Northern Light said:
No one has an explanation {officially) for how we got the dumb blocks in the first place.

I mean we know the schpiel about Hositle Vehicle Mitigation...... which is nonsense.........

But that has never accounted for a choice that was troublesome both functionally and aesthetically.

The modifications are not an improvement.

This was never hard, if you had to do this (and they didn't) you choose Indiana Limestone (can be capping or even a composite equivalent) so that it matches Union Station.

Failing that, you go with Victorian-style bollards {Jet Black, cast-iron in appearance)

If you can't make either work, there's something wrong w/you, but @#$# it, go with medium grey granite.

But no....we get this crud........... sigh.
Click to expand...

If there's any optimism left in this, it's that those blocks are super easy to move apparently. I first saw the one fake prehistoric geological stone mid week last week. It was in that corner where they had put up the fences by Bay St. Then I returned that night and it was the old butter stick again. I thought I was losing my mind.

img_3613-jpeg.735195


They had just re-arranged it and put it somewhere else, perhaps as a sample. It was apparently approved because by the weekend, they were doing them en masse.

But yeah, some limestone blocks can easily be dropped in if they so decide.

Indiana-Limestone.png
 
nightstreak said:
You're all very kind. Thank you for those words. 🥰 I'll stick around in this thread. I want to see through the end of that pole and the construction of the Bremner Concourse.

In today's news:
View attachment 735991

Someone shit the bed... or the blocks. It's like they gave this to some staffer with an artsy fartsy hobby. It doesn't fit at all with the clean historical design language for the station.

They should've just given all the blocks that bronze coating. Instead, someone was literally jack hammering this pattern on all the blocks. RIP the butter sticks.

View attachment 735992
Click to expand...
Looks like it’s been sandblasted. And why the turd colour???

These will not last long. Considering our winters and how much road salt is liberally dumped, the concrete will soon be crumbling.

I seriously do not understand how we ended with this foreign imported concrete blocks from the UK. They could’ve sandblasted regular stackable construction concrete bollard blocks instead.
 
I wish one artist each got a block to do whatever they want with, so they all look different. I don’t mind that design but every single block having it is way too much.
 
yrt+viva=1system said:
Looks like it’s been sandblasted. And why the turd colour???

These will not last long. Considering our winters and how much road salt is liberally dumped, the concrete will soon be crumbling.

I seriously do not understand how we ended with this foreign imported concrete blocks from the UK. They could’ve sandblasted regular stackable construction concrete bollard blocks instead.
Click to expand...

Not sandblasted, the worker was using a hydraulic pile driver.

But yeah, I think I put my foot in my proverbial PC mouth. I saw a few more blocks and they have hooves, bear paws and duck feet on the brown sections. This is almost certainly indigenous art. Oops.

... still, I'm not a fan. Looks like a kid's art project. It doesn't fit at all with the style of the station where so much effort went into maintaining a contiguous style, including an in-house Heritage Architect who had to approve everything down to an individual brass doorknob. I guess the sidewalks are technically offsite and the city did what they wanted.

P.S. I sat down in suit trousers and it hurt my ass. Not meant to be sat down on in keeping with the city's war on sitting.
 
...that all said, they are pretty amazing! More of this please! And thnkx! <3
 
nightstreak said:
Not sandblasted, the worker was using a hydraulic pile driver.

But yeah, I think I put my foot in my proverbial PC mouth. I saw a few more blocks and they have hooves, bear paws and duck feet on the brown sections. This is almost certainly indigenous art. Oops.

... still, I'm not a fan. Looks like a kid's art project. It doesn't fit at all with the style of the station where so much effort went into maintaining a contiguous style, including an in-house Heritage Architect who had to approve everything down to an individual brass doorknob. I guess the sidewalks are technically offsite and the city did what they wanted.

P.S. I sat down in suit trousers and it hurt my ass. Not meant to be sat down on in keeping with the city's war on sitting.
Click to expand...
Given the water theme, I suspect a blue finish is coming. They might look nicer once complete.
 
Sauga89 said:
Given the water theme, I suspect a blue finish is coming. They might look nicer once complete.
Click to expand...

Oh no......I think you've hit the nail on the head............. 'commemoration of the original Toronto shoreline'.

Have a look at this and see if you can pick out elements that resemble what we're seeing:

www.torontojourney416.com

Shoreline Commemorative – A Nod to Toronto's Historical Waterfront Line

Shoreline Commemorative by Paul Raff is tucked away in an architectural niche in The Berczy condo's facade on Church St, south of Front St E
www.torontojourney416.com www.torontojourney416.com

Whether or not that exact thing is it.......the idea now seems clear...........and its goofy; and inappropriate.
 
Sauga89 said:
Given the water theme, I suspect a blue finish is coming. They might look nicer once complete.
Click to expand...
I think that the brown will remain, representing earth. The blue bit would be the "carved" concrete waves.

(If it was going to be painted something other than the brown, it would have been easier to do it before installation.)
 
Northern Light said:
Oh no......I think you've hit the nail on the head............. 'commemoration of the original Toronto shoreline'.

Have a look at this and see if you can pick out elements that resemble what we're seeing:

www.torontojourney416.com

Shoreline Commemorative – A Nod to Toronto's Historical Waterfront Line

Shoreline Commemorative by Paul Raff is tucked away in an architectural niche in The Berczy condo's facade on Church St, south of Front St E
www.torontojourney416.com www.torontojourney416.com

Whether or not that exact thing is it.......the idea now seems clear...........and its goofy; and inappropriate.
Click to expand...
Interesting, the St Lawrence Neighbourhood Assn has been working with Heritage Toronto and they are putting up plaques on all the north south streets between Yonge and Berkeley. They are all going to be different and this one is on George South. (Sorry for quality, I am out of town and only have a poor copy here.)

1778678245035.png


There will also be two larger plaques with maps and more info.

In addition, Chris Moise just had his annual 'competition' and Section 37 $$$ are going towards work 'engraving' the sidewalks where the 1841 waterline was on the same streets from Yonge to Berkeley.
 
nightstreak said:
You're all very kind. Thank you for those words. 🥰 I'll stick around in this thread. I want to see through the end of that pole and the construction of the Bremner Concourse.

In today's news:
View attachment 735991

Someone shit the bed... or the blocks. It's like they gave this to some staffer with an artsy fartsy hobby. It doesn't fit at all with the clean historical design language for the station.

They should've just given all the blocks that bronze coating. Instead, someone was literally jack hammering this pattern on all the blocks. RIP the butter sticks.

View attachment 735992
Click to expand...
They should've just put up silver metal bollards like they have over at CIBC Square. These concrete blocks are already being used as homeless gathering places.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top