Nathan Phillips Square

I pointed out in this Blog a couple of weeks ago about the pathetic pace of construction at Nathan Phillips Square, the 10 acre concrete square in front of Toronto's city hall. I read in the Globe and Mail that it may take 9-years to complete construction. We are already 5-years into the project.

Not surprisingly the project cost has ballooned from $40M to $70M. It is also not surprising that former Mayor Ford is responsible for much of the delays. Ford cancelled much of the project mid-construction. It was even his plan to leave the eastern section of the square, along Bay Street, untouched. I'm happy to report that since the clown prince of mayors left office the rest of the renovation is back on. It appears that Mayor Cheapskate delayed much of the project.

I don't care if you are left-wing or a neocon, you can't explain to me the pathetic pace of construction. Entire weeks would go by in good weather where no work was done and the construction site empty. No strikes, no explanations just tools down and no work done with multiple lanes and sidewalks blocked off.

I walk by this site everyday. I have no idea where the $70M is invested other than labour costs. The project is half-assed at best. There is a permanent stage and new sidewalks. A few unimpressive garden areas and a new skate rental building. They decided not to tear down the elevated exterior walkways to save money. The word is that the last part of the project is the  lefty/artsy types installing community gardens on the walkways. In 25-years living in the city, including the last half dozen working across the street from city hall, I have never seen anyone on the elevated sidewalks. I'm not even sure the public is allowed access. If the socialists want to grow alfalfa up there that is fine with me, but it would have done wonders for the place if they tore down the structures that block access to the square.

What really needs renovations is the east side facing Bay street. This area is an uninviting barren space. The elevated walkway here is a real waste of usable space and access. The entire east side of Nathan Phillips Square is an empty wasteland. That the Ford brothers were going to leave the space untouched is criminal and a lesson on how not to build a city.

I have said many times that the nearby and much smaller Yonge-Dundas Square has replaced Nathan Phillips as the de facto city gathering place. It is not surprising to me that the "No" crowd decried the building of Yonge-Dundas Square even as it has become our mini-Times Square. There is no shortage of people in Toronto that say No to every proposed project. They are the same people that rave about other great cities around the world. Cities where people like them are ignored or marginalised.