Regina Construction II

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Except where Regina is concerned, many businesses are saying that people seem to be staying away from downtown because they find the new 2-way streets too difficult to get through easily (left hand turns cutting off traffic flow at intersections and such things like that).


Also, glad to see YMCA is doing improvements; that place has been a bit of an eye-sore for years.

There's always frustration when any new changes are implemented. People forget that these were originally two way-streets.

The increased congestion is so overblown - the only bottleneck is trying to turn left from 11th onto Broad. Other than that I've noticed 0 impact. In my opinion it's people just complaining for the sake of complaining.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by CCF

There's always frustration when any new changes are implemented. People forget that these were originally two way-streets.

The increased congestion is so overblown - the only bottleneck is trying to turn left from 11th onto Broad. Other than that I've noticed 0 impact. In my opinion it's people just complaining for the sake of complaining.

It's also very restricted turning left from 11th onto hamilton (both north and southbound). And just because it was a two-way before doesn't mean changing back is a good thing. Highways used to be 2 lanes, but I think we can all agree that major highways are better as divided 4 lanes. People also seem to forget that Regina didn't always have 10+ towers full of workers downtown, and that we didn't always have 200,000+ people (and growing) living in the city.

For now Regina (and much of Canada) is still very car-centric, so making it less car friendly downtown doesn't really do the core any favours in terms of getting people to make a trip there if they don't have to. I think I could agree that the issue could possibly be a bit overblown... but that doesn't really matter. People will go by the perceived feel/reactions of others and for now the perception is that downtown is harder to get around than it used to be and so people will avoid it if possible.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Nathan

It's also very restricted turning left from 11th onto hamilton (both north and southbound). And just because it was a two-way before doesn't mean changing back is a good thing. Highways used to be 2 lanes, but I think we can all agree that major highways are better as divided 4 lanes. People also seem to forget that Regina didn't always have 10+ towers full of workers downtown, and that we didn't always have 200,000+ people (and growing) living in the city.

For now Regina (and much of Canada) is still very car-centric, so making it less car friendly downtown doesn't really do the core any favours in terms of getting people to make a trip there if they don't have to. I think I could agree that the issue could possibly be a bit overblown... but that doesn't really matter. People will go by the perceived feel/reactions of others and for now the perception is that downtown is harder to get around than it used to be and so people will avoid it if possible.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree.

There's enough literature out there that speaks to the benefits of two way streets. Much of the city plays to the "car-centric" ideology....I think we should spare the downtown from that.

Giving into the car is similar to the thinking that downtown should consist of ample parking. Great downtowns aren't lined with surface parking lots. The two just can't go together.

[thefourthtower]

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[Stormer]

Originally Posted by thefourthtower

How old is the ymca , that building has been around for years.

I believe it is 1959ish. I sort of like the retro look. I hope they don't just add the ubiquitous stacked stone facade we see everywhere now. Given the render is dated 2008, there is no indication the renos are imminent.

[TechnicalRecession]

Originally Posted by CCF

Guess we will have to agree to disagree.

There's enough literature out there that speaks to the benefits of two way streets. Much of the city plays to the "car-centric" ideology....I think we should spare the downtown from that.

Giving into the car is similar to the thinking that downtown should consist of ample parking. Great downtowns aren't lined with surface parking lots. The two just can't go together.

I agree with you CCF. I always roll my eyes when I hear people complain about the two way streets. I've lived in larger centers with way more cars and busier downtowns and they all had two way streets. The traffic problems in this city are not problems at all compared to other Canadian cities. It's the same complaint around downtown parking, if people can't park two feet from their end destination it's a big deal. In my opinion, it is that small minded Saskatchewan view that leads people to complain about change and growth.

I personally like the two way streets, I've never had any real issues driving downtown, and it creates a more busy, big city feel. Perhaps they can tweak the light system a bit to make left hand turns easier or increase flow, but two way traffic is here to stay, people should get used to it.

[thefourthtower]

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[thefourthtower]

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[hoeding]

Originally Posted by Nathan

For now Regina (and much of Canada) is still very car-centric, so making it less car friendly downtown doesn't really do the core any favours in terms of getting people to make a trip there if they don't have to. I think I could agree that the issue could possibly be a bit overblown... but that doesn't really matter. People will go by the perceived feel/reactions of others and for now the perception is that downtown is harder to get around than it used to be and so people will avoid it if possible.

I don't think the solution to downtown traffic is making it more accessible to cars, it's getting more the the people who work down to able to live downtown.

I don't work downtown myself, but the quickest way to get condos and rentals built downtown would be to put up concrete barricades to traffic along Sask drive, Albert, Broad and College

[thefourthtower]

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[thefourthtower]

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[Nathan]

Originally Posted by hoeding

I don't think the solution to downtown traffic is making it more accessible to cars, it's getting more the the people who work down to able to live downtown.

I don't work downtown myself, but the quickest way to get condos and rentals built downtown would be to put up concrete barricades to traffic along Sask drive, Albert, Broad and College

I don't think the entire solution to downtown traffic is to make it better for cars, but I think you need baby-steps. First, as you say, you need more people living there to make it more of a pedestrian area naturally. In order to do that you need to find a way to encourage development firms to build residences there (so far there have unfortunately only been high end developments... )

Then once you have more people actually living and spending more time downtown, you can afford to start making it not as convenient for cars as you will already have somewhat of a critical mass to enable businesses in the area to operate. As it stands, it's much easier to run a business (economically) in the East/other areas of the city. That optical store had to move out of the old city hall mall to the east because they couldn't sustain the losses... and that shoe store that relocated from the Southland (can't remember the name) stayed open all of what? 4 months?

As I said before, it doesn't really matter if the 2-ways in actuality really only increase travelling times by 2 minutes or so... the perception of people who don't go downtown as often is that it is a huge inconvenience, so instead of getting more people to try out downtown a little more often, you have them staying away and instead just going to the shopping nodes in the North, East, and South.

I'm just saying we don't have the critial mass living downtown to enable us to start being harder on drivers. I chose to live near downtown because it was close to work and I wouldn't have to drive as much... but I was lucky to find something as the amount of property available in the area is almost nil. I would have bought something right in the core if I could have... but all that is available are the really expensive condo developments that young professionals have no hope in hell of affording. It's a rarity that anything under 300k comes on the market... and if anything does... it's usually attached to condo fees >$500.

[thefourthtower]

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[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Draftsman

I have heard a few rumours that the Sherwood House Motel on Albert and Parliament was going to be torn down and a new hotel built. I had breakfast there (at Tomas Cook) this morning and I spoke with the hostess about it and she said it was true. The motel will be closing before the end of the year, possibly in November, and the Tomas Cook restaurant may relocate if they can find another location. She thinks it will be a Super 8 that will be built on that site. She did not know if the new project will encompass the Mr Lube and (former) ESSO property to the north.

I note that Tomas Cook is auctioning everything at the end of November

http://regina.mcdougallauction.com/event.php?arg=3124F29A-5BE6-49F2-8484-4D6B9D907F3D

[thefourthtower]

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[Dougler306]

Dont think iv seen anyone post this developement yet. New hotels are good to here

http://www.cjme.com/node/16858

[Chadillaccc]

Great new about the new hotel! too bad it's not downtown though. Hopefully another hotel goes up downtown soon! Downtown Regina and the RCMP facility should be marketed and positioned to be the main tourist areas of the city.

[Draftsman]

I noticed today that they have been stripping the grass from the northwest corner of the Southland Mall parking lot (southeast corner of Gordon & Lockwood Roads) and there are some pegs in the ground. I called the mall administration office and was advised that CIBC is building a new location and will move out of the mall when it is completed. She also confirmed that there have been a couple of other pad sites approved on the mall property, one of which will be a restaurant but she could not tell me who it is at this time.

[Draftsman]

Thanks for the info Stormer. After reading your post I called Tomas Cook and their last day will be November 20th.

[thefourthtower]

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