All posts in Junction Public Space Initiative

Who is Adam The Woo – A Documentary – more Junction than you think

By On April 6, 2014 In 150 Symes Road, 150 Symes Road Symes Road Incinerator, 43 Junction Road, 6 Lloyd Avenue, 61 63 67 Vine Ave, 97 Pelham Avenue, buildings, Heintzman Place, Heritage, Industrial Heritage, Junction Industry, Junction Meatpacking District, Junction Public Space Initiative, Making and Placing, Stockyards Phase one, West Toronto Diamond project, West Toronto Junction Historical Society With Comments Off on Who is Adam The Woo – A Documentary – more Junction than you think Permanent Link to Who is Adam The Woo – A Documentary – more Junction than you thinkPermalink

 

 

This post is about places. Adam the Woo is an urban adventurer who documents his visits disused and abandoned places on a YouTube channel. His efforts to communicate the importance of places in communities and visitations to various disused industrial buildings all have a real connection to the Greater Junction Area. Our area has some very hard-core urban explorers. Some simply visiting out of interest, while others seek the history and value to our community from their visits. We also have so many places and things that need to explored and documented.

Adams commitment to produce videos of so many places – even Toronto – is great and his methods are simply wonderful.

Below is a documentary by Kenny Johnson with Adam the Woo which provides a glimpse into a staggering body of work.

If above embed is not working on your devise here is the direct URL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fxDxv5r9Y&feature=youtu.be

Adams web site Http://www.adamthewoo.com/‎

 

 

Simple thought on why the community needs the old 11 division lot

By On November 12, 2012 In 11 DIVISION Police Move, City of Toronto, Junction Public Space Initiative, Parkdale, Public space, The Junction, Toronto Police Division 11 Relocation, Upper Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), West Bend With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Simple thought on why the community needs the old 11 division lotPermalink

Has anyone else noticed, the amount of community happenings at the 3030 restaurant on Dundas St.W. at High Park Ave. what 2 in past week?

Which is great, but it tweaked the blog again on how much this area needs the old police lot in the Junction as a community place.

Conversion of the current building or demo and build of a new building – which is probably the least costly choice.

Canadian national treasure landscape genius – Cornelia Hahn Oberlander – oral history at Cultural Landscape Foundation

By On August 1, 2012 In Junction Public Space Initiative, Natural Urban Living With Comments Off on Canadian national treasure landscape genius – Cornelia Hahn Oberlander – oral history at Cultural Landscape Foundation Permanent Link to Canadian national treasure landscape genius – Cornelia Hahn Oberlander – oral history at Cultural Landscape FoundationPermalink

 

 

click images as to captions…

click image to go to the oral history video interviews

Cultural Landscape Foundation site

Click image to visit The Cultural Landscape Foundation site

Wikipedia outakes… (full Wikipedia click here)

 

Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, OC (born 20 June 1924) is a Canadian landscape architect based in Vancouver, British Columbia. During her career she has contributed to the designs of many high-profile buildings in both Canada and the United States, including the Robson Square and Law CourtsComplex in Vancouver, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Chancery in Washington D.C., the Vancouver Public Library, and Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Building in Yellowknife. Her firm, Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Landscape Architects, was founded in 1953.

 

New Toronto public space advertising policies and you! free talk Nov 22nd

By On November 14, 2011 In City of Toronto, Junction Public Space Initiative, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With Comments Off on New Toronto public space advertising policies and you! free talk Nov 22nd Permanent Link to New Toronto public space advertising policies and you! free talk Nov 22ndPermalink

 

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: http://cityforsale.eventbrite.com/
For more information on the policies, and critical analysis visit:
www.publicspaces.ca
Timeline:
-630: Arrival
-645: Introduction by moderator
-700: Dr. Trevor Norris, Author ‘Consuming Schools’
-710: Rick Miller, Writer/Director/Performer of ‘HARDSELL’
-720: Dr. Brian Cook, Toronto Public Health Department
-730: Jayme Turney, Executive Director – Toronto Public Space Initiative
-740: Q and A
-800: End

 

Biographies

 

Dr. Trevor Norris’ research focuses on the intersection of eduction, politics and philosophy, or, a political philosophy of eductional thought. The main stream of his research concerns globalization, neo-liberalism, and democracy, with a specific focus on the political and pedagogical implications of consumerism. His most recent book, ‘Consuming Schools’, examines how the increasing prevalence of consumerism in contemporary society often equates happiness with the acquisition of material objects, and the impact of consumerism on politics and education.

 

Rick Miller is the Dora and Gemini award winning writer/director/performer of HARDSELL, a riveting ‘performance/lecture’ that boldly examines the commodification of everything and the lies inherent in advertising. In the play Miller raises the difficult question of how to live in this world of the HARDSELL, where lies constantly distract us from the truth. The play encourages audience members to confront their own complicity within consumer society. If we are biologically built to ‘sell’, to ‘produce’ and to ‘consume’, then what is it we are actually selling, producing and consuming? How much choice and freedom do we actually have?

 

Dr. Brian Cook is a researcher for the Toronto Public Health Department. In 2008, his work on children’s marketing led the Toronto Board of Health to unanimously call for a national ban on marketing to children. He has also done research on children’s marketing for the Public Health Agency of Canada and is involved in an international research project on children’s TV advertising across 12 countries.

Interesting talk for Junction folk

By On April 18, 2011 In Industrial Heritage, Junction Industry, Junction Meatpacking District, Junction Public Space Initiative, Railways, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), West Toronto Diamond project, West Toronto Junction Historical Society With Comments Off on Interesting talk for Junction folk Permanent Link to Interesting talk for Junction folkPermalink

 

 

Text of Image

Join us on Thursday, April 28th as we launch our 2011 Heritage Toronto Walks season with an illustrated lecture on the history of Toronto’s railways, hosted by Derek Boles. Our 2011 Spring walk brochures will be available for pick up as well!

How the Railways Shaped Toronto
Illustrated Lecture

 

On May 16, 1853 the first passenger train steamed out of Toronto from a wooden depot that was located just east of present-day Union Station. Over the next century, the railways had a profound impact on the geography of Toronto and helped transform the city into the commercial centre of Canada. See rare images and animations that illustrate how the railways formed and altered Toronto’s built and natural landscape over the last century and a half. And discover the role that St. Lawrence Hall played in railway history!

DATE: Thursday, April 28th at 7:00pm

SPEAKER: Derek Boles, Toronto Railway Historical Association,
Author of Toronto’s Railway Heritage

LOCATION: St. Lawrence Hall
157 King Street East (at Jarvis), 3rd Floor – Great Hall

 

Heritage Toronto

Heritage Toronto Events Calendar

Should the community collaboratively design the parkette changes|?

By On February 3, 2011 In Junction Public Space Initiative, Public space, Vine Ave Parkette, Vine Parkette, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With 3 Comments Permanent Link to Should the community collaboratively design the parkette changes|?Permalink

Update: I seem to have upset the JRA as they have read in the post that I was stating theyof not holding public consultation efforts…so this was not my intention or belief as I do believe they do.

The purpose  of the post to have the parks departments (without being too tough on the people you are in contact with) to hold a design community meeting. This is simply to capture all the people in the community that use the park, which is part of their responsibility.

Vine Parkette has 100,000 dollars for new play equipment earmarked in the parks capital budget if city council approvals (time to email Sara”s office).  The current play structure was installed a couple years ago and certified for children ages 5-12.  What type of equipment do you believe would improve Vine Parkette?  Recently, the blog was told by local pre-teens that monkey bars and other climbing/balancing apparatus would be appreciated by the older kids.  What specific equipment would you like to see in the park?

The blog would like to propose that the Junction Residents Association and the City of Toronto Parks Department hold a design meeting alongside the community to collaboratively design the park so that all voices can be heard.

Our police station is leaving… can this happen?

By On May 9, 2010 In Junction Public Space Initiative, Parkdale, Regeneration, Streetlevel, The Junction, Toronto Police Division 11 Relocation, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), Ward 14 – (Parkdale-High Park) With 1 Comment Permanent Link to Our police station is leaving… can this happen?Permalink

Toronto Police Division 11  is relocating, and the city owed building will be empty.  This building would make a wonderful mixed use centre for the community.

And just to let everyone know this can happen, here is the story of an old Parkdale police station that has become a mixed use centre for the that community.

Although this author believes the community can ,manage and run a centre without the assistance of the Parks department or Artscape, not that those are not fine groups, it’s just the Junction is the Junction.

During doors open you can visit this centre

From the doors open site

1313 Queen St. West was constructed in 1931 as City of Toronto Police Station Division 6 . It remained a police station until the early 1960’s . It then became emergency housing with the city of Toronto for about 14 years . The building then became a Metro property until it was turned over to Artscape for a 20 year lease at $1 /year . This came about with the support of the community and many individuals with the vision that the building would become a community venue for organizations and also house 9 live /work artist studios managed by Artscape . Today the building is full of activity and artists are now living in the original stable house.

Event information:
Learn the history of this former Police Station. Exhibition curated by Christopher Hume which displays works by Toronto artists inspired by local architecture.

Photography permitted: No tripod: No Filming permitted: No tripod: No

Getting there: Click here for map.

TTC (nearest station) Lansdowne /Dufferin & Bus to Queen St. W Bus/streetcar: Brock Street

Brooklyn Bridge Park so many ideas

By On February 8, 2010 In Junction Public Space Initiative, Natural Urban Living, The Junction, Toronto Parks, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With Comments Off on Brooklyn Bridge Park so many ideas Permanent Link to Brooklyn Bridge Park so many ideasPermalink

pier 6 rendering 2-2010 (1)

Why a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge Park rendering? Ideas! and oh so many…. yes many of you reading this may be thinking the junction has no available land area for a park and public space for development such as this, and the author of this post understands that fact. We can however take hope and ideas from such a large project for our own community.

Local parks could with community input  be transformed with some of the ideas expressed here, also a public space project involving the partial closer of a street could crate something such as the wonderland above.

related article around the web today of parks and community

New York Times –

When Parks Must Rely on Private Money

Proposed park naming – “Upper Junction Park”

By On December 31, 2009 In Heritage, Junction Public Space Initiative, Public space, Roncesvalles Village, South Junction Triangle, The Junction, Toronto Parks, Ward 11 (York South-Weston}, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park), West Bend, Weston With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Proposed park naming – “Upper Junction Park”Permalink
31-12-2009 10-05-24 AM
DSC00003 upper junction park
Birdstone Crescent is on the North east corner of St Clair Ave and Old Weston Rd on the site
of the 60’s and 70’s Grenadier Ford trucks Trucks site
The naming of the park situated at 85 Birdstone Crescent, a street this author cannot on Google maps so I am going out to find it to finish this post this morning.
City staff…
RECOMMENDATIONS
The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division recommends that
Etobicoke York Community Council:
1. name the park situated at 85 Birdstone Crescent “Upper Junction Park”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
birdstone crescent
The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division recommends that
Etobicoke York Community Council:
1. name the park situated at 85 Birdstone Crescent “Upper Junction Park”.

Audio program about social space making

By On July 27, 2009 In City Wards, Development, Junction Public Space Initiative, Public space, The Junction With Comments Off on Audio program about social space making Permanent Link to Audio program about social space makingPermalink

This should be a great program social space making, don’t fret if you cannot listen in live we, will post a link to the podcast after the live session.

RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)) Thursday – The Renewal of St Martin-in-the-Fields: a case study in social space making

30th Jul 2009; 13:00 (UK time)   July 30th 09 at 8 am Toronto Time

attend_this_event1

Renowned architect and Royal Academician Eric Parry visits the RSA to discuss the recently completed redevelopment of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

The project has created a sequence of interconnected public spaces both above and below ground as well as a wide range of amenities for a diverse range of users, including the homeless, St Martin’s core congregation, the local Chinese community and state of the art facilities for professional musicians.

This highly complex scheme creates a synergy between the baroque church and the contemporary additions, facilitates the flow of access to and from Trafalgar Square and exemplifies the practice’s considered approach to place-making within a culturally and historically sensitive context.

Toronto Life Square has gone into receivership

By On July 23, 2009 In All Wards, City of Toronto, City Wards, Development, Junction Public Space Initiative, Toronto Parks With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Toronto Life Square has gone into receivershipPermalink

The Toronto Star is reporting that the Toronto Life Square –  has gone into receivership.

from The Star..

In case you’re wondering, Toronto Life Square shouldn’t be confused with Yonge-Dundas Square across the road. The latter really is a square, the former a building.

Constructed on land expropriated by the pre-amalgamation City of Toronto in the late 1990s, the massive entertainment complex was developed by a subsidiary of PenEquity Realty Corp. From the start, however, the project was nothing but trouble for the firm. Work on the building began five years behind schedule, and only after a series of setbacks. At one point, Disney, a prospective tenant, simply walked away from the table, leaving PenEquity in a state of open-mouthed shock.

Of course, Toronto Life Square – the building – isn’t much to look at. Big, grey and hopelessly plain, it had almost nothing going for it other than its location, but what a location.

Link to full story

Reminder: the Junction Public Space meeting is postponed

By On May 11, 2009 In Junction Public Space Initiative, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With Comments Off on Reminder: the Junction Public Space meeting is postponed Permanent Link to Reminder: the Junction Public Space meeting is postponedPermalink

Reminder: the Junction public space meeting that was planned for this Thursday at the Keele Community Centre has been postponed. The people committed to bringing the required information to the meeting need more time to complete the tasks than initially allocated.

http://junctionps.blogspot.com/

Please vist the Junction Public Space Site for updates.

postponement

Junction Public Space in full swing

By On March 12, 2009 In Development, Junction Public Space Initiative, The Junction, Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park) With Comments Off on Junction Public Space in full swing Permanent Link to Junction Public Space in full swingPermalink

http://junctionps.blogspot.com/

The creation of a Junction Public  Space is really a possibility now, but only with a simple sign from everyone. Simply by showing your support, by 1st attending the public meeting on Thursday May 14th at the Keele St. Community Centre, where the size of the crowd with have an important impact on the city officials and funders we hope to have help us with the project, Please come.

2nd, sign the upcoming petition online or on per your name will make all the difference.