Toronto's involvement in traffic control in the downtown core have confused the heck out of people and caused a decline in customers to local business destinations. Protests against the changes have seen hockey played on King Street and ice sculptures giving the finger. Four lanes have been narrowed to two active lanes and driving through intersections is no longer allowed.
WATCH YOUR STEP! is full of coloured triangles
Hoping to do some positive outreach and fill up some of the off limit lanes of traffic the City has launched the Everyone is King Design Build Competition. Starting in January the designs have been submitted, accepted and 19 new curb lane public spaces will be installed in place identified by planters separating people from the cars and transit vehicles.
"Face to Face/Tête à Tête creates a place for shared conversation along the street. With two unexpectedly long tables, flanked by continuous benches and wrapped with planting, this is a place for concentrated community conversation – animated inside the words Face to Face/Tête à Tête dynamically projected over all of the street furniture surfaces. The narrow striking blue and orange space promotes both intimacy within the bustle of King St, and deliberately intensifies the conversation. Shaped like boomerangs, one table angles toward the street, and one toward the sidewalk, subtly inviting participants to the table angled to watch the passers-by on the sidewalk, or to hail to those on bike and streetcar. The table is a central focus recalling big family dinners –promoting larger collective/community gathering, yet the narrowness allows for individual occupation, co-working, musing, lunching, and dreaming."
From the City's website "Local businesses have the opportunity to use the public spaces on their blocks between now and the end of the Pilot (December 2018). Spaces that have not been claimed by local businesses will be included in the Competition. Businesses can choose to animate the space on their own or can have the space designed through the Competition. Once we have heard from the businesses, the total number of spaces will be confirmed and identified. Two of these spaces will be reserved for Durable Destination Parklets and the rest for Temporary Public Space installations."
The public space installations allow for gathering and rest spaces, similar to patios without the alcohol. Destination Parklets can also have seating or green spaces. Installations will happen from late April to May and the experiment will end on December 31, 2018.
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