News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto into an “internet city”. Parent comment

Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by microcolonel on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @04:14PM (#15494494)
As someone who currently lives on said coastline, I'm really not sure what you mean by "scummier". In my humble opinion, it is the most pleasant part of the city, more than half of it is accessible parkland of some sort.

This is what I saw from my roof a couple days ago: https://twitter.com/aaronmhamilton/status/919820166833242112

The only sorta crummy building on the waterfront from this vantage is the Canada Malting Silos, but even that has its charm.

To me, a lot of the rest of the city is an eyesore. Unfortunately a lot of the large buildings in Toronto are brutal postmodern slabs of concrete spiritual oppression, including many around New City Hall.

The Port Lands are not actually so bad at the shore, some of the industrial stuff like the Hearn coal reactor and the recycling plant that went up in flames a month or so ago is a bit rough, but it's convenient to the city that these things are within city limits. It is exceptionally unusual to have facilities like those on the Port Lands and the island airport this close to the city center.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by dnbsbsva on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @04:54PM (#15494842)
The Hearn is one of the most beautiful and unique buildings in the city. Luminato Festival has used the space for the past two years, and I hope to see more diverse programming there in the future. I would extend similar praise to the malting silos - both are historic structures that, while certainly deteriorating and in need of repair and upgrades, are some of the few buildings that give the waterfront and Port Lands an identity different to that of the rest of the city. When developers have their way and structures like these disappear to make way for thoughtless, cheaply constructed condo buildings, the city will lose some of the few facets of identity that remain.

Developers have already ransacked almost everything south of the Gardiner at this point, so I suppose it's only a matter of time until they turn the rest of the city into a quick buck as well.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by microcolonel on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @05:17PM (#15495035)
Yeah, the lack of character and thoughtfulness in the new buildings going up is among my reasons for looking to move out (right beside the decline of the government's respect for civil liberties, and the increase in outright corruption with the majority party under the leadership of a snowboard instructor).
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by 52-6F-62 on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @06:37PM (#15495561)
Were you just looking for an opportunity to slag Trudeau? Last time I checked he isn't mayor of Toronto -- unless there's just something I don't know about John Tory. Maybe you can root for Doug Ford in the next mayoral round. I mean, we're talking about Toronto, right?
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by microcolonel on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @06:41PM (#15495579)
Moving to the United States of America, I mean. Toronto is in Ontario, which is in Canada. The Mayor of Toronto largely fine, the Premier of Ontario is questionable, the Prime Minister of Canada is concerning.

You sure have made a lot of assumptions about me: I'd advise you to keep them to yourself, Rob.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by spollo on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @08:13PM (#15496019)
If there's anyone I would be concerned about it's the Ontario premier, but sure go on ahead down to the US where they ostensibly don't build uninspired buildings in their cities or something.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by wjn0 on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @04:44PM (#15494755)
The area between Jarvis and University/York is pretty unpleasant to walk around once you're south of Front, in my opinion. Walking in the rest of the city is quite nice.

I suppose it can be attributed to the expressway being there, but shit - I dread visiting the area on foot.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by havetocharge on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @05:07PM (#15494957)
The distance you mentioned is about 3000 feet. Toronto's waterfront spans over 25 miles. And for the most part it is beautiful, in my opinion.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by wjn0 on Thursday October 19, 2017 @11:19PM (#15513330)
These places are designed for and receive a ton of foot traffic - the ACC and Union Station, specifically. It's somewhat odd that the area immediately surrounding isn't very pedestrian-friendly.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs to turn 800 acres of Toronto int... by bacheson1293 on Tuesday October 17, 2017 @07:53PM (#15495929)
i agree it's not scummy but it's far from nice...see Chicago
[ Parent | on HN ]