[Halifax] Nova Centre | 65-58-58 m | 16-15-14 fl | Completed

[worldlyhaligonian]

Is that a river north of the citadel?

I like that design, but there would be screams of big wall!!!

I agree with Keith, the CBC bias was totally apparent when they kept using that 80's eaton centre design almost until the final stages of approval.

[Phalanx]

Not a fan of the big slab along Argyle - not to say that it couldn't be as big, but a few design elements to break it up a bit would have been nice.

That design just makes me miss the potential for what the covered street could/should have been. Moving the convention space above ground really compromised that part of the plan.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Is that a river north of the citadel?

I like that design, but there would be screams of big wall!!!

I agree with Keith, the CBC bias was totally apparent when they kept using that 80's eaton centre design almost until the final stages of approval.

Yes, I find local CBC very anti-development; they're always the first to call Phil Pacey, STV, or some critical HRM councilor to criticize some new development.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Not a fan of the big slab along Argyle - not to say that it couldn't be as big, but a few design elements to break it up a bit would have been nice.

That design just makes me miss the potential for what the covered street could/should have been. Moving the convention space above ground really compromised that part of the plan.

Ramia et al said that public feedback overwhelmingly called for the convention space to be above ground. I don't get that. It just doesn't seem like something people would be passionate about...

[portapetey]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Ramia et al said that public feedback overwhelmingly called for the convention space to be above ground. I don't get that. It just doesn't seem like something people would be passionate about...

I believe that participants said they wanted visitors to our city to be able to look out from their convention space and see our city, have it showcased, instead of being swaddled in a bunker and never seeing daylight. I can understand this perspective.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I believe that participants said they wanted visitors to our city to be able to look out from their convention space and see our city, have it showcased, instead of being swaddled in a bunker and never seeing daylight. I can understand this perspective.

I find we spend too much of our time trying to make our city presentable to visitors and not enough time building a great city for *us* to enjoy.

Seriously, the main talking point for STV is that Citadel Hill is such a "major" tourist attraction; which means we must perpetually repress economic development in the downtown core so Clark W. Griswald and family can "see" from their ramparts and truly enjoy their National Lampoon's Nova Scotia Vacation.

As for Nova-- seriously, who gives a crap about "the view" from the convention centre for some business suits passing through town for 24hrs?

Let's build development that will enhance public spaces for *us*.

(FWIW: Clark W. Griswald and Family would appreciate the other Nova Centre design better-- nice public spaces and a covered street would be a great tourist attraction)

[GUB]

Hilarious re Grizwald
I totally agree though...
Let's build the city for its residents first, then we can worry about selling trinkets to tourists

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Ramia et al said that public feedback overwhelmingly called for the convention space to be above ground. I don't get that. It just doesn't seem like something people would be passionate about...

Don't you remember? That was part of the poo the HT/STV bunch flung at the project during the public sessions by saying that the CC portion was being built in the basement and that taxpayers were paying for subpar space with no windows. The outcry resulted in the redesign moving the CC above grade and changing what would have been the Grafton promenade.

Sadly, people's memories are short and the dirty tricks of the STV group are already being overlooked.

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

I find we spend too much of our time trying to make our city presentable to visitors and not enough time building a great city for *us* to enjoy.

My Complaint about Ottawa - There is what the city wants to do, and then there is what the feds impose to build a Capital for all Canadians. Ugh.

Windowed convention space is generally bad anyway - the space needs to be controlled - you just cant expose it to the outside for all kinds of reasons. that said, i think its valid that people should be able to step out, and see daylight, without having to ride an elevator up.

I had a Friend who was married and had her reception in the Definbunker Outside of Ottawa. nice venue, but the elevator and tunnel to ground was noticeable, and translated to the convention space, i feel would affect peoples opinions of how the space works.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I believe that participants said they wanted visitors to our city to be able to look out from their convention space and see our city, have it showcased, instead of being swaddled in a bunker and never seeing daylight. I can understand this perspective.

The purpose of a convention space isn't to have people standing around admiring the view. They're supposed to be paying attention to what's going on inside the building, not outside. If they want to enjoy the view, they can get it from the hotel tower that's going to be attached to the convention centre.

Besides, even above ground it's only a couple of stories above ground, so all they're going to see is a mid-level view of the buildings across the street...

Was a very bad decision, but given the noise being generated by the anti-convention centre crowd, I suspect they felt they had to make the change to deprive them of ammunition.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Don't you remember? That was part of the poo the HT/STV bunch flung at the project during the public sessions by saying that the CC portion was being built in the basement and that taxpayers were paying for subpar space with no windows. The outcry resulted in the redesign moving the CC above grade and changing what would have been the Grafton promenade.

Sadly, people's memories are short and the dirty tricks of the STV group are already being overlooked.

A great lesson as to why we shouldn't heed to *any* design suggestion these clowns make, because they'll still litigate, in the end, to try to kill the whole thing.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by gub

hilarious re grizwald
i totally agree though...
Let's build the city for its residents first, then we can worry about selling trinkets to tourists

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

My Complaint about Ottawa - There is what the city wants to do, and then there is what the feds impose to build a Capital for all Canadians. Ugh.

Windowed convention space is generally bad anyway - the space needs to be controlled - you just cant expose it to the outside for all kinds of reasons. that said, i think its valid that people should be able to step out, and see daylight, without having to ride an elevator up.

I had a Friend who was married and had her reception in the Definbunker Outside of Ottawa. nice venue, but the elevator and tunnel to ground was noticeable, and translated to the convention space, i feel would affect peoples opinions of how the space works.

I hear you, though I still think this is, again, attempting to build a design more for visitors than the city.

On the other hand, I suppose we want the thing to be financially successful, so a better CC space may be justified on this count.

The result, however, is a more mediocre design, when we could have been daring and ended up with a nationally iconic building.

We don't like risks in Halifax.

[musicman]

Now every convention that comes in will have to pay 10 bucks a foot to cover over the windows so you can use projectors ect.... Dumb dumb dumb idea to move it above ground... But then again it never ceases to amaze me that production details are always the last thing that gets worked out as if it is an afterthought. Hard to do a convention without AV and nobody gives it a thought. Again dumb, dumb, and dumb...

[fenwick16]

Only one wall of the ballroom is exposed to sunlight, which can be easily covered with blinds. Although in the renderings the ballroom appears to be surrounded by windows, the floor plans indicate that the ballroom is actually surrounded mostly by corridors and reception areas. The exhibition area appears to have few or no windows - (3 pages in one document) http://www.halifaxconventioncentre.c...loor-Plans.pdf.

I think that moving the ballroom above ground was the right decision; I have been to quite a few convention centres and I can't think of one that is completely devoid of windows.

I am sure people will be overwhelmingly impressed when the new convention centre opens. I assume it will be made available for viewing by the public when it first opens, and there will be many events such as food fairs and tech shows that will be open to the general public.

[curnhalio]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I am sure people will be overwhelmingly impressed when the new convention centre opens. I assume it will be made available for viewing by the public when it first opens, and there will be many events such as food fairs and tech shows that will be open to the general public.

I've wondered about that, whether events that are currently held at the Forum Civic Centre or Exhibition Park will be pressured to be staged at the new CC in order to give it the appearance of being used more than it may otherwise be. Food fairs made me think of the Food expo that gets held at Ex Park every other year or so. The new CC could easily stage it, and may even get incentives to do so. Would a place like Exhibition Park eventually become obsolete? (if it isn't already)

[Ziobrop]

omg.. i hope exhibition park gets disused. its an awful space, and its filthy.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by curnhalio

I've wondered about that, whether events that are currently held at the Forum Civic Centre or Exhibition Park will be pressured to be staged at the new CC in order to give it the appearance of being used more than it may otherwise be. Food fairs made me think of the Food expo that gets held at Ex Park every other year or so. The new CC could easily stage it, and may even get incentives to do so. Would a place like Exhibition Park eventually become obsolete? (if it isn't already)

I don't think that it will be necessary to give the appearance that the Nova Centre is busier than it will otherwise be (I think it will be just as successful as the new Ottawa Convention Centre). It is a facility that will be used for many purposes, such as food fairs, and since it is in a central location I think it will attract more people than the Ex Park would.

I think that the idea that the convention centre will not have events for the general public is just a myth propagated by the Save the View group. There are many events such as Food fairs held at Toronto area convention centres.

I am really peeved at the the Save the View/Heritage Trust members and all of their negative propaganda. The idea that the Nova Centre will not be used by Nova Scotia residents is just part of their propaganda, in my opinion.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I am really peeved at the the Save the View/Heritage Trust members and all of their negative propaganda. The idea that the Nova Centre will not be used by Nova Scotia residents is just part of their propaganda, in my opinion.

Well, *they* won't use it.

But they're always mistaking their own elitist, anti-economy, anti-people, anti-growth, anti-great-Halifax beliefs for those of average Haligonians.

[musicman]

x-park is crazy busy. They have a hard time to keep up with all the events and things going on out there. Alot of the shows that happen out there can't be done or won't be done at the new convention center because of the nature of the events and the sheer size. Take saltscapes for example it takes every single square foot of that venue to stage that event and it could be bigger still if there was more room... x-park will not become obsolete, and yes it is dirty as hell but it is nothing more than a glorified barn.