Torontonians and tourists love this city because it has a little bit of everything — whether it’s a trip up the CN Tower, a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame, or a walk through Kensington Market, there is something for everyone. But, I’ve always felt something was missing. What is it, you may ask? A Gondola obviously!
Toronto is reviewing a proposal for a cable car that would traverse through the Don Valley, between Playter Gardens and Evergreen Brickworks. Private company Bullwheel International Cable Car Corp put forward the proposal for the gondola, saying that it would cost $20-25 million.
The gondola would have 40 cable cars, each carrying up to eight people each ride. The trip would be one kilometer, touring the Don Valley for a glorious eight minutes, cycling through every 15 to 30 seconds. The cable cars would also have a bicycle racks for those looking to explore the paths after the ride.
No proposals have been submitted to the city as of yet, but an informational meeting is scheduled for March 8 at Estonian House at 958 Broadview Ave. The meeting will be open to consultations with the community to ensure the project meets the needs of Torontonians.
If approved, the project will go forward in a series of phases. The first year is dedicated to public consultations, while the second year would include be dedicated to gaining approval from the City of Toronto, a process that will take a minimum of nine months.
The third year would be about construction (it is estimated to only take one year to construct and install the gondola) and the final step would be the testing period for safety measures. And voila, a gondola is born! The fact that the project is privately funded increases its rate of success in the city.
There have been recent tongue-in-cheek discussions about the gondola providing an alternative option for transportation, which is entertaining but if you are afraid of heights like myself, a terrifying idea. I’ll stick with the grounded options, thank you. Personally, I think the cable cars have the potential to help people reach places like the Evergreen Brickworks, whose location makes it feel like you are trying to get to a remote town in Alaska. It will also bring more tourist traffic to the Danforth and the Don Valley Parkway.
Let’s make Toronto even more desirable with a cable car in the Don Valley and allow ourselves eight magical minutes to revel in the natural beauty this city has to offer.
