Rideau Centre Expansion | Completed

[phil235]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Think of how many people pass through there. 9 is infinitesimal.

I'd roughly estimate there's an average of 50,000 people a day passing through the Market area (including multiple counts of people passing through multiple times). That comes out to 800,000 people between Feb 2 and Feb 18. And 9 assaults? That means 9/800000 people got assaulted. That's a 0.001125% chance of getting assaulted, or about 1 in 90,000.

That's hardly a high enough chance for anyone to feel threatened.

Exactly. That map doesn't really tell you anything about the risk of being assualted. It's all about per capita numbers, which are almost certainly lower in the Market than in many other areas of the city, given the large numbers of people frequenting the area.

Not to mention that the vast majority of assaults in the Market are best characterized as bar fights or similar encounters by young, drunk males. Again, not a good thing, but common sense would dictate that they do not represent a threat to the average person visiting a bar in the Market, let alone the average non-bar goer who is walking in the area.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

And how many of those 9 were "random stranger assaults"... and how many were "you owe me drug money" kind of assaults?

That's also a good point. The few assaults that do happen here, are almost always because of already-existing criminal or gang involvement, or alcohol-related issues. Your chances of getting attacked as an innocent passerby is even lower.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

That's also a good point. The few assaults that do happen here, are almost always because of already-existing criminal or gang involvement, or alcohol-related issues. Your chances of getting attacked as an innocent passerby is even lower.

That was the point I was making earlier, along with the fact that street people seem only rarely to be involved. I have never felt insecure in the Market at night, just put off by all the tackiness.

[Boxster]

Originally Posted by Luker

I've lived at 90 George for over a year and have a number of friends and colleagues in both Claridge Plaza as well as East Market and can say without a doubt that none of us feel unsafe outside nor have any of us ever encountered any criminal or violent activity.

On the other hand, I have seen more individual & gang mentality assaults on patrons of bars in the last 10 years then I can count on my fingers. As always, the vast majority of the problems and violence can be attributed to over consumption of alcohol by the 18-25 y.o. demographic.

How do you like the 90 George?

[mac_junkie1]

Wayyyyyy off topic!!! Let's keep this thread related to the Rideau Centre Expansion please ;-). Easier to try and follow the horrible flow of forums haha

[Luker]

Originally Posted by Boxster

How do you like the 90 George?

No complaints, the built product is better than anything else I've ever been in, in Ottawa... Although I haven't been in 700 Sussex or The Merit which are the only likely candidates...

[Boxster]

Originally Posted by Luker

No complaints, the built product is better than anything else I've ever been in, in Ottawa... Although I haven't been in 700 Sussex or The Merit which are the only likely candidates...

Yes Canril was a good builder.

[kevinbottawa]

The door to the old food court (and future Shoppers?) was open the other day so I took a shot. If I'm not mistaken, they dug down ten feet into the future Rideau LRT station so this is good progress.

[loga0082]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

The door to the old food court (and future Shoppers?) was open the other day so I took a shot. If I'm not mistaken, they dug down ten feet into the future Rideau LRT station so this is good progress.

I saw the photo which you took of the old food court. It looks completely demolished. All I can see is the silver steels. Does the former Rideau Centre cinemas look exactly like that now? Is the ticket office for the LRT going to be located there? I get the LRT construction updates and I have heard that the construction workers are working underneath the Rideau Centre. I know that one part of the LRT station is going to be where the former scotia bank was.

Loga0082
What a lovely photo you took!

[mac_junkie1]

The theatres were demolished almost 2 years ago I believe. As soon as it shut down, it was ripped out... So yes, it probably does look like this, but cleaner. It was opened a little when I went up there a few months ago and it was just a big empty area at the time, very clean and bright. Wait another year to find out what might be going up there... Give it time to see how that space will be used. Its not big enough for a department store, but too big for a "normal" store. A nice restaurant was also discussed for the space awhile back with use of the terrace as a patio just like Nordstrom is doing for their own resto. Great views of Parliament Hill from this area of the mall... Will be cool to see what they have in mind.

Originally Posted by loga0082

I saw the photo which you took of the old food court. It looks completely demolished. All I can see is the silver steels. Does the former Rideau Centre cinemas look exactly like that now? Is the ticket office for the LRT going to be located there? I get the LRT construction updates and I have heard that the construction workers are working underneath the Rideau Centre. I know that one part of the LRT station is going to be where the former scotia bank was.

Loga0082
What a lovely photo you took!

[loga0082]

Originally Posted by mac_junkie1

The theatres were demolished almost 2 years ago I believe. As soon as it shut down, it was ripped out... So yes, it probably does look like this, but cleaner. It was opened a little when I went up there a few months ago and it was just a big empty area at the time, very clean and bright. Wait another year to find out what might be going up there... Give it time to see how that space will be used. Its not big enough for a department store, but too big for a "normal" store. A nice restaurant was also discussed for the space awhile back with use of the terrace as a patio just like Nordstrom is doing for their own resto. Great views of Parliament Hill from this area of the mall... Will be cool to see what they have in mind.

I went to the Rideau Centre nearly two weeks ago and I did go on top of the roof terrace. I saw a little bit of the back of the walls where the cinemas were. I could not walk any closer because it was blocked up due to construction. It looks like that the expansion is starting to connect with the existing Rideau Centre. I saw construction workers go inside the former cinemas and as I looked inside the door, I could see that the demolished cinemas looked clear and bright.

Loga0082

[loga0082]

Photo of former Rideau cinemas
Silvia Logan
February 22, 2015
Dear Mr. Macjunkie1 or Mr. Kevinottawa:

Do you by chance have a photo of the demolished former Rideau centre cinemas? I am curious to see what it looks like demolished. You told me that it looks much clearer and brighter than the former food court which was located on the ground floor of the Rideau Centre. If you do not have a picture of the demolished movie theatre, do not worry about it!

Loga0082

[mac_junkie1]

i have no pictures of that area...

it is blocked off and you can't really look into it easily most of the time. there is also many people up there as it was said to be a "break room" or something... it would be too weird to take pictures of just random construction workers. they don't care about what's going on anywhere. it is their job to complete the work as planned or scheduled.

theaters are not at all on my list of priorities. it is just an empty area now. nothing left of what was there before... on the outside, the side brick has been removed, so maybe something will be done there, but i don't know. as of yet, i don't think anything is planned for the space, and if something is, it won't be announced until much much later... there is no room to put anything up there. after the wall, its the roof of the addition, so its not like anything will be up there except for a continuation of the walkable terrace i would guess!!

Originally Posted by loga0082

Photo of former Rideau cinemas
Silvia Logan
February 22, 2015
Dear Mr. Macjunkie1 or Mr. Kevinottawa:

Do you by chance have a photo of the demolished former Rideau centre cinemas? I am curious to see what it looks like demolished. You told me that it looks much clearer and brighter than the former food court which was located on the ground floor of the Rideau Centre. If you do not have a picture of the demolished movie theatre, do not worry about it!

Loga0082

[loga0082]

Originally Posted by mac_junkie1

i have no pictures of that area...

it is blocked off and you can't really look into it easily most of the time. there is also many people up there as it was said to be a "break room" or something... it would be too weird to take pictures of just random construction workers. they don't care about what's going on anywhere. it is their job to complete the work as planned or scheduled.

theaters are not at all on my list of priorities. it is just an empty area now. nothing left of what was there before... on the outside, the side brick has been removed, so maybe something will be done there, but i don't know. as of yet, i don't think anything is planned for the space, and if something is, it won't be announced until much much later... there is no room to put anything up there. after the wall, its the roof of the addition, so its not like anything will be up there except for a continuation of the walkable terrace i would guess!!

When movie theatres are located on the upper floor and the floors where the cinemas were once located are uneven, it costs a lot of money to convert into something else. The Rideau centre is also very close to Parliament hill, so therefore the rent will be too high to have another company take over a former movie theatre and make it into cinemas again. In the end, they might convert the former cinemas into office space. The manager of the WEP said that they are converting the WEP cinemas into office space. The Capitol Square cinemas were converted into offices. The Elgin cinemas were converted into fast food chains. The old Bytowne on Beechwood Avenue was first converted into a ski shop and now it is the Guardian pharmacy. The Vanier cinemas became the dynacare and a Shoppers Drug Mart. I would say either a restaurant or offices will go in the former cinema space. I will wait and see what will happen.

loga0082

[Harley613]

Originally Posted by loga0082

...The old Bytowne on Beechwood Avenue was first converted into a ski shop and now it is the Guardian pharmacy...
loga0082

The old MEC/Current Guardian used to be the Bytowne?

[loga0082]

Originally Posted by Harley613

The old MEC/Current Guardian used to be the Bytowne?

Yes, the Guardian pharmacy located on Beechwood avenue use to be the Old Bytowne cinema. It closed down 25 years ago and moved it to the Bytowne on Rideau street.

Loga0082

[Kitchissippi]

IIRC, it was called the "Towne". The current Bytowne used to be called the Nelson.

[mac_junkie1]

A restaurant is what I said would be best a few days ago... Great views of the hill and a huge outdoor terrace...

It isn't that costly to fill in the un-eveness of the floors and its pretty simple, or they could just take it all out and pour a nice level surface, which wouldn't surprise me since the pouring systems were next door for the addition. Then again, maybe another cinema will move in... Who cares lol... Its a surprise... Let's wait and see what's in store. That's the fun part is waiting

Originally Posted by loga0082

When movie theatres are located on the upper floor and the floors where the cinemas were once located are uneven, it costs a lot of money to convert into something else. The Rideau centre is also very close to Parliament hill, so therefore the rent will be too high to have another company take over a former movie theatre and make it into cinemas again. In the end, they might convert the former cinemas into office space. The manager of the WEP said that they are converting the WEP cinemas into office space. The Capitol Square cinemas were converted into offices. The Elgin cinemas were converted into fast food chains. The old Bytowne on Beechwood Avenue was first converted into a ski shop and now it is the Guardian pharmacy. The Vanier cinemas became the dynacare and a Shoppers Drug Mart. I would say either a restaurant or offices will go in the former cinema space. I will wait and see what will happen.

loga0082

[loga0082]

[QUOTE=mac_junkie1;6925391]A restaurant is what I said would be best a few days ago... Great views of the hill and a huge outdoor terrace...

It isn't that costly to fill in the un-eveness of the floors and its pretty simple, or they could just take it all out and pour a nice level surface, which wouldn't surprise me since the pouring systems were next door for the addition. Then again, maybe another cinema will move in... Who cares lol... Its a surprise... Let's wait and see what's in store. That's the fun part is waiting [/QUOTE

]
You are probably right. They can easily make an uneven floor into an even floor by just removing it all out and pouring a nice level surface. They did it to the Capitol Square cinemas, the old Towne cinema, the Vanier cinemas, and the Elgin cinemas. A restaurant is an excellent idea because of an outdoor patio in the summer. The Exchange pub which was located across fro Starbuck's can be located where the former cinemas were. Maybe the Richtree bakery can go where the cinemas once stood. I am looking forward in the future what the cinemas will become. You never know!

Loga0082

[loga0082]

Towne cinema
Silvia Logan
February 23, 2015
When I read Alain Miguelez book "A Theatre Near You", when the cinema just opened it was called the Linden theatre for at least twenty years. Then, it became the Towne cinema for over 20 years. The last 3 months, when the Towne cinema was opened in 1989, it was called the New Edinburgh cinema until it closed its doors. The Bytowne use to be called the Nelson's until 1987. Then it was closed down for 2 years and became the Bytowne, when the Towne cinema shut down in 1989.
Loga0082