MAYORAL RACE
• It’s official: The race for mayor’s post is on [ Toronto Star ]
• Issues to debate in mayoral race [ Toronto Star ]
• Trustee sets sights on city hall [ Toronto Star ]
• Race for mayor on today [ Toronto Sun ]
• Mayoral run may be good fit for Layton [ National Post ]
• Council candidate to seek 40% cut in ‘lavish’ salary if elected [ National Post ]
ARCHITECTURE
• At the intersection of architecture and activism [ Globe & Mail ]
• Hey, Washington Post architecture guy: You missed the real doozies [ Globe & Mail ]
TRANSPORTATION
• Running a red light? It’ll cost you big time now [ Toronto Star ]
• Riding TTC gets pricier as fare hikes take effect [ Toronto Star ]
• Simple pleas of a humble snow plower [ Toronto Star ]
OTHER NEWS
• Recycling bin furor returns [ Toronto Sun ]
• Welcome to coffeetown [ National Post ]
• Giambrone: I’m not gay [ National Post ]
• Bookstore’s closing not mall’s last chapter [ Globe & Mail ]
• Ontario DriveTest workers ratify contract [ Globe & Mail ]
• Queen West’s cool crowd meets CAMH caseload [ Globe & Mail ]
• Public housing tenants: ‘This is not the way to live’ [ Toronto Star ]
• Widow seeks inquiry in scaffold tragedy [ Toronto Star ]
• Water main break: ‘There was so much water’ [ Toronto Star ]
• Toronto’s mayors: Scoundrels, rogues and socialists [ Toronto Star ]
11 comments
The “lavish salary” piece should link here: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=2398289
thanks Paul. I fixed the link.
There was also this editorial in the Saturday Star about the proposed condos that will block the view of the Legislative Buildings.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/744741–protect-the-pink-palace
When I first heard about this, I assumed the condos were proposed somewhere south of Queen’s Park, north of College. But they’re to be at Yorkville and Avenue Road and would replace the Four Seasons Hotel. The idea that a building here would obstruct the view of the Legislative Buildings is, to me, a strech if not a bit absurd. And the Four Seasons Hotel is an extremely ugly building, one of those buildings with a big wall that makes it appear as though it’s back is turned to the street.
The Four Seasons is not an ugly building!
No love or even sympathy for brutalism. Sure, it has a bad name and yeah, concrete is all grey. But that kinda misses the point.
It’s not that the Yorkville & Avenue Road condos will block the view of the Legislative buildings, it’s that they’ll intrude into the background of the view.
In the standard stock photo/b-roll shot of Queen’s Park, there’s nothing visible above or behind the building. As I understand it, a too-tall tower on that site would be visible when looking at Queen’s Park, popping out the top of the building like an oversized chimney.
Toronto doesn’t seem to take view corridors seriously — e.g. the Royal York Hotel seems to be disappearing from the city’s skyline without any discussion about whether the view of it should be protected — so it’s probably a good discussion to have.
Re Legislature View,
Opponents of the Four Seasons tower need to post a real life view from College looking north on whether there is any issue at all. Since view from College is up hill, it seems that a tower north of Bloor would have to be larger than that proposed to be visible. So show us the picture.
I left a reply to Shawn this afternoon but it’s gone now. This is like the third time my comment vanishes.
I checked the spam filter and there was nothing in there from you mark. I like the Four Seasons, but not enough to delete your comment.
I’ve had comments disappear too, mark. But in fairness to the editors I do tend to drop the occasional f-bomb or libelous statement.
@Shawn My comment was just a laugh, and a statement of the obvious – that judgments of ugliness are subjective. I provided a link of Street View that shows the blank concrete wall and suggested that, though the wall is raised, the building still appears to have its back turned to the street. The exterior of the upper floors (windows, etc.) are nice enough, but I don’t feel that makes up for, what I feel, is its poor relation to the street.
Why do you like it, Shawn?
@Matt L. Thanks for the clarification.