawa, Queen’s Park and the city have each contributed $500 million.

In the interview, Doug Ford laid out a much grander vision than Waterfront Toronto’s existing plan — lauded by planners and developers, but criticized by the Ford administration as moving too slowly—for a vibrant residential community that would incorporate stores and parks.

“What we’d like to do is have a monorail system that’s running right from the Pan Am Games (site) right along the lakefront and stops at Union Station and Ontario Place and right across the front of the lake,” Ford said.

“And then it would hang a quick little right, right down Cherry St., and as it goes down Cherry St. the first stop would be right at the end of the pier.

“You would have some just beautiful iconic buildings, hotels, you’d be able to get to the hotel from boat, from train or from the airport and it’d be the only hotel that you’d be able to get off the plane, throw your luggage in a boat and pull right into the lobby and unload it.

“And the second stop would be down by Lake Ontario Park, Cherry Beach, and you’d have just 250 acres of beautiful beachfront. You’d be able to picnic, bike, jog and then the next stop would be the megamall.

“It would be 1.6 million square feet of one of the most prestigious malls in Canada. We’d try to attract Nordstrom and Bloomingdales and Macy’s ...

“And the last stop is the Hearn Station, and that would be a multi-use facility with ice rinks on the base and soccer pitches on the top, retail on the back end and then the monorail would come back up to Union Station. It would be absolutely spectacular, it could be the most prestigious address in Canada and we need to develop it.”

Ford had said he also hopes to have looming over all of it the world’s biggest Ferris wheel, similar to England’s London Eye.

The Ford administration has not publicly released its detailed vision for the port lands but the councillor said it made an impression when unveiled recently to an unspecified group.

“We had 15 people in the room and everyone’s jaw just dropped when they saw it. It is spectacular, just spectacular.”

Asked how the city would finance the redevelopment, Ford said private sector investment would cover everything including the roads and other infrastructure. The Ford administration is also seeking billions in private investment to fund the Sheppard subway line.

Ford’s interview on CBC Radio — after he and his brother have long been cool to the public broadcaster — seemed aimed at putting pressure on Premier Dalton McGuinty’s Liberal government, which is on the cusp of a provincial election and is resisting the city’s port lands takeover plan.

The office of provincial Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli told the Star on Monday that “the province remains committed to Waterfront Toronto’s mandate and their ongoing work in revitalizing Toronto’s waterfront.”

And Glen Murray, minister of research and innovation, said a city decision to pull out of the port lands partnership would jeopardize the broader waterfront strategy. “All of the projects are interrelated; you can’t just pull one piece out. It’s important that governments stick to the plan and not change the plan halfway through,” Murray said.

The office of federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty would not comment directly on the city’s proposal, but said federal participation in Waterfront Toronto is “winding down” because $492 million of its $500 million contribution has been spent.

The city can negotiate to withdraw from the port lands deal and, if those talks fail, unilaterally pull out within nine months.

Mayor Ford’s executive committee will next week vote on a city manager recommendation to take back its port land properties because Waterfront Toronto has not come up with a plan to pay for the flood prevention project that must be completed before development can proceed.

Council, however, approved the $634 million flood prevention strategy just last year, on the advice of senior bureaucrats, on the understanding that a funding plan would come later. Funding was not expected to be found by now, said Waterfront Toronto spokeswoman Michelle Noble.

“They asked us to report back with a business case. And that’s something we’ve been working on.”
Click to expand...
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
I think their idea for a single line monorail to Ontario Place is hilarious. I guess they didn't know that the Waterfront line for Transit City hit Exhibition? Short subways and monorails for all. I'm sure they have transit gurus telling them to build those, right?

Mega Mall at the water front crazy too. I'm sure they'll want a gigantic parking lot along with it, like they failed to achieve with the Ripley's project. Multi-use buildings with retail store fronts are fine, even if you want to call them malls. They're obviously shooting for from grand American-esque mall though.
 
Z

Zombie James

Banned
wrpgU.jpg
 
K

Kabuki Quantum Lover

Member
I like how every single fucking thing they want to build is going to be covered by the private sector, but when it actually comes time to put the project through its paces, the private sector is nowhere to be seen.

Fucking Fords...
 
B

BladeWorker

Member
EvilMario said:
Maybe we'll finally have the water front developed! Well, sort of. As if it was a nightmare come true. Mega mall, Ferris wheel, monorail and boat in hotel. :S
Click to expand...
I was going to read the article, but then I remembered that taking seriously that which comes out of Doug Ford's mouth, to the point of reading it without laughing, is to lose more brain cells than I can possibly afford.
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
TTC news, worse than usual.

0L1jI.jpg


http://www.thestar.com/news/transpo...48--one-dead-13-injured-in-ttc-bus-crash?bn=1

One passenger is dead and 13 others injured after the TTC bus they were travelling on collided with a construction truck Tuesday.

A 43-year-old woman from Toronto was killed in the crash, which took place around 2:30 p.m. Six passengers went to trauma for serious injuries, police said.

The male bus driver was uninjured, said Danny Nicholson, supervisor of corporate communications for the TTC. It was not immediately known how many people were on board the 54 Lawrence East bus, he said.

The TTC is cooperating with the investigation, which is being handled by Toronto police.

The front right corner of the bus was smashed after the crash and debris spread across part of Lawrence Ave. E.

The truck was in second closest lane to the curb travelling westbound before the exit lane, said Const. Hugh Smith. It appears the bus was changing lanes from the same lane as the truck into the second lane from the center.

The bus will remain where it is for about three hours while the reconstruction team investigates, police said.

Both drivers are being investigated, Smith said. The Amherst truck driver was “devastated,” he said, and both drivers are shaken up.

The truck was carrying a lowered crane on its trailer. It has been pulled to the side of Lawrence, which is closed eastbound from The Donway E. to Victoria Park Ave. and westbound at Railside Rd.

Yvonne Bullard lives in the building overlooking the accident. She heard a loud crash and called 911.

"I said to the 911 people if there is anyone at the front of bus, they must be dead," she said.

Bullard takes that bus route everyday and was considering taking an afternoon bus today to a doctor’s appointment.

She saw lots of passengers rush off the bus as soon as they could, pushing the door. Many of them were bandaged up by paramedics as she watched from the sidewalk.

"My knees are all wobbly," said Janice, who preferred her last name be withheld. She rushed to the scene when she found out her daughter was on the bus. She heard her daughter was covered in blood and was rushed to the hospital along with the other injured, but does not know how severely she is hurt. She also doesn't know if her daughter's two children were in the bus with her.

The on-ramps to the Don Valley Pkwy. are closed in both directions at Lawrence.
Click to expand...
 
T

The Take Out Bandit

Member
Rinoa said:
obligatory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmLA5TqbIY
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZzgAjjuqZM

Wonder if a Toronto one was made.
Click to expand...

Really, seeing the city voted #4 best in the world, or whatever it was is no joke.

The first day back home and I was filled with disgust in mere minutes.

I'd move to Toronto if I weren't such a simmering crockpot of hatred. Better to not ruin it for everybody else.

I should visit in the winter to see how it is.

Only thing that got to me was the sheer stupidity of getting gas in my car at some station outside of the city. The lady couldn't just run my card and let me fill up. She wanted a number. I was trying to ballpark how many gallons I had left - then convert that to liters, but then just asked for a dollar amount to get the hell out of there before I started stabbing people by reflex of frustration.

I should have known. All the signs in the shopping center were backwards. No joke. =_=;
 
L

lunarworks

Member
The Take Out Bandit said:
Only thing that got to me was the sheer stupidity of getting gas in my car at some station outside of the city. The lady couldn't just run my card and let me fill up. She wanted a number. I was trying to ballpark how many gallons I had left - then convert that to liters, but then just asked for a dollar amount to get the hell out of there before I started stabbing people by reflex of frustration.
Click to expand...
The rule of thumb is 4 litres to a gallon.
 
T

The Take Out Bandit

Member
lunarworks said:
The rule of thumb is 4 litres to a gallon.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know it's a 13 gallon tank - I just had to do the mental math, plus I was getting great mileage since most of it was highway miles.

Needless to say, I set a new distance record on that tank of gas. :3
 
D

Draff

Member
I swear, part of me thinks it's impossible for someone so incompetent to be running this city. I fear we're part of some mad experiment.

A mega-mall, really? As if the Eaton Centre's not enough. Who the hell wants to go to the waterfront to go indoors into a shopping centre? I thought the point was to enjoy the scenery, not hit up Macy's.
 
F

Firestorm

Member
Yeah that's what really confuses me about the mall. Well, aside from never having heard of a Macy's in Canada, why would you do that when you already have an iconic mall in the Eaton's Centre?
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
Firestorm said:
Yeah that's what really confuses me about the mall. Well, aside from never having heard of a Macy's in Canada, why would you do that when you already have an iconic mall in the Eaton's Centre?
Click to expand...

It's just a scheme to obtain the vast parking lot they wanted with the aquarium.

The best part about him mentioning Macy's, is it shows just how much 'I want to be like America' mentality goes into their decisions.
 
Represent.

Represent.

Represent(ative) of bad opinions
That mega mall sounds incredible to me. It sounds ambitious. Which is somethng i think toronto (canada on a whole) needs more of (ambition). Eaton center and a megamall in the same city. Dope.
 
A

Azih

Member
Represent. said:
That mega mall sounds incredible to me. It sounds ambitious. Which is somethng i think toronto (canada on a whole) needs more of (ambition). Eaton center and a megamall in the same city. Dope.
Click to expand...
I don't see how a megamall is ambitious.
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
How about a well structured neighborhood on the water with mix use residential and street front retail, green space and transit. Sounds better than mega mall and gigantic parking garage. It's like asking people if they would rather have Dufferin Mall at the water front, or The Beaches / Roncesvalles-like neighborhood.

Oh, by the way:

http://www.thestar.com/news/article...h-if-ndp-would-plug-sheppard-funding-gap?bn=1

Ford asks Horwath if NDP would plug Sheppard funding ‘gap’

They 'might have some private funding' for it, but they'll need to fill a gap. If the NDP backs this, Jack Layton will roll over in his grave.
 
K

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
Represent. said:
That mega mall sounds incredible to me. It sounds ambitious. Which is somethng i think toronto (canada on a whole) needs more of (ambition). Eaton center and a megamall in the same city. Dope.
Click to expand...

You physically hurt me with this statement.
 
F

Firestorm

Member
Represent. said:
That mega mall sounds incredible to me. It sounds ambitious. Which is somethng i think toronto (canada on a whole) needs more of (ambition). Eaton center and a megamall in the same city. Dope.
Click to expand...
We have a mega mall. It's in Edmonton. It's really not that cool after the first time and does nothing for residents.
 
B

BladeWorker

Member
EvilMario said:
It's just a scheme to obtain the vast parking lot they wanted with the aquarium.

The best part about him mentioning Macy's, is it shows just how much 'I want to be like America' mentality goes into their decisions.
Click to expand...
Parking lot makes sense. After all, half the platform involved ending the war on the car.

Let it never be said this man didn't stick to his principles, much though I may disagree with them.
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
BladeWorker said:
Parking lot makes sense. After all, half the platform involved ending the war on the car.

Let it never be said this man didn't stick to his principles, much though I may disagree with them.
Click to expand...

Well, we'll see what happens with service cuts and 'private funding' for transit expansion. He'll obviously be 'bending' his campaign promises on those a bit. But I agree, he sticks to his guns for the most part. Not always a good thing however. :p
 
D

dantehemi

Member
Hey gaf, lately I have been really thinking about taking night school courses. I would love to be able to write (like a book or short story's) or even contribute to blogs or Internet sites.
I have tons of ideas, but don't know how to express them on paper. So I guess what I'm asking is, does anyone know of any courses (in the Toronto area) that would benefit me? They would have to be night courses of course.

Thanks Toronto-gaf
 
A

added_time

Member
I don't know if this will interest anyone on here... but tonight is the first match of World Cup Qualifying for 2014 for Canada and the game is at BMO Field at 8:00pm.

If you buy a ticket then you get free admission into the CNE. Also, if you are already at the EX, then the game costs only $9.

If you like soccer and/or Canada then come out and show your support!!
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
ZZMitch said:
Taking a 12 hours drive to Toronto starting tomorrow because I am moving into my dorm on Sunday!

I am very excited :D
Click to expand...

Which direction are you coming from? Taking two days for the drive, I take it? I love cross country driving.
 
F

Firestorm

Member
Last day of work. Leaving tonight. It's been kinda nice experiencing Ontario =) Never been so close to the centre of the universe before ;D You all are great and I'm a little sad I didn't get to meet more of you before leaving!
 
E

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
Firestorm said:
Last day of work. Leaving tonight. It's been kinda nice experiencing Ontario =) Never been so close to the centre of the universe before ;D You all are great and I'm a little sad I didn't get to meet more of you before leaving!
Click to expand...

We all feel terrible that you have to return to the land of beautiful mountains, trees and ocean. It's a shame you didn't get to experience a real winter! Come back soon. ;_;
 
A

Azih

Member
dantehemi said:
Hey gaf, lately I have been really thinking about taking night school courses. I would love to be able to write (like a book or short story's) or even contribute to blogs or Internet sites.
I have tons of ideas, but don't know how to express them on paper. So I guess what I'm asking is, does anyone know of any courses (in the Toronto area) that would benefit me? They would have to be night courses of course.

Thanks Toronto-gaf
Click to expand...
I get interesting brouchures regularly from these people:
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/ViewItem.asp?siteid=200&menuid=983&pageid=721


You coming back soon Firestorm?


Also everybody, www.codeblueto.com is a website helping coordinate opposition to the megamall/ferris wheel/monorail Ford vision.

Seriously take a look at what we've already spent 19 million dollars assessing and planning. It's so much better than what Doug Ford imagined that it's crazy:

http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/explore_projects2/lower_don_lands
 
F

Firestorm

Member
EvilMario said:
We all feel terrible that you have to return to the land of beautiful mountains, trees and ocean. It's a shame you didn't get to experience a real winter! Come back soon. ;_;
Click to expand...
I've been here since January. I think the percentage of times I said the word "fuck" before saying the word "waterloo" was at least 50% during the first two months.
BigJonsson said:
this news will impact rfd Toronto significantly lol
Click to expand...
I've barely bought anything since I got here (didn't wanna lug it home...) and if anything it would have affected Waterloo but there's like 1 of each store and 2 universities so it was already a lost cause lol
Azih said:
You coming back soon Firestorm?
Click to expand...
If I get a job out here =/ May visit in the future - especially if they hold a video game Pokemon Canadian National Championship next summer in Toronto (was only TCG this year for Canada) :p It would be a good excuse to come out and see the friends I've made out here again.
 
V

Vhalyar

Member
Has anyone been to the 360 (restaurant) at the CN Tower? How was the food?

I haven't seen my dad in over a year since he lives in France and can't really travel often, but he's finally coming over in October and I really want to have a great meal with him in Toronto before we set off on our little trip. The view is most likely nice, but if it's offset by crappy food...

Otherwise any suggestions for a nice, memorable restaurant?
 
E

explodet

Member
Liu Kang Baking A Pie said:
"They built a mini-mall, so we built a bigger mini-mall!"
Click to expand...
With all this monorail talk there's one phrase that keeps going through my head.

the_simpsons4x12marge_vs_the_monoraildvdrip_xvid-fovavi_snapshot_1343_20110902_160627.jpg


"Is there a chance the track could bend?"
 
S

Stet

Banned
Vhalyar said:
Has anyone been to the 360 (restaurant) at the CN Tower? How was the food?

I haven't seen my dad in over a year since he lives in France and can't really travel often, but he's finally coming over in October and I really want to have a great meal with him in Toronto before we set off on our little trip. The view is most likely nice, but if it's offset by crappy food...

Otherwise any suggestions for a nice, memorable restaurant?
Click to expand...

The food isn't crappy, but it's a tourist trap. Very, very expensive for the quality of the meal and I'd probably rate it mediocre. It's all about the view, really.
 
A

AlphaTwo00

Member
Firestorm said:
I've been here since January. I think the percentage of times I said the word "fuck" before saying the word "waterloo" was at least 50% during the first two months.
Click to expand...
Waterloo winters are absolutely THE WORST.

Glad you were around and hope you enjoyed the stay.
 
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