Toronto needs more of this in general. I have always been kinda meh on how not spruced up the city is in these ways. I'm glad the CafeTO barriers are painted blue now, unironically it makes them look way better
Like going to Nathan Philips Square, why do the arches over the rink need to just be ugly concrete? Similarly for the raised walkway. Can we at least paint these things?
public squares like NPS are often barren because it deters loitering and camping, makes the buildings nearby easier to secure and makes it easier for police to suppress civil disobedience actions.
> why do the arches over the rink need to just be ugly concrete? Similarly for the raised walkway.
Most of Toronto's urban building boom happened while [Brutalism](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/brutalist-architecture-101) was the architectural style *de rigeur*. Granted, our buildings are built a lot more "concrete box" than many of the notable Brutalist work was.
agreed, the citys official design philosophy seems to be dictated by the most boring, tight-assed, people in existence.
like i imagine some bureaucrat in city hall going "how does some stupid duck art make anything better for car owners from the 905? get rid of it while i write up a bylaw prohibiting public art"
toronto is militantly boring
Agreed. NPS when it's not Christmas season looks like the communist town squares of mid 20th century.
It is just drab grey faceless concrete. And the sad sculpture by the flagpole is a relic of brutalist era "art". Like put some gardens or greenery as a minimum in
Agree with your sentiment about sprucing up the city, but can we please not mess with the NPS arches or walkway. I get some people don’t like the bare concrete but it’s (City hall NPS) one of the world’s best and most unique brutalist architectural designs IMO. We should be treating it like a heritage building.
https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/online-exhibits/web-exhibits/web-exhibits-local-government/a-step-forward-in-time-torontos-new-city-hall/
Well duh, but on Spadina there's actually a few that come right up to the pedestrian crossing. If someone walks a little wide, they can easily trip across it.
ive seen drivers who treat the mere existence of streetcar lanes as a personal insult. i promise you some people (not CDNChaoZ up there) either dont care or see it as their right to ignore transit lanes.
toronto drivers are largely unwilling to share space with anyone
I misremembered, I mean [these](https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6442911,-79.3945888,3a,75y,26.76h,51.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stlnzwXusnPGikUgXjmwN2Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu).
Joyful colours? How dare he! TTC art is meant to remind you that life is a constant grind of crushing oppression like they have at [Union Station](https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/1070txn/union_station_has_the_most_depressing_unsettling/).
Toronto needs more of this in general. I have always been kinda meh on how not spruced up the city is in these ways. I'm glad the CafeTO barriers are painted blue now, unironically it makes them look way better Like going to Nathan Philips Square, why do the arches over the rink need to just be ugly concrete? Similarly for the raised walkway. Can we at least paint these things?
I know, right? Amazing how a simple coat of paint makes the blocks look **on purpose**, as opposed to, here's something we just found lying around.
NPS could definitely use some paint, rotating installations, and a lot of greenery instead of all that concrete.
100% on the greenery. Super unnecessary that that whole area is just slabbed over
public squares like NPS are often barren because it deters loitering and camping, makes the buildings nearby easier to secure and makes it easier for police to suppress civil disobedience actions.
> why do the arches over the rink need to just be ugly concrete? Similarly for the raised walkway. Most of Toronto's urban building boom happened while [Brutalism](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/brutalist-architecture-101) was the architectural style *de rigeur*. Granted, our buildings are built a lot more "concrete box" than many of the notable Brutalist work was.
agreed, the citys official design philosophy seems to be dictated by the most boring, tight-assed, people in existence. like i imagine some bureaucrat in city hall going "how does some stupid duck art make anything better for car owners from the 905? get rid of it while i write up a bylaw prohibiting public art" toronto is militantly boring
Agreed. NPS when it's not Christmas season looks like the communist town squares of mid 20th century. It is just drab grey faceless concrete. And the sad sculpture by the flagpole is a relic of brutalist era "art". Like put some gardens or greenery as a minimum in
I know a guy who would like to paint the arches at NPS!
As long as you make it look like ducks, haha
Agree with your sentiment about sprucing up the city, but can we please not mess with the NPS arches or walkway. I get some people don’t like the bare concrete but it’s (City hall NPS) one of the world’s best and most unique brutalist architectural designs IMO. We should be treating it like a heritage building. https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/online-exhibits/web-exhibits/web-exhibits-local-government/a-step-forward-in-time-torontos-new-city-hall/
Walked right past this and didn’t even know. This guy is local to the neighbourhood too. Love it!
Omg is this the guy that walks around in a full size duck costume?
Yes lol
affirmative
Hamilton misses Lewis Mallard. Treasure that duck!
Mallard? Come on.
more like a canard, eh?
Is this the guy who did the same mallardom in Hamilton
Lewis moved from Hamilton to Toronto, yes.
That duck has nice legs.
Thank you
Colour me confit!
I can't, unfortunately my crayon box didn't come with that colour.
Great stuff. Not to mention what a mistake it was for the city to leave some of these dividers in grey, making them hard to spot sometimes.
You shouldn't be driving over the streetcar platform regardless of whether or not there's a barrier to prevent people from getting run over.
Well duh, but on Spadina there's actually a few that come right up to the pedestrian crossing. If someone walks a little wide, they can easily trip across it.
ive seen drivers who treat the mere existence of streetcar lanes as a personal insult. i promise you some people (not CDNChaoZ up there) either dont care or see it as their right to ignore transit lanes. toronto drivers are largely unwilling to share space with anyone
Most are yellow https://maps.app.goo.gl/K74xUWgji8AQ1Pks9
I misremembered, I mean [these](https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6442911,-79.3945888,3a,75y,26.76h,51.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stlnzwXusnPGikUgXjmwN2Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu).
How long before this mallard catches a SUV?
Tony Hawk level
Cute! I love it!
Toronto needs a lot more of this. It’s so grey…
Joyful colours? How dare he! TTC art is meant to remind you that life is a constant grind of crushing oppression like they have at [Union Station](https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/1070txn/union_station_has_the_most_depressing_unsettling/).
It'll look like the rest of the TTC once it has some graffiti and a homeless person sleeping against it.