Astral’s street furniture rollout seems to have stalled in some parts of the city.
After a flurry of activity in recent weeks and the apperance of dozens of garbage bins banches and bus shelters on our sidewalks, the campaign seems to have petered out somewhat.
Maybe they’re running out of space. Or maybe some councillors just don’t want the clutter on the sidewalks in their ward, judging by the lack of Astral clutter in some areas of the city.
I’m probably just dreaming because I’m personally not a big fan of the Astral space invasion. Too big. To much. Too fast.
There have been enough faux pas in the placement of the furniture – benches too dangerously close to streets, bins hugging bike posts – that no doubt more tha a few councilors have received complaints.
A rethink as to where these pieces fit in the streetscape is certainly in order.
There’s nothing that says councillors must accept the receptacles et al. if they choose not to.
A few years back, when the old city of North York tried to foist massive garbage bins on apartment blocks around town, councillors rebelled and refused to take the containers, ugly as they were and some posing safety hazards for pedestrians and motorists alike. Thousands ended up in storage in a warehouse somewhere. They may still be there.
Around midtown where I live, there’s still a good number of circa-70s shelters made so much classier by their inconspicuousness, compared to the massive, see-through Astral cubicles dotting the city scape.
You can still see them here and there, some with bases made of brick (even lighting), tucked away in little used bus loops from the TTC heyday. Others, shrouded in green, peeking out from under trees.
Unlike the new kids on the block, these little wonders weren’t conceived to dominate the sidewalk, project themselves upon the masses for the sake of the advertising.
Unobtrusive, singular in purpose, there if you need them, there’s something to be said for the simplicity of these nostalgic shelters of old that over time have blended effortlessly into the landscape.
If only Astral’s projections were so subtle…[rssbreak]
