Quote:
Originally Posted by Feneant
But that would be just like Moncton, start heavily developing an area and halfway through move all the development to a new area. It's usually reserved to residential (Royal Oaks, Mountain Woods, Halls Creek, etc.) but the same can easily happen to commercial where now you have Elmwood drive and Harrisville both competing for the same dollars as Mapleton. I remember when the casino was built and we had concerts outside, people said that area would develop with restaurants, possibly more hotels, etc. and yet the same lands that was for sale 5 years ago remains for sale (Next to the petro Can, across from the zoo in the field, etc.)
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We can even go back to Blue Cross in 1988: The idea was that the east end of downtown would boom and fill in quickly, yet the old Irving station (now Marriott) stood empty for 15 years, and only 30 years later are we seeing a significant residential development (55 Queen). The great sea of parking behind Assomption remains, and Main St from the Marriott all the way to Dieppe City Hall feels completely suburban.
Now we're building the events centre on the other edge of downtown and expect that to be a catalyst for urbanisation.
In all instances, suitable land is ready elsewhere, but developers will opt for cheap land instead and expect the public to bare the cost of building the infrastructure to make that cheap land actually valuable.
Same story with the proposed hotel on Queensway, which - based on council's reaction to the petition last night - will go ahead.
To be clear, the events centre will have an effect, but development will dry up quickly as land value rises. As long as the city and province keep saying yes to all development, expect more of the same.
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