Saskatoon Construction

[gopher65]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

I know this was posted a few days ago but I just got around to reading the article. She brings up a good point and good for her for sticking up for what she believes in. It's true there are frickin Tims cups and trash everywhere.

This is a really black eye on Saskatoon and our city council and makes us look so out of touch especially in this day and age of environmental awareness. We're the only large centre in Canada that doesn't have a mandatory recycling program. Yes there's Curbside Recycling but there are a lot of people who wouldn't pay the extra money unless they were forced to.

City council should really get on this and forgo all the usual bs like public consultations and other useless studies. If they can find 1.6 million to increase our snow removal, they can find money to do this.

Unfortunately the case for recycling isn't as clearcut as you make it. Recycling most products takes more energy, creates more pollution, and costs more than simply extracting new resources and manufacturing products out of those. Aluminum is the most significant exception, because it is extremely difficult to process from its natural state into a usable product, so recycling it makes sense. There are a few other things that are the same way, but for things like paper recycling is very energy consumptive... and (currently) pointless.

As recycling technology becomes more advanced this will increasingly cease to be the case, but right now recycling most products is counter-productive. Just toss it in a landfill, make sure you keep the map of where all the neat stuff is kept (it really should be nicely sorted before its dumped, but I realize that most of it isn't), and wait for recycling tech to catch up. When it reaches the break even point (ie, it's equal in terms of cost, pollution generated, and energy used to recycle something or to mine new materials), then start digging into the landfills and mining them instead of fresh materials.

[kgc087]

Let us ALL hope that the Pat becomes something else. That is the single most disgusting place in the city. It really demeans the whole going out experience with its terrible beverages, mediocre decor and poorly dressed clientele. It can't be erased off the face of the Earth fast enough for me.

[mike474]

Originally Posted by gopher65

Unfortunately the case for recycling isn't as clearcut as you make it. Recycling most products takes more energy, creates more pollution, and costs more than simply extracting new resources and manufacturing products out of those. Aluminum is the most significant exception, because it is extremely difficult to process from its natural state into a usable product, so recycling it makes sense. There are a few other things that are the same way, but for things like paper recycling is very energy consumptive... and (currently) pointless.

As recycling technology becomes more advanced this will increasingly cease to be the case, but right now recycling most products is counter-productive. Just toss it in a landfill, make sure you keep the map of where all the neat stuff is kept (it really should be nicely sorted before its dumped, but I realize that most of it isn't), and wait for recycling tech to catch up. When it reaches the break even point (ie, it's equal in terms of cost, pollution generated, and energy used to recycle something or to mine new materials), then start digging into the landfills and mining them instead of fresh materials.

You do have to factor in the externalities when considering that raw material extraction is cheaper. Policies at the margins that influence behaviours such as charging for garbage and offering recyling for free can help. It also exacerbates the development of new technologies. Your point is a good one though, most people think recycling makes a bigger difference than it really does, especially because they assume just because something can be recycled there's a viable economic incentive to do so which isn't the case for much of our trash.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by mike474

You do have to factor in the externalities when considering that raw material extraction is cheaper. Policies at the margins that influence behaviours such as charging for garbage and offering recyling for free can help. It also exacerbates the development of new technologies. Your point is a good one though, most people think recycling makes a bigger difference than it really does, especially because they assume just because something can be recycled there's a viable economic incentive to do so which isn't the case for much of our trash.

I don't even want to think about the public backlash for garbage-by-the-pound bills. I thought the city had long-term plans for that but wanted to get all the options in place (curbside recycling and composting as well as reuse options via a depot at the dump) before outfitting garbage trucks with scales.

With people around town going off about a tax hike and how they can't pay the bills, I bet paying for garbage removal would just make people throw their trash in the nearest Mac's dumpster. I bet trash dumping would turn into an epidemic.

That said, the only way you're going to motivate some people to recycle (or cut down on driving, or turn off the lights, etc, etc) is to attach a dollar value for it. Look at the way people at Superstore seriously consider the number of bags they'll need.

I'm a bit of a recycling freak, and it really shows in the paltry contributions I make to my bin. Recycling day results in a big pile of stuff in front of my house.

[Caswellian]

There are large "For Lease" signs up all around the Arthur Cook Building - though I haven't noticed any renovations going on just yet (they are supposed to, by the purchase agreement, replace all the windows and rejuvenate the main entrance).

Also, they are still working away on the main floor in the Rumley Building. It was leased a few months ago, but no indications on what will be going into that space.

Finally, rumour has it that one of the losing bids for the Arthur Cook Building (Shift Developments) will be building their concept of an arts incubator on 20th St W. in the building that was last owned by the Sask Native Theatre Company (across from the former Barry Hotel site).

[midnightrambler]

Originally Posted by shmakim

I don't even want to think about the public backlash for garbage-by-the-pound bills. I thought the city had long-term plans for that but wanted to get all the options in place (curbside recycling and composting as well as reuse options via a depot at the dump) before outfitting garbage trucks with scales.

With people around town going off about a tax hike and how they can't pay the bills, I bet paying for garbage removal would just make people throw their trash in the nearest Mac's dumpster. I bet trash dumping would turn into an epidemic.

That said, the only way you're going to motivate some people to recycle (or cut down on driving, or turn off the lights, etc, etc) is to attach a dollar value for it. Look at the way people at Superstore seriously consider the number of bags they'll need.

I'm a bit of a recycling freak, and it really shows in the paltry contributions I make to my bin. Recycling day results in a big pile of stuff in front of my house.

I'd like to recycle more as well... But the program in the city is terrible. It takes a lot of effort to recycle. It takes more money to recycle than it does to just throw it in the trash, and that is never a good sign. If you save all the cardboard, tin, cans and bottles, paper, etc... you end up collecting a lot of junk. And then you need a cube van to haul it to 3 or four different places. Nobody really likes clutter, so it ends up being a weekly routine... If there was a good system in place, I am sure people would recycle more. The key is you have to make it easy and convienient for people or else they are just not going to do it.

Mind you, I think it is more harmful to the environment to drive a SUV to work accross the city everyday than it is to throw paper in the garbage your whole life.

Oil is the real killer. 11,000,000 litres of oil in the gulf, is an eventual result of people driving sh!ty gas gussling automobiles.

I also found it interesting when I was talking to a Sask Power engineer this weekend that the oil companies in the province, like Enbridge, are the biggest users of power. So it also takes coal to get oil...

Anyways....

[mike474]

Originally Posted by shmakim

I don't even want to think about the public backlash for garbage-by-the-pound bills. I thought the city had long-term plans for that but wanted to get all the options in place (curbside recycling and composting as well as reuse options via a depot at the dump) before outfitting garbage trucks with scales.

With people around town going off about a tax hike and how they can't pay the bills, I bet paying for garbage removal would just make people throw their trash in the nearest Mac's dumpster. I bet trash dumping would turn into an epidemic.

That said, the only way you're going to motivate some people to recycle (or cut down on driving, or turn off the lights, etc, etc) is to attach a dollar value for it. Look at the way people at Superstore seriously consider the number of bags they'll need.

I'm a bit of a recycling freak, and it really shows in the paltry contributions I make to my bin. Recycling day results in a big pile of stuff in front of my house.

By-the-pound would add a ridiculous transaction cost; it'd be by the bag which has worked fine elsewhere (although it does lead to some illegal dumping on the very cheapest margin). I do agree that the unfortunate barrier to things like this is human irrationality about prices they see constatntly versus prices they pay, but remain ignorant of. It's the reason why gas prices and sales tax irks people, but you hear little about the cost of income tax.

[prairieguy]

KG Lease: one of the real estate agents selling the residential condo's in the KG Development indicated the space was leased to a high end 'housewares' store. No idea what that even is, but that is what it will be.

BTW, if the whitewater/hydro goes ahead, I sure hope they opt for raising the weir to increase the electricity output (and whitewater options). It seems for a relatively small increase in budget, they could almost double the electricity output. If the report is correct in its assessment, if this really can pay for itself in 14 years, this really is a no brainer to proceed with!

[kgc087]

Tonight we find out about the whitewater rapids! Keep your fingers crossed for a MAJOR step forward for recreation in Saskatoon!!!!!!!

[Jerry]

Fingers are crossed ! Wouldn't it be great to have something just a little different.

[Echoes]

Wolf Willow Cohousing in King George neighbourhood



http://www.wolfwillowcohousing.ca/

^Looks like it will be a great project and welcome infill for an otherwise vacant property in King George (across from the new 17th St. boulevard)

[gopher65]

Originally Posted by shmakim

With people around town going off about a tax hike and how they can't pay the bills, I bet paying for garbage removal would just make people throw their trash in the nearest Mac's dumpster. I bet trash dumping would turn into an epidemic.

At my work we have a series of loreal disposal bins and cardboard recycling bins from various nearby businesses all along the rear alley behind the building, and garbage dumping is already a problem for us. I'd hate to think what would happen if people actually had more intensive to illegally dump than "meh... I'm lazy".

[taguy]

Originally Posted by A4Regina

I agree, Saskatoon really needs an iconic bridge. Being 'the city of bridges', saskatoon has yet to have a modern, 21st century looking bridge. Having an oustanding pedestrian bridge could possibly draw more and more people to the whitewater park. Another concrete slab will make it seem like any other city!

I came across a thread with a bunch of great pedestrian bridges from around the world. I also think it would be great for Saskatoon to have a new modern pedestrian bridge. Checkout the thread http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=4809889

[Migs]

For a province of slightly over a million people, to say we are doing well is an understatement.

http://www.enterprisesaskatchewan.ca/Major-Projects-Inventory-2010

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by Migs

For a province of slightly over a million people, to say we are doing well is an understatement.

http://www.enterprisesaskatchewan.ca/Major-Projects-Inventory-2010

wow. almost a billion in recreation/ tourism projects alone.

[WoodlandCritter]

Thanks for the link migs, great to see the breakdown of the all the projects

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by Migs

For a province of slightly over a million people, to say we are doing well is an understatement.

http://www.enterprisesaskatchewan.ca/Major-Projects-Inventory-2010

One item that caught my attention: The Childrens' Discovery Museum on the Saskatchewan. I haven't heard much about that in a while. Weren't they looking at taking over the Mendel? And wasn't there something about Market Mall?

_______________________

No word on the Whitewater Park?!

[milanboy]

Originally Posted by Migs

For a province of slightly over a million people, to say we are doing well is an understatement.

http://www.enterprisesaskatchewan.ca/Major-Projects-Inventory-2010

I notice that the new downtown Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites on Pacific Ave. and 22nd St. is listed as being in re‐design phase. Hopefully that bodes well for those of us who find the current renderings of the project, shall I say, somewhat lacking.

[milanboy]

Originally Posted by dsim249

One item that caught my attention: The Childrens' Discovery Museum on the Saskatchewan. I haven't heard much about that in a while. Weren't they looking at taking over the Mendel? And wasn't there something about Market Mall?

They ARE currently up-and-running in Market Mall, in a temporary space. If they are the Childrens' Discovery Museum on the Saskatchewan that may bode well for them taking over the Mendel building, as they aren't "... of Saskatchewan" but rather "... on the Saskatchewan".

[milanboy]

Originally Posted by Migs

For a province of slightly over a million people, to say we are doing well is an understatement.

http://www.enterprisesaskatchewan.ca/Major-Projects-Inventory-2010

There is a new office development listed by Pillar Development Corporation at 141 Pacific Ave. which would put it close to the new Holiday Inn hotel. Anyone know anything about this project. I checked out their website (Pillar Properties Corp.) and, other than being horrified by the sheer banality of their holdings, could not find any mention of this project. It is an 8 million project, so it is not insignificant.