Notes

Outline

The Riverdale Walkers Present Click TV icon in bottom right corner for full screen view

WE ARE opposed to the demolition of a modern iconic building, the environmental waste, 75,000 tons of green house gases and the selling of public parkland The Riverdale Walkers

The Half Round is regarded as a significant Architectural Landmark and one of Toronto’s great modern buildings from the 1960’s

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It is a one-of-a-kind, architecturally significant, sound structure and for these reasons should be saved.

What will happen to East Chinatown? There are many question yet to be answered. Does this community want this mega development and all its traffic congestion? Will local small store owners be able to compete? How many shopping franchises will be placed in these condos developments? What kind of big chain stores can we expect and what will be the effect on our fresh food markets?

Historically the city of Toronto has been ignorant of the importance of our historical and otherwise significant architecture and has been terribly negligent in preserving it.  We’ve got to change this before our buildings of significance are gone.

The Preservation Board wanted to re-open the file but the Chair said no. City Hall needs to act in a responsible manner when comes to accountability, preservation and conservation. Bridgepoint can’t just say it doesn’t work and therefore we are not even going to try to find other options. Who is challenging Bridgepoint’s comprehensive examination of all the options? Is there an independent valuation assessment of the lands being sold and transferred? If so, let us see it. How is the money being spent? What is the”made in Toronto” Green Standard for existing building retrofit? Where is the environmental assessment?

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"The irony - The inclusion..." The irony - The inclusion of condos in Bridgepoint's scheme is what's crowding the site (densities approved are six times what's allowed).

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None of us want to lose the half-round

Residents fight land swap involving hospital

“Bridgepoint is planning the largest redevelopment Riverdale has ever seen” says Councillor Fletcher to Admin. Committee

Riled locals find opening in last-ditch effort to save Riverdale landmark By PAUL TEREFENKO, Now Magazine March 17th/06 Architect Jane Burgess, who doesn't want Toronto to lose the half-round, says Bridgepoint is trying to bully the city into the deal. "It's being done very hastily by Bridgepoint, which is saying that if everybody doesn't agree to everything it wants, it'll leave."

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The Bridgepoint Parkland Sale and Transfer

There was no debate

Where is the NDP “Green Standard”? The environmental waste from the demolition of a structurally sound, re-useable building will cost taxpayers up to 2 million or more. It will create 75,000 tons of green house gases. Councillor Fletcher who supported the Portland campaign signs, say “Breathe Much”. Ironically her Ward, Toronto-Danforth has the worst air in all of Toronto as reported in Now magazine earlier this year. Toronto-Danforth has been an NDP stronghold for 30 years and our air is the worst. How then can Councillor Fletcher who pushed for this Bridgepoint deal, which was supported by all NDP councillors, demolish a perfectly sound reusable building creating 75,000 tons of green house gases? Where is the NDP “Green Standard” now? Where is the NDP’s environmental assessment?

Environmental Waste

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The Half-Round landmark may be: converted to a Seniors/Disabled Home keeping the round theatre. It is already disabled accessible and has an existing work out facilities used as a Center or College for the Arts used for a Condominium Complex converted for office space or a mix of the above uses

My plea to save the Bridgepoint Half-Round is for the same reason that we put great value in the arts.  Things that are created with great skill and craft, that are daring and beautiful, that are of historical significance, that make us think and feel, inspire us both consciously and subconsciously every time we are in their presence; in the case of a city’s architecture it’s every time we leave our homes.  By example these achievements encourage us to be and do the best that we can.  The architecture of our city is the environment in which we exist and therefore has tremendous importance in our lives.  Consider that the world that we create for ourselves defines who we are and at the same time reflects who we are.   Previous to moving to South Riverdale I lived in the Merchandise Building at 155 Dalhousie St, formerly the Sears warehouse.  If that city block sized building can be converted into one of the most prestigious addresses in the city surely the Half-Round on the Don Valley with it’s dazzling city and sunset views can do the same. Bret Culp Riverdale Resident

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