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

[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..

[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]

Originally Posted by nick.flood

- 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.

-Beltliner's LRT plan (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.

Originally Posted by 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.

-Beltliner's LRT plan (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 ), 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!

- 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!

- 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]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

-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]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

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]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

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.