jje1000
Senior Member
I also wonder if Cormier has any never-built work in Toronto?Time to dust off this thread to discuss an excellent column from @AlexBozikovic on the need to complete and preserve Claude's legacy, here and in Montreal.
Claude Cormier was a great designer. Now activists are working to preserve his legacy
This winter, Toronto designers and advocates are pushing to recognize the scope of achievement and to protect the places Cormier createdwww.theglobeandmail.com
A couple of people in the column suggest a Conservancy model.
As many here will have read, I am an advocate for the idea of a Public Art Conservancy in Toronto, which could be funded (over time) from the public art contributions of developers, (1/2) rather than dolling out small amounts hither and yon for 1/2 rate work few like or remember.
Such a Conservancy could be charged with preserving key Cormier pieces such as the Dog Fountain.
I'm not opposed to looking at one specifically for Claude's Parks, though because most of his work in Toronto was relatively small spaces, it might be hard to get the funding base needed for full-time, top tier staff, including fundraisers.
Rough math, 100M in endowment spins off 4M usable dollars each year. (this assumes a roughly 6.5% return on investment, with 2.5% covering inflation as retained earnings).
****
On finishing the Cormier legacy, I agree with Alex on the Cat Park, and will add the Racoon offering contemplated for Yonge/St. Clair.
I will then add, we ought to revisit the existing parks to finish them properly as complete thoughts, wherever possible. That should get proper budget and be sole-sourced to ccxa.
Logical 'completion' efforts.
Love Park - Washrooms, minor improvements to landscape beds to add colour/whimsy, improved park signage and waste recepticles.
Berczy - Better waste receptacles and fix this:
View attachment 634813
Not expensive.
Choice 1 - relocate sculpture, introduce barriers to prevent walking on the grass here.
Choice 2 ( likely preferred), add paving here at the highest quality, to and around the sculpture, maybe some added seating, uplight the sculpture, touch up the landscaping.
HtO Park:
- Add washrooms, the porta-potties are not acceptable.
- Replace the waste receptacles.
- Add something to the beach segment
View attachment 634814
Its just a bit too spare..............I don't want to gut the umbrellas, but maybe just one or two trees, Claude has a real love of Willows.........
***
Finally, how about letting CCxA have one City wide project.......replace those awful waste receptacles everywhere........a new standard design. I could suggest lots of off-the-shelf stuff that would be a drastic improvement.
But the City always loves to reinvent the wheel. Fine..........let someone competent have at it. PS, we can give them the drinking fountains while we're at it.
I think there was something at Allen Gardens?
