The Soul-Sucking Canada Thread

[Acajack]

I like the areas of Cornell that were just posted here.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Of course like a lot of cities Calgary used to plant a lot of trees.
The build dates on the original houses on this block would have been 19-teens or 1940s, (6 houses appear in 1924 photo, full block in 1948 photo) although many have been replaced since. Unsure at which point the trees were planted, they don't readily appear in either 1924 nor 1948 aerial photos.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.06966...7i13312!8i6656

That's a street layout that's almost identical to what lio posted from the U.S.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Vixx

Those faux-urban subdivisions look pretty tacky. At least in the second link, the neighbourhood looks decent because of the predominantly nice colour in brick and stone.

There are a couple of subdivisions off the top of my head in Edmonton that have a similar faux inspired tackiness to them, but they look much worse because of the vinyl siding that Alberta has a hard on for.

There's definitely some issues with faux historicism, even if just in a philosophical way. That said they also look fake because we are unused to seeing that style of house 'shiny and new'.

In 50 years it might look better.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

By comparison this subdivision in Brampton, ON has a much more muted colour palette, only contains a sidewalk on one side, and has little landscaping beyond grass turf and the planting of the same kind of tree.

Here's somebody in Brampton who doesn't own a lawnmower

https://goo.gl/maps/wuhS9VK12342

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

Here's somebody in Brampton who doesn't own a lawnmower

https://goo.gl/maps/wuhS9VK12342

I think that community is as good as you're going to get when it's a community full of packed in 'snout houses'. The trees make such a huge difference.

[GeneralLeeTPHLS]

That homeowner might still need some way to cut the grass, with the grass there on the stretch near the street. (Unless he worked a deal for the/a neighbour(s) to cut that grass)

That neighbourhood really does look better with trees....it looks like a generic suburb from the early to mid 80's judging by the design.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by rousseau

Hey, I like that! I think it replicates the architecturally haphazard look of a classic turn of the century southern Ontario street really well.

Originally Posted by Acajack

I like the areas of Cornell that were just posted here.

I'll third this, that section of street is about as nice as it gets for modern construction with character! I love it.

[GeneralLeeTPHLS]

Originally Posted by lio45

I'll third this, that section of street is about as nice as it gets for modern construction with character! I love it.

It does look pretty dang good IMO. Perhaps a tad tacky, but it's good nevertheless. Good design choices and good choices of greenery.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

I think that Canadians really have low standards when it comes to their residential environments. Those links that lio45 posted from Florida and Texas are much more pleasant than any of the links I posted from Canada (except maybe the bioswale side of the Langley street).

If you're going to live in a suburb and drive everywhere, you might as well live in a sprawling area with plenty of trees and a lot of privacy. Americans would never accept living in a place like this (no, that is not the alley) - which is really the worst of all worlds. They certainly wouldn't accept living in a place like that and paying the prices that we do.

OMG, that Mississauga example is indeed the worst of both worlds - talk about awful!

[TownGuy]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

Here's somebody in Brampton who doesn't own a lawnmower

https://goo.gl/maps/wuhS9VK12342

Hmm don't really see the issue with this house. The driveway is atleast interlock and it's flanked by beneficial flowers, etc which is better than a monoculture of grass. There are much worse out there.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

That's a street layout that's almost identical to what lio posted from the U.S.

Yes, and it looks appealing (in my opinion) compared to what the same street would look like without trees. Why doesn't Calgary just do that everywhere...?

[Rollerstud98]

Originally Posted by lio45

I'll third this, that section of street is about as nice as it gets for modern construction with character! I love it.

I don't mind close to the street but the houses so close together makes me not like it.

[MTLskyline]

If they were ever to make a Quebec version of Trailer Park Boys, it would take place in Longueuil.

Probably here:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@45.50657...7i13312!8i6656

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/stolen-b...eves-1.3872169

[le calmar]

Gatineau has a very large trailer park. I have never been in person but from what I’ve seen on Streetview it really doesn’t look too bad.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4905.../data=!3m1!1e3

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by le calmar

Gatineau has a very large trailer park. I have never been in person but from what I’ve seen on Streetview it really doesn’t look too bad.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4905.../data=!3m1!1e3

I am sitting about five minutes away from there right now.

You're right that it's not bad at all. I've never known anyone who lived there but have been once or twice to pick up stuff bought on Kijiji, etc.

It's a trailer park, but there isn't anything sketchy about it.

[jonny24]

Originally Posted by theman23

What does SSP think about faux-urban subdivisions like Cornell?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.88758...7i13312!8i6656


https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61988...7i13312!8i6656

That first one looks great. Even the alleys aren't bad as there's decent gaps between the garages.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

Here's somebody in Brampton who doesn't own a lawnmower

https://goo.gl/maps/wuhS9VK12342

Naturally we have to bring up the infamous unidriveway.

Nothing sucks the soul out of you like unidriveways (Especially if combined with fugly pickup trucks and snouthouses).

Feel your soul being sucked out of your chest?

cbc

Before/After:


metronews


imgur

[MolsonExport]

I hate these lunar landscaped places.

[Mister F]

Originally Posted by lio45

Did you just mistake Paris for... Nashville? You're probably the first person ever in the history of this urban affairs website to do this.

Nope, my mention of Nashville was in reference to a link to a street in Nashville that someone posted.

[niwell]

The last picture above at least has interlocking pavers... Still horrible but that puts it above the Calgary example. Although some points knocked off for combining that with asphalt driveways, which is one of my pet peeves and common in Ontario suburbs as well.

I generally like rear laneways over garage dominant streets, particularly in areas with long narrow lots like most of new suburban Calgary. But I can't get over how they don't pave most of them! I get that it's a cost issue and these areas are usually for starter homes, but it looks like garbage:

https://goo.gl/maps/y18nj7V3if52
https://goo.gl/maps/sogngktygNB2
https://goo.gl/maps/UVm5PMpTuCw
https://goo.gl/maps/6aszfehqYBE2


Just a random selection. There are lots.