Toronto Waterfront Projects

[Acitta]

City unveils Copenhagen-inspired plans for new island neighbourhood — with a car-free street. Is Toronto ready for it?

[danbrotherston]

City unveils Copenhagen-inspired plans for new island neighbourhood — with a car-free street. Is Toronto ready for it?

"A car free street. Is Toronto ready for it?"

You honestly cannot make this stuff up. The idea that a city is not ready for a single street where cars are not allowed is insane. We're not talking about a low car neighbourhood or a car free centre, they're talking about a single street.

This is why we say things are car brained. Even in North America is isn't exactly unusual to have a car free street. There's many in Montreal, one in Ottawa, Calgary, all come to mind. But you propose such a thing and you get headlines like this.

You'd probably get the same headline in Ottawa to, and it all comes down to the fact that most people in Canada (and especially the US) don't understand the word "street", it's taken to mean "place for driving", and nothing more. So a car free street sounds bizarre, in a way that "the same thing as every mall" doesn't.

[creative]

So you choose to complain about the headline instead of saying that this proposal is a great idea. I’ve been to this project site several times during its construction. It’s already a major accomplishment and is going to be even better when it is complete.