City
Sherbourne Common Park
Rob Ford may not like the money spent on the waterfront, but after years of work and development, plans for the East Bayfront are finally coming to fruition. The latest Waterfront Toronto project to open is the southern portion of Sherbourne Common park. And it's both beautiful and functional.
Running along Lower Sherbourne between Lake Shore Blvd and Lake Ontario, the park's innovative idea is that it's a water treatment facility as well as a place of recreation. Large tanks of water under the waterfront promenade hold stormwater runoff. There is also a UV treatment facility under the pavilion in the centre of the park. After the stormwater is treated, it's carried through a channel that runs along the length of the park, through a biofiltration bed, and into Lake Ontario.
Despite its official opening, however, the park is not entirely finished. While the waterfront promenade, which will eventually run along the entire length of the East Bayfront, has been completed between Sherbourne Common and Sugar Beach, workers are still installing paving to the east.
And the northern section of the park still has a great deal of work to be done. It's expected to be completed by the fall. Completion of the park will also involve a realignment of Lower Sherbourne to meet up with Dockside Drive.
The Jill Anholt sculptures for the northern portion of the park have already been installed. Water will be pumped up the sculpture's "arms", and then will gently sluice off them in sheets. From there, the water will join the channel that runs the length of the park.
The pavilion for the park is also not yet finished. As well as having the water purification systems underneath it, it will hold a snack bar and washrooms. Designed by Teeple - winner of the Pug Awards this year for 60 Richmond East - it will be covered in zinc when completed. Beside it is an area that will be a skating rink in winter and a splash pad in the summer.
When I visited, the park already had a lot of traffic. Its sister park, Canada's Sugar Beach, was similarly busy. Although some fiscal conservatives may feel that expenditures on the waterfront may not be worth the cost, the popularity of these parks suggests that there is a strong demand among Torontonians for them.
What do you think of Sherbourne Common? Do you plan on visiting?
Discussion
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I would love to see vast promenades with boutiques, smiling faces and sunny days forever. Is that reality? Is that what we will end up with, especially once the fanfare is over and the reality of looking after all these spaces sets in?
Yes there are some parks that have some maintenance problems. Are those budgetary or logistical? We don't know for sure. But the condition of the existing parks is no reason not to build beautiful parks like this.
We need places like these.
Yes, it attracts tourists, but when you're surrounded by beauty, your life is beautiful.
Too bad for Ford...
I've already been to Sugar Beach and Shebourne Common. and it's already a regular spot for me to take walks. Absolutely love them.
(I figure some people won't recognise my carcasm, so I'll just place this disclaimer here.)
Forget about if Ford will be a shitty mayor (he probably will), forget about if Smitherman will be a shitty mayor (he will, just look at everything he's ever done, forget about if the Godfather will be a shitty mayor (he probably will). EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM SUCKS.
oh...THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!!
Ford will not be able to pay these off, as he is doing nothing for the city in terms of bringing in money, he is just not spending it.
You can't gain without giving.
Hands up those on this site who are old enough to remember when Balfour Park had manicured lawns, picnic tables, a restroom, instead of the hideously over-grown, falling down disaster it has become today.
Or when you could walk along Sunnyside or Ashbridges Bay without having to sandblast the goose sh$t off your shoes? The statues, the monuments, the playgrounds that are falling to pieces - they all cost money. Other people's money, judging by the comments in this thread.
Hey, I'm all for parks and beaches everywhere. This is Miami, isn't it?
We are in no state of trouble. A shame to know that Ford could fool so many people into believing that Toronto can't move forward.
Obviously you didn't get the point in what I was saying.
No Ford will stop the ongoing progress of Toronto. There will be some laughs along the way if he gets in but we the people will not let this man set Toronto back.
Love what's happening.