New street furniture is being installed in Toronto, but locals are already sick of it. They're called "information pillars" and are supposed to offer helpful directions and info to pedestrians, but critics complain that they're mostly advertisements.
"'They're 95-per-cent advertising and the information they offer is of negligible value,' said Tim Grant chair of the Harbord Village Residents' Association. 'It is clearly a billboard.'
The pillar is the latest design to come out of Toronto's mammoth 2007 deal with Montreal-based Astral Media. Under the agreement – one of the largest of its type in North America – the company designs, installs and maintains new street furniture, including transit shelters, garbage bins and pay toilets."
In exchange, the company gets to keep the revenue it makes from advertising. It's a common deal in cities, where bus stops and benches are often provided through similar exchanges. But many in Toronto worry that the information pillars are simply public space sold into private hands.
Thanks to Nate Berg
FULL STORY: Critics peeved over new sidewalk ‘information pillars’
Toronto Mayoral Candidate Suggests Repurposing City Golf Courses
Former chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat wants to transform three failing golf courses into free public spaces.
Do Digital Billboards Have Any Place in Public Space?
A city-hired consultant has recommended an expansion of the areas where digital billboards are allowed in Toronto. The sign industry claims the billboards contribute to “vibrancy” but critics argue they're an unwelcome intrusion into public space.
Park Under Toronto Freeway to Transform City
Construction has begun on a new park beneath a Toronto freeway overpass. The Toronto Star's Christopher Hume says the park will change the city forever.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Washington State Plans Ambitious ‘Cycle Highway’ Network
The state is directing funding to close gaps in its existing bike network and make long-distance trips more accessible.
Homeowners Blame PG&E for Delays in ADU Permits
The utility says it has dramatically reduced its backlog, but applicants say they still face months-long delays for approvals for new electrical work.
Rethinking Wildfire Defense: How a Landscape Approach Can Protect Neighborhoods
Post-fire analysis of the Eaton Fire reveals that a landscape approach — including fire-resistant vegetation, home hardening, and strategic planning — can help reduce wildfire risk, challenging assumptions that trees and plants are primary fire hazards.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland