The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II - Page 158

Deepstar · #**3141** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 6:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

Ya I was in downtown Calgary on a saturday afternoon and was so surprised that i could only find a Subway open. Somewhere near Flames Central. Sidewalks were nearly empty. So different from Vancouver/T.O./Montreal. One day maybe.

Sorry but I have to call busllshit. Flames Central is on Stephen Ave, and everything is open on a Saturday afternoon. It's rarely ever empty. Other streets in the downtown CBD are quiet on a Saturday but not Stephen Ave.

Habanero · #**3142** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 8:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

Ya I was in downtown Calgary on a saturday afternoon and was so surprised that i could only find a Subway open. Somewhere near Flames Central. Sidewalks were nearly empty. So different from Vancouver/T.O./Montreal. One day maybe.

What a crock of shit. If you're going make stuff up at least do your research.

There are at least three dozen restaurants open on a Saturday afternoon on Stephen Ave. Not to mention dozens of other retail outlets. Are you sure you're not thinking of a different street or a different city?

Habanero · #**3143** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 8:12 AM**

But you said 'absolutely zero activity' which isn't the case. I agree, most streets are inactive after hours, but not every street in the CBD is dead after hours. Stephen Ave, as well as Center Street, 1st street, and 8th street have traffic and open businesses. Even 7th ave has open businesses. Sundays most businesses are closed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

But guys, you are only showing pics and examples of one street. We're talking about the entire financial core (which is most of the downtown area).

I have also walked around the core on a Saturday morning/early afternoon and could only find a timmies open. I think it was the one at fifth avenue and fourth street. Couldn't even find a subway. I remember because it was the most hung over I had ever been in my life and I desperately needed a drink of water and a slurpy (ended up getting a timmies frozen lemonaid!

) This was in August of this year.

Vertigo3000 · #**3144** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 3:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habanero

Sundays most businesses are closed.

Why are businesses closed on part of the weekend? Sundays are one of the busiest days of the week. Missing business opportunities if you ask me.

Doug · #**3145** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 4:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo3000

Why are businesses closed on part of the weekend? Sundays are one of the busiest days of the week. Missing business opportunities if you ask me.

Most retail is open downtown on Sundays. Some restaurants are not because they depend on office workers.

ST1 · #**3146** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vertigo3000

Why are businesses closed on part of the weekend? Sundays are one of the busiest days of the week. Missing business opportunities if you ask me.

Not sure. Outside of the core most businesses are open on Sundays, but downtown I see alot of them closed on Sundays.

ST1 · #**3147** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 5:55 PM**

Seriously? You could walk a block west of that Timmies and there's a Starbuck's open on Saturday. A block eest and there is a Quiznos, and Cafe Artigiano both open on Saturday. A block south and you've got a Mac's and a pizza place which are open on Saturday. Two blocks north and you have the Core with 160 shops and two dozen places to get food - all open on Saturday, and of course Stephen ave, with 100 or so shops and restaurants - all of which are open on Saturday. You've got a half dozen places along 8th street open on Saturday, and more businesses open on Saturdays along first street and also center street.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

But guys, you are only showing pics and examples of one street. We're talking about the entire financial core (which is most of the downtown area).

I have also walked around the core on a Saturday morning/early afternoon and could only find a timmies open. I think it was the one at fifth avenue and fourth street. Couldn't even find a subway. I remember because it was the most hung over I had ever been in my life and I desperately needed a drink of water and a slurpy (ended up getting a timmies frozen lemonaid!

) This was in August of this year.

ST1 · #**3148** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 6:09 PM**

What the hell are you talking about?? Of all my time on SSP this might be the most most obvious case of made up bullshit that I've seen.

You could not have been near Flames Central on a Saturday and found nothing open unless you're stupid or you're lying. There are well over two hundred businesses (and at least three dozen eating establishments) within 5 minutes of Flames Central all open on Saturdays.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

Ya I was in downtown Calgary on a saturday afternoon and was so surprised that i could only find a Subway open. Somewhere near Flames Central. Sidewalks were nearly empty. So different from Vancouver/T.O./Montreal. One day maybe.

Lenin · #**3149** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 9:38 PM**

Not to beat this issue to death, but....

I hail from Calgary, and the lack of pedestrian activity of the core used to bug me incessantly. But damn, 17th Ave is a pretty big exception. I have never seen that strip actually dead. And in the years since I've moved to Peg City, that area seems to be even busier each time I visit. Sir, I do believe you are mistaken. 17th Ave. ain't dead. Not by a long shot. Word.

Surrealplaces · #**3150** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 9:54 PM**

iPhone 4S by veliiii, on Flickr

Surrealplaces · #**3151** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 10:01 PM**

edmonton by skylinejunkie, on Flickr

Denscity · #**3152** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 10:10 PM**

Whoa seems like a couple of us have started a fire in this thread. Flames central indeed

. Anyways a few points for clarification:
I did not lie about my comment at all. Perhaps i was on a cross street near flames central and not on Stephen Ave?
Chadillac's original comment reminded me of a similar experience.
I was looking more for downtown retail open on saturday as opposed to a restaurant. Found what looked to be an indoor mall downtown but was disappointed and surprised that it was closed. And prefered a chain at least that i didnt have two of in my own small town. Woulda been happy to at least find that quiznos as we didnt have one here at home at that time.
Your comments make you guys seem more sensitive than need be.
My experience was from couple of years ago, not exactly last weekend, so i assume things have improved.

ZeDgE · #**3153** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 10:23 PM**

I am curious to know where you were? This does not sound like 8th or anywhere in the vicinity. Even a couple of years ago everything would have been open. TD Square, Eaton Centre, bankers hall, etc for retail, although there would have been a lot of construction happening in these as it was becoming "The Core". If you tried to enter some retail in some random office tower off the beat and path I could see that being closed. There are 'mini' malls or 'food courts' in pretty much every office tower, but most of those would have been closed on a weekend. Retail downtown is not that great anyway, even with how awesome the core looks now it caters mostly to the higher end. I would much prefer to go to Chinook or Market Mall where there are more 'mainstream' stores and services.

Anytime I have been downtown on 8th on a weekend in the summer its like Surreals pics below, there are people all over. 8th ave has improved vastly, even a few years ago it was like this. Out side of 8th, 3rd st, 1st, I could see it being much quieter but that's because its all closed office buildings elsewhere. People stay around 8th as that's where the majority of the restaurants and retail are located. The first and third pic you can see Flames Central on the left. I wont call you a liar, maybe its just the way you described it. We Calgarians are sensitive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

That pic isn't really a good example to go by. It's after hours on a night that's -20C

Take a look at these shots that I've taken of Montreal and from Calgary. The point isn't that Calgary is busier than Montreal......
Obviously Old Montreal is busy at times, but not always, just as parts of Calgary can be busy at times, but not always.

Downtown Calgary in January Thursday at 7:30pm

Stephen Avenue Mall by Surrealplaces, on Flickr

September Saturday evening at 8:30pm

Calgary's Stephen Avenue Mall by Surrealplaces, on Flickr

October 10 (Saturday) evening at 6:45pm

Calgary's Stephen Avenue Mall by Surrealplaces, on Flickr

Denscity · #**3154** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 10:32 PM**

Well this must have been during the early days of the Cores creation then. Would have loved to have found the core that day as it is today. Was surprised and disappointed. Every city over a million should have a downtown mall. Was at Chinook earlier that day but much prefer downtown settings of course.

ZeDgE · #**3155** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 10:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

Well this must have been during the early days of the Cores creation then. Would have loved to have found the core that day as it is today. Was surprised and disappointed. Every city over a million should have a downtown mall. Was at Chinook earlier that day but much prefer downtown settings of course.

That could be. I like the setting downtown better too honestly. Go pretty much every weekend during the summer, love it. I can see if you are used to Vancouver that it would seem pretty tame. Was there in Aug, and Granville, Robson, and area was just packed with people. But there are stores and cafes, etc everywhere. Only place even close here would be 17th or Kensington but those are even much smaller in scale. Its the downside of Calgarys CBD being mostly office towers. Maybe a couple more decades.

The Beltline is great though, and will likely improve much faster than downtown will, a lot more residential buildings. Mission is quickly becoming like a second Kensington now.

Allan83 · #**3156** Posted **Dec 31, 2012, 2:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denscity

Whoa seems like a couple of us have started a fire in this thread. Flames central indeed

. Anyways a few points for clarification:
I did not lie about my comment at all. Perhaps i was on a cross street near flames central and not on Stephen Ave?
Chadillac's original comment reminded me of a similar experience.
I was looking more for downtown retail open on saturday as opposed to a restaurant. Found what looked to be an indoor mall downtown but was disappointed and surprised that it was closed. And prefered a chain at least that i didnt have two of in my own small town. Woulda been happy to at least find that quiznos as we didnt have one here at home at that time.
Your comments make you guys seem more sensitive than need be.
My experience was from couple of years ago, not exactly last weekend, so i assume things have improved.

It reads the other way around to me. The fact that you would say something so ridiculous to try to diminish Calgary makes you sound insecure, or perhaps jealous of Calgary.

The Core is essentially just a new name for an old mall, btw. The mall itself has been around for at least 25 years. It used to be called the Eaton Centre.

Allan83 · #**3157** Posted **Dec 31, 2012, 3:10 AM**

On Calgary’s downtown in general, part of the reason the Beltline, Inglewood, and Kensington are busier is the ease of access, easier to park, cost of parking. With the new west LRT, however, which goes through a number of middle to upper class neighbourhoods, I wonder if we’ll see more people with money going downtown to shop, or for a meal. If the Core stayed open late every night now I wonder how much more business the west LRT would bring in?

Another small but significant hit to downtown was the closure of the Barron Building. Does anyone have any news on its status? I think there were only two theatres in there, but they were busy all the time with alternative movies, modern dance, and other things as well.