Cracks in Sidewalk Labs' Toronto waterfront plan (opens in new tab)

(theglobeandmail.com)

25 pointsatomic778y ago12 comments

12 comments

8 comments · 4 top-level

atomic77OP8y ago· 2 in thread

What strikes me about this is that Toronto notably gave relatively little in terms of incentives during the Amazon HQ2 hoopla [1], yet here we have a case where it seems that the city has ceded a bit too much in order to land a headline-grabbing deal. It's tough to tell which side is being unreasonable.

[1] http://business.financialpost.com/technology/ontario-to-offe...

ocdtrekkie8y ago

It sounds like a group responsible specifically for the waterfront agreed to the Google arrangement without really getting approval from the city, and the city kinda went with it for the good press, but now looking into the details is having doubts.

atomic77OP8y ago

"Mr. Tory, who has praised the Sidewalk initiative but has not seen the text of the deal, says no commercial agreement could strip the city of its authority"

Seems to fit with your explanation. I'd like to think the mayor would have some familiarity with the details of an initiative like this.

2 more replies

ocdtrekkie8y ago· 1 in thread

A good comparison of what Google's probably looking for here is what Disney managed with Disney World: A special zone that exempts them from a lot of regulations, or allows them to set their own. Similarly, of course, Disney was hoping to build a "city of the future" there. The difference is, Disney got permission to do this in the middle of nowhere (literally swampland), and Google's hoping to get this authority inside a major metropolitan area.

I watched a video recently on it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeWOc-cjfY0 ("Disney World's Private Government", 8 minutes, decently informative)

atomic77OP8y ago

That was fascinating, thanks for sharing. I had no idea Disney World was about the size of San Francisco (!). It seems to operate like a sovereign city-state in the middle of Florida.

quickben8y ago· 1 in thread

What did I just read? It's long and devoid of any substance.

Considering its a public agreement between GTA and Google, it is insane the public works be kept in this much dark.

jtmcmc8y ago

it's interesting that sidewalk labs doesn't seem to care but toronto does.

jachee8y ago

I just want to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate that headline.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

12 comments

8 comments · 4 top-level

atomic77OP8y ago· 2 in thread

[1] http://business.financialpost.com/technology/ontario-to-offe...

ocdtrekkie8y ago

atomic77OP8y ago

"Mr. Tory, who has praised the Sidewalk initiative but has not seen the text of the deal, says no commercial agreement could strip the city of its authority"

Seems to fit with your explanation. I'd like to think the mayor would have some familiarity with the details of an initiative like this.

2 more replies

ocdtrekkie8y ago· 1 in thread

I watched a video recently on it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeWOc-cjfY0 ("Disney World's Private Government", 8 minutes, decently informative)

atomic77OP8y ago

That was fascinating, thanks for sharing. I had no idea Disney World was about the size of San Francisco (!). It seems to operate like a sovereign city-state in the middle of Florida.

quickben8y ago· 1 in thread

What did I just read? It's long and devoid of any substance.

Considering its a public agreement between GTA and Google, it is insane the public works be kept in this much dark.

jtmcmc8y ago

it's interesting that sidewalk labs doesn't seem to care but toronto does.

jachee8y ago

I just want to take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate that headline.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse