[UrbanFervour]

Yup. People insisting that the largest park attraction in the city remain a private oasis for the privileged and patient doesn't sit right with me. We're desperate for green space, let's do everything we can to get as many people to the islands as possible.

I Like the idea of a gondola that can be used all year - so people can go snowshoeing and X-country skiing, skating etc. in the winter.

But... hyperbole alert... paying $13 to take a water taxi to the island instead of paying the $9.11 return ticket charged by the City doesn't exactly elevate someone to a "privileged" class. Nor does it render the island a "private oasis" for their exclusive use.

For the cost of a bag of potato chips you can avoid the misery of frying in a concrete cattle pen and and being herded on and off a slow, sweaty, moldering, floating sardine can. It's a decision open to one and all - a trade off, like everything else in our capitalist economy.

 

[bearcat]

But... hyperbole alert... paying $13 to take a water taxi to the island instead of paying the $9.11 return ticket charged by the City doesn't exactly elevate someone to a "privileged" class. Nor does it render the island a "private oasis" for their exclusive use.

For the cost of a bag of potato chips you can avoid the misery of frying in a concrete cattle pen and and being herded on and off a slow, sweaty, moldering, floating sardine can. It's a decision open to one and all - a trade off, like everything else in our capitalist economy.

Well it would be $26 vs. $9.11, almost 3 times as much. Yes you can board the return ferry without a ticket, but that's kind of gaming the system.

Though I think the original poster was referring to having pay for the ferry at all as allowing only the "privileged" to go to the island.

 

[UrbanFervour]

Though I think the original poster was referring to having pay for the ferry at all as allowing only the "privileged" to go to the island.

Right...

Why should anyone ever have to pay for anything at all? Let's just put this $100M piece of infrastructure and all the maintenance and operations costs it will require over its lifespan to the magical credit card that makes everything free.

 

[GameOnBrad]

Toronto Island Master Plan Process

 

[just east of the creek]

I was killing some time and this article popped up re the last of the transit pedestrian bridges in Helsinki - a project that’s been going on for some time. The key here is no cars. Zippo. But transit and bike riders and pedestrians. So perhaps an idea to link the Toronto Islands closer to the city. Not sure the route it would take, but an idea.

https://share.google/Egl0iuufQ1Z0m37jh

 

[nfitz]

I was killing some time and this article popped up re the last of the transit pedestrian bridges in Helsinki - a project that’s been going on for some time. The key here is no cars. Zippo. But transit and bike riders and pedestrians. So perhaps an idea to link the Toronto Islands closer to the city. Not sure the route it would take, but an idea.

With Ontario taking control, might as well allow cars, extending Bathurst to join with Unwin. Include a streetcar as well, but I'm sure that the developers of all the skyscrapers Doug is taking kickbacks on, will want car access.

 

[Mind_the_gap]

I was killing some time and this article popped up re the last of the transit pedestrian bridges in Helsinki - a project that’s been going on for some time. The key here is no cars. Zippo. But transit and bike riders and pedestrians. So perhaps an idea to link the Toronto Islands closer to the city. Not sure the route it would take, but an idea.

https://share.google/Egl0iuufQ1Z0m37jh

Still waiting on my Hesburger...

With all due respect, the Crown Bridges are a pure vanity project. I like that it adds redundancy for Eastern Helsinki, but there already was a highway/MUP and metro line just to the north. Toronto would never build something like this.

About the project (in English)

Finns have always had an inferiority complex. We're not as good as Swedes, so we make fun of them and act like jackasses when we're in their capital. At least we didn't fall to communism, so we beat up on our Estonian Brothers and Sisters, and use them as cheap labour. And we justify it by saying at least we're not Russian.

It's very fitting these bridges were built where they'd be seen by arriving ferry passengers from Stockholm.

Personally, I think they ruin the skyline. Forever people opposed skyscrapers like in Montréal, and where this passes through was zoned for Helsinki's only condo towers.

I'd have rather seen the money spent on 6-car stations for the Western metro extension (50 million euros), Line 15 built to standard gauge with provision for double-sets, and upgrading and not scrapping our heritage tram fleet.

The only thing that's changed is animals from the zoo will have a new way to access the city centre, lol.

---

As for Toronto, if we can't even get a pedestrian/emergency vehicle bridge built across the Eastern Channel to Ward's Island, I don't have much hope.

God forbid a situation requiring massive police response ever happens.

Helsinki's version of the Islands (an old fort) actually has a single-lane tunnel for emergency vehicles from the mainland.

 

[just east of the creek]

Still waiting on my Hesburger...

With all due respect, the Crown Bridges are a pure vanity project. I like that it adds redundancy for Eastern Helsinki, but there already was a highway/MUP and metro line just to the north. Toronto would never build something like this.

About the project (in English)

Finns have always had an inferiority complex. We're not as good as Swedes, so we make fun of them and act like jackasses when we're in their capital. At least we didn't fall to communism, so we beat up on our Estonian Brothers and Sisters, and use them as cheap labour. And we justify it by saying at least we're not Russian.

It's very fitting these bridges were built where they'd be seen by arriving ferry passengers from Stockholm.

Personally, I think they ruin the skyline. Forever people opposed skyscrapers like in Montréal, and where this passes through was zoned for Helsinki's only condo towers.

I'd have rather seen the money spent on 6-car stations for the Western metro extension (50 million euros), Line 15 built to standard gauge with provision for double-sets, and upgrading and not scrapping our heritage tram fleet.

The only thing that's changed is animals from the zoo will have a new way to access the city centre, lol.

---

As for Toronto, if we can't even get a pedestrian/emergency vehicle bridge built across the Eastern Channel to Ward's Island, I don't have much hope.

God forbid a situation requiring massive police response ever happens.

Helsinki's version of the Islands (an old fort) actually has a single-lane tunnel for emergency vehicles from the mainland.

I am not sure Toronto has the imagination to build anything like this, and as noted, a good chunk of the car culture would have heart failure at the prospect of taking light rail or similar, or cycling over something similar. And as noted in an earlier post, the wannabe mayor of Toronto, Doug Ford, would probably pass legislation prioritizing cars. But its a nice idea.

Having said that, I do get to Helsinki a couple of times a year, and catch up on my visits to the Irish pubs. The bridges appear to be quite popular and I think this last link is certainly going to add to that. Redundant or not, the idea of a transportation corridor not impeded by cars, trucks etc and that is not a subway is interesting and appealing.