Edmonton Construction 13 (November 2015)

[GreenSPACE]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

I was told by developers in the area that the cities portion of the funding for 41 ave is all from offsite levies paid by developers in the vicinity.

I know the City's portion was around $75m. I don't know if there's a way to confirm how much was from off-site levies.

My general point was just how many overpasses are required, there is no way the City can afford them all.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Originally Posted by GreenSPACE

1 down, 84 more to be built. Or until we're bankrupt.

We don't need 84 overpasses right away, but the next priorities for them are at Yellowhead/127 St and Yellowhead/149 St.

[240glt]

I've heard from a reliable source that an overpass at the 50th st rail lines is being fast tracked.

Can't be soon enough

[GreenSPACE]

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

We don't need 84 overpasses right away, but the next priorities for them are at Yellowhead/127 St and Yellowhead/149 St.

Ya, 30 years or so. Which we still can't afford if people aren't willing to have their taxes go up.

[Black Star]

Originally Posted by 240glt

I've heard from a reliable source that an overpass at the 50th st rail lines is being fast tracked.

Can't be soon enough

Cant happen soon enough. With the time I have spent waiting for the choo choo train at this location over the years I could have taken an online course on how to build a overpass or underpass!

[240glt]

^ yup.. Been caught there so many times I can't count.. Mostly when I was in a rush to get to a jobsite meeting on the south end

More recently, we've been driving all over hell's half acre during rush hour as my mother-in-law is at her assisted living complex in Terwillegar, and father-in-law who had a dehabilitating series of strokes has been moved out of the hospital to a care facility in St. Albert. So after a quick 10 minute commute home to Gold Bar to let the dogs out, we're jumping back in the car and driving down 50th st (train!) to Whitemud (parking lot!) to Rabbit Hill Road, then onto the SW Henday (stupid!) all the way around to Messier trail (another parking lot) so the inlaws can at least see each other every day.. Been getting home at 10:30 every night for the past two months

Between our terrible roads, disgraceful health care system and incompetent city management i honestly can't wait to move back home

[Coldrsx]

New venue Downtown, 9910, under Common.

http://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment...ontons-newest-venue-9910-opens-its-doors

[rapid_business]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

I was told by developers in the area that the cities portion of the funding for 41 ave is all from offsite levies paid by developers in the vicinity.

Just the connecting road (41st Ave). Not the bridge itself.

EDIT: I was incorrect. Local developers pooled $10M towards the bridge too to get it fast tracked as they saw value in the connection to adjacent proposed and U/C neighbourhoods.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

David Staples: Warm pool for cold city a hot idea
http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/david-staples-warm-pool-for-cold-city-a-hot-idea

One day Rossdale will again be what it was when Fort Edmonton was located there, the heart of this region, the place we most want to be, the place that best demonstrates what this part of the world has to offer. In the words of the Cree, it will again be Pehonan, the gathering place for north central Alberta.

This is all going to happen because an ever-increasing number of big thinkers are pushing bold plans, such as the one that Michael Zabinski, 29, an intern architect Dialog is now working on.

In many mature, cold climate cities around the world, outdoor heated pools, saunas and steam baths are a major part of the local culture. Because we’re an immature cold climate people, still new to this land, still figuring out how to make the best of our winters, we don’t yet have such major public, outdoor heated pools or indoor steam baths, hot places to enjoy the cold winter.

Zabinski’s plan is to place a major indoor/outdoor complex of such steam baths and pools in and around the Rossdale power plant. His plan — his graduate thesis from architecture school at Dalhousie University — is a finalist in the Edmonton Urban Design Awards, which are being held Friday evening at City Hall.

The city is spending $3 million to stabilize the old building, but there’s no viable plan for its redevelopment. Some have suggested it become a market, others a museum and cultural centre, and others still think it’s best seen as an urban ruins, a decaying but public monument and park.

Zabinski re-imagines the building with hot steam baths outside and inside, with a boardwalk walkway and platform running around it and through it. Some of the walls would be opened up, with much of the building being open air. The place will have its old industrial feel, with only small sections inside built to modern standards with insulation.

In Zabinski’s most ambitious scheme, geothermal energy would power both the steam baths and the new condo and commercial development planned for West Rossdale.

Zabinski also sees a hotel, commercial and condo development right next to the plant.

Zabinski isn’t alone in plotting about Rossdale’s future. Numerous architects, politicians, developers and citizens are dreaming. New ideas regularly bubble up for Rossdale’s future...

[EdmTrekker]

I love this idea it is so great. What a great tourist attraction.

[Coldrsx]

'In many mature, cold climate cities around the world, outdoor heated pools, saunas and steam baths are a major part of the local culture. Because we’re an immature cold climate people, still new to this land, still figuring out how to make the best of our winters, we don’t yet have such major public, outdoor heated pools or indoor steam baths, hot places to enjoy the cold winter.'

THIS, for the love of god this!

QE site should have become a large outdoor hot tub, steam, sauna.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

'In many mature, cold climate cities around the world, outdoor heated pools, saunas and steam baths are a major part of the local culture. Because we’re an immature cold climate people, still new to this land, still figuring out how to make the best of our winters, we don’t yet have such major public, outdoor heated pools or indoor steam baths, hot places to enjoy the cold winter.'

THIS, for the love of god this!

QE site should have become a large outdoor hot tub, steam, sauna.

This concept implemented at both sites will be a major tourist attraction and define Edmonton as environmentally friendly - what great ideas and which will be WIDELY supported.

[Makenosmallplans]

Fantastic. we have to make this so.

[Coldrsx]

Winter hot tubs in the river valley or overlooking the river valley, please take my money, take all of it.

[mcc16]

I had the opportunity to try a couple baths in Budapest AND some saunas in Helsinki this summer. Absolutely loved it but please for the love of god make the one in Edmonton coed and bathing suit mandatory!

Geothermal even possible in Edmonton? I was reading a while back that at least for private residences geothermal isn't really cost effective and it wouldn't get the water anywhere near the temperature needed for a baths complex it would just warm it up a little and then an alternate power source would be needed to fully heat it? Maybe I'm way off here...

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Downtown revitalization then and now
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/downtown-revitalization-then-and-now-1.3327344

That kid looks familiar!

[Coldrsx]

Sure does...

[ExcaliburKid]

RE: Geothermal validity in Edmonton, projects that I've seen designed as "geothermal" have almost always had supplemental heating in the form of hot water boilers. I'm no expert, but from what I interpret, our region isn't exactly a hot spot for geothermal

[240glt]

^ there's really two types of geothermal heating.. One which uses the ground source as actual heating as they do in areas where there's volcanic activity and lots of heat and pressure underground, and the type that uses the ground in the same manner as a evaporator.. Essentially a heat collector as part of a heat pump circuit.

I've never heard of the former being used anywhere close to here as I don't believe that type of geothermal activity exists close to the surface here, but you do see a lot of the later. But I'd question why you'd use a heat pump to heat a pool in the wintertime when it's probably more economic to use a high efficiency boiler

[GreenSPACE]

Some kind of geothermal for a project that large would be viable. In small residential (for a single house) the costs outweigh the benefits. Geothermal is certainly an option in Edmonton.

I have loved Michael Z's idea for the Rossdale plan for quite some time. But it needs to be part of a catalyst development to have some shops/services/residential down there as well. Problem with Edmonton right now is all the effort is on Quarters, Blatchford, even Fort Road, the City is tapped out. We have a lot of brownfield sites unfortunately.