Posted Jul 9, 2006, 12:15 PM
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samsonyuen
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canary Wharf->CityPlace
Posts: 4,241
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From: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/n...2-0f51187c026d
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Quote:
Public promenade to be tried out on Queens Quay
August pilot project
James Cowan
National Post
Saturday, July 08, 2006
The Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation wants to convert Queens Quay Boulevard into a public promenade for 10 days this August, replacing two lanes of traffic with impromptu gardens, a bike path and a makeshift lawn.
The temporary transformation of the boulevard between York Street and Spadina Avenue, from Aug. 11 to 20, is intended to give the public a taste of the future as the TWRC begins its transformation of Toronto's central waterfront.
"This is something that allows people in the short term to start realizing the benefits," said Kristin Jenkins, a TWRC spokeswoman.
The TWRC unveiled a new plan for the shoreline between Bathurst and Parliament last month. Designed by West 8, a Dutch architectural firm, the proposal calls for the creation of a tree-lined pedestrian right-of-way along Queens Quay. The jury that selected the winning design suggested temporarily closing Queen's Quay "to create an initial version of the team's ultimate concept."
City Councillor Pam McConnell, who represents the area, said she supports the creation of the pilot-project promenade.
"The fact that you can design a road and try it out before you build it is very, very creative and may, in the long run, make for a much better road," she said.
The TWRC will need the approval of city council and its own board before it creates the temporary promenade.
If endorsed, the project will close the eastbound lanes while leaving the westbound lanes open. TWRC designers have proposed installing a lawn in the closed curbside lane and putting gardens and planters along the streetcar right-of-way. The project will also temporarily extend the Martin Goodman trail.
"The Martin Goodman Trail essentially disappears in the central waterfront right now," Ms. McConnell said. "So this will connect it between Bathurst and Jarvis."
While road closures usually provoke fears of traffic chaos, many local residents appear to be embracing the plan.
"There are people who think this will help animate the street and there are other people who think it's just going to make traffic problems worse," said Anne Christensen, president of the Harbourfront Community Association. "But we won't find out unless we run this trial."
Ulla Colgrass, a representative of the York Quay Neighbourhood Association, described the temporary closure as "a very exciting thing."
"It's worth trying out," she said. "It not only transforms the neighbourhood, it transforms the city to have an area that's not totally beholden to car traffic."
Despite the enthusiasm, some residents are concerned a full assessment has not been done of the effect on local traffic.
"There has been no modelling of the impact that the closure of these lanes will have on traffic," Margaret Samuel, a representative of the Central Waterfront Neighbourhood Association, wrote in an e-mail, adding later, "We will be inconvenienced, however, the response of the TWRC that I heard to this is that we need to put the inconvenience into perspective, that streets are closed all the time."
Ms. Jenkins said the TWRC is committed to adjusting its plan to address neighbourhood concerns.
For her part, Ms. Christensen said she hopes the plan might actually reduce traffic congestion in her neighbourhood.
"Queens Quay definitely has a traffic problem," she admitted. "Not only because of the growing number of people living here, but people use it as an alternate route to get downtown. If this will make Queens Quay for local traffic rather than Lakeshore and Gardiner traffic, then I think it's great."
Ms. Colgrass also noted residents have easy access to public transit and arterial roads. "We have Lake Shore with all those lanes, we have the Gardiner and we have Bremner Boulevard -- we're not exactly in the wilderness," she said.
Work on implementing West 8's design will begin this year with the transformation of eight desolate boat slips into public spaces. The federal, provincial and municipal governments have committed $20.1-million toward the project.
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Ill gladly do a MUCH better one for the next tower.
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