Saskatoon Construction

[socialisthorde]

While the internet may be relatively widespread, it is far from ubiquitous. THe very people libraries most benefit are those who don't have computers. The wealthy and even moderately wealthy have long been able to buy their own books anyway, so it is not about whether free books are needed. Libraries are a shared central repository of information that is at least somewhat quality screened material available to everyone and are therefore a symbol of a society's respect for knowlege and equality of access. We have many things we don't need simply becasue they are symbols, many of which are particularly relavent in the context of this board i.e. public art. architecture.

[WoodlandCritter]

Google Sketchup isn't a bad free program at all. Good for getting a quick 3d representation and idea of an building layout and size. And its quite useful because it can be integrated into other programs to do additional work.

Also i have been getting some good feedback from councillors about the bus terminal design concept. they have passed it onto the mayor, transit manager, utilities manager and some other people. So as what will come of it i'm not sure, but its encouraging to see that.

I was thinking the other day that it would be interesting if the city put out design competitions for students in architecture, engineering, design, or just in general. I'm not sure if the city has anything like that, i haven't looked into it. I've heard of other cities and organizations that do. But having students come up with designs for areas under consideration for reconstruction or renovation would be very interesting. Whether its a new park design, pedestrian bridge, water feature or whatever. It would allow the city to see a variety of design concepts. Offering money prizes for best design or some that were being considered would help to, as most of those kind of competitions offer something. It would also be a lot cheaper than having a professional company come up with a preliminary design. What do you guys think about that? Do any of you know of anything like that in Saskatoon? Even if nothing comes of the student designs maybe they could show the public potentially a variety of ways an area could look. Create some buzz with some interesting concepts.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by WoodlandCritter

I was thinking the other day that it would be interesting if the city put out design competitions for students in architecture, engineering, design, or just in general. I'm not sure if the city has anything like that, i haven't looked into it. I've heard of other cities and organizations that do. But having students come up with designs for areas under consideration for reconstruction or renovation would be very interesting. Whether its a new park design, pedestrian bridge, water feature or whatever. It would allow the city to see a variety of design concepts. Offering money prizes for best design or some that were being considered would help to, as most of those kind of competitions offer something. It would also be a lot cheaper than having a professional company come up with a preliminary design. What do you guys think about that? Do any of you know of anything like that in Saskatoon? Even if nothing comes of the student designs maybe they could show the public potentially a variety of ways an area could look. Create some buzz with some interesting concepts.

I like the idea of preparation of a design concept as a good class project for arch/eng students, but I'd be wary of going too far with it. My concerns arise from a beautiful concept being presented and fallen in love with by City Councillors & the public. The rub comes in when the feasiblility of the concept from a structural and/or financial viewpoint is examined and it is determined that the cost required to make a pretty design functional is far beyond the funds available/allotted for the project. Then everyone is left with a bad taste in their mouths as we have to "settle" for something less than the initially admired concept.

The advantage to going to design professionals is that they will generally have a better idea of what is feasible to construct within a project's budget constraints and, at least for intitial conceptual design, will usually do this work on spec with no cost to the client as part of the design competition.

[mike474]

Originally Posted by lbird

I don't know if you've been to the Murray library recently, but it's mostly computers now. With widespread Internet access already here, I don't see the case for spending lots of money on libraries at this time.

Firstly, I don't know if you've been to the Murray Library lately, or at least bothered to go upstairs, because besides the ground and first floors there are floors 2-6 in the main wing and the whole north wing that are full of tens of thousands of books. I've spent a good deal of my life there as a student and working as a researcher, so yes I'm familiar with it. Let's not forget the natural sciences library, health science library, law library, education library, St. Thomas More library... surprisingly all full of books! What a novel idea to not just burn the 100 years worth of collection building on the part of the university just because the computer exists.

Secondly, the point of my post was that under the status quo there is a duplication of services. Every purchase that the civic library makes that is already held by the university is pointless unless the piece is highly in demand. The university is already investing to maintain a facility that is well beyond the scope of what the civic library could hope to be; why not use it?

I have no idea how you so badly misconstrued my point into a question of computers. Of course, online journals, databases etc. have been making books irrelevant, this has been the case for two decades now, but that a significant collection already exists and the fact that investments are still made means that the non-university public could benefit if there were better collaboration.

[WoodlandCritter]

"The rub comes in when the feasiblility of the concept from a structural and/or financial viewpoint is examined and it is determined that the cost required to make a pretty design functional is far beyond the funds available/allotted for the project. Then everyone is left with a bad taste in their mouths as we have to "settle" for something less than the initially admired concept." - Crisis


Yeah thats true. I understand. I do realize that not every, or very few, projects have huge budgets. Which many tend to run over the cost at times. So i could see that causing some concern. I was more so thinking of smaller projects though. I wouldn't expect a river landing to be designed by students, hence a park,water feature, small plaza or public space...something on a lesser scale of that nature.

In upper year classes they do look at building costs, and everything that goes into a design. And most are not overly outrageous. If constraints are placed on a design interesting concepts can still be created. So i wouldn't rule it out. I have seen some pretty interesting student designs that are quite feasible.

[brithgob]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

I always thought that the city should have built the North Bridge first. That little stretch of Circle Drive where the lights are is such a pain in the butt, whoever thought it was a good idea to put businesses along that stretch should be shot. It gets incredibly congested and sometimes end ups being just one long bumper to bumper traffic jam, that bridge would get rid of a lot of the semis and cargo trucks and would alleviate a lot of the congestion. It also looks like the industrial area is just going to keep growing north with nothing to stop it. The west side of Saskatoon is growing but not to the extent of the north side. Keep in mind Warman, Martensville and Osler are also growing like weeds.

I'm sure companies have big plans for Northern Saskatchewan and all the resources up there but might be hesitant to do anything until they can efficiently transport their goods and right now Saskatoon just creates this bottleneck.

I've always tended to believe that its the entire city that will benefit when the south bridge is done. As it stands through traffic has no choice but to use either Circle Drive (bottleneck at the north end) or Idylwyld (bottleneck downtown). It doesn't matter which direction you're headed or which highway you're using; those are your two choices, and they create headaches for everyone. Finishing Circle Drive at the south end will make a HUGE difference because all the truck traffic that's just passing through will use it instead. You will see far fewer traffic jams at Idylwyld and 22nd/20th as well as on Circle Drive in the north end. Would a north bridge accomplish the same thing? It would clear up Circle Drive, for sure, but I think it would be too out of the way for east-west through traffic on 7 and 14. That's why I don't think you can frame this as pitting two sides of the city against each other.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't that north portion of Circle Drive already exist as a business strip under the name 45th Street BEFORE Circle was built?

[Temperance]

Originally Posted by mike474

Of course, online journals, databases etc. have been making books irrelevant, this has been the case for two decades now, but that a significant collection already exists and the fact that investments are still made means that the non-university public could benefit if there were better collaboration.

I don't want to take the discussion forum off on too much of a tangent but books are far from being obsolete. As somebody doing a PhD I can say that 90% of my secondary sources are good, old-fashioned books. Maybe books will be more obsolete in 30 or 40 years but we are nowhere near there yet. Most books are not yet available on the internet and if they are available intellectual property blocks us from accessing them freely. Libraries will never be obsolete (especially assuming that intellectual property does not cease to exist) but they will have to evolve to make use of (not so) new media.

I was living a while back in Calcutta and that was the best city I've ever been in for buying books. There is a real intellectual culture there with great bookstores and books are cheap (not pirated). Now they are building a new book market/mall: http://www.bengalshelter.com/varna.htm

I think it would be a great fit to see something like this (on a smaller scale) in the new College Quarter.

[mike474]

Originally Posted by Temperance

I don't want to take the discussion forum off on too much of a tangent but books are far from being obsolete. As somebody doing a PhD I can say that 90% of my secondary sources are good, old-fashioned books. Maybe books will be more obsolete in 30 or 40 years but we are nowhere near there yet. Most books are not yet available on the internet and if they are available intellectual property blocks us from accessing them freely. Libraries will never be obsolete (especially assuming that intellectual property does not cease to exist) but they will have to evolve to make use of (not so) new media.

I was living a while back in Calcutta and that was the best city I've ever been in for buying books. There is a real intellectual culture there with great bookstores and books are cheap (not pirated). Now they are building a new book market/mall: http://www.bengalshelter.com/varna.htm

I think it would be a great fit to see something like this (on a smaller scale) in the new College Quarter.

When I said that technology is making books obsolete it was meant on the margin, not as an absolute. Investment will substitute from traditional books to other forms of information technology, but I agree in principle that books will be around for a long time for the very reasons you stated; any disagreement between us is just a matter of semantics.

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

Saw the entrance of the wine store on 19th Street. I think the name is Cava Wines...anyways, it's quite the transformation from the original yellow stucco wall. I imagine the interior is of a similar quality (classy).

Grand opening is today. Great job with the exterior stone work.
Hoping to check out the interior this weekend.



Cava Secreta

[drm310]

Yes, however it was 42nd Street. Some old-timers will refer to the Circle Drive Bridge as the 42nd Street Bridge.

Originally Posted by brithgob

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't that north portion of Circle Drive already exist as a business strip under the name 45th Street BEFORE Circle was built?

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

Hey driving down Spadina around Pinehouse if you look across the river there are always backhoes and heavy equipment working on what appears to be a road leading into the river. Does anyone know what they're doing over there? I'm sure it's something real boring.

No clue on what they are doing but it appears to be somewhere around the end of Township Road 372.
It has the appearance of being boring but at least it's some more construction.
Sorry about the bad photo but limited zoom on my camera.

[drm310]

Perhaps it's for new storm sewer outlets to the river, for the Evergreen neighbourhood. Just a guess.

Originally Posted by Jerry

No clue on what they are doing but it appears to be somewhere around the end of Township Road 372.
It has the appearance of being boring but at least it's some more construction.
Sorry about the bad photo but limited zoom on my camera.

[Jerry]

The more that I look at a map I am betting that your are right.

[Jerry]

A great story on one of my former neighbor's

Girl, 13, takes Saskatoon council to task

Good for her.

[kiwi4life]

i was talking to a freind of mine who said that the riverbank startde to cave in, so the city is doing some foundation work or something to keep it from caving in, but Drm310, im pretty sure u might be right, it could just be that, so who knows, i could be so wrong too

[kiwi4life]

Originally Posted by Jerry

A great story on one of my former neighbor's

Girl, 13, takes Saskatoon council to task

Good for her.

ha thats pretty cool, and thats coming from a 13 yr old girl, u dont get that fromv kids her age, thats a very very rare thing

[Ruckus]

Thanks for the photos Jerry

Originally Posted by mike474

What I don't get is why there isn't more collaboration between the university and the city (here or elsewhere). The civic libraries are pathetic compared to the university. Apparently the public can borrow for $150 annual fee, but why not pool some resources and try to offset a bit of that cost or at least market it better to drive the cost down? I understand there'd have to be preference to students, researchers etc. but there's a functioning recall system that shouldn't be too hard to enforce. Maybe I'm missing something, but there are so many more resources rotting away in the the Murray cube that the public might as well have access to.

I've been meaning to inquire about access to resources after graduation. It appears alumni are subject to a $35 annual fee. However, access is limited to books and some e-resources. Access does not include online journal databases

Hey Temperance, if you don't mind me asking, what is your specialty?

Originally Posted by brithgob

I've always tended to believe that its the entire city that will benefit when the south bridge is done. As it stands through traffic has no choice but to use either Circle Drive (bottleneck at the north end) or Idylwyld (bottleneck downtown). It doesn't matter which direction you're headed or which highway you're using; those are your two choices, and they create headaches for everyone. Finishing Circle Drive at the south end will make a HUGE difference because all the truck traffic that's just passing through will use it instead. You will see far fewer traffic jams at Idylwyld and 22nd/20th as well as on Circle Drive in the north end. Would a north bridge accomplish the same thing? It would clear up Circle Drive, for sure, but I think it would be too out of the way for east-west through traffic on 7 and 14. That's why I don't think you can frame this as pitting two sides of the city against each other.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't that north portion of Circle Drive already exist as a business strip under the name 45th Street BEFORE Circle was built?

Well said brithgob.


Source: City of Saskatoon

[Jerry]

An interesting letter from Ken Achs to council commenting on the North Downtown.






Source - Council Agendas & Decisions

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

Thanks for the photos Jerry



I've been meaning to inquire about access to resources after graduation. It appears alumni are subject to a $35 annual fee. However, access is limited to books and some e-resources. Access does not include online journal databases

Hey Temperance, if you don't mind me asking, what is your specialty?



Well said brithgob.


Source: City of Saskatoon

Anyone else notice that the extent of the proposed Perimeter highway is very reminiscent of our current (3/4) Circle Drive? Ever since I first saw this Perimeter Highway concept that's the thing that jumped out at me. We've been bitching for years about how Circle Drive isn't a circle and now that we're about to rectify that, we're going to embark on a Perimeter Highway that doesn't go around the perimeter of the city.

Granted there isn't near the traffic going from Highway 11 to Highway 7 that there is going to Highway 16, but I still find this amusing.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by Jerry

Grand opening is today. Great job with the exterior stone work.
Hoping to check out the interior this weekend.



Cava Secreta

Here's a couple of fun shots from during the construction of the wine store: