The Eglinton subway has been under construction for the last 6 or 7 years.
We have watched it from our kitchen window.
Now there are two giant white monoliths at each of the Avenue Rd subway stops.
Each monolith likely cost $10M to $20M to build. Possibly more.
This puzzles me.
In Paris, London, Berlin and Rome, to get into the subway, you go the corner or wherever and walk down some stairs.
There are no giant white monoliths.
So why do Torontonians need to spend $10M to $20M on white monoliths at each stop.
I suppose that those persons with dementia or visual deficits or both will find it easier to navigate.
Did anyone ask the public if they wanted giant white monoliths?
Did we ever hear of participatory budgeting? I have read about it in “How To Solve Public Problems” by Beth Noveck. She is very smart.
What if the city or province had ask me the resident and tax payer what I thought of giant white
monoliths?
I would have said that like Paris, London, Berlin and Rome, I would like to go to the corner and walk down some stairs to the subway.
Maybe projects that cost billions of dollars should have input from regular citizens on what should be spent on infrastructure like subways.
I vote for participatory budgeting in 2022 and beyond.