Regina Construction III

[Dan0myte]

Originally Posted by Festivus

Honestly the NDP are not going to make any drastic changes to Alberta culture with the exception of transferring some wealth from the top to schools and health funding. And with the exception of Rae's NDP government in Ontario, there haven't really been any horrible NDP governments in Canada. You can say that maybe Romanow and Calvert in SK didn't do as much as they could have to boost the economic situation, but they also did a pretty good job of preventing SK from going bankrupt in a bad time, and did a reasonable job at fiscal management. Honestly, the NDP have generally been elected historically when the Liberals or Conservatives have run a province into the ground, and then the NDP have to act fiscally conservative to save the province and are then booted out once things start to get better. I'm not sure where all the fear comes from. They campaign on the left but generally govern as Liberals.

People can say what they will about Romanow, but he made the tough decisions during tough times that were necessary to keep this province afloat. He was a steady hand in some rough waters and had to clean up a shitload of problems left behind by the Grant Devine regime. I hope for Alberta's sake that Notely is more of a Romanow and less of a Calvert.

[Stormer]

I mostly don't agree with comparisons to Norway. The cost of living in Norway is atrocious and taxes are punitive. The VAT alone is 25% (15% on food) vs. Alberta 5% (GST) 0% on food.

Alberta could have had a sales tax for the last 40 years and put a $100 billion into savings, but they made the choice to leave that money in the hands on citizens. You can argue whether that was the right long-term economic policy, but that is what Albertans chose.

Remember Alberta has 100's of years of oil sands reserves while Norway is supposed to run out of oil in the near future. Further Alberta has to share its energy wealth with the rest of Canada. They are apples and oranges.

If Alberta doubled its royalties on oil production, investment would dry up to near zero.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I mostly don't agree with comparisons to Norway. The cost of living in Norway is atrocious and taxes are punitive. The VAT alone is 25% (15% on food) vs. Alberta 5% (GST) 0% on food.

Alberta could have had a sales tax for the last 40 years and put a $100 billion into savings, but they made the choice to leave that money in the hands on citizens. You can argue whether that was the right long-term economic policy, but that is what Albertans chose.

Remember Alberta has 100's of years of oil sands reserves while Norway is supposed to run out of oil in the near future. Further Alberta has to share its energy wealth with the rest of Canada. They are apples and oranges.

If Alberta doubled its royalties on oil production, investment would dry up to near zero.

I remember a study from a few years back that estimated that if Alberta didn't have energy royalties they would have to have a sales tax of 19% to maintain their spending at that time.
Do a google search on "Alberta vs. Norway" and come to your own conclusions. Whether you include the keyword, "squandered" in the search is up to you. Alberta's reckless spending is the key point in my mind - not sales taxes or royalty rates. Alberta does not share its energy wealth with the rest of Canada - it retains 100%. Once Alberta (as with Sask now) slipped into the have province territory there is no financial equalization offset. I have seen first hand the effects of politically motivated spending in various sectors in Alberta that have had the net effect of gutting neighboring province's industries - we share Alberta's energy legacy in that regard. I have also heard countless stories of public money being spent less than prudently for political purposes. Do you think Alison Redford was the only person in Alberta government that was using public money inappropriately? 44 years for one party in power....there are going to be lots of skeletons in closets.

There has been tremendous growth in Alberta, unbridled and uncontroled growth that has had serious negative impacts on its own province and neighboring provinces that provided significant gains to people on the right side and the right families with the right MLA connections. Tremendous wealth has been generated in Alberta in the last 10 years but provincial taxpayers have deficit and debt to show for it.

I'm not a fan of the NDP but bravo to the people of Alberta for resisting the conservative dogma and fear mongering and voting for long overdue change.

“We’re going to put an end to the gravy train.”– Rob Ford, Oct. 25, 2010.
Sadly, even Rob Ford would be an improvement as premier of Alberta.

[Stormer]

...differing views on this, but I guess we are getting too far off development and construction. One last link:

http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2015/03/alberta-is-not-norway/

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by Stormer

...differing views on this, but I guess we are getting too far off development and construction. One last link:

http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2015/03/alberta-is-not-norway/

I don't know if we differ that much. I'm not sold on the Norway model either and definitely not while a province still has debt to pay off, but there has to be some middle ground between heritage reserves of $17 billion and $1 trillion that could get an energy reliant province through those boom/bust times when a deficit is deemed necessary.

But back to Saskatchewan development, anything that gets the drunken sailors off the deck of the Alberta ship will benefit Saskatchewan. Responsible government benefits everyone.

[Stormer]

I think this is the 3rd spring running that the city has killed the grass in Vic Park with their little used skating rink. This was supposed to be on the Plaza according to the original plans and renders. I think it would fit on the Plaza but for some reason they won't use it.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Rendering of what the waterpark will look like after renovations at the Regina Travelodge Hotel:



https://scontent-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...31771100208047_1761937702102259117_o.jpg

[brithgob]

Soooo... who saw this coming?
http://regina.ctvnews.ca/lowe-s-acquires-lease-for-former-regina-target-store-location-1.2369336

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Originally Posted by brithgob

Soooo... who saw this coming?
http://regina.ctvnews.ca/lowe-s-acquires-lease-for-former-regina-target-store-location-1.2369336

This was one of the rumors I had heard, along with Wal-Mart taking it.

To be honest I ignored it since I didn't really see it working. And I still don't. Lowe's likes to own their properties (like Grasslands) and they usually locate in power centers. It's significantly smaller than their other location and their outdoor area is going to be significantly smaller still.

I think they would have been better off competing with Home Depot on Rochdale or waiting until Aurora or Tower Crossing was ready. But obviously they see something they like.

[StealthGirl]

Could Lowes be thinking they could expand the footprint into the parking lot?

New credit card parking meters on 11th Ave. Under 1 hour will require coin payment, but plastic for an hour. $500 per machine cost in pilot project.
http://www.cjme.com/story/new-parking-meters-reginas-11th-avenue-take-credit-cards/554115

ETA: Also today, another urban reserve is likely coming to Regina. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/new-urban-reserve-proposed-for-regina-1.3069776

Originally Posted by cbc.ca

Nekaneet First Nation's main land base is about 390 kilometres southwest of Regina, but it's looking to set up an urban reserve at 4400 Diefenbaker Dr. on the north edge of the city...Because the gas station will be built above a particularly sensitive region over an aquifer, an underground water system, Nekaneet will be required to build tanks above ground and take special precautions to control potential spills.

The proposal goes to the city's executive committee on Wednesday and Regina City Council on May 25.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Crazy yes. I assume you mean the giant place covered in the odd pinkish colored tiles?

As far as crazy the space ship house on one of the Heseltine peninsulas might be tops. There is no streetview just sattelite. this house has a garage with a glass wall into the house. Must have a pretty nice car to show off. Also, the furniture is out of this world.

There is another very modern house with a flat roof and curved walls going up on one of the other peninsulas on the same lake. Here is the original spaceship house referred to above:

[UPP]

The other one under construction at the other end of that pond is being built by the same person as that all glass round house.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

I've always looked at the Royal Bank building downtown and thought how amazing it would be if it was taller. Does anyone know if any of the downtown Regina buildings were originally meant to be taller, and if so, do you think they would ever be built higher? The Royal Bank building's look is actually one of my favourite's. Reminds me of the Bank of Montreal tower in Toronto.

[Stormer]

New street signs for downtown

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

I've always looked at the Royal Bank building downtown and thought how amazing it would be if it was taller. Does anyone know if any of the downtown Regina buildings were originally meant to be taller, and if so, do you think they would ever be built higher? The Royal Bank building's look is actually one of my favourite's. Reminds me of the Bank of Montreal tower in Toronto.

In 1963, there was a proposal for twin 45-storey towers for the Midtown Centre site. That was to be for offices and hotel. Huh.

Other towers that were to be taller? Here we go:

> The SaskTel head office was originally to be one storey taller.
> The Delta (nee Ramada) was originally to be 30 stories; it was instead reduced to 25.
> The SaskPower Building was to be 20 stories; ended up as 13.
> The original Harvard twins (nee Victoria Plaza) were to be 90 metres, not 79.
> The Mosaic tower was to be 84.5 metres; it was reduced to 81.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

In 1963, there was a proposal for twin 45-storey towers for the Midtown Centre site. That was to be for offices and hotel. Huh.

Other towers that were to be taller? Here we go:

> The SaskTel head office was originally to be one storey taller.
> The Delta (nee Ramada) was originally to be 30 stories; it was instead reduced to 25.
> The SaskPower Building was to be 20 stories; ended up as 13.
> The original Harvard twins (nee Victoria Plaza) were to be 90 metres, not 79.
> The Mosaic tower was to be 84.5 metres; it was reduced to 81.

The Canada Life Building was supposed to be 11 floors with a peaked roof. Reduced to 9 with a flat roof.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Stormer

The Canada Life Building was supposed to be 11 floors with a peaked roof. Reduced to 9 with a flat roof.

I didn't know about that one, thanks!

But oh geez, heaven forbid if Canada Life had a peaked roof.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

I didn't know about that one, thanks!

But oh geez, heaven forbid if Canada Life had a peaked roof.

It also had another level of underground parking that was cut. I remember seeing renders, I think they were even in the LP and it actually looked quite nice with the peak.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Stormer

It also had another level of underground parking that was cut. I remember seeing renders, I think they were eve in the LP and it actually looked quite nice with the peak.

I sit corrected. I had envisaged it as a giant house or church. I'll look around for that render.

Thanks.

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

In 1963, there was a proposal for twin 45-storey towers for the Midtown Centre site. That was to be for offices and hotel. Huh.

Other towers that were to be taller? Here we go:

> The SaskTel head office was originally to be one storey taller.
> The Delta (nee Ramada) was originally to be 30 stories; it was instead reduced to 25.
> The SaskPower Building was to be 20 stories; ended up as 13.
> The original Harvard twins (nee Victoria Plaza) were to be 90 metres, not 79.
> The Mosaic tower was to be 84.5 metres; it was reduced to 81.

I believe Chateau Qu'Appelle was originally intended as a 14 storey building, not an at-grade park