New Central Library | Construction - Page 27

Full Mountain · #**521** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyLucky

Think you could visit all of Calgary's walkable cultural centres in a day?
1) Spark Science
2) Calgary Zoo
3) Fort Calgary
4) National Music Centre
5) Calgary Central Library
6) Glenbow
7) Epcor Ctr

Except #1 & 2 are anything but walkable....

Bigtime · #**522** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 4:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

Except #1 & 2 are anything but walkable....

Well the LRT does make the zoo very easy, but it is still a walk from there to Spark.

RyLucky · #**523** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 4:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

Except #1 & 2 are anything but walkable....

You can do it no problem. The whole route is about a 45 minute walk (shorter once new bridge opens), 20 minutes of which are through the zoo. However, I'll admit I wish they'd built Spark next to the station.

I used to work at the Zoo when I was in high school, and there was a guy who commuted through the Zoo every day from St George Heights to Downtown.

Full Mountain · #**524** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 4:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well the LRT does make the zoo very easy, but it is still a walk from there to Spark.

True, have they put a sidewalk from the zoo to spark yet?

Full Mountain · #**525** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyLucky

You can do it no problem. The whole route is about a 45 minute walk (shorter once new bridge opens), 20 minutes of which are through the zoo. However, I'll admit I wish they'd built Spark next to the station.

I used to work at the Zoo when I was in high school, and there was a guy who commuted through the Zoo every day from St George Heights to Downtown.

As an adult for sure, would you send you 9-10 year old child on it without you?

Just looking at googlemaps (looks to be recent images) and it looks like there is a sidewalk now...that said the connection to the zoo doesn't seem that intuitive, you have to go the opposite direction to get to the sidewalk on St. Georges Dr.

Big Sky · #**526** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 5:35 PM**

Agree 100%. People gripe about winter being such a detriment, but it's not that bad. Statistically speaking the average daytime highs in January and February are close of 0C and also many sunny days also. If places like Edmonton or Winnipeg which have much worse winters than Calgary can live without +15's Calgary can easily do it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

When's the last time it was -40 in Calgary? Seriously. It gets like that maybe once a year...if that. So why design a city for 0.1% of the year, when it will negatively affect the street life the other 99.9%?

And I'm pretty sure someone who works out of NY, and has lived in Norway, has experience bitter cold. Go walk down a canyon in midtown NY when it's not only bitter cold, but humid as well. You could be wearing Costanza-level Goretex and your nuts would still fall off. Funny how people there can live without +15s, yet some Calgarians still cling to this idea that we should build our cities around these exaggerated The Day After Tomorrow scenarios.

speedog · #**527** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

As an adult for sure, would you send you 9-10 year old child on it without you?

Just looking at googlemaps (looks to be recent images) and it looks like there is a sidewalk now...that said the connection to the zoo doesn't seem that intuitive, you have to go the opposite direction to get to the sidewalk on St. Georges Dr.

Realistically, most parents wouldn't send their 9-10 year old out to trek to those 7 places that RyLucky listed - not in this day and age or even 20 years ago.

Design-mind · #**528** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 6:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I have mixed feelings about the new library. I love the building and I love the fact that it is utilizing a piece of land that was until now unusable. What I don't like is it's location. It's too nice of a building to be stuck behind City Hall.

I feel the same about it being sandwiched between city hall and the new Hilton. But I think it will still be a nice gem to stumble upon when walking in the core.

RyLucky · #**529** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 7:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedog

Realistically, most parents wouldn't send their 9-10 year old out to trek to those 7 places that RyLucky listed - not in this day and age or even 20 years ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

As an adult for sure, would you send you 9-10 year old child on it without you?

Just looking at googlemaps (looks to be recent images) and it looks like there is a sidewalk now...that said the connection to the zoo doesn't seem that intuitive, you have to go the opposite direction to get to the sidewalk on St. Georges Dr.

I proposed it as a fun challenge. I'm not demanding your 9 year-old kids have to do all 7.

Wooster · #**530** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 7:47 PM**

Video of the presentation from last week:

http://www.calgarymlc.ca/explore-projects/new-central-library/videos

Policy Wonk · #**531** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 9:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsayfarian

I have mixed feelings about the new library. I love the building and I love the fact that it is utilizing a piece of land that was until now unusable. What I don't like is it's location. It's too nice of a building to be stuck behind City Hall.

That is roughly where I am with it. I would rather it be in Eau Claire or perhaps where the Louise Bridge parking lot is. A lowrise building that gives some character to the foreground. I also find it depressing to know it will be over-run with vagrants within an hour of opening.

RyLucky · #**532** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 9:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

I also find it depressing to know it will be over-run with vagrants within an hour of opening.

In 2018 when it opens, I hope someone quotes this post along with with photos of the huge crowd that will show up.

O-tacular · #**533** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 9:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

That is roughly where I am with it. I would rather it be in Eau Claire or perhaps where the Louise Bridge parking lot is. A lowrise building that gives some character to the foreground. I also find it depressing to know it will be over-run with vagrants within an hour of opening.

Is the current library filled with homeless hordes?

The Fisher Account · #**534** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 10:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Is the current library filled with homeless hordes?

It's pretty bad. You pray you don't have to go to the washroom as there are usually people showering at the sink or furiously masturbating to whatever female-orientated magazine they smuggled in under their coat

MasterG · #**535** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 10:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

I also find it depressing to know it will be over-run with vagrants within an hour of opening.

That's the problem with public buildings. They are open to the public.

RyLucky · #**536** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 10:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterG

That's the problem with public buildings. They are open to the public.

It's almost as bad as the internet...

WaitWhat? · #**537** Posted **Sep 8, 2014, 10:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

It's pretty bad. You pray you don't have to go to the washroom as there are usually people showering at the sink or furiously masturbating to whatever female-orientated magazine they smuggled in under their coat

To be fair, I think part of the blame for this lies with the library building. It is dark and rundown. Washrooms are small and dirty. There are too many dark corners with no sightlines. If I have the means and mobility to choose a library to study in, why would I choose the downtown library over the TDFL at the UofC? The new central library, however, is completely different. It is bright and open. It is inspiring and I would think it should attract more kids, families, etc.

Tills13 · #**538** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

That is roughly where I am with it. I would rather it be in Eau Claire or perhaps where the Louise Bridge parking lot is. A lowrise building that gives some character to the foreground. I also find it depressing to know it will be over-run with vagrants within an hour of opening.

can we stop saying things like this? the old library, two blocks from this place, was not "overrun with vagrants." On top of that, this building will have security like every other building in the downtown core, so if there is ever a problem with sketch individuals, they will be removed. Just because they are homeless does not mean they shouldn't be able to use the library. Let the people read.

Policy Wonk · #**539** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 12:48 AM**

I would be extremely comfortable saying the Castell Library is overrun with vagrants. And that isn't a recent phenomenon, it's been a problem since at least the early 90's.

The Fisher Account · #**540** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 12:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaitWhat?

To be fair, I think part of the blame for this lies with the library building. It is dark and rundown. Washrooms are small and dirty. There are too many dark corners with no sightlines. If I have the means and mobility to choose a library to study in, why would I choose the downtown library over the TDFL at the UofC? The new central library, however, is completely different. It is bright and open. It is inspiring and I would think it should attract more kids, families, etc.

Good points!