The Ugly Canada Thread

[esquire]

^ Not necessarily a terrible building, just needs some work.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

What a shame.

I would have to disagree in this case. That Cyclorama looked terrible in it's latter years. This 80's era office tower creates a nice terminus when looking down University. Looking at the cyclorama in the pictures it had little to no architectural flourishes that would have been worth saving. It's a a shame it wasn't built on the ex-grounds because it could have been updated and improved upon.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Not necessarily a terrible building, just needs some work.

Indeed. A sanding and some fresh stain and you'd be good to go, imo.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

I would have to disagree in this case. That Cyclorama looked terrible in it's latter years. This 80's era office tower creates a nice terminus when looking down University. Looking at the cyclorama in the pictures it had little to no architectural flourishes that would have been worth saving. It's a a shame it wasn't built on the ex-grounds because it could have been updated and improved upon.

I meant the painting inside not so much the exterior.

[O-tacular]

It's worth noting that inside the building I posted is awful too. Maybe the picture doesn't capture it's terrible essence properly. In person I'd be hard pressed to come up with an example of a more depressing place. It sits in an industrial park as well so you are also missing context. I really detest poo brown wood siding like this from the 70's and 80's. I think it is the architecture I find the most depressing even beyond the worst brutalism.

[SignalHillHiker]

Not sure if I mentioned this one before.

It's not THAT bad because from most angles the buildings look separate and not entirely offensive on their own. But it's actually one building. An old and brutal hotel with an unimaginative and completely mismatched extension.

The Great Wall of Delta:

[esquire]

^ I never would have guessed. In fact, I'm not entirely convinced you aren't pulling our legs on that.

[SignalHillHiker]

I love that.

It's true, I swear:

[Beedok]

That sort of reminds me of the one really long building in Port Arthur (I've never managed to get the whole thing in one pic I don't think).

[Arcologist]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed much in the Canada thread (it's certainly very popular in the Ottawa thread, as well as Ottawa newspapers), but I'd like to draw everyone's attention to the proposed National Victims of Communism Memorial in downtown Ottawa.

Here's the thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=6958036#post6958036

In case you haven't heard, the Conservatives have unilaterally moved to approve the building of this monument on the front lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada, just steps away from Parliament Hill on Canada's celebrated Confederation Boulevard.

Opposition to the site (and in some cases, the memorial itself) is fierce in Ottawa, but it doesn't appear that other Canadians are taking note. I think this is an important enough issue that Canadians from across Canada should be having their say.

I'm posting under this thread because I feel the monument is truly over-the-top (waaay too big!), the site is COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE, and the way the whole memorial proposal has been run to be completely undemocratic. Definitely fits under Ugly Canada!

[SignalHillHiker]

It's placement implies that it is the single most important such commemoration we as a federation need to make. I don't believe that's true. It's not the most relevant to crimes we have committed nor to the personal ancestry of most Canadians. Such a memorial is fine for the people who feel they need it, but the location is not appropriate.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It's placement implies that it is the single most important such commemoration we as a federation need to make. I don't believe that's true. It's not the most relevant to crimes we have committed nor to the personal ancestry of most Canadians. Such a memorial is fine for the people who feel they need it, but the location is not appropriate.

Almost, but not quite. The National War Memorial occupies that position. I keep hoping that the project proponents would quietly tell the government that they'd be happy with another location, if that would end the controversy, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of that yet.

[Echoes]

My main complaint with it is, why is it a memorial to victims of Communism only? What about the victims of all totalitarian and repressive regimes? I know that casts a pretty wide net, but why settle on just Communism?

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Arcologist

I'm not sure if this has been discussed much in the Canada thread (it's certainly very popular in the Ottawa thread, as well as Ottawa newspapers), but I'd like to draw everyone's attention to the proposed National Victims of Communism Memorial in downtown Ottawa.

Here's the thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=6958036#post6958036

In case you haven't heard, the Conservatives have unilaterally moved to approve the building of this monument on the front lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada, just steps away from Parliament Hill on Canada's celebrated Confederation Boulevard.

Opposition to the site (and in some cases, the memorial itself) is fierce in Ottawa, but it doesn't appear that other Canadians are taking note. I think this is an important enough issue that Canadians from across Canada should be having their say.

I'm posting under this thread because I feel the monument is truly over-the-top (waaay too big!), the site is COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE, and the way the whole memorial proposal has been run to be completely undemocratic. Definitely fits under Ugly Canada!

Thanks for posting. I had no idea this was being proposed. It does seem awfully ideologically driven even if it is commemorating real victims. How about a memorial for the victims of the American led Vietnam War?

Edit: What is this? The Cold War? Very indicative of Harper's outdated mindset. Ironically he then goes and sells Canadian Oil Companies to the Chinese. Go figure.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Echoes

My main complaint with it is, why is it a memorial to victims of Communism only? What about the victims of all totalitarian and repressive regimes? I know that casts a pretty wide net, but why settle on just Communism?

The proponents are from the Eastern European-Canadian community, along with some East Asian representation. The project had the support of (then) Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney (I think the idea goes back six or seven years). The communities in question are part of the Conservative "base" or targets for Conservative support. 2015 is an election year. It's not hard to figure out the backstory. Although some question the idea of a monunment to the victims of communism, the location and the winning design have been the targets of most criticism.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Thanks for posting. I had no idea this was being proposed. It does seem awfully ideologically driven even if it is commemorating real victims. How about a memorial for the victims of the American led Vietnam War?

It already exists over in front of the Plant Baths at Somerset and Preston, although it focuses more positively on the contributions made by the Vietnamese community.

[esquire]

That monument is so asinine that I'm sure it will be a reminder to future generations of the pettiness and cynical grandstanding of the Harper government more than anything else.

I say this as someone with a Eastern European background with a direct connection to people oppressed by communist regimes... It's worthy of commemoration for sure, but not in such an absolutely ridiculous way. I hope the next government demolishes it and uses the site for something more appropriate.

[1overcosc]

A "memorial to victims of communism" I don't like at all, because communism is an economic ideology.

Now, a "memorial to victims of Warsaw Pact totalitarianism" would be fine by my books. Literally just rename it, and I'm fine with the concept.

I'm against the location because it's way too significant of a space for a diaspora politics monument.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

The proponents are from the Eastern European-Canadian community, along with some East Asian representation. The project had the support of (then) Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney (I think the idea goes back six or seven years). The communities in question are part of the Conservative "base" or targets for Conservative support. 2015 is an election year. It's not hard to figure out the backstory. Although some question the idea of a monunment to the victims of communism, the location and the winning design have been the targets of most criticism.

Yeah, if it was a less substantial proposal in a less prominent location, I would likely not question its exclusive focus on communism. But if we're giving up this kind of real estate in our nation's capital, it's disappointing (but not surprising) to see such a narrowly focused memorial pitched to pander to a voter base.

[The_Architect]

"Victims of Communism Memorial" is the most propaganda-y name I've ever heard. It sounds like something McCarthy-era USA would put up.

Imagine if Russia made a "National Victims of Capitalism Memorial"?