Northern Ontario developments!

[vid]

Some developments around Waverly Park, kind of. Waverly Towers is getting a new facade, hopefully it isn't ugly. They're removing the old concrete panels (which are much thinner than I thought, though facades usually are), no idea what will take their place.



Regency Court, which is now known as Clark Towers, was painted more of a taupe colour, so it stands out less than it did.



St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church has painted its steps red and blue, which is a nice improvement over the patched concrete they've had for years. It would be nice if they replaced the concrete in front of the steps with paving stones and gardens but they probably don't have the money for that.

[vid]

I made a rough guide to my vision for a multi-purpose centre at the corner of Simpson and Miles

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/5200/arenaplancopy.jpg

[russman]

Looks good . I still prefer keeping it at the bus terminal site in Port Arthur though. Also keep in mind that the Gardens will likely be demolished after the new centre is built.

[ccnews]

send it to the city planners,
I would rather see the new centre built in the south ward,
the north ward has the marina and casino, lets build on those amenities

putting a 6-7500 capacity arena on the waterfront is crazy, there currently is only one access point onto the property and even if the city did build another overpass at the foot of John street, its still crazy


nice work Vid

one of these days I'll start posting pictures, any help would be greatly appreciated

[vid]

If you want any advice on photography, ask at the Flickr Thunder Bay group.

I'd rather the Port Arthur bus terminal site stays a bus terminal. The Fort William Gardens can be maintained as a curling club, especially if the PA and FW clubs merge.

My main vision with putting the centre there is to help revitalize Simpson Street and the downtown east side simultaneously. Before the casino, South Cumberland and Pearl was just as bad as Simpson was a few years ago. Simpson is pretty calm now (the crime map shows a lower rate of crime than even I expected) but it could still use some fixing up. I don't think we should be sticking everything in one place either. Port Arthur does not have the street capacity to hold such large venues, getting in and out of that area is too difficult when too many people are on the road at once. Fort William has wider streets and is on a more proper grid, so getting people out of the area is much easier, which makes it better suited to destinations like this.

Just because DTPA is the entertainment district, doesn't mean all entertainment has to happen there.

[ccnews]

I agree, all points are valid. Having the arena on the waterfront and NOT having any more/additional access points would cause a traffic headache.

with the arena in the area you have suggested, you would be able to use Simpson and May streets to go North, Arthur and Miles to go West

in a report presented to council in 1990, they suggested having a new multiplex be built on the block directly in front of the current arena

this city has been studying the replacement of the Fort William Gardens since way (reports currently on my desk) - how long and how many more consultants are we going to hire and PAY until we get a new multiplex sporting facility

[vid]

With the current plan they will probably start construction in a couple years, if they can fund it, and with the Invest Thunder Bay fund or whatever it is called, they've basically got that. (The city has about 70 million in capital just sitting there, not being spent.) They're looking at a possible 2013 start date, I think. All the studies they're doing now are part of the development process, they're pretty much past the "should we" phase and into the "when will we" phase.

[Danny D]

I haven't seen this mentioned at all here, but along with the REACH addition the McIntyre Building at Confederation College is getting a facelift and a small addition. The last time I was there was a couple weeks ago to drop off some papers at the Shuniah building so I didn't get a good look at it but it should be done or very close to it.

[vid]

I've known about it but haven't been up there. Last time I was at the hospital (early June) there was work going on there as well. I never go out that way so I have no idea what is done or isn't.

Any progress on that condo on Balmoral/Waterloo?

[F. Lionel]

Originally Posted by vid

I've known about it but haven't been up there. Last time I was at the hospital (early June) there was work going on there as well. I never go out that way so I have no idea what is done or isn't.

From my visit there it looks like an extension to the C Wards on all three levels.
They are going to have to re-landscape the approach to the maternity department since the construction has done away with the round-about.

[vid]

That's at the other end of the hospital by emergency, I am pretty sure something was going on above the main entrance (Golf Links side) last time I was there, but maybe I am confusing it with the time I went there in January 09? I think they were building something for NOSM students then.

[F. Lionel]

There's no construction at that end of the hospital at all from what I could see when I was there last week. I am pretty sure the NOSM expansion was completed last fall. The only construction I could see was the obvious expansion by Emergency.

[ccnews]

your both correct,
the expansion above/close to the main entrance was for NOSM (Medical school students), the expansion by the emergency/maternity area is for the new MRI equipment

as far as the new condo near Waterloo and Balmoral - nothing

[vid]

Update on the retirement home at Isabella and Franklin:



They've made obvious efforts to reflect the architecture of Isabella school. Hopefully the whole thing will be brick, and not just the main floor.

[vid]

Looking at the city council minutes for the next meeting:

Habib Enterprises is seeking a rezoning for the former St. John School on Ray Boulevard to develop the school into a mixed use condo and community health clinic, and to build 23 townhouses on the greenspace behind the school. It has received a fair amount of opposition from people on Ray Boulevard and Dalton Street, who seem to think it will turn their streets into a freeway leading to a meth clinic.

A developer is proposing a zoning change on the 500 block of Red River to construct a six unit apartment which will be set too far back from the street because it will provide almost two spaces per apartment, on a lot where a house stood until university students completely trashed it three years ago and it was subsequently demolished. It's opposed by someone who lives down the street who no doubt is worried about the increase in traffic a six unit apartment building will have on what is one of the city's busiest streets.

Building permits have passed 100 million dollars this year. Apparently this is the highest total in 20 years and next year will be even busier, so the building permits department is going to encourage people to file their permits sooner so that they can deal with the increased demand.

[russman]

Work appears to be starting on the condo at Grenville and Adelaide.

[vid]

Yes, kept forgetting to mention that. It has been going on since late August.

[tjernobyl]

Originally Posted by vid

A developer is proposing a zoning change on the 500 block of Red River to construct a six unit apartment which will be set too far back from the street because it will provide almost two spaces per apartment, on a lot where a house stood until university students completely trashed it three years ago and it was subsequently demolished.

Apparently, the zoning by-law requires nine, or 1.5 per apartment for some reason.

[softee]

Link to full article:
http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2758879

Merchant seeks feedback on pedestrian mall
Business owner seeks feedback
By GORD YOUNG The Nugget

A downtown merchant is trying to gauge public opinion on the concept of a pedestrian mall in the core of the city.

Stacy Hebert, who operates Momma Mia Maternity and Infant Apparel Boutique on Main Street, has been collecting feedback from patrons since late-July to see if there's support for the idea of closing a portion of the downtown to traffic and create an outdoor pedestrian mall.


Hebert has been gathering signatures for and against the proposal at approximately 70 locations throughout the downtown. She plans to conduct an analysis of the responses at the end of the month. And if the feedback shows public support, Hebert will bring the proposal to the Downtown Improvement Area board for discussion.

[vid]

Originally Posted by tjernobyl

Apparently, the zoning by-law requires nine, or 1.5 per apartment for some reason.

Yes, and they're providing 10, five on each side. The extra 0.5 spots is for visitors. That's assuming every single tenant has at least one car and that at any time, half of them have guests who also arrived in cars!

There should be maximum parking requirements, not minimums. Both Intercity and RioCann centre provide less parking than the by-law requires, so it is obvious that the minimums are too high, even for companies that depend on offering free parking.

Thunder Bay's Active Transportation plan has a downtown pedestrian mall in its medium-term future goals, so we'll probably hear about something like that here in the next year or two.