Regina SW Development

[Mayor Quimby]

So, is this a go already?

Last civic election, all the incumbents said it was many years in the future and the plan stated it was for a population of 230,000+ or did we just grow by 50,000 during the real estate boom?

[ReginaGuy]

Originally Posted by Mayor Quimby

So, is this a go already?

Last civic election, all the incumbents said it was many years in the future and the plan stated it was for a population of 230,000+ or did we just grow by 50,000 during the real estate boom?

The plans state that the new communities in the SW will increase Regina's population capacity to 230,000 once *completed*.

Last time I checked, residential development in the south west hasn't even started. And unless Regina starts growing by several thousand people per year, it will likely take a few decades to fill the whole area.

The SW plans released by the city aren't a work-order. They're simply a set of guidelines for any future development(s), which is a good thing! This is the thing that many of you don't seem to understand.

Without the SW Plans, we'd probably end up with another "Vic-East", which was developed too quickly, and without enough foresight or planning.

[Mayor Quimby]

Actually there was an article in the LP a few months back that 90 lots would be released for immediate development.

[ReginaGuy]

Originally Posted by Mayor Quimby

Actually there was an article in the LP a few months back that 90 lots would be released for immediate development.

Wow, I stand corrected, the SW is practically complete then

[Mayor Quimby]

Still isn't it a little premature?

[ReginaGuy]

Originally Posted by Mayor Quimby

Still isn't it a little premature?

Well, I don't know too much about Real Estate, but I imagine if houses are being built, it's because there's demand for them.

It doesnt make much sense for a developer to build homes unless someone's going to buy them, so no, I don't think it's premature

[Mayor Quimby]

Originally Posted by ReginaGuy

Well, I don't know too much about Real Estate, but I imagine if houses are being built, it's because there's demand for them.

It doesnt make much sense for a developer to build homes unless someone's going to buy them, so no, I don't think it's premature

Nothing like some blind faith in the market.

"when one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called the free market."

[babo]

As long as Parliament Avenue is extended through to Lewvan Drive like it should be, they could build a hazardous materials collection facility or a nuclear reactor in Regina South-West for all I care.

[ReginaGuy]

Originally Posted by Mayor Quimby

Nothing like some blind faith in the market.

"when one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called the free market."

What are you suggesting? That we should adopt some sort of communist housing market? You'd better hope newflyer doesn't read that post

This is how it works.. (some) people want to live in detached houses. Due to strong demand, there is currently a shortage of detached houses in Regina, which is causing high prices. Most of the neighbourhoods in South-East Regina are nearing completion and are almost full, therefore, to keep up with demand the developers need to find new areas to build homes. The South-West is simply the largest and most accessible of the available undeveloped parcels in Regina.

If you're going to expand the city in any direction, the southwest makes the most sense, hands down. It's consists of two unused 1/4 sections of land which the city already owns, and the land is easily accessible and close to downtown (compared to developing even further east or north)

I assume you're suggesting we should force developers to only build high-rise apartments and only allow people to live downtown, which would be great for us sky-scraper nuts, but the general population would hate such an idea, and they would revolt.

sorry Quimby, you can't force everyone to live in condos, it doesn't work that way. This isn't New York City, it's Regina, SK.. People like their backyards and cul-de-sacs.

The only thing the city can do is guide new developments and encourage density through effective planning, which Regina is currently doing.

[Mayor Quimby]

Originally Posted by ReginaGuy

What are you suggesting? That we should adopt some sort of communist housing market? You'd better hope newflyer doesn't read that post

This is how it works.. (some) people want to live in detached houses. Due to strong demand, there is currently a shortage of detached houses in Regina, which is causing high prices. Most of the neighbourhoods in South-East Regina are nearing completion and are almost full, therefore, to keep up with demand the developers need to find new areas to build homes. The South-West is simply the largest and most accessible of the available undeveloped parcels in Regina.

If you're going to expand the city in any direction, the southwest makes the most sense, hands down. It's consists of two unused 1/4 sections of land which the city already owns, and the land is easily accessible and close to downtown (compared to developing even further east or north)

I assume you're suggesting we should force developers to only build high-rise apartments and only allow people to live downtown, which would be great for us sky-scraper nuts, but the general population would hate such an idea, and they would revolt.

sorry Quimby, you can't force everyone to live in condos, it doesn't work that way. This isn't New York City, it's Regina, SK.. People like their backyards and cul-de-sacs.

The only thing the city can do is guide new developments and encourage density through effective planning, which Regina is currently doing.

Watch "Radiant City", does the market drive development or does development drive the market? It seems most people feel they don't have a choice.

What you call effective planning, I call developer friendly. I don't think we need to live in highrise but with avg density being over 600 sq ft per person in Canada. We could reduce a little.

Development fees are a bargain in Regina, many places charge over $10k per house. Now that may be extreme in Regina's market but at the current rate, the city is paying for the development and adding to its infrastructure, which is in crisis.

Make development fees revenue neutral and invest the extra funds into repairing the infrastructure. I don't care, if new houses are built but I am sick of subsidising some house with its ass to the street for the first 10 years.