[DSCToronto]

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.

As has been discussed here at length, the presence of the subway and open areas below Front Street made putting in bollards 'impossible' That said, why they then went for imported concrete blocks is hard to understand and even harder now they are decorating them in situ. Even for the City, it's bizarre!

 

[mburrrrr]

On Scott St. attached to the St. Lawrence Centre. Picture from April 24, 2026.

There were yellow footprints on the Scott St. last year indicating the shoreline.

 

[DSCToronto]

On Scott St. attached to the St. Lawrence Centre. Picture from April 24, 2026.
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There were yellow footprints on the Scott St. last year indicating the shoreline.
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The footprints were/are on all the streets - part of an SLNA project last spring - most done by local schools. Lots on Taylors Wharf Lane.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

...I mean if Toronto keeps building south we will eventually be shaking hands with beach goers in St Catharines

 

[nightstreak]

Was in a rush and didn't get pictures (I'll get them later on my way back) but the subsequent blocks have less grit on the top, they're more comfortable to sit on. They're all a little different from one another, one of them had an entire brown top with only the sides revealed.

I'm still not sold on this, as @Northern Light put it, it looks "goofy" which would've been fine in another space but in my opinion takes away from the sophistication of Union Station as a national historic site and the effort that went into living up to that heritage look and feel in all the details. This is exacerbated with another historic building, the Fairmont Royal York across the street, with these infantile art project blocks in the middle. It just doesn't fit in.

 

[nightstreak]

“My First Sculpture” animal paw prints by Ms. Frizzle’s class.

 

[funnykiddy]

“My First Sculpture” animal paw prints by Ms. Frizzle’s class.

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I don't know. but it's growing on me. I always am soft on little whimsical touches in public spaces. Why be so serious?

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

...I mean, this what we wanted instead of dull rectangular jersey blocks. I know it's not a rows of chibi kappa or whatever. But it's still something that reflects on our own lore and where we came from. And again, for what that's worth, IMO.

 

[kotsy]

The new design wouldn't be my first choice but it's leaps and bounds better than what we had initially

 

[APTA-2048]

Other than the edges of the bronze looking a little haphazard (more thought to the form could have been given), I don’t have a problem with this. The bronze plate animals are nice.

 

[Chris R.]

I don't know guys, I kind of like it. The waves all facing the same direction makes it a bit too uniform in my opinion, but they look kind of nice. In an area that is quite bland outside the actual station, these are kind of fun. Some colour would certainly be welcome though.

 

[DSCToronto]

I don't know guys, I kind of like it. The waves all facing the same direction makes it a bit too uniform in my opinion, but they look kind of nice. In an area that is quite bland outside the actual station, these are kind of fun. Some colour would certainly be welcome though.

Colour! It's Toronto, wake up!! :->

 

[Chris R.]

Colour! It's Toronto, wake up!! :->

I knowwww. Hamilton struggles with the same thing. I'm so jealous of Montreal and Halifax and some other places that get colourful fun developments. Not all, but Hamilton and Toronto specifically love grey, white and black.

You'd think for a project funded by the city where they can afford artists, proper architects and design, they could at least in public spaces include colour...

I had figured that was the issue. Low funding for architecture (colour requires forethought to look good), but perhaps it's just a modern cultural obsession with "modern" and "clean" and a bit of upper class design aesthetic (friends who subscribe to a certain way of living love black only clothes, and paint their entire house white for example).

I love visiting Toronto, but specifically around Union is one of the most drab and utilitarian spaces in the country.

 

[Northern Light]

You'd think for a project funded by the city where they can afford artists, proper architects and design,

Toronto CAN afford this, we have ~900M put away in the Parkland Acquisition Reserve Fund (which can also be used for improvements)

Additionally, Eco. Development spends ~3.5M on streetscaping every year, with Planning typically throwing in a couple million, plus 3.5M (or more) from BIAs, plus money available through CREM, CreateTO, New developments, residual S.37 monies and Community Benefits.

Collectively not a penny under 15M in a given year, and sometimes much more.

Which is to say, not spending enough, or not spending wisely enough or boldly enough is a choice.

they could at least in public spaces include colour...

As exemplified by when the City hired ccxa (Cormier) for HTO park, Love Park and Sugar Beach, albeit more muted, Berckzy too has colour in its palate.

 

[nightstreak]

They were putting on some sort of coat. I hope to god this isn’t a primer and they’re about to paint that blue.

Went from a light beige to a dirty stone.

That nice light beige was going to get dirty anyway, they just pre-dirtied it. Efficiency!