First, there was Sanka Square, now cometh Latte/Indigenous Park.
Why do downtown latte-sipping elites and downtown latte-sipping Indigenous elites even need a park? Why are these 2 elite groups so special? Especially since no one forced them to reside in a neighborhood bereft of parks nor reside in the downtown core? All the more galling, since non elites who reside in the inner suburbs have been waiting decades for subways, subways, subways to service their low density, car-centric, single-family residential yellow zoned hoods.
Toronto's Entertainment District is getting a new park (thestar.com)
Entertainment District set to get its first new park in 20 years
Toronto officials this week announced the winning design for a new park to be built in the heart of the Entertainment District. The Indigenous-themed park, to be called Wàwàtesí, or Firefly in Anishinaabemowin includes a stream-like pathway, an elevated area and performance space.
ByDavid RiderCity Hall Bureau Chief
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
A former parking lot in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District is set to become a leafy Indigenous-themed park.
The $10-million transformation of 229 Richmond Street West, purchased by the city in 2019, is one of several projects aimed at making densely populated downtown less of a concrete jungle.
The city this week announced the winner of a design competition for the 26,000-square-metre space east of John Street, between two buildings and with a commanding view of the nearby CN Tower.
Called Wàwàtesí, or Firefly in Anishinaabemowin, the winning vision promises a "woodland experience" and "multi-level journey" along a stream-like trail. Features include an elevated section, a performance space and a "playscape" with hammocks and a slide.
Panelists with expertise including landscape architecture and Indigenous heritage chose the winning design that was conceived by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture. It will be built by a partnership of firms starting in 2025.
The site was long a parking lot for people visiting nearby bars. Near the start of the pandemic it was leased to a restaurant as patio space and, from Saturday until March, will be "Winterviews" — a cottage-themed event space with synthetic skating rink, private dining cabins and "cosy communal lodge."
Dave Harvey, co-executive director of charitable organization Park People, applauded the design of the new park set to open in 2026.
"It's just top notch," Harvey said, "not just in terms of design but also the process that led to it, with really good community engagement and feedback like we saw with Love Park," opened last summer by Waterfront Toronto at Queens Quay West and York Street.
''The Richmond Street park will be a good size but you also need really good design for these kinds of spaces — it's going to be intensively used so it has to be really well thought out."
The Richmond site, the city said in a news release, is slated to become "Toronto’s first park with a curator and her own tailored calendar of arts events and installations." The plans, which are still developing with community input, also call for performance space and a "shape-shifting art piece."
Harvey is concerned, however, that the city's considerable investment in getting the new park designed and built might not be followed with sufficient annual funding to ensure it is properly maintained.
Mayor Olivia Chow was elected in June promising to reverse a deterioration in city sites, including parks, that happened under her predecessor John Tory. He led Toronto through the pandemic that ravaged already tenuous city finances by boosting expenses on public health, seniors' homes and more, while slashing TTC revenues.
In an interview with the Star on Tuesday, asked if upcoming 2024 budget deliberations can produce adequate funding for parks given that the city still faces a substantial budget gap despite a new deal from the province, Chow said yes — that compared to huge cost drivers such as the city's policing, the TTC and homeless supports, parks are "small items."
Coun. Ausma Malik, whose ward includes the Richmond Street site, said: "This is the first park in the Entertainment District in 20 years, with 16,000 neighbours and 42,000 people coming through the neighbourhood every day. We definitely know our downtown neighbourhoods need more green space so I'm glad to see this milestone."
Malik (Spadina—Fort York) said the winning design is compelling because it incorporates green space, gathering space and performance space.
She noted that public input will continue, including help choosing the park's name.
Why do downtown latte-sipping elites and downtown latte-sipping Indigenous elites even need a park? Why are these 2 elite groups so special? Especially since no one forced them to reside in a neighborhood bereft of parks nor reside in the downtown core? All the more galling, since non elites who reside in the inner suburbs have been waiting decades for subways, subways, subways to service their low density, car-centric, single-family residential yellow zoned hoods.
Toronto's Entertainment District is getting a new park (thestar.com)
Entertainment District set to get its first new park in 20 years
Toronto officials this week announced the winning design for a new park to be built in the heart of the Entertainment District. The Indigenous-themed park, to be called Wàwàtesí, or Firefly in Anishinaabemowin includes a stream-like pathway, an elevated area and performance space.
ByDavid RiderCity Hall Bureau Chief
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
A former parking lot in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District is set to become a leafy Indigenous-themed park.
The $10-million transformation of 229 Richmond Street West, purchased by the city in 2019, is one of several projects aimed at making densely populated downtown less of a concrete jungle.
The city this week announced the winner of a design competition for the 26,000-square-metre space east of John Street, between two buildings and with a commanding view of the nearby CN Tower.
Called Wàwàtesí, or Firefly in Anishinaabemowin, the winning vision promises a "woodland experience" and "multi-level journey" along a stream-like trail. Features include an elevated section, a performance space and a "playscape" with hammocks and a slide.
Panelists with expertise including landscape architecture and Indigenous heritage chose the winning design that was conceived by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture. It will be built by a partnership of firms starting in 2025.
The site was long a parking lot for people visiting nearby bars. Near the start of the pandemic it was leased to a restaurant as patio space and, from Saturday until March, will be "Winterviews" — a cottage-themed event space with synthetic skating rink, private dining cabins and "cosy communal lodge."
Dave Harvey, co-executive director of charitable organization Park People, applauded the design of the new park set to open in 2026.
"It's just top notch," Harvey said, "not just in terms of design but also the process that led to it, with really good community engagement and feedback like we saw with Love Park," opened last summer by Waterfront Toronto at Queens Quay West and York Street.
''The Richmond Street park will be a good size but you also need really good design for these kinds of spaces — it's going to be intensively used so it has to be really well thought out."
The Richmond site, the city said in a news release, is slated to become "Toronto’s first park with a curator and her own tailored calendar of arts events and installations." The plans, which are still developing with community input, also call for performance space and a "shape-shifting art piece."
Harvey is concerned, however, that the city's considerable investment in getting the new park designed and built might not be followed with sufficient annual funding to ensure it is properly maintained.
Mayor Olivia Chow was elected in June promising to reverse a deterioration in city sites, including parks, that happened under her predecessor John Tory. He led Toronto through the pandemic that ravaged already tenuous city finances by boosting expenses on public health, seniors' homes and more, while slashing TTC revenues.
In an interview with the Star on Tuesday, asked if upcoming 2024 budget deliberations can produce adequate funding for parks given that the city still faces a substantial budget gap despite a new deal from the province, Chow said yes — that compared to huge cost drivers such as the city's policing, the TTC and homeless supports, parks are "small items."
Coun. Ausma Malik, whose ward includes the Richmond Street site, said: "This is the first park in the Entertainment District in 20 years, with 16,000 neighbours and 42,000 people coming through the neighbourhood every day. We definitely know our downtown neighbourhoods need more green space so I'm glad to see this milestone."
Malik (Spadina—Fort York) said the winning design is compelling because it incorporates green space, gathering space and performance space.
She noted that public input will continue, including help choosing the park's name.
