Great Canadian Skyline Thread II

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

/\ but in that last picture in black and white, these clusters create peaks and valleys that make the silhouette very interresting I find.

I think Montreal has a beautiful skyline, the modern towers are classy and lovely, while the historic towers add a dramatic theme. The whole thing fits together very well. The only thing "unimpressive" about it is the lack of height, which really isn't that big of a deal considering it does have clear peaks which rise above an extremely dense core of buildings.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Tosin007

If Toronto is "NYC Run by the Swiss" then Calgary is "Toronto run by Cowboys"!

NYC run by the Swiss is still somewhat relative but not in way that Ustinov originally meant it. NYC cleaned up and Toronto got a whole lot dirtier. I still find it somewhat applicable to our financial services industries. Anyways, I'm not quite sure what you meant by Toronto run by cowboys. I guess cowboys are friendly and Calgarians are friendly.

[Chadillaccc]

Actually the way I describe Calgary to my Ontarian friends and family is that it is a sort of mini Toronto from like 30 years ago. I know the are problems with this, as any, equivalency, but it is the closest comparison I can think of that exists in Canada. Toronto has a large, dead after five, commercial core like Calgary, Toronto has many interesting, historic neighbourhoods on the periphery of downtown, like Calgary (Inglewood, Mission, Marda Loop, Kensington, Bridgeland, etc). I dunno, that's about as far as the comparison usually goes, but it is just used to show that Calgary has the sort of multi faceted inner city, emblematic of Toronto, unlike Edmonton(used as a counter example because it is our closest neighbour and next closest city in population), which just has the Strathcona area and sort of the downtown for nightlife, restaurant scene and stuff like that.

[logan5]

I dunno there Chad. Not that Jasper is anything to brag about, but it certainly meets your criteria for a vibrant neighbourhood (or street), and it is certainly more vibrant than Marda, Inglewood, and Bridgeland combined. Calgary and Edmonton have a very similar level of urbanity as far as can tell.

[Chadillaccc]

I did say downtown Edmonton. That means only Jasper Ave, since it's basically the only street with any significant number of retail and restaurants on it downtown. However, I don't agree with you at all, as I've been to Edmonton a lot, and have lots of friends there, and I've been on 17th Avenue a lot, Jasper can't even compare to 17th Ave. Jasper is a street of stripmalls in Oliver, and a street of chain restaurants downtown. 17th is more akin to Whyte Avenue, but I'd say Whyte is much better due to the theater scene being mixed with the bar scene on that street. Whyte is more akin to Stephen Ave in Calgary, since both streets have a great mix of restaurants, nightlife, theatres, galleries, shopping, etc. But even still I'd probably give the edge to Whyte due to the eclectic nature of the street. The level of urbanity between Calgary and Edmonton varies greatly. Calgary has many interesting little places surrounding the inner city, Edmonton has one extremely interesting place, along with one mediocre place. I guess you could also count both of the cities Chinatowns too, but Calgary's still blows Edmonton's out of the water. I'm not bashing Edmonton here, I'm just being realistic, as I've been to and observed the city so much. Edmonton should be extremely proud of Whyte Avenue and the Strathcona area for sure, Whyte is easily the best street in the province. The point I'm trying to make here is that it's only one street, versus the several nice retail/restaurant/nightlife streets Calgary has.

Sorry for rambling, just trying to be clear.

[SkahHigh]

16 11 Montreal Drone-0344 by Tom Erickson, sur Flickr

[Martin Mtl]

/\ Beautiful!

[niwell]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Actually the way I describe Calgary to my Ontarian friends and family is that it is a sort of mini Toronto from like 30 years ago. I know the are problems with this, as any, equivalency, but it is the closest comparison I can think of that exists in Canada. Toronto has a large, dead after five, commercial core like Calgary, Toronto has many interesting, historic neighbourhoods on the periphery of downtown, like Calgary (Inglewood, Mission, Marda Loop, Kensington, Bridgeland, etc). I dunno, that's about as far as the comparison usually goes, but it is just used to show that Calgary has the sort of multi faceted inner city, emblematic of Toronto, unlike Edmonton(used as a counter example because it is our closest neighbour and next closest city in population), which just has the Strathcona area and sort of the downtown for nightlife, restaurant scene and stuff like that.

Sorry but that's not a good comparison at all. Calgary and Toronto have virtually nothing in common in terms of urban form having lived in both. I like my hometown a lot but a few select areas that extend no more than a few km from downtown is not "many" neighbourhoods. Sitting in a decent bar in Calgary looking at a strip mall and gas station across the street doesn't really happen in Toronto (National on 17th).

Calgary and Edmonton are pretty similar - the latter has just as many areas around downtown that count as interesting.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by niwell

Sorry but that's not a good comparison at all. Calgary and Toronto have virtually nothing in common in terms of urban form having lived in both. I like my hometown a lot but a few select areas that extend no more than a few km from downtown is not "many" neighbourhoods. Sitting in a decent bar in Calgary looking at a strip mall and gas station across the street doesn't really happen in Toronto (National on 17th).

Calgary and Edmonton are pretty similar - the latter has just as many areas around downtown that count as interesting.

That's okay, you're allowed to disagree. I've lived in both as well. It would have, and did, happen 30 years ago though. Hence how I said "from 30 years ago".

I would definitely like to hear about these areas surrounding downtown Edmonton that you consider interesting and urban though. Beause having been to the city and exploring it many dozens of times on foot and on transit, I have never come across them. Nor have my friends who live there who I've chatted with about this very topic. If you actually do know any, I'd love to hear about them so I can get photos next time I'm up there. I'm not talking about dead areas like the Quarters, I'm talking stuff that could be remotely comparable to Kensington, Bridgeland, Inglewood, or heck even Marda Loop.

[logan5]

Unless I'm lookin at the wrong parts, there doesn't seem to be much to Bridgeland or Marda loop. Not any better than 118th ave NW in Edmonton. The Riverdale area in Edmonton seems to have some potential.

[Chadillaccc]

Bridgeland is a big dense neighbourhood. There's a good 5 block stretch of retail on 1 Ave NE starting from 9a Street NE heading west. It's a pretty trendy area. There's also another dense retail area for Bridgeland along Edmonton Trail, known informally as the 'Breakfast District' (for its selection of awesome eclectic breakfast and brunch joints) that stretches for several blocks.

Marda Loop is deceptive, it has a couple blocks (plus one new block of retail U/C) of retail on either side of 33rd Avenue, plus the retail area just south of the main strip. It's more of a node than just a 1 street strip. However, of all the neighbourhoods in question here, you'd be right in assuming Marda Loop has the least retail opportunities of all of them.However it's not bad, given its location, for nightlife as there are several very popular bars in the area. It's still a really lovely neighbourhood to live though, it was where I first lived in Calgary. Bridgeland would be the one with the least nightlife.

118 Ave looks interesting, there seems to be a fair bit of retail in the area. Is it organized into a neighbourhood or Business Revitalization Zone like Kensington in any way? Access by LRT? 118 Ave is a good 4 kilometers outside of downtown though, that's a far cry from the 2 kilometers Marda Loop is from the Beltline. From a quick search on Google Maps, it doesn't look like there is any retail in the entire Riverdale neighbourhood.

[Tosin007]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

NYC run by the Swiss is still somewhat relative but not in way that Ustinov originally meant it. NYC cleaned up and Toronto got a whole lot dirtier. I still find it somewhat applicable to our financial services industries. Anyways, I'm not quite sure what you meant by Toronto run by cowboys. I guess cowboys are friendly and Calgarians are friendly.

Yup Exactly! that's what I meant about the whole Cowboy thing!

[Tosin007]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Bridgeland is a big dense neighbourhood. There's a good 5 block stretch of retail on 1 Ave NE starting from 9a Street NE heading west. It's a pretty trendy area. There's also another dense retail area for Bridgeland along Edmonton Trail, known informally as the 'Breakfast District' (for its selection of awesome eclectic breakfast and brunch joints) that stretches for several blocks.

Marda Loop is deceptive, it has a couple blocks (plus one new block of retail U/C) of retail on either side of 33rd Avenue, plus the retail area just south of the main strip. It's more of a node than just a 1 street strip. However, of all the neighbourhoods in question here, you'd be right in assuming Marda Loop has the least retail opportunities of all of them.However it's not bad, given its location, for nightlife as there are several very popular bars in the area. It's still a really lovely neighbourhood to live though, it was where I first lived in Calgary. Bridgeland would be the one with the least nightlife.

118 Ave looks interesting, there seems to be a fair bit of retail in the area. Is it organized into a neighbourhood or Business Revitalization Zone like Kensington in any way? Access by LRT? 118 Ave is a good 4 kilometers outside of downtown though, that's a far cry from the 2 kilometers Marda Loop is from the Beltline. From a quick search on Google Maps, it doesn't look like there is any retail in the entire Riverdale neighbourhood.

I love you guys! Always learning something new!

[ue]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Actually the way I describe Calgary to my Ontarian friends and family is that it is a sort of mini Toronto from like 30 years ago. I know the are problems with this, as any, equivalency, but it is the closest comparison I can think of that exists in Canada. Toronto has a large, dead after five, commercial core like Calgary, Toronto has many interesting, historic neighbourhoods on the periphery of downtown, like Calgary (Inglewood, Mission, Marda Loop, Kensington, Bridgeland, etc). I dunno, that's about as far as the comparison usually goes, but it is just used to show that Calgary has the sort of multi faceted inner city, emblematic of Toronto, unlike Edmonton(used as a counter example because it is our closest neighbour and next closest city in population), which just has the Strathcona area and sort of the downtown for nightlife, restaurant scene and stuff like that.

You're kidding me right?

How does Calgary have neighbourhoods like Bridgeland and Marda Loop considered "historic", interesting neighbourhoods (which by Toronto standards, they certainly are not), among others you listed, and Edmonton only has Downtown and Strathcona? I find it hard to believe you are woefully ignorant of neighbourhoods such as Garneau, Westmount, Oliver, Alberta Ave, and Chinatown, but clearly you are, otherwise you wouldn't have made this ridiculous comparison from Toronto to Calgary, and then down to Edmonton.

For what it's worth, Edmonton's immediate core is far more "multi-faceted" a la Toronto's outside of the Financial District.

[Chadillaccc]

Delete

[ue]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I did say downtown Edmonton. That means only Jasper Ave, since it's basically the only street with any significant number of retail and restaurants on it downtown.

Just no. Please google 104 Street, Rice Howard Way, and 102 Ave. Especially the first two. I know for a fact you've at least been to 104 St.

Whyte is more akin to Stephen Ave in Calgary, since both streets have a great mix of restaurants, nightlife, theatres, galleries, shopping, etc. But even still I'd probably give the edge to Whyte due to the eclectic nature of the street.

Actually Stephen Ave and Whyte Ave have completely different feels from one another and are marketed in completely different ways.

The level of urbanity between Calgary and Edmonton varies greatly.

Incorrect. The parts of Edmonton and Calgary's "urbanity" may be different in many regards, but the sum of these parts couldn't be more similar.

Calgary has many interesting little places surrounding the inner city, Edmonton has one extremely interesting place, along with one mediocre place.

Utterly false. See above post. You are either woefully ignorant or an arrogant booster at this point.

I guess you could also count both of the cities Chinatowns too, but Calgary's still blows Edmonton's out of the water.

This really depends on what you're after in terms of a Chinatown. Calgary's looks nicer, with more ornamentation, but it's almost too polished. Edmonton's along 97 St is very gritty but also very authentic.

I'm not bashing Edmonton here, I'm just being realistic,

No, you're being a homer. And you're commenting on things you clearly have no authority on.

as I've been to and observed the city so much.

Clearly you haven't observed the many neighbourhoods we have that compete with Mission, Bridgeland, Inglewood, and Marda Loop. You clearly don't know this city very well at all.

Edmonton should be extremely proud of Whyte Avenue and the Strathcona area for sure, Whyte is easily the best street in the province. The point I'm trying to make here is that it's only one street, versus the several nice retail/restaurant/nightlife streets Calgary has.

Sorry for rambling, just trying to be clear.

Thanks for the backhanded compliment based on utter ignorance.

[ue]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Dude, you've literally said the words to me "Calgary feels so much more urban than Edmonton. I love it here." When we were talking while walking around Mission taking pics, don't give me this shit.

Also, no, I haven't been to Garneau, Westmount, or Alberta Ave. No one has ever told me about them!

Don't put words in my mouth and don't rehash old shit needlessly. I've come to your defense in the past, but after such asinine comments bore out of pure ignorance, I find it hard to continue doing so. You've completely discounted Edmonton at the sole gain of your adopted home. Calgary's core does feel more urban than Edmonton's at the moment, and in many respects in terms of planning, Calgary is slightly ahead of us, but that doesn't mean on the whole the two cities aren't comparable.

So just because you've never been to or even heard of some of the most key urban neighbourhoods in Edmonton, you feel it necessary to provide commentary on a city you clearly know nothing about?

That's like commenting on Toronto without leaving Yonge-Dundas, the Eaton Centre, and Queen St between Spadina and Nathan Philips, and critiquing it without being aware of the Danforth, Kensington Market, Yorkville, Annex, Roncesvalles, the Beaches, Yonge-Eglinton, St. Clair West, etc.

[Chadillaccc]

Delete

[ue]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I know more about Edmonton than the people that were responding previously, so I was providing the information that I know. You need to relax. I was genuinely asking about if there are neighbourhoods near the downtown that are akin to Kensington, Bridgeland, etc. Because if there are, I didn't know about them. Now I do because of you. You don't need to freak out. You're acting like me circa 2013.

The problem is that you didn't know but you were acting as if you did and were giving people false information when you should've realized that you don't know this city that well and shut up about it. Stick to what you know or face being called on your shit.

[Chadillaccc]

Delete