I dunno, like I said, I see the park in front of the new library as well as the lawn in front of Dal serving a very similar purpose. Maybe I shouldn't have included the exploratory illustration since it seems to have drawn all the attention.
Have you ever seen anyone using the lawn upon which the building in blue is located? I haven't. I wouldn't mind a shop or a cafe there is all -- I think it'd bring even more action to the park.
The main triangular lawn should stay, but if it ends up being underused once the old library closed and the new one opens (replete with the second park in front), I think we would maybe want to reexamine it (in 10 years or w/e) and see if it couldn't be better used or invigorated somehow...whether through a redesign of the space, or a partial development of the lot to serve as a pedestrian magnet like the library is currently, or something..
I dunno, like I said, I see the park in front of the new library as well as the lawn in front of Dal serving a very similar purpose. Maybe I shouldn't have included the exploratory illustration since it seems to have drawn all the attention.
Have you ever seen anyone using the lawn upon which the building in blue is located? I haven't. I wouldn't mind a shop or a cafe there is all -- I think it'd bring even more action to the park.
The main triangular lawn should stay, but if it ends up being underused once the old library closed and the new one opens (replete with the second park in front), I think we would maybe want to reexamine it (in 10 years or w/e) and see if it couldn't be better used or invigorated somehow...whether through a redesign of the space, or a partial development of the lot to serve as a pedestrian magnet like the library is currently, or something..
Maybe we should vote on the issue? So far it would appear hands-down the green space stays. As beyeas correctly points out, a park like Union Sq. in NYC is a welcome people place in the urban jungle. Trinity Sq. park and Bryant park in NYC are very similar and the city of New York recognizes this by allowing them to stay. Just to have a place for people to veg-out in an urban landscape is very important!
I didn't say, cut-and-dry, that the park should go. I'm not proposing anything terribly controversial; only that we shouldn't rule out the possibility of change beyond the next decade should the closure of the old library prove detrimental to the good thing we've got going here today. And that it would be neat to have a cafe on the lesser-used corner lawn.
I have no real clue what to do with the site because it's way too early to form an opinion. We don't even know what'll happen to the old library building yet. It's a bit HT-like to preemptively rule out any and all change.
I didn't say, cut-and-dry, that the park should go. I'm not proposing anything terribly controversial; only that we shouldn't rule out the possibility of change beyond the next decade should the closure of the old library prove detrimental to the good thing we've got going here today. And that it would be neat to have a cafe on the lesser-used corner lawn.
I have no real clue what to do with the site because it's way too early to form an opinion. We don't even know what'll happen to the old library building yet. It's a bit HT-like to preemptively rule out any and all change.
It's not a bit HT-like to oppose the elimination of this green space. HT opposes practically everything and what they approve of is garbage like the Prince George. We need more spaces like this not less and in the present retail environment more retail on Spring Garden in this location would no doubt be a wireless provider or cheap clothier like Le Chateau
I wonder if a small sporting goods store or bike shop could work out of the old library? I believe the building is 3 stories? Maybe have converted to offices on the top 2 floors and the stores at street level? I was thinking bikes because this is one of the most pedestrian oriented area's of town. It would also be nice to be able to rent a bicycle or two and zip around the south end. I'm not not sure....just thinking.
That's such an optimistic view (from the perspective of Winter Games.. maybe not from the perspective of driveway shovelling). There's probably a 50/50 chance of snow or maybe less.
I was looking through WHW Architects website and came across the Capital Health master plan they came up with. It only contains four images, but shows massing and layout for the QEH site and a reworking of the VG.
So based on the site plans on their website, the big parking lot bordered by SP, University & South is intended to be occupied by Capital Health. Look like possibly a couple of more buildings on the site (in addition to the new VG facilty replacing the old stuff) - possibly a parking stucture or two & lots of green space - looks like a pretty good balance for that block to me.
Just wanted to note that in the Capital Spending Plan released yesterday, there is money budgeted for 6 school construction projects in Halifax. Some of these are already underway (and the money allocated is just for the 2011-12 phase of construction) whereas other money is for "new" school projects (although it is unclear as to whether that meant in all cases that actual construction was beginning during the next fiscal year or whether some of that money might just be for land purchase and/or architectural work.
The one that interested me the most for personal reasons is that a new building at Lemarchant/St Thomas was listed in the plans for new school construction during 2011-12.
I would have to agree that the park should probably stay. There is no room left in downtown other than here, Dal or the library site for a pocket park.
If a new building is constructed, you could see the nature of who uses the park change though. If the building has ground floor retail and then residential above - then you'd have more eyes on the park. Typically in that case, less desirable people tend to not like having eyes on them and would go elsewhere.
Personally, it doesn't matter to me either way if the building stays or goes.
Gottingen Street @ Cunard Street - Saint Lenoard's Society of Nova Scotia
Unknown Height
4 floors
Mixed-Use (18 resdential units + ground floor commercial)
Gottingen Street @ Cunard Street - Saint Lenoard's Society of Nova Scotia
Unknown Height
4 floors
Mixed-Use (18 resdential units + ground floor commercial)
Gottingen Street @ Cunard Street - Saint Lenoard's Society of Nova Scotia
Unknown Height
4 floors
Mixed-Use (18 resdential units + ground floor commercial)
Prev
So based on the site plans on their website, the big parking lot bordered by SP, University & South is intended to be occupied by Capital Health. Look like possibly a couple of more buildings on the site (in addition to the new VG facilty replacing the old stuff) - possibly a parking stucture or two & lots of green space - looks like a pretty good balance for that block to me.
Linear Mode
