Great Canadian Skyline Thread II

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by Vin

Quebec City would've looked so much better without those concrete bunker-like talls. For the taller structures, only Chateau de Frontenac and Hotel Clarendon fit this old city, IMO.

I mostly agree, but lately I've reversed my opinion on that and I've come to accept those towers as part of the city's natural evolution.

What would Qc look like without them though is a great question. Pardon my lack of Photoshop skills, but something like that:

photoshop test_01 by Foofoo MacShoe, on Flickr

[905er]

I agree with Rico... I like what they add to the fabric of the city.. they 're not the most attractive towers, but their almost brutalist look juxtaposed against the the old buildings throughout the city and Frontenac really do show an evolution of sorts. I like how they look.. i'd love to see a new tower somewhere in the immediate vicinity too.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by 905er

I agree with Rico... I like what they add to the fabric of the city.. they 're not the most attractive towers, but their almost brutalist look juxtaposed against the the old buildings throughout the city and Frontenac really do show an evolution of sorts. I like how they look.. i'd love to see a new tower somewhere in the immediate vicinity too.

Agreed. The towers themselves aren't really beauties but they define the skyline and add up to more than the sum of their parts.

All it would take is one prominent new tower to really refresh the look of the Quebec skyline... right now it kind of looks like it's frozen in 1978. That isn't to say that it looks bad, just maybe a little stale.

[Nouvellecosse]

Without the highrises the area still has lots of character and charm but it lacks gravitas. There's no urban heft. It looks like one of those dense European small town/cities the size of Sherbrooke. Ultra urban but still tiny. Whereas now it looks like a real metropolis.

[Rico Rommheim]

Those towers have scarred and scared everyone in QC straight out of new skyscraper construction in the confines of the old city. There will never be a new highrise anywhere near.

[Rico Rommheim]

Quebec_in_Quebec_City_Series_54 by Foofoo MacShoe, on Flickr


quebecalternate-02 by Foofoo MacShoe, on Flickr

[WhipperSnapper]

Fine towers (for the most part). Wrong location. There aren't enough towers. The few stand out as abnormalities in the urban fabric.

[Kilgore Trout]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Don't know which thread to put this in. Hey, Quebeckers (or anyone, actually): what's your favourite city outside of Montreal and Quebec City in Quebec, and why?

I haven't spent much time in any of them, but I liked the looks and feel of Trois-Rivieres and Sherbrooke when I went through them.

So far it's Trois-Rivières which is a little rough around the edges but feels like it ought to be much bigger than it is. I haven't been to Sherbrooke and I'm very curious about the Saguenay because it Chicoutimi looks like it has some heft.

As far as smaller cities go, Saint-Hyacinthe has a fantastic downtown for a city of only 50k. Magog is no slouch either.

[Peggerino]

I lived in Montreal for a while and did quite a bit of travelling around the Province, hitting pretty much every important city minus those in the far north (Sept Iles, Rouyn Noranda, Val d'or). Perhaps it's cause I just had a great night there with a pal but Riviere du Loup I thought was a great small town. The main street had lots of cool bars and the town seemed very lively, young and free-spirited for what was a relatively small Quebecois town (honestly though I think Quebecois towns punch way above their weight for vibrancy and night time activities compared to small town MB). There were some stroady parts to Riviere but the majority of the town is quite quaint and traditional Quebec feeling which I liked. It's also right on the St. Lawrence and has some cool ravine going through it. All in all very beautiful, nice architecture, but still fun for young uni students looking to have a good night out.

[Coldrsx]

https://twitter.com/leroyschulz/status/1488690738728554497

[GeneralLea]

Wow...gorgeous image of Edmonton. The city looks amazing in winter.

[zahav]

I have never been to Quebec City (I'd love to) and so I have no concept of the feel those towers gives the city (heft, urbanity, etc.). But just by looking at the skyline photos, I don't think they look good, but that's just my opinion. I haven't looked at many other pics of gotten used to seeing them so maybe I can't speak to it, but as an outsider looking at it with fresh eyes, I prefer those photoshop renderings without the towers. I don't think anyone would accuse it of lacking urban heft without those couple off towers, just by the sheer nature of the cityscape and density it wouldn't lose urban heft. But again, just my opinion, don't want to start anything, I know how these threads can blow up over nothing

[Martin Mtl]

Photo: François Roy in LaPresse+

[MolsonExport]

^finally that aching gap is being filled. At least from that angle of the skyline

[Coldrsx]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/...bs-we-want-to-help-you-tell-it-1.6330433

[MonctonRad]

Something very American about that skyline shot - looks like Houston or Dallas.

[Masoliantekw]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Don't know which thread to put this in. Hey, Quebeckers (or anyone, actually): what's your favourite city outside of Montreal and Quebec City in Quebec, and why?

I haven't spent much time in any of them, but I liked the looks and feel of Trois-Rivieres and Sherbrooke when I went through them.

My top 1 would be Shawinigan. For its urban form, its extensiveness, its industrial heritage. Some of the industrial remains, such as power plants, manufactures, industrial worker housing, etc. are of great interest. Everytime I go there, I discover something new. The most lively part is the old downtown of Shawinigan Falls, but Saint-Marc, Grand-Mère and Almaville are also interesting parts of the city. The setting is also outstanding : St-Maurice river is impressive, the falls, the islands... The gritty side of the place is interesting IMO. And it is at the door of the gorgeous Mauricie national park.

A a person in search of culture and venues, I would say that Trois-Rivières is the best in this regard. The city has numerous independant theatre troups, cultural festivals, concert halls. It is alive. And as a former "urban" citizen, I can find everything I want in TR: local shops and artisans, vegan cafes, art, music, etc. The islands next to downtown are perfect in the summer, and the beach is great. The northern and eastern parts of the city are sprawling, but the core is good.

Honourable mentions : Sherbrooke (same level as TR, but less culturally oriented, though more outdoorsy), Chicoutimi-Jonquière, Saint-Hyacinthe.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

I mostly agree, but lately I've reversed my opinion on that and I've come to accept those towers as part of the city's natural evolution.

What would Qc look like without them though is a great question. Pardon my lack of Photoshop skills, but something like that:




photoshop test_01 by Foofoo MacShoe, on Flickr

It's freaky how that church just towers over the neighbourhood. One can see how structures like it all over Quebec would have given an impression of power over the people for many years.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Sherbrooke has a nicer setting then T-R though, don't you think? I like the big hills going down toward the river.

I know Trois-Rivières a lot better than Sherbrooke, but got to know Sherbrooke better in the summer of 2021. They're slightly different but I think they're probably a tie in my mind now.

In terms of smaller cities, Rivière-du-Loup is really good I'd agree. It's been a frequent annual holiday stop for my family for decades on trips to and from the Maritimes.

No one has anything to say about Gatineau?

[Coldrsx]

Power or being that much closer to God or both?

There are some amazing books out there on this topic. I personally recommend this one:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4101799-churches