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Twitter reaction to Doug Ford's vision for the Port Lands

Posted by Derek Flack / August 31, 2011

30 Comments

Toronto Port LandsDoug Ford has big plans for the Port Lands. Not only would he like to build a mega-mall on the formerly industrial lands, he wants to give Toronto the world's largest Ferris wheel! Who's going to pay for these grandiose ideas? Who else? The private sector!

The fate of the Port Lands — and whether or not Waterfront Toronto will be relieved of its role in planning for the area — is a serious issue. There's justification for concern should the existing vision be scraped. And yet, with suggestions like these it's difficult to greet Ford's vision for the Port Lands with anything other than exasperation and laughter.

Call it the monorail effect.

So we asked our Twitter followers if they could one-up Ford's Port Lands fantasy. Here's what they came up with. Are you listening Doug? There's a lesson in this somewhere.

Photo by Andrew Snow in the blogTO Flickr pool

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30 Comments

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FTW / August 31, 2011 at 09:50 am
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I hope you all realize - belittling and poking fun at the Ford brothers will only make them dig their heels in further and pursue their agenda harder. As much as I hate the ideas and their willingness to scrap a great plan, I think the debate needs to focus on why their plan isn't better than the one proposed
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B / August 31, 2011 at 10:03 am
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I think that the Ford Brothers should team up with Gambino Ford (of Buffalo Cable TV fame) and turn the port lands into the world's largest used car lot.

Free hot dogs and balloons for kids.

Hi Mom!
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Steve replying to a comment from FTW / August 31, 2011 at 10:04 am
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Isn't it obvious why it's a terrible plan?
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Ugh / August 31, 2011 at 10:56 am
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We all know fully well that this is a publicity stunt. Ignore it. And nobody cares about random twit reactions.
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think! / August 31, 2011 at 11:09 am
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I think you all should GROW UP! take this as a serious issue the city needs or doesn't need. If the private sector is footing for the bill WHAT IS IT TO YOU!? Canada is one of the slowest countries i've ever been in! the section of the 401 between yonge and allen rd has been under construction for how long now? everything takes ages here!!!

If new money wants to invest in our waterfront to add an fancy mall, LET THEM! that section is no high park!!
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think! / August 31, 2011 at 11:10 am
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I think you all should GROW UP! take this as a serious issue the city needs or doesn't need. If the private sector is footing for the bill WHAT IS IT TO YOU!? Canada is one of the slowest countries i've ever been in! the section of the 401 between yonge and allen rd has been under construction for how long now? everything takes ages here!!!

If new money wants to invest in our waterfront to add an fancy mall, LET THEM! that section is no high park!!
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think! / August 31, 2011 at 11:12 am
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poking fun at the mayor is useless here...and the monorail jokes only show how stupid some ppl are. Get your heads out of your TVs and think of the future instead. Toronto is a pretty boring city for tourism. Once you've taken your friends to the CN tower, what's there to do? a nice walk on the waterfront?? oh, right!....
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John / August 31, 2011 at 11:21 am
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I don't know why everyone is complaining about this plan, especially the Monorail. It worked for other towns like Ogdenville, North Haverbrook and Brockton.
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Steve replying to a comment from think! / August 31, 2011 at 11:30 am
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I think you're overestimating the tourism appeal of our city and you're definitely ignoring the other privately funded boondoggle the Fords are currently pitching with zero success.

Walk before run, or something like that.
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Kieren replying to a comment from John / August 31, 2011 at 11:31 am
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Because it isn't a plan.

It's a vision, presented as a plan.
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dazzled / August 31, 2011 at 11:49 am
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Sue-Ann Levy at the Sun is "dazzled" by Ford's half-baked plan. We're all captivated by the idea that the private sector would simply pay for it all - "hey, no tax dollars - it's free!" - but good luck finding a private sector investor that's actually going to sink money into this. Oh wait, there's that giant ferris wheel company that's desperately looking for space to build the world's largest ferris wheel in Canada.

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/08/30/ford-plans-to-make-waterfront-dazzle
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Steve / August 31, 2011 at 12:09 pm
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She's an absolute joke, a political opportunist and mouthpiece, zero integrity, zero independent thought. Hopefully she doesn't survive the next round of layoffs at her "newspaper".
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Privatesector / August 31, 2011 at 12:13 pm
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Hey how is that private sector funding going for the sheppard subway. Oh wait, it is not happening is it?
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yes! replying to a comment from think! / August 31, 2011 at 12:21 pm
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When I go on vacation, the first thing I make sure I visit is the shopping malls. Forget actual tourist traps, shopping malls is where it is at! /sarcasm
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blearghhh replying to a comment from yes! / August 31, 2011 at 12:49 pm
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Well, right now the #2* tourist attraction in Toronto is apparently the Eaton's centre, so your sarcasm is useless in the face of the depressing reality.

* #1 is apparently the CN tower.
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John / August 31, 2011 at 01:25 pm
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I found a video of Doug explaining how his vision can be achieved through the power of imagination, the private sector and Yogic Flying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt4cNI4618A

I hope the actual conservatives on council don't steal Doug's sunshine.
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Cliff S replying to a comment from think! / August 31, 2011 at 02:16 pm
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Actually - think! - I do take friends down to the Harbourfront.

Why? There's almost always something going on; festivals, free concerts, tall ships, skating in the winter, shopping in the market - and when we're done, Steamwhistle, Amsterdam and Mills Street are a short distance away.

I'd recommend you try it, on second thought don't bother - it's better without you.
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Troy / August 31, 2011 at 02:29 pm
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I have a better idea... lets build the Ferris Wheel over in Doug Ford's Ward. You know, because that's the only place he should be concerned about.
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Michelle / August 31, 2011 at 02:58 pm
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And the advantage for the city in installing yet another mall is what, exactly? The suburbs are full of them, many of them with empty parking lots. People don't like shopping in malls, as demonstrated by the failure of so many malls in the GTA. People come downtown to see one thing (the water) and do one thing (spend time with their people). And no one, but no one, from anywhere in outlying areas comes downtown at all, unless they are coming for a specific event, and in that case, they are not here to shop. You want people here from all over the world spending more money, Mr. Ford? Build a world-class waterfront for this city, one that people actually want to see and spend time around. That will bring them.
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Dick Overdale / August 31, 2011 at 03:38 pm
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Moronorail
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A replying to a comment from Kieren / August 31, 2011 at 03:49 pm
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John's comment was a Simpsons reference, he was being sarcastic.
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nicki replying to a comment from think! / August 31, 2011 at 05:03 pm
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But it is not private land, and any new plan will still have to go through the same slow approval process that is holding up the current, approved, and funded plan. Scrapping that means the money already spent is wasted... sound familiar, Transit City?
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JM replying to a comment from John / August 31, 2011 at 05:20 pm
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By gum it put them on the map!
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bob / August 31, 2011 at 06:07 pm
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lets put chicago there, i hope it fits
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AJC / August 31, 2011 at 06:11 pm
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@think!: What is it to us if Ford wants to replace a well-thought out and environmentally sound plan with
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AJC / August 31, 2011 at 06:20 pm
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(oops)
with one that lacks any basis in sound planning principles, or even common sense? Who wants to go down to the lake to spend the day in a mall?! What's it to us? It's publicly owned land. Public money has gone into it's planning and remediation. It had the potential to become an integral part of the city, with housing and recreation and businesses, not just a tourist attraction with limited appeal.
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TT / September 1, 2011 at 12:42 pm
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@Michelle - I think you have your facts all messed up.
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Kostner / September 1, 2011 at 12:58 pm
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If you build it, they will come.
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FTW replying to a comment from Steve / September 2, 2011 at 09:18 am
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not to the Fords, obviously - that's with whom the discussion needs to take place. imagine if everyone spouting off Simpsons references and coming up with outlandish ideas actually put their energy into thinking about what's *specifically* wrong with the Fords' plan, why it's wrong, and what could be done about it.

It's easy to write a catch-all "everything is wrong!" but without a systematic breakdown to point the Fords to, they're just going to dig in and try to get it done.

personally, I would like to know what I, as a citizen, can do to help prevent the Fords from screwing everything up. In addition to writing to City Hall and my councillor
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Greg replying to a comment from John / September 3, 2011 at 10:24 pm
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Don't forget Springfield...
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