The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II

[Surrealplaces]

I like the natural side of the riverwalk, but it would be nice to have a walled section somewhere with a promenade.

I still like my idea of a canal replacing the train tracks that run through downtown...of course that's a pipe dream at the moment.

Originally Posted by Doug

That picture does not do the Bow justice. Even driving by on Deerfoot Trail (the freeway in the picture), the water is the same enticing shade of blue as a mountain stream.

I personally hate canalized rivers. In Europe the damage was done centuries ago, but most cities would likely envy an amenity like a natural river. The RiverWalk through downtown Calgary is a good compromise. The bank wasn't entirely natural as construction debris had been used for erosion control and diking way back in the 1950s-1960s. The RiverWalk covered up much of the damage with rocks, natural vegetation and stairlike public access. Most of the Bow still has natural banks.

[Surrealplaces]

Calgary at nightfall by allangarrett, on Flickr

[Coldrsx]

(http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/edmonton-skyline-panorama-3-terry-elniski.jpg)


(http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/edmonton-skyline-rachel-duchesne.jpg)

[The Chemist]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

Very true. The Thames walled river look looks great in person, very London, but you can tell how bad it is from the bank.

The Thames, like the Huangpu in Shanghai, is also a tidal river, so it also behaves a little differently than most rivers - it's much higher and much lower twice every day. Something has to be done to prevent daily flooding, and walling may be the best option for such rivers.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by kw5150

The river is sacred and it is better to have native plants stablizing the banks.

In a downtown, not my cup of tea at all.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by kw5150

Its a nice thought, but rivers built out of concrete kinda represent a failed ideology (ecologically speaking). The river is sacred and it is better to have native plants stablizing the banks.

Although I agree about your point on concrete, using native plants to stablise the banks of the river is inadequate in the long-term, because our regional climates are increasingly unsuitable for these regions' native species of plants and trees.

In Calgary, the plants on which you should be focused are species that are drought resistant, flood resistant, and especially pine beetle resistant.

Of course in an urban context, aesthetics are a concern as well; however, the list of applicable southern species of plants is already narrowing.

[whiteford]

of all the rivers i have seen, the bow is one that truely needs no improvement on its already wonderfull river banks. for those of you who havent seen this river in person, it is truely breathtakeing to say the least.

[Chadillaccc]

I agree! I moved here in May and love the river. Even the bridges over it, while really tiny, are mostly all really nice!

[Ayreonaut]

Originally Posted by isaidso

In a downtown, not my cup of tea at all.

You have to realize that Calgarians probably embrace the outdoors and wilderness more than anywhere else outside of Vancouver and Victoria. I love being able to walk along the Bow and be seemingly in the middle of nowhere (seriously, there are some places at which, but for the sound of Deerfoot, you would have no idea you're even near a city). I love the natural banks of the bow, even downtown, and I would think most Calgarians agree.

This is pretty much downtown.

In the Heart of the City? by Ayrcan, on Flickr

Here is some compromise.

Steps by Ayrcan, on Flickr


Bowside by Ayrcan, on Flickr

It's just like walking along the Sheep River near my place in Turner Valley, except there are skyscrapers on the banks.

Island View by Ayrcan, on Flickr

Taken downtown.

Nice pair of honkers by Ayrcan, on Flickr

[kw5150]

Native trees, shrubs and grasses are still a great way to stabilize a river bank. In terms of ecology and aesthetics, there are still hundreds of species to use. Im not sure what you are saying.....

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Although I agree about your point on concrete, using native plants to stablise the banks of the river is inadequate in the long-term, because our regional climates are increasingly unsuitable for these regions' native species of plants and trees.

In Calgary, the plants on which you should be focused are species that are drought resistant, flood resistant, and especially pine beetle resistant.

Of course in an urban context, aesthetics are a concern as well; however, the list of applicable southern species of plants is already narrowing.

[Dwils01]

Not the best view but here are two pictures I took while I was in Toronto for a day.

[Witty Nickname]

Section of Calgary skyline.


Afternoon Skyscrapers by Witty nickname, on Flickr

[Allan83]

Originally Posted by isaidso

When Calgary gets bigger it would be nice to see this city get around to building a big city promenade along the river on both sides. Something like this would be suitable:

I’m pretty sure that European cities did this kind of thing to their rivers in the middle of last century because in the cities their rivers were polluted, dead, and stinking. This separates people from the river as much as possible, while still letting them see this water type liquid down below. This should never be done to the Bow, however, because it is very much alive and teaming with life. It’s one of the top trout fishing rivers in North America, right in the city limits. They way they’ve done River Walk with the ability to go right down to the water’s edge is truly a great feature, and people love it. I suppose it’s the shallowness of the river at that point that makes it safe enough to do that as well. The water flows quite quickly at certain times of the year, but it’s still shallow enough that if you fell in, or were pushed, you’d still be able to stand up and walk out.

[dleung]

It's SSP. Your city ain't world class until it gets its share of dirty concrete rivers, overhead utility wires, hostile urban wind canyons and dark shadows

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Ayreonaut

Bowside by Ayrcan, on Flickr

This one is awesome !!!

[Bankview]

Originally Posted by Allan83

I’m pretty sure that European cities did this kind of thing to their rivers in the middle of last century because in the cities their rivers were polluted, dead, and stinking. This separates people from the river as much as possible, while still letting them see this water type liquid down below. This should never be done to the Bow, however, because it is very much alive and teaming with life. It’s one of the top trout fishing rivers in North America, right in the city limits. They way they’ve done River Walk with the ability to go right down to the water’s edge is truly a great feature, and people love it. I suppose it’s the shallowness of the river at that point that makes it safe enough to do that as well. The water flows quite quickly at certain times of the year, but it’s still shallow enough that if you fell in, or were pushed, you’d still be able to stand up and walk out.

Yes, the original promenade along the Thames was built as part of their sanitation system. The Thames was disgusting apparently.

It was beautiful to walk along when I visited London, but I would prefer Calgary keep it's banks natural as they are now.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Allan83

I’m pretty sure that European cities did this kind of thing to their rivers in the middle of last century because in the cities their rivers were polluted, dead, and stinking. This separates people from the river as much as possible, while still letting them see this water type liquid down below. This should never be done to the Bow, however, because it is very much alive and teaming with life. It’s one of the top trout fishing rivers in North America, right in the city limits. They way they’ve done River Walk with the ability to go right down to the water’s edge is truly a great feature, and people love it. I suppose it’s the shallowness of the river at that point that makes it safe enough to do that as well. The water flows quite quickly at certain times of the year, but it’s still shallow enough that if you fell in, or were pushed, you’d still be able to stand up and walk out.

Correct. It was a sanitary issue for many cities 100 years ago. That said, my views on this are quite fixed. I've never adhered to something just because its politically correct or the popular wisdom of the day.

I'm very well aware of the backlash I'll receive, but I expect my nature highly controlled in the city centre and pristine elsewhere. If I want to trout fish, I'll do it 3 miles from downtown or further. Downtown, I want a stone walled river bank. I don't live in a city for the fishing, but for the built form.

[Nite]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

http://www.flickr.com/people/ronnieyip/

[lucci]

^^ source?



view from the distillery by ronnie.yip, on Flickr

[leftimage]

[QUOTE=lucci;5902130]^^ source?


Not to butt in, but doesn't having a link to photog's page at the bottom qualify as a source? I see my photos on here all the time, but as long as it links to my flickr I'm happy