ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[urbd]

Is it just me or is anyone else not pleased with the amount of new grass strips being added to the streetscape? I was expecting an extra wide sidewalk (or any hardscape really, i thought they would use the black concrete 'brick' thing they've used in other parts) close to King/Victoria, along Victoria... but that whole stretch is now lined with sod - odd choice for what is expected to be the densest urban hub in the Region.

I guess you can't please everyone, but - you're kidding, right?    I think it looks absolutely glorious and I welcome any and all green that can be added to the urban landscape.  Francis between King and Duke, and all of Borden look a kajillion times better than they used to.

As I said, I like the way it looks. But in an urban environment, grass actually affects mobility and pedestrian movement. Grass is more difficult to walk on (wheelchairs, strollers, etc.) than on a smooth hard surface. Has anyone here ever heard of bioswales? There are lots of examples where you can keep a great pedestrian environment with actually useful landscape infrastructure. Grass just needs regular maintenance, water, etc. What I mean is that yes, having green is great, but in an urban environment it is better to have it either in defined planting beds, or bioswales that actually have a function, or planters. Not as grass.

The sidewalk along Victoria, from Joseph to Charles feels extremely narrow now with all that grass: two people barely fit side by side. 

A couple examples of better defined greenery: