Public Realm in Canadian Cities - Developments

[Kilgore Trout]

Yeah, it's not a park in the recreational sense, it's a place to either pass through or linger while enjoying the sun and the view. Montrealers are very good at just hanging out without actually "doing" anything.

[vanman]

I could've used that green space in Old Montreal last summer during the heatwave. Felt like Singapore with the humidity.

[someone123]

Here's the beginning of the Cogswell demolition in Halifax:

Originally Posted by Half-Axed

A newer photo:



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[J.OT13]

Huge project for Halifax. Looking forward to the end result.

[someone123]

This picture shows how much work there is and how much redevelopment and planning effort is required. Aside from keeping traffic flowing and rebuilding the streets and utilities there's a lot of "traffic sewer" development around there that has to be redone if the area is to full reintegrate into downtown.

If the camera were flipped around to point in the other direction it would look a lot better. There is a row of historic buildings that used to front onto the interchange that can more easily be turned into a coherent public space.

The Purdy's Wharf complex is somewhere in the middle. It has some nice public space elements and some not so nice elements, like the huge parking garage.

Edit: here is the other side. Click to see a video of the work happening:


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[someone123]

This is one of the buildings roughly on the Cogswell footprint that was demolished. Its demolition looks utterly pointless now. It cleared the approach to Granville Street but that was cut off by the interchange and then Granville was pedestrianized. The actual land parcel the building was on was never used for anything significant.


Source

I think it's a missed opportunity that nobody's talking about rebuilding this to restore a bit of the old feel of this area.

You can see the cutoff of what was demolished here. The buildings on the far right are still there. The buildings near the middle of the frame (complex with 3 and 5 storey older buildings and an attached warehouse-like structure in behind) ended up being demolished later with nothing major built around there. That warehouse in the background looks like an ironstone building from the first half of the 1800's, or potentially late 1700's. I wonder why it was initially spared then got torn down later. Was it in the way of a later phase of construction or was it potentially going to be saved at some point?


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[Rico Rommheim]

Great news for Halifax. I hate the Cogswell. Good riddance.

[TownGuy]

Some changes coming to the east pier in Cobourg.

Currently it is an asphalt pad. It was open to vehicles but requires extensive repairs and is pedestrian access only right now


There were 3 varying options tabled. Pedestrian only, vehicles only, hybrid. I personally think pedestrian only was the way to go, but a hybrid option has been chosen.






Also, on the same pier, the Coast Guard station is getting rebuilt.

[Binour]

The new face of a former elevated highway. Montréal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FsF...GhtOAoPw2zpDOB

[Martin Mtl]

To celebrate Place Ville-Marie's 60th birthday, a giant ring created by Claude Cormier will be installed above the monumental stairs that leads to the esplanade. The 22 tons art piece will be illuminated at night. Installation is under way.

The ring is meant to represent a lens that will frame the future Oscar Petersen square that will be build next year when McGill College avenue is permanently close to traffic (work will start as soon as the McGill REM station is finished), as well as the view to McGill campus, the Royal Victoria complex and Mount Royal.

[J.OT13]

That is quite the ring, holly crap!

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Some changes coming to the east pier in Cobourg.
Currently it is an asphalt pad. It was open to vehicles but requires extensive repairs and is pedestrian access only right now

Been out on that pier many times and I recall visiting it on Canada Day and they had an amusement park set up there. Now just a lot of seagulls. Is there a construction timing for it.

I know they've done a lot of work on the beach lately haven't they?

[OTSkyline]

Wow, that ring! So cool and grand. Especially illuminated!

Man, Montreal does cool, public art very well. I wish other Canadian cities did the same.

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by OTSkyline

Wow, that ring! So cool and grand. Especially illuminated!

Man, Montreal does cool, public art very well. I wish other Canadian cities did the same.

It's already nicknamed the "Montreal c*ckring" on social media. I think it makes me like it even more ;-)

[WhipperSnapper]

It's also bigger than Calgarys

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton's new Warehouse District Park is starting public consultation with opening in 2025.

https://transforming.edmonton.ca/war...town-edmonton/

[savevp]

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/04/...paces-toronto/

Toronto's going to try again to not make a mockery of itself. Councillor will reintroduce a motion to permit drinking in parks after it was absurdly defeated during the height of the pandemic. Recall John Tory publicly assuring Torontonians that drinking in parks was completely fine, but still illegal.

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Edmonton's new Warehouse District Park is starting public consultation with opening in 2025.

https://transforming.edmonton.ca/war...town-edmonton/

Where are the Warehouses? I only see about 4 or 5.

I didn't know where to post this. Toronto just god North America's tallest fire fighting equiptment.

Source: urbantoronto.ca
The Bronto Skylift articulated aerial unit, nicknamed “Tower 1” by Toronto Fire Services, can stretch up to 70 metres/230 feet – approximately 23 storeys high – making firefighting in high-rise buildings a lot easier.

[Coldrsx]

^historically it was a warehouse district... but yes, many are long gone.

[WhipperSnapper]

The preliminary design follows recent trends with too many crissed crossed walkways dividing the soft surface into impractical spaces 'cept to walk passed.