Ben Bull, Columnist –
When my daughter was seven, we bought her a robot dog for Christmas. Rufus could hold out a paw, roll over and bark, it said on the box. When we opened him up and pressed the button – nothing happened.
“Paw!”, my daughter implored the hapless hound. “Roll over. Woof!”
Nothing.
Occasionally Rufus would thrust out a paw, fall over or make a screechy, metallic sound, but he was clearly the runt of the robot litter.
Hope is a wonderful ingredient of life. But, as my daughter learned that Christmas, sometimes we forget the batteries and have to sprinkle on a dose of reality.
The city of Toronto has given us a lot of hope over the years.
Nathan Phillips Square was all set for a ribbon-cutting ceremony two decades ago. Forty-eight firms entered a redesign competition, with the winner slated to peel off the wrapping paper to a $60 million revitalization in 2012.
Obviously that gift got lost in the post, but do not lose hope! According to the Nathan Phillips Square Wikipedia page, “the project is expected to be completed by 2014.”
Speaking of gifts gone awry, the ‘yongeTOmorrow’ pedestrianization project for Yonge Street is yet to pop in the mail. The environmental assessment kicked off in 2016 and the grand opening, according to the project website, is scheduled for “2025+.”
If you’re wondering what a 2025+ delivery date looks like, go for a walk.
Some gifts, like my wife’s 2020 wedding anniversary present, are better late than never. Corktown Common was more than a year late to the party, but when it arrived it was worth every penny. I wound my way there the other day, during one of those summer teasers we get every spring: 21 degrees in May! The place was teeming with picnickers, dog walkers and joggers. This park is a jewel in the Canary District neighbourhood.
Some gifts are rescinded. I remember jumping for joy when the city unveiled the Jarvis Street bike lanes in 2009. I used to bike up to Bloor Street two or three times a week for work, using every inch of the two and a half feet of painted asphalt that kept errant fenders away from my pedals.
But alas, we must’ve all been bad boys and girls, because City Hall took them away from us just two years later.
Sometimes the city gives us false hope. Just because a gift is shaped like a brand-new bicycle doesn’t mean it isn’t a cheap plastic water gun (don’t worry – I’m getting counselling). Ontario Place languished for years, during which City Hall promised public amenities and access to the waterfront. Well, if you’re looking for an expensive hot tub or a pedicure down by the lake, your dreams will be coming true.
Some gifts keep on giving. A few years ago, the TTC rolled out new subway cars on Line 1. When we stepped aboard, we oohed and aahed at the sleek shiny steel, the plush seats and the new car smell. Line 2 riders squinted down the platform waiting for theirs to arrive, but – sorry, kids, the elves need new hammers.
My mum used to tell me, as I scooped up my non-brand name running shoes and party pack of Poundstretcher After Shave from under the Christmas tree, “Stop moaning and be grateful for what you have.” (Once again, really, everything is fine…)
And we do have much to be grateful for in this city. The new St. Lawrence North Market is sparkling and pretty. Villiers Island is shaping up to be a fine place for a paddle, a stroll and a picnic. And there is much more to come.
Will we really get more nice things in this city? We can only hope.
