Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Most of that housing (the portion behind the station) is still there and hasn't changed.

Ya I believe the area where the school is still contains a majority of those buildings.

[kylemacmac]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Translink's general modus operandi is to built stations near loops, or loops near stations. They prefer to have people get to the station in this order:
1 - Walk
2 - Bus
3 - Car
.

Even though Coquitlam Town Centre has a huge bus loop and there's a giant mall across the Barnet, there's probably only 500 people that live within EASY walking distance to the station. Without close residents walking to stations, it makes the Evergreen line more of a car and bus fed commuter rail service, albeit with 20 hour frequent service in both directions. The intersection of Barnet/Lougheed/Pinetree is probably the least pedestrian friendly intersection in the Tri-Cities built within an area that should be geared towards ground level pedestrian movement. The fence across Pinetree North of the intersection was built to inhibit foot traffice between Pinetree Centre and Coquitlam Centre, except at the far-spaced crosswalks. I grew up in this area and can't tell you how many times I got in my car and drove between Save-On to Coq. Centre to Superstore then to Future shop/Best Buy. It's pretty ridiculous, seeing as how the GVRD is supposedly so keen on making pedestrian environments. Does anyone else out there find this area just completely un-ped-friendly? Hopefully with a station built in the area, and some residental/commercial will happen in the now parking lots, it may then be easier to actually walk around this town centre. And forget what is in the planning maps and LRSP, the town centre IS The Mall and adjoining strip malls. The 'planned' town centre is nothing more than an assortment of civic buildings, of which are far less frequented than the busy hodgepodge commercial area of Coq. Town Centre.

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Most of that housing (the portion behind the station) is still there and hasn't changed.

they should be converted to highrises in the future.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Metrotown: 1985

It's when you see a picture like this that it shows how ambitious Skytrain development first was... and how much it has totally paid off.

It's just 25 years ago, and already we have a completely different, and I say better city. Not only is Metrotown different, but in the distance you can see that there is nothing around Joyce and Downtown looks kind of lonely.

It's only been 25 years.

I hope Evergreen line has this kind of impact. This photo of Metrotown reminds me a lot of the current look of Port Moody (some houses located next to a lot of wasted space).

I hope Port Moody shapes up and welcomes the growth that Skytrain will bring.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by cabotp

The first section to be built was the one that goes currently from sears/toys-r-us to Zellers/T&T. Although before it was Woodwards at the Zellers end. Was the first section to be built. And it opened in 86 just in time for expo. Which makes me think this picture was taken just before construction started. It is too bad the picture wasn't a bit further to the north as you would clearly see where sears is.

Infact Sears was there long before the mall. I remember as kid going shopping at sears with my parents. ....

Yeah, the "Metrotown Centre" part of the mall was converted into a mall from the old Sears warehouse. That's why it's not as well integrated as the Metropolis part of the mall. i.e. the parking for Metropolis has to be the best undergound parking garage in the region - wide roadways and clear sightlines. I suspect it was designed by a Toronto firm since it uses round columns with spreading capitals (as opposed to rectangular columns and concrete walls). Because of the conversion, the Metrotown Centre part has parking structures adjacent to the mall, not directly underneath it.

[cabotp]

Although the wing that goes to The Bay has under ground parking. But that was added after the fact. I believe in the early 90's, although I could be wrong.

Kind of amazing that 2 of the department stores went bankrupt.

Does anybody remember the name of the company that owned the land to the west of Sear warehouse. I believe it had the name Douglas in it?

[twoNeurons]

That IS one of the best underground parkades in the city. However, the worst is only a few blocks away at Crystal Mall.

The parkade is a circle with inner and outer parking... so it's great if you're facing on the outer ring. Facing in you have to be careful.

In addition, the ramps to go up and down a level will NOT let two cars by in most areas, so you end up with traffic snarls and no where to go.

If it's busy, it's worse than the predatory parkers at Walmart and Costco.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by cabotp

Although the wing that goes to The Bay has under ground parking. But that was added after the fact. I believe in the early 90's, although I could be wrong.

Kind of amazing that 2 of the department stores went bankrupt.

Does anybody remember the name of the company that owned the land to the west of Sear warehouse. I believe it had the name Douglas in it?

Yeah, that's right. The Bay wing was built later.

The company was probably Kelly Douglas - a wholesaler that supplied Super Valu and other supermarkets.

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

That IS one of the best underground parkades in the city. However, the worst is only a few blocks away at Crystal Mall.
...
In addition, the ramps to go up and down a level will NOT let two cars by in most areas, so you end up with traffic snarls and no where to go.

Another bad one is The Madison - Save-on-Foods on Lougheed near Willingdon. Any of the condo / retail mixed use projects seem to use condo standards/clearances rather than commercial office / retail standards.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Another bad one is The Madison - Save-on-Foods on Lougheed near Willingdon. Any of the condo / retail mixed use projects seem to use condo standards/clearances rather than commercial office / retail standards.

I used to work there, other than the tight corners which I frequently raced up when I did drive to work, it wasn't too bad lol.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by cabotp

The first section to be built was the one that goes currently from sears/toys-r-us to Zellers/T&T. Although before it was Woodwards at the Zellers end. Was the first section to be built. And it opened in 86 just in time for expo. Which makes me think this picture was taken just before construction started. It is too bad the picture wasn't a bit further to the north as you would clearly see where sears is.

Infact Sears was there long before the mall. I remember as kid going shopping at sears with my parents. We would drive along 49th to imperial make the left at sussex and drive into the parking lot andthat was one massive parking lot. With a super value in the corner where kingsway and nelson meets. My dad told me stories of going into that parking lot with his car and his friends car. In the snow and just run up and down and do peel outs and donuts. There was not one lamp post or curb in the entire parking lot. The two condos where the word "photos" is was not there as well as all the buildings beside it and the street, plus where bonsor park is just below. That was all one big parking lot


I must say that housing seriously looks ghetto and run down.

how this angle for you and from 1982 even



any idea what the barn like building where Bonsor is now was?


and here is a golden angle from 1985

[SpongeG]

eaton centre was opened in 1988 or so wasn't it? i know it was there in 1989 - it was anchored by Eatons and another dept store that started with B i can't remember the name - itw as two levels where old navy and chapters is now - it was a really nice store too - semi high end yet affordable

edit: it was Brettons!!!

does anybody remember the name? it started with B - 🞵🞵🞵🞵 its on the tip of my tongue... I remember seeing them in Toronto in 1992 too they last longer out east than they did here in Vancouver anyway...

anyway as for coquitlam - the plan is for it to absorb and grow and be able to accomodate x amount of people over the next 30 years or something - so its got a lot more it can do - its off to a decent start - so why not get the train in now - personally as it stands now i think evergreen is a huge waste of money and it should be used to extend the m-line to at least cambie to meet with canada line... and than build the evergreen line when there is more population and need for it - i say this as a coquitlam person...

[cabotp]

Sweet pictures.

Not sure what the Barn like building was. It might have been a rec center or maybe a storage building for Burnaby. I'll ask my dad next time I see him if he remembers.

Kind of interesting how there is a lot of buildings built exactly the same those 4-5 story run down white apartments. It makes me think that the area must have been of a lower income.

Originally Posted by officedweller

Yeah, that's right. The Bay wing was built later.

The company was probably Kelly Douglas - a wholesaler that supplied Super Valu and other supermarkets.

That was it

[SpongeG]

i just foudn a PDF about the historyu and developments at fopr metrotown but i forgot the link - its on google if u anna see - there are diagrams and pics etc

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

eaton centre was opened in 1988 or so wasn't it? i know it was there in 1989 - it was anchored by Eatons and another dept store that started with B i can't remember the name - itw as two levels where old navy and chapters is now - it was a really nice store too - semi high end yet affordable

edit: it was Brettons!!!

does anybody remember the name? it started with B - 🞵🞵🞵🞵 its on the tip of my tongue... I remember seeing them in Toronto in 1992 too they last longer out east than they did here in Vancouver anyway...

It was either in late 88 or early 89 that eaton centre opened. Has for Brettons I don't remember it.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by cabotp

It was either in late 88 or early 89 that eaton centre opened. Has for Brettons I don't remember it.

i just looked it up Eaton centre opened in 1988 - i remember going shopping there in 1989 and you had to walk down to kingsway to get to the mall next door - it wasn't until 1991 ish that they built the connector - I worked at superstore in metrotown in 1991-1992 and i can remember them building the connector - before that it was painful to go from one mall to another - Eaton centre was always better though - it had the better stores

Brettons was nice - it was high end - apparently it was owned by a family company from the netherlands - which still operates in Europe - they had big plans for Canada but really got the runaround here and couldn't succeed - it was too bad - it was sort of a mix between the bay and holt renfrew - only clothes basically - no home or furniture stuff - something we totally lack today in the retail world

[cabotp]

Yup 1991 was when they completed the Connector and phase II of metrotown Center (aka the Bay wing), and Metrotower II.

I also rememember going shopping there with no Connector. Basically you pretty much stuck to one side or the other. Especially in the depths of winter

[tom_g]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

any idea what the barn like building where Bonsor is now was?

That is Bonsor Pool. The pool was built in the early 70s, the rest of the recreation complex was built around the pool in the late 80s. (I used to work there)

[officedweller]

Brettons was supposed to fill the mid to high price bracket - and be either a slightly lower end Holt Renfrew or a smaller scale Nordstrom's. The clothes were fairly conservative - much like Nordstrom's. There were a number across the country - with the flagship at Manulife Centre off Bloor in Toronto.

[WBC]

hey, maybe somebody should create a thread to look at how things have changed in the last 30 years...those old metrotown photos were lot's of fun

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by tom_g

That is Bonsor Pool. The pool was built in the early 70s, the rest of the recreation complex was built around the pool in the late 80s. (I used to work there)

cool! thx!