Let's preserve the Gardiner

The Gardiner Expressway is one of the main transportation arteries that connect our city. While I would like everyone to arrive at each of their destinations by public transit, that is a completely unrealistic desire as cars are such an intrinsic part of our transportation network.

I have heard of many different plans for dealing with the deliberately unkempt and deteriorating elevated section of the Gardener Expressway and I think that any plan that involves demolishing it and putting traffic at grade will be a huge mistake.

We have already seen the increases in travel time for those who must use the east section of the Gardiner that was demolished and incorporated into Lakeshore Boulevard a number of years ago and I don’t think we want to repeat this mistake again. Burying the Gardiner ... well, I think all I need to mention is Boston’s Big Dig and that idea can be sent out the window.

I just heard about a very interesting proposal to cover the elevated section of the Gardiner with a suspended green roof that would also function as an elevated park. The proposal is called Toronto’s Green Ribbon.

I like this idea as it retains one of the main arteries and improves on it. This proposal may reduce the maintenance costs on the roadway as the road will be covered from the elements and will not need to be salted in the winter -- road salt is one of the main reasons for the deterioration of the structure. It also fits with the City’s mandate of incorporating green roofs into the City. While a covered roadway was probably not the original idea behind the Green Roof By-law, a green roof over a roadway fits nicely with the By-law and could be a huge promoter for it.

We fight to preserve building and structures with far less history and purpose all over the city. The Gardiner was originally conceived to link the towns and villages that were incorporated into Metropolitan Toronto and is a symbol of that amalgamation. It also serves to transport many, many people on a daily basis. Let’s not try to wipe out a productive piece of our City’s history, but let’s work with its challenges and try to improve on the Gardiner and our City in the process.

About Adam Zendel

Comments

[Jason]

The Gardiner is required. It's my alternative route to the girlfriend who lives by Sherway Gardens (427/Gardiner). If something happens on the 401 or 427, I can always take the DVP and then the Gardiner.

[East Ender]

Of course keep the Gardiner. It is for the people to get through a busy neighbourhood that is getting busier. Locals like me use the Lakeshore to do our daily commutes and chores. Maybe a third tier would help with the flow through town. Those of us who live here or are soon to be moving in need some room to get around.

[Kevo]

I wouldn't call the Gardiner much of a historical piece, even if it's purpose was to link the boroughs to the city. Highways within non-suburban cities ran its time 50 years ago (and thank God it stopped... or half of the city would've been highways, check out the pre-1970 Master Plans) and should be part of a bygone era in this city.

Plus, keeping an elevated highway there is just going to cost more money than tearing it down and putting stuff on the ground, as the Gardiner is already crumbling. It would be cool to leave some pillars as was done on the east end of it as historical markers which could be integrated someway into a park or whatever (get youth to do art on them or something like in Quebec City).

[scott d]

Lets preserve it because it works. There is no better solution short of putting it underground.

[L Wilgosh]

Make the cover out of solar panels and kill two birds with one stone. Instead of tearing down the Gardiner it should be extended out to Pickering or Oshawa.

[William Coombs]

Be careful throwing things out the window like Boston's "Big Dig" without examining the consequences for Boston. Adam, have your been there? Imagine Toronto's waterfront connected to the rest of the city by vibrant, healthy urban spaces with pedestrian walkways where the the freeway used to be. The North End of Boston is now beautfully connected as part of a walkway to the Common (a park in the centre of Boston surrounded by the Business District). If we're going to talk seriously about the future of downtown Toronto and surronding communities, including the spectacular potential of the dock area and Cherry Beach, let's be concerned about the city and its communities. By the way, I love the consequences of taking down the Gardner to the east end!

[Eric McG]

Although an inventive idea, you've missed the point of demolishing the Gardiner. It blocks the sight lines of lakeside condominiums. Putting a garden above the existing, or rebuilt, expressway will only reduce the sight lines further which makes this type of project a non-starter regardless of aesthetic and environmental value.

[Carlo A]

All those concrete islands under the Gardiner can also be beautified with greenery (thus soaking up some vehicle exhaust).. Though the plants would not get direct sunlight, there is lots of indirect sunlight, the water can be channeled into the soil via the troughs from the overhead Gardiner section..

[Dana]

Should we be really discussing this? I think tearing down the Gardiner is absolutely proposterous, of course we need the Gardiner! Think about all the commuters! They are the majority of the people who work downtown. If they want to tear down the Gardiner, they should build a new one for all those cars that come in and out of toronto.

[Jesse Ewles]

The most intriguing aspect of the green-roof idea for me, is that you could add cycling lanes that span the breath of Toronto. So cool!

[Ryan]

I've been waiting a long time to read someone say it: the Gardiner must remain.

So yes, let's think about how we can live with it (we need to) and make it beautiful.

[Pradhan]

I'm not sure if I agree.
Nothing beats the open air and sunshine. These are essential elements one desires when they are near the Lake.
The elevated expressway is too close to the lake.
For 20 years the expressway suffers from closure due to maintenance and causes congestions every year throughout the summer. So, tearing it down and causing traffic is no difference. Tear it down quickly, bury the railtracks underground and we can then have 4 lanes each going both east and west with a divided median full of trees and plants.
Cover the tracks near Cityplace and CN tower and build a big long park.

[john]

Has anyone considered expanding the waterfront by infilling or is that too expensive? At one time the water's edge was Front Street. If they could expand the waterfront this way the Gardiner would be less of an issue.

[Logan]

Let me see...

You want to take something that's already crumbling, and add another couple hundred more tons of concrete on top of it?

Yeah, that'll work.

Let's try and get some people who actually understand physics to give recommendations on what to do with infrastructure in our fair city.

[plugz]

On the real, the Gardiner must go. Ive had the chance to walk all the way under neath the broken highway from point to point and all the way to the DVP there are nothing but structures to hold it up in the air. this space taken up by these beams (if thats what there called) in terms of car space add up to 6 lanes running parallel. the main problem with commuters why the constant back up of traffic is THERE ARE TOO MANY SINGLE DRIVERS IN BIG CARS. if those Tamil's can come together and march and block the highway AND THEY ARENT FROM HERE, THEN YOU MEAN ASS CANADIANS CAN SUPPORT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM. becuz of their reluctance to help the city to grow by doing there part THE SINGLE DRIVERS are the main problems why the traffic and a way to curve it isnt being found...all it takes is THE COMMUNITY TO HELP, but Canadians have never heard of that word so ITS EVERY MAN IN HIS BENZ LEX BIMMER JAG AND HUMMER FOR THEMSELVES....I live in Sauga City and I work downtown. I take the bus daily and Ive gotten to work with no problems using two transit systems or the GO Train. Co-operation is the only solution......AND WHY DO U NEED AN AMERICAN COMPANY TO TEAR IT DOWN FOR MILLIONS....PUT UP ON ADVERT, HANDS NEEDED FOR GARDINER PROJECT, YOU WILL FIND THERE ARE YOUR OWN PPL HERE WILLING TO WORK FOR MINIMUM WAGE........BITE THAT COOKIE FOR TASTE

[Samir D]

Don't dismiss Boston's Big Dig; that was part of an overall renewal plan for Boston's downtown that included a massive overhaul of their sewer system to clean up their harbour. There were massive cost overruns as happens with all large infrastructure projects mostly due to poor record keeping of assets in the past, but they implemented a co-ordinated 25 year plan to renew their downtown and followed through. The result - a connected downtown with room for commuters, better transit and cleaner harbour. Boston has a lot in common with Toronto, but Toronto's problem is that our civic leaders fail follow through only on half of what is required. We have great plans and starts but then things grind to a halt with squabbling over funding and not thinking about the impact of funding decisions. Burying the Gardiner needs to be done as part of underground infrastructure renewal. The result of combining a "big dig" with the renewal of our sewer and water systems will be a city that is more livable and inviting.

[Aaron Knight]

Thankfully the idea of beautifying the Gardiner is being discussed. There are a million ways to do it. This being one of them. What is always ignored in the discussion about the Gardiner blocking the lake is that there is a vacuum on either side of it. One side has been wasted concrete parking lots for years and the other is the rail lands. If we made it look good and built up to its edges and used wasted space underneath you wouldn't really notice it. Once that is done we should turn our eye to the rail lands. They are far bigger of an obstacle to a pedestrian. Where they are below ground we should enclose them and construct plates on top where parkland and buildings can be, with the buildings framing its edges. Can you imagine this actual green ribbon weaving through the heart of the City? Buildings could then have both street and park exposures. The sale of these edge lands for development could pay for the enclosure and parkland. Thats a REAL greenroof.

[Sean C]

This is a great idea. Imagine the views from an elevated walkway/bike path running the entire length of the elevated Gardiner. It's the idea this city has been waiting for. We need the expressway to move traffic, but here is an idea to beautify and protect the driving lanes below in winter, to me this is a no-brainer.
I recently returned from a trip to New York City where they've saved an elevated train track that was to be torn down. Instead of tearing it down they embraced and made public space and walkways - wow, it is spectacular. Only half of the walkway is finished but the views of the surrounding streets, the Hudson river and the old factories are amazing - what a great idea. Check out 'The High Line' at http://www.thehighline.org/
Enough talk of tearing this thing down, let's embrace it and enhance it. As far as blocking the views of condos - too bad. You bought your condo with no guarantee of whether or not the Gardiner would remain. I think it will enhance the views - imagine a park on top!
Go Toronto, we need big ideas to make this city even better than it is.

[Keep the Gardiner Joe]

All you folk in favour of tearing it down to have "more green space" or "open air and sunshine" need to get a grip on reality. The ONLY reason for tearing the Gardiner down is to free up land for more condo towers. Doing to it what was done east of Carlaw is a non starter; we spent a lot of money to reduce the road capacity with no other benefits.

[EF]

You have got to be kidding? Anyone who thinks we shouldn't fix up the Gardiner is a complete and utter fool! It's the main line into the city from the West End. For trucks, it's essential! If you want a park there are parks-a-plenty in this city. The only fool that thinks we should turn the Gardiner in a park are "miller clones' and you know what everyone thinks of him. If you think we should close the Gardiner, what's your alternative? Building a tunnel under the lake. Give yourselves a shake and come into the real world!!!!

[George Not Bush]

Bury the railway -- sorry, will not happen unless some fairy godmother shows up with a few score giga bucks.

For a few hundred million or so the Gardiner could be put over the tracks, which we are stuck with anyway.

I DO NOT want a 10 lane Lakeshore as a Gardiner replacement.

As for the extension of travel times now that some of the East Gardiner has been taken, it has to be noted that the Leslieville neighborhood has been magnificently rejuvenated. Taking down more of the East Gardiner would make little difference as that section runs through an industrial area.

East end people would definitely benefit from Southbound ramps to the DVP from Dundas and/or Queen, but the original DVP objective was for the benefit of the burbs, not the downtowners.

[John Ashforth]

For those who want to take down the Gardiner, why stop there? Lets demolish all of those condos blocking the lake, and lets get rid of the subways, replace them with underground pedestrian walkways. David Miller, you have done enough to destroy this city. Please leave. Think about it, can anyone say Toronto is a better place to live now, than it was 5 years ago, 10 years ago? Not likely.

[Scott]

Lets hope and pray the "Green Ribbon" never comes to pass. Practically speaking, no one will use it as it is too much of a hassle getting up to that level. Then there is safety. Who is going to patrol it. How much does it cost to build and maintain it? These are questions that need to be asked before we get too excited about it.
It seemed to me that that the citizens of Toronto were trying to do away with impediments to seeing the lake - how is adding another deck to the freeway going to help? The answer: It's not.

If we are not going to remove the Gardiner, the focus should be better integration at ground level with the north-south streets that intersect with it. That means a better pedestrian experience through landscape improvements (this has started), more artwork, better lighting, architectural improvements to the Gardiner at intersections (gateways) and having buildings front onto Lakeshore.

[greg]

the boston big dig may have been costly, but it is a success and 50 years from now nobody will remember how much it costs but will be thankful it is not hovering over the city like the gardiner does to toronto. putting the traffic on the ground? isnt toronto already a difficult place for pedestrians? Imagine what it would be if the highway traffic was to be at ground level. Ha. Fairy tale indeed.

[Tricia]

I'm not sure if the Gardiner's existence itself is what everyone loves to hate. I think it's everything else around and under it. If there were more crosswalks and some beautification done under the Gardiner, I don't think people would mind it as much. But at the moment, it's simply an unpleasant place to be near and that's what creates the feeling of being "cut off" from the waterfront. I agree that we need the Gardiner to connect the downtown core to the other areas of the city, but I don't think it'll ever gain favour amongst Torontonians if we don't try to make it a bit friendlier.