[niwell]

There have definitely been big improvements on this front in Toronto, both in terms of city parks and general streetscaping improvements - the latter often led by BIAs. Small things like street furniture / art at corners of commercial intersections are a welcome change. The redo of College West is quite nice for instance with interlock paving (project debacles aside), though the hydro poles remain. And won't be going anywhere for some time. On the park front I've actually been very impressed with the improvements done to Queen's Park, which illustrate how relatively minor things make a big difference. In this case paving elements and benches.