05-31-2020, 09:15 PM
(05-31-2020, 08:39 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Victoria Park bridges are indeed narrow for the most part (I occasionally need to wait for other people to cross) but the paths are not too bad if you're willing to step on the grass when meeting other people.
I'm not sure what it is, but Victoria Park seems to attract a greater number of people who don't care about cooperating. Victoria park area is the only place where people seem happy to stop in pathway intersections to have a conversation blocking people coming from all directions. Or just not making any effort to share the pathways with people coming from the opposite direction. Not that everyone at the park is doing this, but I've only experienced it at the park, so I just stick to residential neighbourhoods for my walks now.
(05-31-2020, 10:24 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: But you really hit the nail on the head, the key is having common public spaces available.
The massive crowds in the parks are not a result of too much density or crowding, but of too little public space. If Toronto had instead opened half the roads downtown to the public for pedestrians (and closed them to cars), I doubt you would see the crowds that you do. This is a self inflicted situation.
That would certainly ease some of the pressure on parks, but streets are not green space. Streets can be used for exercise, but as far as I'm concerned, green space is just as important as exercise for mental well being.