[St. John's] The Official Project Thread

[Architype]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

Hey I've always wondered why we don't have a city zoo? in other places who runs the zoos? is it the city or the province or private? I would think that many MUN programs would benefit from having a zoo (biology and animal behavior etc)

I think it could be a great addition to Pippy Park to have a petting zoo.

There is also the Salmonier Nature Park about 40 minutes away:

http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/snp/index.html

[MonctonRad]

The zoo in Moncton is quite popular and a source of civic pride. It in fact has been rated the fourth best zoo in Canada.

Mind you, the "big three" (Toronto, Calgary and Granby) are in a league of their own. The Magnetic Hill Zoo is the best of the rest.

Still, we have exotic species from around the world, about 400 animals in total, and they are displayed in themed exhibit areas. There is also an educational program at the zoo and the zoo has participated in endangered species breeding programs.

The Magnetic Hill Zoo is owned by the City of Moncton. I believe most traditional (exotic) zoos in the country are city owned. Wildlife parks (native fauna) tend to be provincial.

[Ayreonaut]

I would like to see a zoo in town, and I definitely think the university would benefit from its presence.

Then again, where do zoos draw their visitors from? Perhaps it's regional ((Southern) Alberta for Calgary, the Maritimes for Moncton, etc.) Is St. John's too isolated a city to have one?

Maybe like Architype said, a petting zoo would be a good test (maybe somewhere around the fluvarium?). Then slowly expand to larger/more animals.

On an unrelated note: the thread in Skybar got me thinking. Do you guys ever have any forum meets in town here? I'm obviously far from active in this thread, but it would be nice to meet some local SSPers sometime. I met up with HIMS a couple times before he moved back West, but haven't met any other local forumers. If anyone would like to grab a beer sometime and nerd it up, I'd be down.

[MalcolmTucker]

I think it would be hard to establish a zoo from scratch in this day and age. When you're talking about $50 million for a single theme area, it is a big investment to build up to the point that it would be a big enough draw to support itself.

Even looking at Granby, they were supposed to get the panda's from China for a 1/3rd of the ten years, but couldn't justify doing it on monetary grounds. So Calgary and Toronto now get 5 years each.

[MonctonRad]

To start something like the Granby Zoo from scratch would be terribly expensive but you don't have to do that. Like Architype says, you could start small and work up.

The Magnetic Hill Zoo began as a provincial wildlife park, but the city took over, added a petting zoo and began bringing in exotics. The zoo was pretty shabby when I moved to Moncton in 1989, but the city hired a professional zoo director at about that time and adopted a program of upgrading one exhibit per year (at a cost of perhaps $100k) so that today, the zoo is something to be proud of.

Exotics aren't necessarily all expensive. Large animals requiring big exhibits and special care (elephants & giraffes) can be. Pandas are ridiculously expensive so I can see why Granby bowed out. Primates and large cats on the other hand are fairly cheap, so mid sized zoos like Magnetic Hill tend to concentrate on them.

Our zoo benefits from municipal support and subsidies. In addition, the "Friends of the Zoo" do a lot of fundraising and other monies are raised through the zoo gift shop and admission fees. The zoo is also strategically located at Magnetic Hill next to the Magic Mountain Water Park, so it is in a popular tourist area. I think the zoo may get 150,000 visitors per year. The zoo has built support in the community by having educational programs in the summertime (things like zoo camps where kids of different ages are able to shadow the zookeepers while they work) and by having special events like "Boo at the Zoo" at Hallowe'en where the zoo is decked out in spooky exhibits. This event is so popular that tickets are sold out well in advance. The whole zoo is very professionally run and future plans may include additional exotics, even giraffes. I know that they want to expand the African exhibit area even more than it already is.

My advice would be to start small (like a petting zoo) and add exhibits gradually (perhaps starting with crowd favourites like big cats and monkeys), build support in the community and have "events" in the grounds. If you concentrate on adding one quality exhibit per year, within 10-15 years you will have something to be proud of.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Kilbride seniors complex back on the table

St. John's city council is going to have to take another look at a controversial plan to build a seniors complex in Kilbride.

Councillors rejected the plan six months ago, but the developer successfully challenged the decision in court.

That means the process will begin again.

Neighbours like Duane Mills, who lives next to the proposed location of the three-storey seniors living facility, still don't like the plan. Mills is worried about increased traffic and a possible decrease in property value.

"It shouldn't be rezoned at everybody else’s expense, especially when it's contradictory to the zoning and the planning that's currently in place for the area,” Mills told CBC News.

But developer Sean Callahan says those issues were brought up in the previous public meeting and have been addressed in the new proposal.

"I think council (is) going to like this," Callahan said. "I think the neighbourhood is going to look fabulous with this."

Residents will have a chance to voice their opinions during a public meeting set for 7 p.m. Thursday at city hall.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla.../02/20/nl-kilbride-seniors-home-220.html

Looks like the NIMBY's of Richmond Hill have something else to fight about.

[Architype]

This was posted by Poscstudent in the Canada section, and it shows graphically where all the growth was in the St. John's CMA. Even the actual city's growth can be attributed to newly built outlying suburbs, with negative growth throughout most of the city's established areas including Mt Pearl. In future if this continues, the yellow area (negative growth) will get larger, showing negative growth in all but the expanding ring surrounding the city. This means trafffic congestion around the perimeter will get worse, more roads and highways will be needed, and costs for maintenance and new infrastructure will increase due to the expanded area and lower population density. The only area in the central city to show growth (seen as a single blue square, also a grey one showing moderate growth) is where there has been some infill of townhomes and a few condos which were built on previously vacant land.

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recens...tic/2011-98310-001-001-013-01-00-eng.pdf

[Marty_Mcfly]

I'm still trying to decipher that map....not quite sure where is where exactly.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by Marty_Mcfly

I'm still trying to decipher that map....not quite sure where is where exactly.

Find the harbour and work from there.

I'm surprised the downtown area saw negative growth, except for that one area.

[jeddy1989]

Has anyone ever thought that mount pearl might be an ideal place for highrise residential? like off topsail road or going up kenmount hill. the taxes are lower and better services such as sidewalk plowing and plowing in general. and the city council would probably want developments that could increase the population and "show that they will not go stagnant because of limited sprawling space"
yet a thought

[statbass]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

Has anyone ever thought that mount pearl might be an ideal place for highrise residential? like off topsail road or going up kenmount hill. the taxes are lower and better services such as sidewalk plowing and plowing in general. and the city council would probably want developments that could increase the population and "show that they will not go stagnant because of limited sprawling space"
yet a thought

That's a good thought . The fact that Mount Pearl can't build out may actually be a good thing for the city. Highrise residential buildings would increase density and help the city in terms of smart growth; plus I think these buildings would add more character to the city. I think building in areas around Southlands would be a good spot. They would be close to various amenties, especially when Southlands extension (i.e. Glencrest) starts developing, and also close to Pitts Memorial and henceforth quick access to downtown and the ORR.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Just back from an afternoon downtown, and things at 351 are starting to look "up", ie. construction of exterior walls have begun. So far, what appears to be one floor of the wall furthest towards the statoil building is near completed, with work beginning on the others. I didn't get to see what was happening at the Fortis site, but I feel like they may be moving fast on that project.

[ajcoffey]

Wondering if anyone knows who is doing the plumbing on some of these new big projects? Im a new jman in Alberta wanting to come home and looks like there is going to be work for a good while!

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by ajcoffey

Wondering if anyone knows who is doing the plumbing on some of these new big projects? Im a new jman in Alberta wanting to come home and looks like there is going to be work for a good while!

I'm not sure but it shouldn't be hard to find out by contacting the developers.

Here's the website for 351 with contact info. http://threefiftyone.ca/

[Marty_Mcfly]

even if 351 has already contracted everything out, there shouldn't be a shortage of jobs for plumbing, especially with developments like Glencrest and Pleasantville starting quite soon

[ajcoffey]

Thanks. While project is Glencrest?

[Marty_Mcfly]

Glencrest is going to be a huge housing development out near Southlands, potentially the size of the town of Gander, which has been proposed, and could start development this summer.

[ajcoffey]

Ok thanks. Being in Alberta im abit out of the loop but this site is awesome.

[Marty_Mcfly]

CBC just showed plans for the old newfoundland telephone building. Looks super nice, suits the area.

[PoscStudent]

57 minutes in you can see the story on the old Newfoundland telephone building, and right after that story is one on the new west end high school. http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Canada/NL/Featured/2169456094/ID=2200536574