christiesplits
Senior Member
I suspect the concrete blocks have better resistance to a truck in the event of an attack or accident.
I suspect the concrete blocks have better resistance to a truck in the event of an attack or accident.
bgobgo
Active Member
That type of thinking is so ridiculous if that is the bureaucrats reasoning. There is a million square blocks in the city. If someone wants to kill some pedestrians they will just do it elsewhere. The bollards are enough.
City of Toronto Slogan: “We have no pride.”
nfitz
Superstar
I'd think they'd get a higher death toll aiming at some of the sidewalks and pedestrian crossings adjacent to Union Station in rush hour.
Perhaps they need to ban cars south of Wellington for security reasons!
DSCToronto
Superstar
Sadly, they are concrete.
mburrrrr
Senior Member
UK Manufacturer of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Systems and High Quality Street Furniture
UK Street furniture Company and Supplier of Anti Terrorism products. Over 50 years experience. Our products are manufactured at our UK factories and delivered globally.
townscapeproducts.co.uk
I’m afraid these look permanent in this section.
Except they left the jersey barriers in place too.
Probably shipped from the UK? We can’t make or design these here? 7 years to come up with this design and supply?
Nice chamfered corners.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Dog accessible but Lola is not too happy.UK Manufacturer of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Systems and High Quality Street Furniture
UK Street furniture Company and Supplier of Anti Terrorism products. Over 50 years experience. Our products are manufactured at our UK factories and delivered globally.
I’m afraid these look permanent in this section.
Except they left the jersey barriers in place too.
View attachment 635572
Probably shipped from the UK? We can’t make or design these here? 7 years to come up with this design and supply?View attachment 635573
View attachment 635575
Nice chamfered corners.
Now if we have a Lola on each block it would be a much more palatable solution.
And yep, nothing against buying from UK but is this something that need to be sourced from across the Atlantic? And of all the choices, they have to pick one of the most unsavory ones. I guess I should be happy they didn't pick this one:
PAS 68 Counter Terror Concrete Block 150 HAZ - Townscape Products
The Townscape CT Range are crash tested hostile vehicle mitigation measures designed to protect public spaces from vehicle attacks. These products have an independently verified performance. The 1490mm Counter Terror Hazard Block Vehicle Defence Barrier with 20mm rounded corners as standard and...
townscapeproducts.co.uk
Just wait till they get sued by someone for visibility of the blocks - I am sure that option is coming.
AoD
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DSCToronto
Superstar
WOW! The catalogue of 'blocks' offers a range of tastefully disguised concrete blocks. See: https://townscapeproducts.co.uk/pro...vehicle-defence/pas-68-counter-terror-blocks/ Our seem to be this one:Dog accessible but Lola is not too happy.UK Manufacturer of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Systems and High Quality Street Furniture
UK Street furniture Company and Supplier of Anti Terrorism products. Over 50 years experience. Our products are manufactured at our UK factories and delivered globally.
I’m afraid these look permanent in this section.
Except they left the jersey barriers in place too.
View attachment 635572
Probably shipped from the UK? We can’t make or design these here? 7 years to come up with this design and supply?View attachment 635573
View attachment 635575
Nice chamfered corners.
It comes in a variety of finishes and one can order a bespoke finish but no doubt that was too expensive for us!
We could have had the same idea with planters and/or wood features but that all looks FAR too nice for the likes of us.
Attachments
DSCToronto
Superstar
I had heard that there were some 'technical problems' with the Flux sculpture and it appears the artists may now be working on a NEW version with sound! This is dated 2025 and is noted as 'in process'. SEE: https://www.lab-au.com/inrealistion/flux
mettle
Active Member
it took that long to come up with that?! sigh. also city of Toronto slogan: ugly is our thing
bearcat
Active Member
I am not too concerned about the look, I am just worried they will affect the flow of pedestrians too much, as they are pretty wide, and seem close together.
Adjei
Senior Member
Yes I wonder why it took so long for this which isn’t nothing special.
Sauga89
Active Member
I suppose they could still add planters on top later on. I figure any garden store would have something suitable. If you assume a price of $50, for say 50 planters, that's $2,500.
As for spacing, I don't quite understand the methodology of the gaps. A quick Google search suggests that the average car is 5'8 inches wide, or about 180 cm. If the blocks are 150 cm in length (according to the specs @DSCToronto found), I would eyeball the gaps at half that, or 75 cm each.
Northern Light
Superstar
You don't want to install a solid concrete block that itself can withstand a vehicle hit and then put something on top that could be sent flying.
A well built, commercial-grade planter, that you would bolt to the concrete, would set you back 5x that at the low end, and about 7x installed.
But that's empty, Add 100L of soil, and plants.......you're at 10x.
It's do-able...however...........
You're planter needs drainage, and this design doesn't appear to allow for any, so you'd have dirty water flowing directly over permeable concrete, that would stain.
Meh, LOL, the City might do it anyway, LOL, But it's a bit more expensive than you imagine, and if you pull the planters each winter and put them back each spring, it's more still, or alternatively if you leave them, you'll want to do something like 4 displays of material per year. (spring flowers, Pansies/Tulips/Daffodils etc.) Summer Flowers (Snapdragons, Petunias, Geraniums etc.) Fall Flowers (Mums are the go-to) then something for late fall or winter (Flowering Kale, or evergreen, birch and dogwood cuttings)
Northern Light
Superstar
I share the concern of others regarding the size/shape of these in terms of how they impact pedestrian flow.
Aesthetically, I think they should either have matched the granite pavers, or the Limestone of Union itself.
That could be done with solid blocks, or just capping over concrete.
Aesthetically, I think they should either have matched the granite pavers, or the Limestone of Union itself.
That could be done with solid blocks, or just capping over concrete.
mettle
Active Member
i see a lot of people running to catch their GO Trains stepping over the blocks.