Toronto, measured in feet

6 comments

1. A few weeks ago I walked from my place (Yonge and St. Clair) to York U, mostly along Keele to trace the path of the new subway. It’s amazing the differences in the walkability of various neighbourhoods along the way. Once north of the 401 along Keele, it’s pretty bleak from a walking perspective. There’s wide sidewalks, but very little in the way of places to stop and grab food or drink, and the zip of passing cars is both a little scary and very isolating.

   It was a very interesting look at the city from a slow, ground level view.

   I grabbed the Steele bus back to Finch subway, and down home again. The bus was so crowded at 4:00pm on a Sunday that I had to stand.

2. The article definitely needs a map. Does anyone know if the print version included a map?

3. It’s worth noting that it took them two days of walking north from the harbour before they reached the end of development and real farmland.

4. There wasn’t a map in the print edition.

5. A few months after I moved here, I went for a bike ride north with the intention of not stopping till I found a farm. I got to Richmond Hill then got nervous and came back. Later, I finally saw one on a ride out Dixie Road. Then I saw Brampton Busses and got nervous, and came home.

6. I have walked a lot around the city, and understand that long ways are the best way to figure out the city in and out. I walked from Bloor and Islington all the way to down to beach/park on the lakeshore west of Islington. This was just to see what what was south of Islington and Queensway. I feel there is hardly anything south of it, and we are not using all the space correctly.

   In a city where we need to use every little space better, why can’t we create a foot map of the city, of every area that is open to the public for walking?