I didn’t do the sleuthing so much as just ask the question. I can’t tell, are you being sarcastic? If so, why?
Not at all. You're the first to ever ask about it which leads me to believe you're one of the few to have ever noticed it being so out of place and all.
Not at all. You're the first to ever ask about it which leads me to believe you're one of the few to have ever noticed it being so out of place and all.
Sorry Moncton, but that's one nasty looking arena. Good that it got built but was there no attempt to build something that would blend into what will become an urban core? Why are we so bad at this? Edmonton's new arena is gorgeous as is the Richmond skating oval but they're exceptions. The vast majority of Canadian arenas look like large industrial park warehouses.
For being such central pieces of cultural infrastructure in our cities Canada doesn't make any attempt to make them architectural show pieces.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad
None of those Street View images I posted show the entrance to the arena off Main Street. I'm at work right now and can't do anything about it, but when I get home this evening I'll post a few photos showing what the face of the arena looks like (and the plaza in front).
As promised, here are a few photos to show the more photogenic face of the events centre fronting Main Street and the Highfield Street extension:
main entrance as seen from an upper floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The oval structure on the plaza in the foreground is an unfinished outdoor stage that will be used for free public performances and events. The green space between the events centre and the office buildings in the background will eventually be sold for commercial development. This side of the events centre will thus be hidden from view.
recent flag raising for the Moncton Wildcats hockey team in front of the main entrance, showing the scale of the glass fronted atrium
the plaza at the front showing the stage and the refrigerated outdoor skating rink immediately in front of the stage. The round footings surrounding the ice surface is for an elaborate trellis system. The plaza will also include green space, trees and eventually a small cafe/information kiosk and shop for ice skate rentals.
the outdoor refrigerated skating oval will be named after Ian Fowler. This image gives an idea of what the final end product will look like.
here are a bunch of photos showing the current status of construction (as of early December 2017).
meanwhile a new Hyatt Place Hotel will be built (construction beginning this summer) on the SE corner of the Main/Highfield intersection, immediately adjacent to the events centre. This hotel will occupy one of those surface parking lots in Moncton that everyone hates........
perspective looking west along Main towards the events centre.
front of hotel as seen from Highfield Street Extension, Crowne Plaza Hotel in the background
hotel as seen from corner of Main and Highfield
The blank side of the events centre faces south and west, but this is not the public face of the centre. The south of the events centre faces the CNR tracks. The west end of the events centre is similarly hidden from view behind the office buildings at 1222 Main and 1234 Main, as well as a small retail plaza.
Why does it seem the Exchange District has nothing going for it like shops and restaurants? Nobody ever posts any pictures that make it seem like an interesting place to spend a few hours. Is it mostly office or residential? It seems like a wasted opportunity.
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"Less is more" – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
There are shops and restaurants but, you have to consider that it's an old commercial district. The main floors aren't flush with the sidewalk to allow windows and light in the basement levels. It makes street oriented retail conversion difficult. Lower floors were the more prestiges than the upper floors at the time these were built. Presumably, basement levels with windows allowing natural natural light were very saleable as well
Why does it seem the Exchange District has nothing going for it like shops and restaurants? Nobody ever posts any pictures that make it seem like an interesting place to spend a few hours. Is it mostly office or residential? It seems like a wasted opportunity.
There really is not a lot there. Beautiful buildings yes, but not much in terms F&B, shops, etc; very sporadic.
I didn't even notice it. When did they do that? My eyes are always drawn towards the Marriott tower, it's always been one of my favorites in Montreal. Love to see Canada Life in Toronto do the same as the Sun Life.
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"Less is more" – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
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"The destructive effects of automobiles are much less a cause than a symptom of our incompetence at city building" - Jane Jacobs 1961ish
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