Ugly Canada 2 (Only architecture, planning and design faux pas)

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

A lot of the old part with the super narrow streets has been run down for decades but is starting to get renovated again. It has a lot of potential owing to the super narrow streets, if a bit of small scale infill could happen it would be an excellent little town which is completely unique for Ontario.

you can see them being renovated here, it's quite a neat little strip of stores now, and leads to an intimate little urban park / square.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.8639296,-...itch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

Crystal Beach has a really interesting history due to it's ties to Buffalo. It probably feels American because, especially historically, it was overwhelmingly a vacation spot for Americans. Even today I would guess 30%+ of visitors / cottagers are from Buffalo, not Canada.

Regardless, I would not call the town "ugly". It has one of the nicest beaches in the province in my opinion, and is a really neat, urban beach town. It's just lacked investment for decades, which is finally changing.

The gated community was unfortunately built on an old Amusement park lands which closed several decades ago. It's a shame a more public use couldn't have been found for it.

That street certainly has potential. It definitely needs to be pedestrian only.

What's really sad it that there are developments between there and the lake. It would be really nice if you could see the lake from that street and have park in between rather than whatever ever that housing for wealthy people is.

How is public access to the beach from there? Far? Easy or difficult?

[megadude]

Where it says South Coast Cookhouse is the end of that strip. Erie Road is the cutoff to that gated community. That black fence in the pic I posted on the previous page is across the street. Two of the street names are Nantucket and Newport Beach. I see that's where they got their inspiration from.

Due south would have been the quickest way to the beach. I guess the parking lot at the tip seems to be the easiest way. I think I'll stop by there for a couple minutes when I head down there next month.

Going back to what Innsert said, the streetview is like four years old but in the view where it shows a reno in progress, it appears that this is the result, in the second pic below. Yes, heavily filtered photo, but should look nice in real life.

Originally Posted by Loco101

That street certainly has potential. It definitely needs to be pedestrian only.

What's really sad it that there are developments between there and the lake. It would be really nice if you could see the lake from that street and have park in between rather than whatever ever that housing for wealthy people is.

How is public access to the beach from there? Far? Easy or difficult?

[Harrison]

So, this apartment adjacent to the Valley Line SE Bonnie Doon stop in Edmonton is just getting unwrapped. Future tenants will love the prison-style windows!



Source: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9712577&postcount=18985

[niwell]

^Looks like something designed for the energy requirements of the Arctic!

Crystal Beach is an interesting place for sure. Lots of pre-war houses on very tiny lots, many of them still only 3 season. Very different conception of cottaging compared to Muskoka. We looked at property there over the winter but it was extremely overpriced, to the point where people were asking 4x what something had sold for just a few years previous. Haven't checked lately but I imagine it's come back down to earth a little bit, and that there's more than a few people who are thinking they made a horrible mistake.

[905er]

Originally Posted by Harrison

So, this apartment adjacent to the Valley Line SE Bonnie Doon stop in Edmonton is just getting unwrapped. Future tenants will love the prison-style windows!



Source: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=9712577&postcount=18985

Oh, this one is worthy of being on this list.. for sure.. Maybe in a strictly arctic setting.. even then i'd feel bad for the city that inherits this wreck

[SignalHillHiker]

A building like that is sure to generate some sort of psychosis in its residents. They'll probably end up in Donbas trying to invade the rest of Ukraine.

[O-tacular]

Edmonton has a certain panache when it comes to stucco condo tower prison blocks. Commie blocks are luxurious in comparison. At least they come with balconies and windows.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Edmonton has a certain panache when it comes to stucco condo tower prison blocks. Commie blocks are luxurious in comparison. At least they come with balconies and windows.

But just think of the energy savings the building owners will get with the lack of windows to lose heat to in the winter!

[megadude]

Ummm...what? This could be the set of a movie. Whether it would be for a comedy or a horror is TBD.

Also, the street it's on is possibly private as there's no streetview and the last and only streetview to the entrance to that street is from 10 years ago.

I'm going to Simcoe next month. I am tempted to stop by and knock on the door and/or interview neighbours to get the low down on this situation.

https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/24700239/171-short-street-simcoe

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Harrison

But just think of the energy savings the building owners will get with the lack of windows to lose heat to in the winter!

Yes! And better yet they won't be able to see the depressing winter vistas of Edmonton in January!

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Yes! And better yet they won't be able to see the depressing winter vistas of Edmonton in January!

Hey now, winter here can look quite nice on a bright and sunny day! I'll take a snow-covered city versus a brown, dry city mid-winter any day of the week.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Harrison

Hey now, winter here can look quite nice on a bright and sunny day! I'll take a snow-covered city versus a brown, dry city mid-winter any day of the week.

Calgary in March is a special kind of dead.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Calgary in March is a special kind of dead.

Laval in mid March. That you should see!!!


CBC

[J.OT13]

A few new entries in Ottawa. Not quite as bad as that Edmonton tower, but not good.

1960 Scott, along the Transitway trench (conversion to O-Train ongoing). Luckily, about half a dozen towers are proposed or u/c, so it should blend into the landscape within 5 years.

Originally Posted by Harley613

Finally, some completion photos of one of our favourite buildings!

The "Story of Rideau", the first of a two tower project. Two high quality projects two blocks down put this one t shame. Unfortunately, this one is significantly taller than the others.

Originally Posted by Harley613

Our favourite new building is nearing completion. May they never break ground on tower two.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Calgary in March is a special kind of dead.

Nowhere in Canada between November and March is really that enticing.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Nowhere in Canada between November and March is really that enticing.

Have you not heard of Maple Creek, SK?

Representative photo:



(You should have seen this one coming a mile away)

[VantageHD]

Nowhere in Canada between November and March is really that enticing.

You clearly don't ski

[SignalHillHiker]

The rainbow colours here help in winter but not significantly compared to good, urban streets anywhere else in Canada. Compared to grey/beige suburban hellscapes on the mainland, though, they help a lot.

[Rico Rommheim]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Nowhere in Canada between November and March is really that enticing.

I'm sure there's a couple things to do in Okotoks in March.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by megadude

...



...

This looks like the LBTQ wild west frontier. The window placements, etc., supposed to be playful, but perhaps inspired by bad hallucinogens, is just haphazard and wonky.