Neighborhoods you wouldn't recognize: Streetview observations 2009-2019 - Page 4

J.OT13 · #61 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 1:51 PM**

For Ottawa, it's Zibi.

Ottawa.

https://twitter.com/RodneyWilts/status/1357068455988649985

Gatineau.

MonkeyRonin · #62 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 4:56 PM**

Bessarion station area in North York:

2009: https://goo.gl/maps/ZZ1Rm99y2ZGk81kw9
2019: https://goo.gl/maps/bFj5xxucz4jpi7GP9

Drybrain · #63 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 5:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Dundas & Jarvis
2009: https://goo.gl/maps/3nCTG6rvVxUnfF678
2020: https://goo.gl/maps/euhhjsKagPnAb8M97

This one really blows me away, in part because this wasn't some semi-industrial dead zone that got redeveloped, but a built-up city-centre area. I lived in Toronto only six years ago, and my wife lived on Jarvis Street near here, and to think of how different and more intensely developed it is now is a bit of a mind-bender.

Kitchissippi · #64 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 5:52 PM**

From Convent and Canadian Tire to Condo Canyon

Richmond@Island Park in Ottawa:

J.OT13 · #65 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 6:11 PM**

Lansdowne Park. From a decrepit football stadium, arena surrounded by asphalt to a mixed-use entertainment district with a (half) new stadium.

From the Bank Street Bridge.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rideau...ae43a1843!8m2!3d45.3966725!4d-75.6847094

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rideau...ae43a1843!8m2!3d45.3966725!4d-75.6847094

Down Exhibition Way.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.3987593,...J_A!2e0!5s20090401T000000!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.3987739,...JBg!2e0!5s20201001T000000!7i16384!8i8192

SkahHigh · #66 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 6:33 PM**

Another one from the Bois-Franc area of Saint-Laurent where an entire golf course disappeared in ten years.

2009: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5130224,...LZYYKPiu9ok1P-3VopmOg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5130044,...nHnVgQpQuXylyFxIGvotA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

And hard to believe it hasn't been mentioned yet, but Montreal's Bonaventure Expressway also vanished in less than ten years.

2009: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4975306,...JL1e5SIYtq9kmc2jiNRRg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
2018: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4974984,...O20tuvc7dXF4fP9RNrV7w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Proof Sheet · #67 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 6:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

Another one from the Bois-Franc area of Saint-Laurent where an entire golf course disappeared in ten years.

2009: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5130224,...LZYYKPiu9ok1P-3VopmOg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5130044,...nHnVgQpQuXylyFxIGvotA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

No loss there then

Golf courses are some of the biggest land use wasters.

Proof Sheet · #68 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 6:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

From Convent and Canadian Tire to Condo Canyon

Richmond@Island Park in Ottawa:

Don't let the Bulldog (Ken Gray) see these images of the 'old west end'

Most images from 2007 in Canada were quite poor with similar vintage images from the US even worse. The images starting in 2008 in Europe were much better and 2020 images are so much crisper

kool maudit · #69 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 7:49 PM**

To be honest, while a lot of these photos show the inhabiting of desolate areas, which is to be cheered, they also show the crude and mis-scaled nature of contemporary vernacular architecture.

To put it very briefly, these buildings are all too wide. The grain is all off, and the new areas look like they were planned for the Rexalls and franchise gyms that grace their ground floors, with the apartments and condos above appearing like afterthoughts.

A view like this should feature 10-15 buildings on each side of the street, not three to five.

Floorplate limits should replace height limits.

"Urban traditionalists" get hung up on architecture, but it is a distant second to scale in terms of its importance.

We are making some progress from the dismal postwar years, which were to city-building what Saturn is to child-rearing, but it is frustrating to watch our species stumble and fumble on its way to relearning this most basic of skills.

Innsertnamehere · #70 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 7:57 PM**

J.OT13 · #71 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool maudit

To be honest, while a lot of these photos show the inhabiting of desolate areas, which is to be cheered, they also show the crude and mis-scaled nature of contemporary vernacular architecture.

To put it very briefly, these buildings are all too wide. The grain is all off, and the new areas look like they were planned for the Rexalls and franchise gyms that grace their ground floors, with the apartments and condos above appearing like afterthoughts.

A view like this should feature 10-15 buildings on each side of the street, not three to five.

Floorplate limits should replace height limits.

"Urban traditionalists" get hung up on architecture, but it is a distant second to scale in terms of its importance.

We are making some progress from the dismal postwar years, which were to city-building what Saturn is to child-rearing, but it is frustrating to watch our species stumble and fumble on its way to relearning this most basic of skills.

Agreed for the most part. That canyon along Ottawa's Richmond Road is often brought up as bad urban design. The place is quite bland and sterile. Little to no street life.

A better development a few blocks east is this one.

2009

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4016386,...0YQ!2e0!5s20090401T000000!7i13312!8i6656

vs 2020.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4016433,...3rA!2e0!5s20201001T000000!7i16384!8i8192

Residential buildings are more set-back, the heritage structure is front and centre, the commercial space is right-sized for local retailers, not Shoppers or GoodLife and the buildings are distinguishable from one another in colour, height and style.

JHikka · #72 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:14 PM**

Most of Saint John's change over the past ten years has been refurb and renovation of older properties, but one spot that usually sticks out to me:

Peel Plaza
2009: https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.2751352,-...ZGG5X1ndk30c2NkJih3iA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.2751666,-...D2g!2e0!5s20190601T000000!7i13312!8i6656

And some removals
2009: https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.274698,-6...H8w!2e0!5s20090401T000000!7i13312!8i6656
2019: https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.2747111,-..._Kw!2e0!5s20190601T000000!7i13312!8i6656

Doesn't help that some of the more recent streetviews are only from 2016. The 2009 v 2023 images should be more interesting given the slate of new builds currently going up, but a lot of the work on burying power lines and improving pedestrian infrastructure has gone over pretty well.

Innsertnamehere · #73 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:15 PM**

Acajack · #74 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool maudit

To be honest, while a lot of these photos show the inhabiting of desolate areas, which is to be cheered, they also show the crude and mis-scaled nature of contemporary vernacular architecture.

To put it very briefly, these buildings are all too wide. The grain is all off, and the new areas look like they were planned for the Rexalls and franchise gyms that grace their ground floors, with the apartments and condos above appearing like afterthoughts.

A view like this should feature 10-15 buildings on each side of the street, not three to five.

Floorplate limits should replace height limits.

"Urban traditionalists" get hung up on architecture, but it is a distant second to scale in terms of its importance.

We are making some progress from the dismal postwar years, which were to city-building what Saturn is to child-rearing, but it is frustrating to watch our species stumble and fumble on its way to relearning this most basic of skills.

What I find most interesting is after diverging tremendously (some thought irreversibly) for about 50-75 years from the Euro architectural and urbanistic cues that dominated here for centuries, the way we build new areas of cities seems to be converging with contemporary European ways now.

I stayed in a hotel in this district of Munich a few years ago.

https://www.google.com/maps/@48.1798874,...itch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

It really felt like I was in one of those shiny newly revitalized parts of inner Montreal or Toronto.

Many newish sections of European cities (especially reclaimed former industrial zones) these days look very similar to, say, Griffintown.

kool maudit · #75 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Many newish sections of European cities (especially reclaimed former industrial zones) these days look very similar to, say, Griffintown.

Pretty much. I was just down here (Hammarby Sjöstad) the other day and I was seized by two thoughts simultaneously. First, it's very well-done, what with the tram line, the street-level shops, mixed-use, streetwalls, all that. Second, it's completely unlovable and tedious, and feels no different from your average international airport.

Franco401 · #76 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:32 PM**

Some good ones around Fredericton:

York Street around the railway lands

2009

2018-19

Main Street in Nashwaaksis, as the Main Street Urban Design Plan came into effect. The Northside Market is moving into the building on the left.

2013

2019

The historic Gibson Roundhouse just off the north end of the Walking Bridge in South Devon

2009

2019

Just around the corner, a greenfield site once home to a railyard.

2013

2019

Former industrial land on McLeod Avenue near UNB

2009

2019

Connaught Street (I'm not happy about this one. The new buildings are nice but some semi-detached got torn down instead of any of the surrounding SFH)

2013

2019

Not exactly a neighbourhood, but the Corbett Centre

2009

2018

Currie Centre and Kin Centre at the foot of UNB

2009

2019

Street View doesn't go back far enough to show the nice public space that was here before.

2009

2019

Once again not a neighbourhood, but a change of character nonetheless.

2009

2018

Here's maybe the biggest one. The west end of Queen. What this doesn't show is that the Legion building on the left has been torn down and a 10-storey multi-use building is going up this year.

2009

2016

kool maudit · #77 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

What I find most interesting is after diverging tremendously (some thought irreversibly) for about 50-75 years from the Euro architectural and urbanistic cues that dominated here for centuries, the way we build new areas of cities seems to be converging with contemporary European ways now.

Me in Europe when surrounded by pre-war buildings: "this is truly the place for me, I'm going to look up the history of that statue, what a pleasure to be among all this."

Me in Europe when surrounded by postwar buildings: "I have become stranded in the pale wastes of a gutless and fallen people who know nothing of life's passions and don't have root beer."

J.OT13 · #78 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:50 PM**

Acajack · #79 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 8:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool maudit

Me in Europe when surrounded by pre-war buildings: "this is truly the place for me, I'm going to look up the history of that statue, what a pleasure to be among all this."

Me in Europe when surrounded by postwar buildings: "I have become stranded in the pale wastes of a gutless and fallen people who know nothing of life's passions and don't have root beer."

The green sign says it: from here you're not even 2 km away from picture postcard Mozart Salzburg and picture postcard Sound of Music Salzburg:

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.813788,1...itch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Acajack · #80 Posted **Feb 8, 2021, 9:11 PM**

For some reason I seem to have spent more time abroad being nomadic (albeit in a bourgeois way) than most people*.

When you're living or travelling like that you need to seek out some of life's basic necessities like laundromats, etc.

Doing so really gives you a different perspective on a city or a society.

*Even into middle age. Barely over a year ago I was in that exact situation.