Calgary - If it was up to you, money is no issue.

[GoflamesGo]

I was thinking the other day of the things i woudl do if I had the power to change, or add whatever I wanted to in Calgary. Not really as far as non tangibles, but things that everyone could see, and maybe appriciate every day.

For example:

If I could tear the tracks out from between 9th and 10th aves. i would elevate the underpasses, and turn that whole area into a beautiful BLVD. it would be the main entry and exit into downtown (bow tr. would turn into this new BLVD. instead of onto 9th) culminating at the Calgary Tower. which if it was up to me would be totally updated. 9th and 10th would act as huge sidewalks, probably not the entire size of the previous roads, and where the tracks were there would be a beautiful european style blvd. complete with trees and other public art. obviously retail would start sprouting along the blvd on the 9th and 10th ave sides.

So what would you do if you had unlimited funds, and power?

- Move the airport ontop of nose hill park?
- plant 100 0000 more trees throughout the city?
- make a gigantic fresh water resevoir on the east side of the city and turn it into a beach!!!

the crazier the better!

[GoflamesGo]

If this is in the wrong area, please move it. thanks.

[Bigtime]

Ooooh, I like this thread. It's like playing SimCity with a money cheat! Now I have to start some serious brainstorming.

-CPRail tracks are out of downtown, and in its place a Central Park style park for Calgary. This would mean the underpasses (subways) would stay, but they would undergo a massive renovation to make them much more pedestrian friendly. Wider sidewalks, bike lanes, plants, lighting, art, the whole works.

-TOD development goes full steam ahead at all LRT stations that have the excess space to accomodate them. Not everything is a Westgate park highrise TOD, think a mix of all styles and sizes. From the Bridges to Westgate and beyond in scope.

-The airport gets a massive terminal expansion underway. The parallel runway gets its tunnel for airport trail complete with LRT access. Great viewpoints are given for spotters!

-Beltliner's entire Calgary transit proposal gets built :tup: With that comes a lot of densification around the many transit corridors he has proposed.

-The east village gets built up, as does Railtown.

-Give ACAD a ridiculous sum of money to build a truly unique building that would be perfect for them in the east village.

-A massive system of bike lanes on our roadways are finally set up.

-Dare I say 11th and 12th avenues are switched back to 2 directions of traffic?

-The area of Crowchild from Kensington road up to 24th avenue is fixed to finally be traffic light free.

-Give the Stampede the funding to fully build out their expansion plans.

-Take the vacant land next to the Sheldon Chumuir and build a brand new downtown hospital.

-Bribe every international organization to get their events into Calgary. Expos, Summer Olympics, massive trade shows, etc.

[You Need A Thneed]

Beltliner's entire Light Rail proposal gets built.

Crowchild gets fixed up so it has no lights.

Deerfoot gets fixed up with a minimum of 3 through lanes everywhere. 16th Ave, Memorial Drive, 17th Ave, and Glenmore interchanges get full makeovers to remove all the lights and greatly increase safety.

NE LRT gets buried under 36th street, 36th Street gets 3 lanes in each direction from Memorial to McKnight, and the space that gets left over becomes a beautiful tree lined Blvd above the tracks.

McKnight Blvd gets interchanges at 12th, 19th, Barlow, 47th?, 52nd, and 68th, and gets widened to three lanes each way between Deerfoot and John Laurie.

TOD everywhere.

Build enough wind and solar power to power the entire city. Requirement for every new house to provide some of it's own power. Ban incandescent AND CFL lightbulbs.

Ensure that everything possible is being done to keep our river water as clean as possible.

Connect more of the bike path system together, have dedicated bike paths to go long distances across town. Bike lanes on all major roads for commuter bikers. Have major bike routes built into each quadrant of the city that are fully grade separated with all roads. Perhaps these routes could be built somehow in conjunction with the LRT system.

All overhead utilities would be buried.

Design a smart traffic light control system that can analyse all the traffic coming towards any light and can figure out the fastest way to get all the traffic though.

Replace all buses with Hybrid engines - or better.

[Surrealplaces]

Here's some of the things I would do, and the order I'd do it.

- I would develop East Village. A beautiful new library and art gallery to go along with the cantos museum. A few low rise residential projects, mixed in with a nicely designed public square. A tunnel through city hall so that Stephen Ave went all the way through to the east village. In fact I might just take a slice right out of the building creating two separate ones.

- I would do something with the CPR tracks. If money was no object, I'd build a small canal inlet, similar to the one in Frankfurt. It would start at the Elbow River, and go west as far as Macleod Trail

- I would correct one of the great wasted opportunities of the city - the misuse of the Elbow River pathway
I would buy out all the houses in Roxboro along the river (starting at 4th street and going east about 3 blocks), and run a street along the river similar to 26th ave. I'd rezone it for higher density and allow retail along the street.

- I would start right away on the Westbrooke TOD, and the really push the Brentwood one as well.
I'd blow away Sears at North Hill, build a good sized underground parkade and build three or four residential buildings (8 -15 floors over much of the large parking lot area.

- I would plant a shit load of trees on the east side of the city. The west side doesn't need really any, but the east side is badly lacking. I'd also fill the areas along Deerfoot full of trees.

- I'd rename the following streets.
1st Street --> Scarth Street
4th Street --> Broadway Street.
17th ave --> Notre Dame Ave.
9th ave SE --> Atlantic Ave.

I've got more ideas here and there, but those are some of the main ones.

[Ferreth]

Some good ideas, let me add a few more Billion to the pile with another idea:

- E-W Crosstown freeway for the North end of town. Since I have a lot of money, I propose burying it under 16th Ave, starting west of Deerfoot. Limited connections to the surface, probably Center and 14th only, re-surfacing at the Foothills hospital, and going under Mongomery again. None of this cheap cut'n cover stuff, tunnel boring all the way. No traffic lights would be the goal.
- Leave room for a subway, build as required, probably initial build would be from 19th St NE to the end of Mongomery. Center would be major TOD, with a node station meeting the N-S subway.

[bicycles]

can someone post Beltliner's transit map? thanks

[Bigtime]

Some good ideas, let me add a few more Billion to the pile with another idea:

- E-W Crosstown freeway for the North end of town. Since I have a lot of money, I propose burying it under 16th Ave, starting west of Deerfoot. Limited connections to the surface, probably Center and 14th only, re-surfacing at the Foothills hospital, and going under Mongomery again. None of this cheap cut'n cover stuff, tunnel boring all the way. No traffic lights would be the goal.
- Leave room for a subway, build as required, probably initial build would be from 19th St NE to the end of Mongomery. Center would be major TOD, with a node station meeting the N-S subway.

I love it, Calgary's "Big Dig"! :tup:

[Bigtime]

In a lot of our plans we talk about removing the train tracks from downtown, this would in turn probably require the Alyth yards and support buildings being relocated elsewhere.

So since money is no object what would you do with that giant swath of land?

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5204/alyth.png

[You Need A Thneed]

So since money is no object what would you do with that giant swath of land?

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5204/alyth.png

Build a giant mansion for myself, of course! After all, money is no object!

[frinkprof]

can someone post Beltliner's transit map? thanksThis comes to us in a roundabout way, Beltliner's plan is made up of several maps of each individual extension along with text describing the extensions, along with research and rationale. It is currently housed in the form of several entries in his blog here (http://beltliner.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-07%3A00&updated-max=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=23). There's some unrelated blog entries mixed in there too. Here is the amalgamated map that DarkKeyo created:

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7485/grandplan2.jpg

[ST1]

In a lot of our plans we talk about removing the train tracks from downtown, this would in turn probably require the Alyth yards and support buildings being relocated elsewhere.

So since money is no object what would you do with that giant swath of land?

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5204/alyth.png

Part of it can stay industrial. Part of the area can be developed into residential. It seems to me, moving the tracks is a big part of downttown improving. Who all agrees with this? If so, is it ever going to be a reality?

[Bigtime]

Build a giant mansion for myself, of course! After all, money is no object!

Nice idea, I'm taking it one step further. I'd build myself a nice runway along the area where the rail lines were, and give ourselves a city centre airport for the corporate and private flights out there.

Making sure of course that it does not cause any sort of height limitations for the downtown core, something with special approaches similar to London's city centre airport.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_City_Airport

Edit: Boy my plan would probably piss Inglewood off something fierce! So I'd just give every resident a million bucks to be quiet. I like this unlimited money thing! :D

[frinkprof]

Unlimited money eh?

NBA franchise

MLB franchise

New home for the Stamps (and new MLB franchise). Particular location doesn't matter, as long as it is inner city and near an LRT station, existing or Beltliner-envisioned.

Trams. Fucking. Everywhere.

Another time we had a thread like this "Surferguy" (who doesn't seem to post much anymore) suggested this, and I was immediately sold. A surfpark.

http://surftherenow.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/london-surf-machine.jpg

http://www.gothamist.com/images/2003_5_surfpark.jpg

[Bigtime]

I love the surfpark idea, but with one change. I want that signage of "Xtreme" changed to "Xtreeeeeeeeeeeeeeme" :cool:

How could I forget getting the Stamps a new and better home? YES YES YES, oh and same thing for the Flames. Take down the Big 4 and put that puppy right there, with a internal LRT station built right in.

[Distill3d]

IF it were up to me, and money weren't an issue Calgary would:

-pick up and move to a coastal location.

-the Bow River would be renamed the Bow Creek.

-have no skyscraper "twins", instead would have taller buildings.

-the C-Train would be extended to Okotoks, Cochrane, Airdrie, Strathmore, Chestermere, and Bragg Creek.

-a Casino strip similar to Las Vegas would be built along 10 Avenue from 14 Street to Olympic Way.

-the East Village would be home to a downtown campuses for SAIT, Mount Royal College, and University of Calgary. As well as a new downtown library.. All would be designed by Douglas Cardinal.

-Eau Claire would once again be turned into a vibrant community, with a new art gallery, concert hall, and indoor market place. all would be designed by Frank Ghery.

-a high speed train would run with connections to Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

-an Urban Sprawl restriction would be set in place to encourage smart growth, and the growth of taller, more dense buildings.

-a Formula 1 grand prix race would be held at the Stampede Grounds two weeks prior to the Stampede.


http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j155/starfcuk/CSEC.jpg

-the Flames, Roughnecks, Hitmen, Canucks, Stampeders, Vipers, and a new USL soccer franchise would play in a sports/entertainment complex between 14 Street and Crowchild Trail with the Bow Creek as the north boundry, and 10 Avenue as the south boundry. The new multipurpose Football, Baseball, Soccer stadium would be covered, and seat 50,000. New Flames arena would seat 25,000, while the Hitmen, Roughnecks and Canucks would share a 10,000 seat arena. The Pumphouse Theatre would be expanded, and a second 5000 seat theatre/concert hall would be added. This complex would also include two underground C-Train stations.

-a new inner city hospital would be built on the site of the former Children's Hospital.

[Wooster]

A non-exhaustive list:

- Beltliner's LRT plan, plus additional inner city tram routes.
- I would take my trillions and build the centre city, urban corridors and TOD nodes into the best possible communities imaginable, providing affordable housing and very cheap retail space for people who want to start small businesses.
- Build SOM's unrealized Transbay Terminal Tower on Imperial Oil's downtown parcel
- The world's largest Waterpark in the Manchester area. :cool:
- The world's largest children's playground in a new West Park
- High Speed Rail to Edmonton and Banff
- Build a new major public art gallery
- New Central Library
- A "Calgary museum" celebrating the city's history.
- Fund anyone who wanted to create a festival or cultural event
- Build a new university over the rail tracks between 9th and 10th avenues
- Build a new music school and new ACAD
- Try and attract another Olympic Games

[Thinner6]

I would make it so virtually all of the old, square ugly boxes -- specifically the apartment buildings plaguing the west part of the downtown -- would be demolished. I would add green spaces, sleek and modern highrises of varying height.

I would also repave many streets and add medians with trees in the middle.

[GoflamesGo]

IF it were up to me, and money weren't an issue Calgary would:


-a Casino strip similar to Las Vegas would be built along 10 Avenue from 14 Street to Olympic Way.


I thought about this, I would put it on mccleod between the cemetaries, and chinook.

I wish there was a plan to revitalize that portion of macleod, it's such prime real estate.

[Distill3d]

I thought about this, I would put it on mccleod between the cemetaries, and chinook.

I wish there was a plan to revitalize that portion of macleod, it's such prime real estate.

I thought about that area too, along with Blackfoot Trail. Its just that its way too busy/traffic heavy. you want people to be able to walk between the casinos.

[Distill3d]

Upon further thought, I would like to add a few more ideas if I may.

-a social housing project (complete with health care center, drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic, and adult learning annex) would be built to house the homeless. This would be built between 68 Street SE and Sheppard Road (east/west) and 61 Avenue SE and 74 Avenue SE. It would also provide a replacement for the Drop In Center and the Salvation Army shelters downtown.

-build the HSR terminal in the location of the Salvation Army shelter on 9 Avenue SE. Relocate the Greyhound terminal to the Calgary Drop In Center. Create an underground pathway (similar to Edmonton's Pedi-Way) with shops to connect the two terminals.

-turn Shouldice Park into a full time amusement park, moving the facilities at Shouldice to Laycock Park.

-build a temperate dome around the city that would be closed in the winter, and open in the summer. Consistently keeping Calgary at an average year round temperature of +23 Degrees Celsius.

[MichaelS]

If I had unlimited money and had to use it for the better of Calgary, I think I know what I should, nay, must do..

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/10/18/batman_begins_big_051018100848275_wideweb__300x371,1.jpg

[Thinner6]

^I laughed.

[shogged]

with unlimited cash, i'd separate the existing lrt lines from grade and invest in unmanned trains. Improved travel times and safety, plus a true heavy rail system! Save the light rail for the trams!

i'd buy all the land south of 22x in the bow river valley and extend fish creek park as far as humanly possible. No golf courses, water treatment plants, or SUBURBS =D

i'd make sure all future bridges built in calgary, overpasses, pedestrian, you name it, are all designed by world famous architects and all the nimbys are forced to hear about it at least twice in every 30 minute news broadcast. I'd also make sure the public prices are grossly inflated just so they can't sleep at night thinking about all the wasted millions!

i'd fund a huge public campaign to make ric mcivor look like a drug addict so he has no chance of ever becoming mayor.

i'd take the idea of creating a central park idea on the existing rail tracks through downtown, and make sure every year we had a major outdoor music festival that attracted major artists from around the world, held right downtown in the summer months =D MMMMMMM

i'd create incentives to move all future downtown construction north of the bow river to eliminate the restrictions of the shadow bylaws! actually better yet, i'd flip the entire city on a north/south axis. Balzac would be in the south, okotoks in the north, and downtown would already be north of the bow river and then there is no need for the shadow bylaws at all!

i'd make sure the bow has its full atrium complete with pods!

i'd completely redo calgarys road networks. focus on things like fewer exits and entrances on freeways, more oppurtunities for HOV lanes, more pedestrian friendly corridors, easier access for transit, and no more culd e sacs!

I'd create a helicopter sightseeing company that operates from the helipad in downtown Calgary. Just for fun =D

[Look way up]

I would push TOD development. I'd get the SWLRT going and start the TOD rolling at Westbrooke. I change the tax structure so that TODs were in a special tax zone designed for high density. Someone like Walmart's taxes would triple because of the area they use for storefront and parking.

[nick.flood]

- Downtown subway system
- Remove the +15 system and make a -15 system at subway level
- Streetcars in the beltline, and up center street north
- LRT to the airport
- Remove the rail lines through downtown and create a central park. All road connections through can be kept underneath, and all pedestrain links through the park at grade.
- A central square not in the park, like S.F. Union Square
- Free parking inner city, charge for parking in the suburbs
- A cafe/restaurant/shop strip somewhere along the waterfront

[DavidKuitunen]

Toll for going into the core via automobile.

Extensive bike lane network downtown (like Copenhagen, Denmark)

LRT to SE, N, and north of nose hill going east to west.

Allocate 5km to 10km radius around LRT stations for high density development only.(this includes high density parking complexes with high rates)

Greenbelt all the way around Calgary.(no more sprawl until density of at least
4000people/km² is achieved.)

Buy everyone a bike

[Slug]

Id personally buy the top floor on the Bow and fire golf balls at city hall.

Various buildings would be bought and reclad... twins would get special treatment to look completely different. Fifth and Fifth is beyond all hope and will be imploded replaced by a Calvatra designed spire type building.

Id buy everybody in Calgary rocket boots for commuting and all roads will be turned to pedestrian orientated parks, but then why would people walk when they have rocket boots?

Id build a Mad Max style cage on the top of the Bow and let city counsel duke it out in there.

[Distill3d]

- Remove the +15 system and make a -15 system at subway level


Take a trip about 3 hours north, there's a city up there, around the same size as Calgary called Edmonton. Though not as extensive as Calgary's +15 system, they have a similar network in place.

Calgary's extensive +15 system is unique, and an equal part of Calgary's identity as the Calgary Tower, the Red Mile, and the White Hat.

[jeffwhit]

Sweet thread!

Here are the ideas I read so far that I would co-opt:

-10th ave blvd: sweet idea! Something like the Ben Franklin parkway in Philly. The difference would be mine would terminate with a huge rail/transit/bus/HSR facility built around the base of the Calgary tower.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/rleigh/31210848/)
-Beltliner's LRT plan (http://beltliner.blogspot.com/) (Centre Street subway!) plus an extensive tram system, including out in the burbs.
-Bike network, plus free bikes, like in Copenhagen
-Free money for people who want to create cultural activities
-Comprehensive social services and affordable housing.
-Remove CP rail
-New stadium for Stamps.

And some of my own.
-Hire some Scandinavians to create a neighbourhood that runs from 25th Ave SE to Glemore Trail, bewteen (and including) Mcloed trail and Blackfoot Trail. mainly medium density with one signiture tower in the middle.
-build an Arts campus, where ACAD, School of Alberta Ballet, and a new Conservatory, created by amalgamating MRC's and U of C's music depts can feed off each other and share classroom space.
-fix and diversify Eau Claire
-New Concert hall in Eau Claire, designed by Nouvel
-New Opera House, where Harry Hays building is; designed by Herzog de Meuron
-Major art museum, "Calgary Museum," contemporary art focused museum.
-Establish a new, free university on the railyard.
-Community art centres in every area of the city
-Get International Avenue going
-TOD, TOD, TOD
-buy up and demolish the brown boxes of the boom, create public squares, more residential and build higher in the core.
-take control of CT, modernize the fare system, use colours to identify the lines.
-introduce more diverse building types, like rowhomes.
-waterpark!
-turn the Greyhound, GSL ) etc land into a park, so that from Edworthy to the Zoo, the bow is lined by one continuous park.
-rebuild city hall so that 8th ave continues through.

[octothorp]

I've been lurking on this forum for a while, but this thread is just too good to pass up commenting on. Here's my wish list:

A world-class downtown public library. One particular feature I'd love to see is creative pods for artists, similar in inspiration to the Leighton Studios at the Banff Centre.
Tear down the greyhound station and some of the surrounding car dealerships and make it a european-style central rail station, and from there, build high-speed rail links to cochrane/canmore/banff and to the red deer/edmonton corridor, and as well, make this a central destination for commuter buses coming from the suburbs. Extend the c-train to this station. Expand the free-fare zone, or make a graduated fare system.
I also love the tram idea posted earlier.
Build massive underground parkade systems and reduce street-level traffic in the core. Also like the idea of tariff zones for downtown street traffic.
Use the current City Courts building north of Olympic Plaza as a space for new arts buildings - possibly for a new ACAD site, so that an arts corridor stretches from the ArtCentral Building through the plaza (and a modified city hall) to the east village.
Restore the original Hillhurst/Sunnyside tram in its original site between the curling club and centre street, and develop the business district at the top of the hill here, to create a link between the river valley and the center street north area.
Buy up Shaganappi Golf Course and develop it into a botanical garden, and cheap or free museum similar to the Getty Center in LA. Put a hillside tram similar to the Hillhurst one to connect it to the river valley. Develop Westbrook Mall to capitalize on its proximity to the museum.
Replace McMahon Stadium with a new stadium that is based more on US college stadiums: lower overall profile and seating the entire way around for greater capacity. Give more thought to the parking-lot layout to make it more tailgate-friendly.
Target downtown buildings to re-facade either with replicas of their original sandstone facades or the original mixed with modern elements. The Herald Building would be #1 candidate for this.

[Look way up]

The 10th ave blvd would be great. If Calgary is going to have one of those kinds of boulevard streets, 10th ave would be the place. Hopefully they don't waste that opportunity.

Sweet thread!

Here are the ideas I read so far that I would co-opt:

-10th ave blvd: sweet idea! Something like the Ben Franklin parkway in Philly. The difference would be mine would terminate with a huge rail/transit/bus/HSR facility built around the base of the Calgary tower.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/rleigh/31210848/)
-Beltliner's LRT plan (http://beltliner.blogspot.com/) (Centre Street subway!) plus an extensive tram system, including out in the burbs.
-Bike network, plus free bikes, like in Copenhagen
-Free money for people who want to create cultural activities
-Comprehensive social services and affordable housing.
-Remove CP rail
-New stadium for Stamps.

And some of my own.
-Hire some Scandinavians to create a neighbourhood that runs from 25th Ave SE to Glemore Trail, bewteen (and including) Mcloed trail and Blackfoot Trail. mainly medium density with one signiture tower in the middle.
-build an Arts campus, where ACAD, School of Alberta Ballet, and a new Conservatory, created by amalgamating MRC's and U of C's music depts can feed off each other and share classroom space.
-fix and diversify Eau Claire
-New Concert hall in Eau Claire, designed by Nouvel
-New Opera House, where Harry Hays building is; designed by Herzog de Meuron
-Major art museum, "Calgary Museum," contemporary art focused museum.
-Establish a new, free university on the railyard.
-Community art centres in every area of the city
-Get International Avenue going
-TOD, TOD, TOD
-buy up and demolish the brown boxes of the boom, create public squares, more residential and build higher in the core.
-take control of CT, modernize the fare system, use colours to identify the lines.
-introduce more diverse building types, like rowhomes.
-waterpark!
-turn the Greyhound, GSL ) etc land into a park, so that from Edworthy to the Zoo, the bow is lined by one continuous park.
-rebuild city hall so that 8th ave continues through.

[koval95]

-a glamorous opera house
-new calgary flames stadium
-build coffee shops,movie theaters,restaurants along the waterfront
-more parks in downtown area
-buy callway park and destroy it, then rebuild a huge amusment park that could attract millions of visitors
- LRT to airport

[GoflamesGo]

an operahouse on the southern most park of nose hill park. overlooking the city, so that during some performances, they can open a huge window behind the stage, and have the coty lights as a backdrop.

[Joborule]

If I was the boss...

- Construct a 6 lane tunnel for 16th Ave/TCH from Deerfoot Trail to Crowchild Trail. Meanwhile reworking intersections for both to allow access in all directions free flow. Tunnelling would allow for the urban corridor of 16 Avenue to be around while also allowing for a true north-central E-W freeway for the TCH. Heck, I would rename 16th Ave Freeway to some 'trail' name.

Also, or if that can't be done, then this option would be the new TCH...

- Develop McKnight/John Laurie to be a freeflow E-W expressway and be designated highway 1A. From the TCH turn off from Chestermere to Calgary, their is a route that will continue up north then turn west onto McKnight. The E-W route will continue on up to Shaganappi Trail where highway 1A will turn south down to Crowchild Trail where it can continue on west.

Both of the options above will allow easy E-W access for North Calgary with Stoney Trail, McKnight/John Laurie, & TCH.

- Lets not forget about the south and Glenmore though. I would make the province designate the highway as a provincial highway therefore I can keep some extra money and make them pay a small percent for it.

- For Public Transit. 5 car trains. NE line goes underground from Memorial to McKnight (with a bridge by the Franklin station for 28st) and fix that mess they call 36 street. SE line (nice connection to the new dome), North line, SW line, South and North crosstown line (which connects with current and future airport I'll mention with airport), east line that goes to Chestermere, circle route line. Basically what or close to what Beltliner had. ;) BRT would be present amongst major roads that leads to urban corridors or commercial activity centers.

- Inner city will be FILLED with bike lanes.

- Grant more land towards the eastern borders and redevelop the airport land use. Two E-W runways at the north end of the airport, 4 N-S runways. The terminal will move south to McKnight and have a central airport precinct like Denver/Atlanta airports.

Ultimately if Calgary keeps expanding at a great rate (I'll buy people in :whip: ), the airport land isn't big enough to make Calgary a world class major airport.

- 12km x 12km land will be purchased just NE of Chestermere by about 7kms for a future airport that will allow for Calgary to have 4 runways in N-S directions and E-W directions with room for more if need be. Again terminal will be Denver style, or lego style; just with Airport City and car rental included right by the terminal. The airport would be about 24kms away from downtown. TCH and McKnight would be the major freeways that gets to and from the airport.

- Stampeders will get a new stadium around the downtown area (preferably greyhound area). Would have seating in all areas of the stadium and some luxury boxes. Stadium would be built for expansion in the future if the NFL ever comes around. ;)

- The Calgary Tower would get expanded up to be once again the largest tower in the city (maybe country if we can go far enough). The hotel will not just be for viewing the city though, it will also become a hotel that will have each level rotating to view all surroundings. TAKE THAT DUBAI!!!

- More towers! I want Calgary to look like Chicago skyline! :D

- The CPR tracks will be removed for or buried underneath a grand spanding park from the west end park to Fort Calgary. From the zoo to west end park can be miles of green! :D

- More festivals during the summer and some things in the winter.

- Open up more restaurants and social parties venues in City Center to get some more nightlife in the city by myself!

[Distill3d]

I'd like to add:

-sink the entire C-Train network and make the trains automated. Not having to share roadways and right of ways reduces the amount of accidents, and eliminate the need for drivers.

-make Deerfoot underground from the Okotoks turn off clear to Township Road 274 north of Airdrie, with limited access points. This would free up valuable real estate throughout the east end of the city, as well as connect Airdrie from east to west.

-turn the existing Deerfoot Trail into a large north/south park, connecting Fish Creek Park to the Nose Creek system.

-same would be done with the Trans Canada Highway from Rainbow Road in Chestermere to Range Road 42 in Springbank. The existing 16 Avenue from Edmonton Trail to Crowchild Trail would be turned into a street car/pedestrian boulevard. Shops would be similar to those found on Broadway in Vancouver.

-railway would be diverted in the center of Cochrane, run south along Highway 22, and east along 22X connecting with existing infrastructure via Sheppard Road.

-With the exclusion of railway through the downtown core, a tree lined canal and pathway would be built between Crowchild and the Elbow River.

-The large parcel of land between 7 ST SE and McLeod Trail and 9 Avenue and 11 Avenue would be turned into a Central Park*

-celebrate Calgary's rich aviation history by renaming the Calgary International Airport to the Ken Borek Field.








*I understand this of course could contradict earlier ideas I've had of putting a Casino strip along 10 Avenue from Olympic Way SE to 14 Street SW. as well as a HSR terminal at the Salvation Army Shelter at 9 Avenue and 4 Street SE. I feel that the Casino Strip only needs to run to McLeod Trail and that the HSR could run underground to the Elbow River.

[Bigtime]

-celebrate Calgary's rich aviation history by renaming the Calgary International Airport to the Ken Borek Field.

I like this but doesn't the airport already have the non-official name of McCall Field?

[Look way up]

If money was no object at all? I'd move Edmonton down to Calgary, and make it a suburb out near Chestmere Lake. The media up there is always talking about how Edmonton is becoming a spoke on Calgary's wheel, now it can be a reality :)

On a serious note, a new football stadium would be nice. A new 20,000 seat arena with a rectractable roof would also be nice.

I'd rezone Kensington for a bit higher density, and I'd change the zoning on some of these main roads like Centre Street, so that all new development would have to have to front onto the street, and have retail.

I push the east village development right away. I'd also put some effort and funds into figuring out what to do with the homeless. Downtown has some great potential, but the large homeless problem is still an obstacle IMO.

[Distill3d]

I like this but doesn't the airport already have the non-official name of McCall Field?

I think it used to, but I'm not sure if it still does.

[Bigtime]

I think it used to, but I'm not sure if it still does.

McCall field was the name of the original airport. I just wonder if we should use that name instead of Borek's, which is just as worthy in my opinion. Kenn Borek Air is the little Calgary company known around the globe, especially in the poles for the work they have done.

[lubicon]

If they were to rename the airport (which I think would be nice) then McCall is the only one to use IMHO. Ken Borek is an aviation legend as well but the honor should fall to McCall.

[earthclaim]

Another lurker who couldn't resist posting. Some great ideas already posted.
I would add:
1) In addition to a great new downtown opera/ballet hall, an opera or ballet plus a symphony performed during stampede week to show all the visitors that there is more to Calgary culture than just the stampede.
2) Have the opera and ballet put on more than just three or four performances each year.
3) Since the +15 network love it or loath it is really part of Calgary, hire Calatrava, Gherry, Foster, etc. to redesign all the +15 bridges. No more plain utility lets really make the +15 an architectural wonder.
4) Not just one, but three new major art galleries - one focusing on modern art, one on photography, and one a more overall survey/history of art.
5) Not just expanded LRT, free LRT.

[Bigtime]

3) Since the +15 network love it or loath it is really part of Calgary, hire Calatrava, Gherry, Foster, etc. to redesign all the +15 bridges. No more plain utility lets really make the +15 an architectural wonder.

YES

Great idea, and thanks for joining up to voice your ideas! We've got 2 lurkers out of this thread so far, I hope you both start posting away in all the other threads! :tup:

[GoflamesGo]

Was this mentioned? Converting every possible roof/ terrace in the downtown into a green roof.

Also having a late summer festival similar to the stampede, but with a different theme. At the stampede grounds, with a midway, gambling, something at the grand stand, and stuff going on at the round-up.

[Bigtime]

Was this mentioned? Converting every possible roof/ terrace in the downtown into a green roof.

I'll take it one step further, rooftop gardens. I'd rather we grow a bunch of food than just have some green up there. Of course we don't have to absolutely cover the roofs in gardens, there can still be some leisure space.

[Distill3d]

I'll take it one step further, rooftop gardens. I'd rather we grow a bunch of food than just have some green up there. Of course we don't have to absolutely cover the roofs in gardens, there can still be some leisure space.

I'll take that even one step further, Calgary should build a couple of these:

http://www.verticalfarm.com/

[Bigtime]

I've been bested! Better give the cows and pigs some parachutes if they are on those suckers! :haha:

[M II A II R II K]

If this is in the wrong area, please move it. thanks.


Uhhh yea.

[Ferreth]

I would be willing to put aside the shadowing rules for this one project:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/3706974449_3fc03530f8_b.jpg

[You Need A Thneed]

I would be willing to put aside the shadowing rules for this one project:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/3706974449_3fc03530f8_b.jpg

moving the Calgary Tower would definitely be a huge project.

[GoflamesGo]

I drove through bowness today, and I was thinking how cool it would be for the entire area to be a lot more dense. I would up the density and turn bowness into a really cool urban village with 10 to 20 story condos, and tons of townhouses and ground floor retail with lots of pubs, cafes, late night bistros. etc.

[Distill3d]

I drove through bowness today, and I was thinking how cool it would be for the entire area to be a lot more dense. I would up the density and turn bowness into a really cool urban village with 10 to 20 story condos, and tons of townhouses and ground floor retail with lots of pubs, cafes, late night bistros. etc.

Depends where in Bowness you would do this. Bowness is charming in its own way, however as I've recently become a property owner in the area, I would be interested in any sort of development like this.

[GoflamesGo]

I would build an enormous lake on the eastern side of the city. something close to 10 times the size of sylvan. Woulden't it be nice to have a lake house 20 min from the city! with LTR acess of course ha.

[freeweed]

I bet we could have filled that lake over this weekend.

[GoflamesGo]

haha seriously, theres probably a good half foot of water in one of my empty planters outside of my house.

[bob1954]

800 footers in Eau Claire and East village.. !000' min. in the core.

[DizzyEdge]

I really want to post in this thread but I'm afraid I'll be at it for hours.

[jeffwhit]

^^do It!

[bob1954]

The wish list is long. This forum could go on a while!

[Vascilli]

This is a short list of what I can think of:

-LRT gets buried, turned into full-on subway. New stock you can walk between (A la Rome and Toronto)
-Fare payment system goes electronic. Near-field-contact so you can keep a pass in your wallet/pocket and walk through the barriers.
-Shuttle buses are replaced with trams, the type that receive electricity via induction from beneath the pavement.
-All students of all ages receive free transit.
-Massive, massive main train terminal underneath the Calgary Tower. Includes automatic express trains direct to the airport every 10 minutes 24/7.
-Express train lines connecting key areas, such as malls, COP, cultural centers, schools. 150km/h.
-HSR to satellite communities, 200km/h.
-Extreme HSR to Edmonton. 300km/h+.
-Massive downtown public recreation center, including bowling alleys, underground 500m shooting range (All calibers), pools, enormous wood skate park, several hockey rinks, tennis courts, basketball courts, etc
-Premium recreation center situated on a rooftop at the northern edge of downtown overlooking Princes Island Park. Includes more facilities.
-Glenmore reservoir massively expanded, (At least 4x) includes beach and more boat launches.
-Bike-only paths downtown.
-Enormous science center rivaling the one in Toronto in terms of size.
-Roof space on all buildings must be used for something productive.
-All cars except delivery trucks, other business-crucial vehicles, and electric cars charged $2 toll to enter downtown.
-Large race track. Includes two sets of quadruple wide quarter mile strips for more interesting races, drift course, mock rally course, GT-style course.
-Grass planted on streets between where tires normally make contact.

Edit: I should add this:

-White-tailed jackrabbit declared official municipal animal.
-Large urban forest (4 blocks) with lots of hares.

[jeffwhit]

Out of sheer boredom (I'm on Funemployment until Sept) I created a CTrain Map, based on Beltliner's Buildout Plan (http://beltliner.blogspot.com/2008/07/question-of-providence-line-207-phase.html) (Plus one line of my own, a 14th Street-Crowchild-Centre Street Subway Line, represented in brown,) and in the style of the Vignelli NYC Subway map. (http://www.visualcomplexity.com/vc/project.cfm?id=266) (Only 45 and 90 degree lines, geographic vagueness.) The Centre City area is grossly out of proportion, and placement of geography is vague and relative. Lines are colour coded, instead of named after terminal points. I did it in MS Paint, and I would like to do a large version with stations on it, a key and with some mistakes corrected. (The downtown lines should not be touching, unless to indicate a shared track.) Anyway, Here it is:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/jeffwhit/ctrainmapsm.jpg

larger version here. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/jeffwhit/ctrainmap.jpg)

If anyone can suggest a a free program to do a larger version with nice rounded edges and whatnot, please PM me. I am also interested in doing a google maps version at some point.

[You Need A Thneed]

^ if you are going to send two lines up Centre street, why not split them up at Beddington Trail - sending one up Beddington Trail, and one up Harvest Hills Blvd?

[jeffwhit]

^^That's just my ignorance about that part of town, I actually had to look on a map to see what exactly you were talking about.
What would actually happen there, I believe after relooking at Beltliner's plan, is to have the brown line split at Country Hills, run along the pink line (Country Hills BLVD at this point, and then terminate at the intersection of Harvest Hills and Country Hills. Running it up Harvest Hills from Bedington, only to terminate at the same intersection creates a weird triangle of track that seems excessive for this part of town. I would have the terminating station at that intersection on a separate platform from the pink airport line. I will make that correction in a later version. (doing it in paint is just silly.)

I think I need to get a google maps version done as a reference before I revise the abstract version.

[Fiveway]

Nice idea, I'm taking it one step further. I'd build myself a nice runway along the area where the rail lines were, and give ourselves a city centre airport for the corporate and private flights out there.

Edit: Boy my plan would probably piss Inglewood off something fierce! So I'd just give every resident a million bucks to be quiet. I like this unlimited money thing! :D

You should run for Mayor. However, since you'd REALLY piss me off (the air traffic over my house is nearly intolerable as it is) you'd have to pay me 2 million.

[You Need A Thneed]

Weird triangle perhaps, but the brown line could extend up to Sage Hill, and the green line could extend to the north of Stoney Trail - both significantly past where the pink line crosses them.

Perhaps the Brown line could share a right of way with the pink line there for a bit, that could make things simpler, yes.

The brown line could end up here in the future. (http://maps.google.ca/?ie=UTF8&ll=51.18241,-114.136963&spn=0.042504,0.075874&t=h&z=14) That a long ways from Harvest Hills Blvd, where the Green line would run up, and from the pink line cutting across by country hills blvd.

[jeffwhit]

^Sorry, is the NC line as currently planned supposed to run up Harvest Hills, or continue NW up Beddington Trail/Symons Valley road? I am confused about this. (on my map the green line is the NC line, rerouted as a subway up centre street.) Would you mind making a map for me with lines on it of this area? (using the colours I used preferably)

[jeffwhit]

Nice idea, I'm taking it one step further. I'd build myself a nice runway along the area where the rail lines were, and give ourselves a city centre airport for the corporate and private flights out there.

Making sure of course that it does not cause any sort of height limitations for the downtown core, something with special approaches similar to London's city centre airport.

Or this: (which is an elaborate joke.)
http://manhattanairport.org/

[You Need A Thneed]

^Sorry, is the NC line as currently planned supposed to run up Harvest Hills, or continue NW up Beddington Trail/Symons Valley road? I am confused about this. (on my map the green line is the NC line, rerouted as a subway up centre street.) Would you mind making a map for me with lines on it of this area? (using the colours I used preferably)

One line would follow along Harvest Hills Blvd as far north as it would go, and one line would follow Beddington Trail/Symons Valley Road as far as it goes to the NW.

[Wooster]

Yeah, the brown line probably would only need to be a branch line down 14th street from the Circle route.

Nice work.

[bob1954]

I like the idea of a massive passenger terminal unde or near the Calgary tower! Fantastic idea!

[jeffwhit]

Here's the first google map of Beltliner's plan, plus one more line (208/Brown) of my own invention, which now justifies itself a little better. I tried my best to follow his description of the lines, I'm pretty sure I have the southern most portion of 203 incorrect as the description gets a little vague.
Next step is to add stations, which should take a while.

http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=51.044848,-114.01474&spn=0.48178,1.234589&t=p&z=10&msid=110837339149097797616.00047084cfa49e855053b

[wmp.dll]

Fire all Aldermen. Burn city hall to the ground in a fit of insanity. Including the plans to the Peace Bridge

Huge airport. Designed like Singapore/Narita/CDG/Seoul. Spotters deck with complete view of apron and taxiways. Rename 'Ralph Klein International Airport'. Relocate airport to better location, redevelop current YYC location as mixed use area.

New Calgary tower, tallest building in the world, subsidize the cost to go up to the viewing deck. (Free)

Scrap the Duewags because they all smell horrible. Re-route West LRT To Mount Royal College. Put D60lfr on 72/73 routes. Institute Beltliners LRT Plan.

New Saddledome. Some where closer to Downtown, like say:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd86/dino_martini/dmome.jpg

Designed like the new Consol Energy Center. Seating in the 18-24,000 range. Concerts in the 15-22,000 range. New name, I always loved Canadi>n Airlines Saddledome. Smaller venue built beside to hold between 6-10,000 people for concerts, comedy tours, smaller bands, etc. Sort of like the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, only a little bigger I suppose. Maybe RIM Center, or BlackBerry Theatre or something like that.

Repave every single road in Calgary, no pot holes.

Buy out the Tsu Tina Reserve. Ring road. Plus Race Track development. Something like Laguna Seca or the like. Could host Indy or F1 events. Driving school, track days, etc.

Thats just my beginning plans...oh to dream :)

Edit - Purchase all rights to Canadi>n Airlines. Purchase all rights to WestJet. Create new Airline that will rival Singapore/Emirates/Korean/Lufthansa. All Boeing fleet, including 787, 748i, 737 replacment. Influence Boeing to dive in the 80-100 seat market. Purchase all remaing DC10/MD11/707 Air craft, refurbish and put into service. Introduce modern version of the Proud Wings livery.

Create a brand new Science Center.

New confrence facilities.

Purchase RIM and move entire company to Calgary. Brand new sky scraper for RIM.

Purchase Big Rock Brewery. Enjoy said beer.

[Distill3d]

Buy out the Tsu Tina Reserve. Ring road. Plus Race Track development. Something like Laguna Seca or the like. Could host Indy or F1 events. Driving school, track days, etc.



of all your plans, this is the one that I think would be most appealing. though, I have thought of a few areas where a temporary street circuit (ala Monaco, Singapore, and Valencia) could be set up:

Stampede Grounds:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j155/starfcuk/circuit1.jpg

Downtown:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j155/starfcuk/circuit2.jpg

University:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j155/starfcuk/circuit3.jpg

of course, I apologize for the crude designs, but you get the point...