Vertical Theme Parks

Skyscraper amusement parks! See, now this is the kind of thinking that shows today's Nuit Blanche to be but the pale shadow of the wonder-that-could-be.

This so-called Vertical Theme Park is the idea of Harvard GSD grad Ju-Hyun Kim, and it is, in his telling, “the new prototype” for “the cities of tomorrow.”

Theoretically, none of it is as absurd as it sounds. More than 50 percent of the world’s population lives in the cities; by 2050, the figure will bump up to 70 percent. At the same time, we’re inching closer and closer to a carbon-neutral world, which means that if you’re gonna build roller coasters at all, you might as well build them near people’s homes -- and, more to the point, right next to public transit -- to minimize their environmental footprint. (Kim also suggests outfitting the park with assorted solar panels, rainwater collectors, and recycling facilities.)

What an international-scale attraction this would be. Put it in the heart of the Club District to minimize the impact on the sleepier of the downtown residential areas. Build the Queen Street subway to connect it to the rest of the system (and get started on a Queen Street subway out of the deal).

Considered with the artistic-cultural festivals of TIFF, Pride, Caribana, and Nuit Blanche, the cultural institutions of the ROM, the AGO, and the Four Seasons Centre, and the athletic attractions of the Rogers Centre (Skydome), Air Canada Centre, and BMO Field, this would make a magnificent counterpoint that confirms Toronto as a year-round entertainment destination.