Catalyst137

[Canard]

Shoot, I just realized where this is. I biked by that a hundred times this summer! Never even realized there was such a huge building right there. Cool!

[Smore]

I had previously heard that pond was meant as firewater storage for airboss. I guess the municipal supply is sufficient for their needs now?

[TMKM94]

I support this project 100% it's about time something is getting done with the property.  I actually live very close to it I can see the back of the property from my bedroom window. The only thing I don't like is why did they find  it necessary to cut down pretty much all of the trees near the property and get rid of the man made pond?  That was a beautiful section of the trail that lots of birds, squirrels and other animals appreciated that is now gone forever. I guess we will find out soon enough.

[Pheidippides]

I've heard many different reasons given unofficially, but nothing official from CoK or the developer.
1) Invasive species needed to be removed.
2) New hydro lines going through (partially substantiated by some new poles along the trail last week).
3) New accesses from the trail to the property.
4) Preparations for IHT improvements.

[Canard]

4) Preparations for IHT improvements.

This one drives me nuts. "Let's improve facilities for people supporting active transportation by making the environment around it more shitty."

[timc]

It also brings to mind the unwillingness to cut down trees along another part of the trail to increase it to a sufficient width.

[Section ThirtyOne]

While I am generally against cutting down mature trees, in this case I can support it due to the nature of the development. It is an important catalyst (no pun intended) for our neighbourhood. It would definitely be nice to understand the reasoning behind it, however.

[Canard]

I just wish more care was taken to be selective about what can stay, and what has to go.

I'm a coaster enthusiast and it's wonderful that so many parks take great care to keep every tree possible when designing and building a new coaster. Some parks just clear cut a giant rectangle, and it's awful. But others are meticulous about coming up with novel construction techniques to save as much as they can.

I'm horrified when I look back at my old photos of Waterloo Park and how the LRT has just destroyed the visuals along the Laurier Trail. It's really sad.

[kitborn]

Growing up in the Belmont/Glasgow area, I saw how this area changed from residential and forest to developed land for then Dominion Tire. There used to be houses in front of 137 Glasgow. They were demolished for the warehouse and parking. There was a large forest on both sides of the Iron Horse Trail. Belmont Avenue did not connect at Glasgow until the 60's. It ended at Karn Street and then continued at Glasgow. The area definitely has had major changes.

[ijmorlan]

I just wish more care was taken to be selective about what can stay, and what has to go.

I'm a coaster enthusiast and it's wonderful that so many parks take great care to keep every tree possible when designing and building a new coaster. Some parks just clear cut a giant rectangle, and it's awful. But others are meticulous about coming up with novel construction techniques to save as much as they can.

I'm horrified when I look back at my old photos of Waterloo Park and how the LRT has just destroyed the visuals along the Laurier Trail. It's really sad.

Agreed about the park. I walk/bike through there going to and from work, and just yesterday I noticed that some of the tree stumps are still there next to the drainage ditch — in other words, they did not need to be cut down. The ditch could have been 30cm narrower, or the whole system of tracks and drainage could have been shifted to the west by 50cm or so and they could have avoided cutting down almost the entire line of trees along the path. Not an impressive commitment to context-aware design.

Still, I can’t wait to see the LRVs going through there at nearly top speed (for our line).

[Canard]

OT: Sadly, only 50 km/h maximum through Waterloo Park, for a brief burst, then back to 40 km/h for the rest of it.

[jgsz]

Graffiti is coming to Catalyst137.   And it sounds like a winner.

[tomh009]

Graffiti is coming to Catalyst137.   And it sounds like a winner.

That'll be a nice ride along IHT to get to dinner!

[MidTowner]

Great stuff for Midtown that side of Belmont to get a restaurant of that level. And a little market! And a microbrewery!

I am still waiting to hear what happened with the plan to put a Charcoal group restaurant in Breithaupt Block. I'm (pretty) sure I didn't dream that.

[Spokes]

Wow, sounds like a lot of really cool features!