Great Canadian Parkades

[Tosin007]

I noticed there wasn't a topic/ photo's on this so who ever wants to share go for it, I say we start with the Large Urban Areas: (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg) places like that!

[Kokkei Mizu]

Apparently the underground parking under the arena district in Edmonton will be the largest in western canada.

[Tosin007]

Originally Posted by Kokkei Mizu

Apparently the underground parking under the arena district in Edmonton will be the largest in western canada.

Is that the new Arena?

[eemy]

When it was built, I had heard that the Terminal 1 parking garage at Pearson was the largest in the country. It apparently has roughly 9000 spots; I had trouble finding an exact number.

[kwoldtimer]

You mean Great Canadian Parkades?

[Chadillaccc]

This blight on Calgary's downtown, right smack dab in the middle of the Central Business District. It will soon (within a few years) be demolished to make way for the 178 meter west tower of Brookfield Place.


Bow Parkade (formerly Bay Parkade) by OldDogNewTrick, on Flickr

[WhipperSnapper]

Can't think of anything of note in the urban core of Toronto. There are relatively few open air structures. Abourt four municipal lots, three or four private lots and a couple mega garages at the hospital.

Deepest level is 8 storeys down
Highest level is 8 or 9(roof) storeys up
The St Lawrence above ground parkade and the underground lot below Nathan Phillips Square both have 2000+ spaces.


Bay Parkade in Calgary has a comparably good appearance.

[feepa]

or now, though, the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, remains king of shopping-center parking. With 20,000 spaces in its wrap-around parking structure, West Edmonton holds the Guinness world record for the largest parking lot.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/10/parking-automobiles-retail-biz-logistics-cx_ew_0410parking.html

[Innsertnamehere]

The St. Lawrence garage always struck me as way overbuilt, does it ever get anywhere close to filling up? same with city hall, seems like its overkill.

Eaton Centre is probably the largest private garage in the city, its something like 1,500 spots.

The new parking garages at a couple GO stations are between 1,200 and 1,500 as well.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by feepa

http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/10/parking-automobiles-retail-biz-logistics-cx_ew_0410parking.html

Always kind of liked how WEM at least tried to minimize its footprint somewhat with the use of parking structures. Unlike most mega-malls, you can actually walk into WEM from the street without feeling like you're an unwelcome trespasser... the entrances are close to the street (by mall standards) and it's well served by transit.

[esquire]

In what is the most greatly anticipated development in Winnipeg since the Jets came back, men, women, children and dogs across the city have been overcome with anticipation for the city's spectacular new world class downtown parkade, just metres away from the MTS Centre where the superstars of our time like Sidney Crosby, Lady Gaga and Ondrej Pavelec entertain the masses.

BEHOLD THE GREATNESS



There's a hotel/office tower and condo tower going up as part of the project too, but whatever

[Chadillaccc]

Is that the one that is part of the GlassHouse Skylofts project?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Is that the one that is part of the GlassHouse Skylofts project?

Yep, that's the one. PRETTY MIND BLOWING, EH

Actually, it depresses me to read that Toronto has few if any parking structures left downtown. They are going strong in Winnipeg, although the older generation is starting to wear out. This beast next to City Hall is now closed and in danger of failing:

[1overcosc]

In downtown Kingston one of our above ground garages is painted with a giant timeline mural of Kingston's history.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.2307937,-...3m2!1sA-x4JSCMfsyO9aOkTTWwRg!2e0!6m1!1e1

It's a little clumsy because its impossible to see all of the mural from the sidewalk, but it's a nice touch to what is otherwise a concrete eyesore.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by esquire

Yep, that's the one. PRETTY MIND BLOWING, EH

Actually, it depresses me to read that Toronto has few if any parking structures left downtown. They are going strong in Winnipeg, although the older generation is starting to wear out. This beast next to City Hall is now closed and in danger of failing:

http://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/PARKADE_03_MG_1772053.jpg

Well to be honest, if it has to be an above ground parkade, that is a pretty dang swank parkade. Plus, GlassHouse is going to be awesome.

It depresses me at well, Calgary has about 4 above ground parkades in the CBD and another huge one on 10th Avenue in the Beltline. They are also planning to build one near the EV too, to facilitate parking at the new cultural institutions there, though this one may also include a significant pedestrian realm and commercial/residential component. Regardless, one was just demolished (to make way for Manulife Tower) and the one I posted above is slated for demolition, so overall the situation is improving. I am sure it will improve in Winnipeg before long as well.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

This blight on Calgary's downtown, right smack dab in the middle of the Central Business District. It will soon (within a few years) be demolished to make way for the 178 meter west tower of Brookfield Place.


Bow Parkade (formerly Bay Parkade) by OldDogNewTrick, on Flickr

I actually don't think this one is that bad, it has retail at grade and they added a bit of visual interest.

Much worse is this one.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0447875,-...1!3m2!1sTEGaDfEPfPsFhj1ejhMqrA!2e0?hl=en

They tried to dress up the right side of this one, but it looks like they hung a chain link fence off the side. The stretch of 10th is probably the worst streetscape in the whole city!
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0430774,-...1!3m2!1sOe7EnIxEzpQGoOjv-8vAWA!2e0?hl=en

[Chadillaccc]

Oh god, yes. Let us never speak of it again!!

[Calgarian]

This is my favourite parkade ever (funny concept that lol). It is the parkade at SAIT Polytechnic in north central Calgary. There is a soccer field on the roof and that field has one of the best skyline views anywhere. I'm too lazy to post pictures so here is the article.

http://www.archdaily.com/129142/sait-parkade-bing-thom-architects/

[esquire]

^ The one redeeming feature of parkades is the awesome skyline views you get from the top of some of them.

[Tosin007]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

You mean Great Canadian Parkades?

Oh ya My bad but u knew what I meant lol xD

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I actually don't think this one is that bad, it has retail at grade and they added a bit of visual interest.

Much worse is this one.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0447875,-...1!3m2!1sTEGaDfEPfPsFhj1ejhMqrA!2e0?hl=en

They tried to dress up the right side of this one, but it looks like they hung a chain link fence off the side. The stretch of 10th is probably the worst streetscape in the whole city!
https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0430774,-...1!3m2!1sOe7EnIxEzpQGoOjv-8vAWA!2e0?hl=en

Wow thanks so much for your contribution Calgarian! as a soon to be city driver I love seeing these, any more?

Originally Posted by Calgarian

This is my favourite parkade ever (funny concept that lol). It is the parkade at SAIT Polytechnic in north central Calgary. There is a soccer field on the roof and that field has one of the best skyline views anywhere. I'm too lazy to post pictures so here is the article.

http://www.archdaily.com/129142/sait-parkade-bing-thom-architects/

As a Former Student of SAIT Polytechnic I think I know the one your talking about and I like it alot too!

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

In downtown Kingston one of our above ground garages is painted with a giant timeline mural of Kingston's history.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.2307937,-...3m2!1sA-x4JSCMfsyO9aOkTTWwRg!2e0!6m1!1e1

It's a little clumsy because its impossible to see all of the mural from the sidewalk, but it's a nice touch to what is otherwise a concrete eyesore.

That Kingston one looks fabulous! Actually as a City lately Kingston looks very appealing to me, I think its one of the most underrated cities in Ontario..