Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Walker
This might not be a popular viewpoint, but you are probably right, there really is no need for the RRI project at this point in time. Unless there is currently a developer looking specifically for a large plot of land near the downtown (for something like a convention center or arena), this project would be a huge, unnecessary expense right now. The downtown / transition area has enough vacant land and underutilized lots (just look at the massive amount of gravel parking lots between 13th and 15th) to easily satisfy the City’s high-rise needs for the next two decades if not more. It seems an expensive waste to massively expand the infrastructure footprint of the downtown to facilitate development which could occur on already serviced lots in the existing downtown/transition area. Regina's downtown doesn't need more infrastructure, it needs to replace and improve the crumbling infrastructure it already has.
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Well your opinion will be popular with anyone who has a little common sense. Let's face it, this city is a bit of a joke. Council is run by a bunch of middle age white guys, who have no sense of foresight or vision. They are more concerned with keeping the status quo and appeasing their developer pals.
There is absolutely no way Regina can sustain what is essentially going to be a second downtown. If this project does go ahead, what you are going to see is complete collapse of downtown. Retail, pubs, and restaurants will close or move the rail yards and what you will be left with, is a bunch of empty storefronts and a total close-down of downtown after 5pm again.
Instead of fixing what's broken, this city loves to forget about the problems and start all over again brand new, while spending millions of dollars. Lets take the "City Square" for example. It's a complete failure. They could have easily renovated the Scarth Street Mall, and extended it to Victoria. I bet it would have cost half as much and would be used a lot more, especially by the Copper Kettle and Ohans. Now we have a Scarth Street Mall which is old and tired and half the bricks need replacing.
We also had to cater to all the football fans, by building a state of the art stadium and subsiding it through tax increases. The building can only be used at most half the year, but we all know it will only be used a handful of times. It also will not bring any economic value to the city. Just think what the city could have done with downtown for 278 million?? How about build a new central library and arts centre, which would have been used all year round.
Half the sidewalks downtown are falling apart, the boulevards are a compete disgrace, especially on Victoria. Have you even seen the boulevard in front of city hall?? It's pretty much non existent. They can't even level the block flowerbeds. And instead of requiring the Aboriginal Affairs office building on 11th and Albert to actually landscape the property, the owners are instead paving over the entire lot. I could go on and on.
In my opinion, the only thing the city had going for itself was Wascana Park. Now they are even paving that over to help out their corporate buddies.
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