Calgary's Public Realm

[Allan83]

Originally Posted by MasterG

Totally agree with a restaurant idea. The Boxwood got it right and this should be emulated. You could use the back side of the building for a nice river facing patio in the sun. Would be quite the spot.

De-expressifying Memorial would also help integrate it to the area. The real barrier between N-S connectivity isn't really the river, its Memorial Drive. Cuts off the great public realm improvements in Kensignton area from the beauty of the river and the improvements along it.

You could never really get rid of the road altogether, however tightening things up and add a few more lights into Sunnyside would help make the area nicer and more attractive to be in rather than strangely isolated.

The lack of a crossing at the Peace bridge still just boggles my mind. Perhaps it is something to revisit in the future now that the bridge has proved to be significantly more popular and well-used than predicted.

I don't think it’s a big problem. It only really affects a small number of people in between the LRT bridge, essentially 9a St., and 7th St. Anyone west of 9a will take the LRT bridge and anyone east of 7th will take the crossing there.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by Allan83

I don't think it’s a big problem. It only really affects a small number of people in between the LRT bridge, essentially 9a St., and 7th St. Anyone west of 9a will take the LRT bridge and anyone east of 7th will take the crossing there.

It does limit options though for everyone: commuters from farther afield, tourists and residents. Options are good things to have. Why do we have to sacrifice any connectivity between two of our nicest urban areas? We shouldn't be have limited access to these two crossings, especially when providing more access is so easy. Particularly true in this between two of our best and busiest pedestrian and bicycle-friendly areas of the city.

With all the effort spent on the much larger and more expensive gap in connection (i.e. the bridge over the river), one would think you wouldn't compromise on the much easier and cheaper connection of another stop-light and a bit of paint.

Judging by the wear down of the grass and shrubs designed to block the crossing at that intersection, there is a large amount of people who want to use this crossing despite there being proper connections a few blocks away.

[Allan83]

That’s a good point. If people are crossing there anyway maybe they haven’t figured out that you only have to walk down a couple of blocks each way, but maybe they’re not going to figure it out. If people continue to cross there, for whatever reason, then there probably should be a crossing there. People are going to start getting hit otherwise.

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by Allan83

That’s a good point. If people are crossing there anyway maybe they haven’t figured out that you only have to walk down a couple of blocks each way, but maybe they’re not going to figure it out. If people continue to cross there, for whatever reason, then there probably should be a crossing there. People are going to start getting hit otherwise.

Looking at Google maps, the nearest crossing is a good 100-125m away...and you have to walk there AND back to get to the same spot...so that's basically a quarter of a kilometer to walk to get across the street. I'm not surprised that people jaywalk across (I use Memorial daily, and I see it all the time)...I would too.

It was silly for the City to allow a bunch of community idiots dictate where those lights were going. This is one of those cases where common sense should've overruled. They'll have to spend the money to fix it eventually.

[Chadillaccc]

There is a crosswalk like maybe 150 feet from the Peace Bridge.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by CorporateWhore

Looking at Google maps, the nearest crossing is a good 100-125m away...and you have to walk there AND back to get to the same spot...so that's basically a quarter of a kilometer to walk to get across the street. I'm not surprised that people jaywalk across (I use Memorial daily, and I see it all the time)...I would too.

It was silly for the City to allow a bunch of community idiots dictate where those lights were going. This is one of those cases where common sense should've overruled. They'll have to spend the money to fix it eventually.

Was it the community who influenced this? I would be interested in the story behind why this crossing wasn't done if anyone knows.

If you include waiting time to cross/climbing up and over at the overpass that's about a 5 minute detour. The equivalent 5 minutes in a car would be if you are at the corner of 5th Ave and 10th street bridge wanting to go to Memorial and 10th Street. Except you are forced to use Crowchild instead of 10th Street Bridge or 14th Street Bridge.

I am sure someone will eventually get struck and seriously injured crossing there and they will have to reopen the issue. At least we have that to look forward too!

[CorporateWhore]

Originally Posted by MasterG

Was it the community who influenced this? I would be interested in the story behind why this crossing wasn't done if anyone knows.

Bigtime can probably give us the details, but I believe the city wanted it by the Peace Bridge, but the Sunnyside CA or someone asked that it be moved down a block for some reason or another. By that point the City was probably tired of dealing with Peace Bridge backlash and just wanted to get shit done.

[DizzyEdge]

I thought I had heard that the city told the CA it could go at the end of the bridge, but there was a misunderstanding and the CA though the city would add an ADDITIONAL intersection for the peace bridge, leading to 2 close together, rather than MOVE it, so they declined.

[Fuzz]

Its ridiculous as it is. Basically every light cycle all day is activated. I think its about 45 seconds to 1 minute. I'd imagine the amount of gas burned in a year from stop and go that light causes would pay for a bridge. I cycle through it twice a day and almost feel guilty stopping all that traffic.

I also witness daily people J-walking across Memorial at 8th. Some one is going to get hit there, its only a matter of time. Whether its a car on Memorial or a bike as they cut across the pathway, so happy they survived that they forget they are entering a bike path. Trust me, it happens all the time.

If you look at how high up the Peace Bridge ends, its already almost 10 feet above Memorial. I think they could build some sort of C-shaped bridge over Memorial for not all that much money.

Oh, and I'm coming from much farther north. The Peace Bridge is awesome for my commute, Crossing Memorial? Not so much. Typical Calgary going 90% of the way to awesome.

[RyLucky]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

I thought I had heard that the city told the CA it could go at the end of the bridge, but there was a misunderstanding and the CA though the city would add an ADDITIONAL intersection for the peace bridge, leading to 2 close together, rather than MOVE it, so they declined.

I was one of the residence surveyed and the flaws in the survey were glaring.

As you said, it basically asked "Would you like the city to remove the existing xwalk?"

In the context of only knowing the existing popular xing at 7th st, the main route from Sunnyside to Prince's Island, I think residents would have preferred that the city create an additional xing at Peace without closing the existing one. The city seemed to assume in the survey that 2 ped crossings would cause intolerable traffic delays.

Survey results were mixed due to confusing wording, and I think most politicians (Farrell, etc) were happy to let the issue die because they were getting flack regarding Peace Bridge budget overruns and delays at the time.

[Chadillaccc]

Just to let you guys know... this is happening, and I am ing over it...



West Eau Claire Park


Central Phase


West Eau Claire Park 1 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

West Eau Claire Park 1-2 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

West Eau Claire Park 1-3 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr



West Phase


West Eau Claire Park 2 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

West Eau Claire Park 2-2 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

West Eau Claire Park 2-3 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr



East Phase


West Eau Claire Park 3 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

West Eau Claire Park 3-2 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

West Eau Claire Park 3-3 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr




the entire thing patched together...


West by Chadillaccc, on Flickr


Source: http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Documents/Publications/west-eau-claire-open-house-two.pdf

[Spring2008]

Looking good, I would just add that the city should put out a RFP in this area for a similar scale building as the Simmons building.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

I was one of the residence surveyed and the flaws in the survey were glaring.

As you said, it basically asked "Would you like the city to remove the existing xwalk?"

I was going to say that I recalled some type of BS survey about the crosswalk. I don't want to open this can of worms again, but this bridge was not built for those on the north side of the river. Some say it was built for those on the south side, particularly those with personal ties to the mayor of that time.

[RyLucky]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Just to let you guys know... this is happening, and I am ing over it...

I have to say, this brochure has killer graphic design.

[Full Mountain]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Just to let you guys know... this is happening, and I am ing over it...
West Eau Claire Park

West Phase


West Eau Claire Park 2 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

Source: http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Documents/Publications/west-eau-claire-open-house-two.pdf

I like the plan, but I'm unsure that building something around a feature that only arrived in the last flood (the standing wave) is the best idea, the next flood could wipe it out and result in an underutilized area.

[Spring2008]

Meh looks like they're only dumping some sand around there, small part of the overall budget. I say why not take advantage of it. Saw some people surfing on it over the summer, had to take a double take, thought I was in a coastal city for a sec.

Edit - isn't the province building a diversion tunnel?

[Spring2008]

Another new Beltline Park, third one in three years. Thomson family donated $2M, City matching it.

Looks like there's a water feature plus resto space in the prelim designs so far. Design continuing in the winter with construction starting next summer.

Rob Taylor @beltline_pres · Nov 7

.@EWoolleyWard8 . thanks . Thomson Family Park fully funded and ready to go . celebration for #Beltline. @Beltline_Parks @CalgaryParks .

[McMurph]

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

I like the plan, but I'm unsure that building something around a feature that only arrived in the last flood (the standing wave) is the best idea, the next flood could wipe it out and result in an underutilized area.

There was always a fairly good standing wave there, it was just a little more flow dependant. Whether or not people are playing in the water that will a nice spot.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Meh looks like they're only dumping some sand around there, small part of the overall budget. I say why not take advantage of it. Saw some people surfing on it over the summer, had to take a double take, thought I was in a coastal city for a sec.

Edit - isn't the province building a diversion tunnel?

It's a gigantic deck, not a beach. The only sand area, I believe, will be in the area of the cove.


Also, who knows if part of this park project won't be to shore up the standing wave against floods, make it permanent? I think that would be pretty cool.

[Spring2008]

Awesome!

Calgary parks to get $75M in new funding

Design renderings of Century Gardens
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BY AMANDA STEPHENSON, CALGARY HERALD NOVEMBER 11, 2014
A new $75-million injection into Calgary's parks system is expected to further enhance existing green spaces and help construct new ones in all four quadrants of the city.

City council has approved 18 projects under the Enmax Legacy Parks program, including the redevelopment of downtown's Century Gardens, upgrades at Confederation Park and flood repairs at Sandy Beach.

"This is a wonderful piece of funding ... It's a huge deal," said Ward 8 Coun. Evan Woolley. "We live in a city that has lots of parks space, fortunately, but there are still neighbourhoods that really need investment. This goes a long way toward building that investment."

The $75 million, which will be spent over a five-year period, represents the third round of funding doled out through the Enmax Legacy Parks program. Established in 2003, the program is a capital funding initiative through which any of Enmax's annual dividend to the city above $47.3 million goes into an account for new parks and park refurbishment.

In 2012, council extended the program by adding a further $75 million to the pot, but it has taken until now to decide how the money will be spent.

Some of the parks that will receive funding — such as Edworthy Park, Beaverdam Flats Regional Park and Prairie Winds Park — have been waiting on upgrades or repairs. Others — such as Haskayne Regional Park, Priddis Slough and a wetland regional park in the new northeast community of Cityscape — are in development stages.

Ward 7 Coun. Druh Farrell said it's rare for a city to have the opportunity to construct an entirely new park. She added the benefits of the Enmax Legacy Parks program are "incalculable."

Council has invested more than $135 million in Calgary parks through the program's first two phases. Some of the more prominent projects have included the revitalization of Central Memorial Park between 2008 and 2010, renovations to Devonian Gardens in 2012 and the addition of Poppy Plaza and the Landscape of Memory along Memorial Drive.

"When you look at the impact the Enmax Legacy Parks program has had over the last decade, it's transformed our city," Farrell said.

The complete list of projects that will be funded under phase 3 of the program includes: River Park/Sandy Beach/Britannia Slopes; Prairie Winds Park; Thomson Family Park; Bend in the Bow; Bowmont East Regional Park; Douglas Fir Trail; Confederation Park; Forest Lawn Creek Park; Northeast Regional Park (Cityscape); Beaverdam Flats Regional Park; Blakiston Park; Edworthy Park; Haskayne Regional Park; Priddis Slough; Bow to Bluff Park; Paskapoo Slopes Park; and Century Gardens.

The program also dedicates $3 million to a local open space acquisition fund.
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