BMO Centre Expansion | 25m | 5s | CMLC

The DP goes to Planning Commission this Thursday. Report here:

The DP drawings here:

I don't think there are any new renderings in there that we haven't seen before. This site plan though has me wondering why they will make pedestrians take so many extra steps (winding path) to get from the train station to the new event centre:
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MichaelS said:
The colour plan helps, but the tree placement in the detailed site plan I posted seems to indicate people will be forced to deviate from a straight line. The trees don`t seem consistent between the two.
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I agree that the O2's DTR package actually helps clarify, but also points out some inconsistencies. I was reading the UDRP comments, and they identified some issues, especially regarding Ped experience along the blank wall. Is it just me, or does that DP submission read as a little rushed? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great project, but for a DP package for something as important as this.. like the floating AXO on page 7? Materiaility is pretty important too. I can appreciate the material codes on the elevations, but coloured elevations with sample material images would have been great. I think I may be too old school, cranky. Sorry. Awesome project, not so sure about the drawing package, (although the page numbering may indicate that they redacted some of the info)
 
The grassy areas are completely superfluous. Not a big fan, from an urban design standpoint. Though it might break up the megalithic-ness of the convention centre and horror show of surface parking that is Stampede Park 🤔 I guess I'll have to wait and see.
 
MichaelS said:
The DP goes to Planning Commission this Thursday. Report here:

The DP drawings here:

I don't think there are any new renderings in there that we haven't seen before. This site plan though has me wondering why they will make pedestrians take so many extra steps (winding path) to get from the train station to the new event centre:
View attachment 283227
Click to expand...

Calgary's unnecessary windy path fetish strikes again! At least most of it is paved so it functions almost like a square - but with none of the intentional design for it by once again forcing a straight walk into a curvy one. It might be a bit COVID induced stir-craziness or just going crazy a regular way, but I can't help but see this curvy nonsense everywhere I look now.

A really specific and fun fact from 30 seconds of googling of all other big cities in Canada and a few random ones in the US - I think we are the only major downtown convention centre that has random planters, greenery and trees adjacent to the building that interfering with pedestrian flow and creating unusable spaces adjacent to the building.

I will officially add this to my list:
Question I changed my career to urban planning in hopes of answeringAnswer
Why do we build car-oriented high density buildings that are the worst of both worlds?solved: parking requirements, setback requirements, design culture, political/cultural/regulatory inflexibility, project economic constraints
Why can't we build sidewalks of consistent width and quality, even in highly-pedestrian areas?partially solved: no one cares, no department champions the sidewalk, cars/lane width standards/parking/utilities always take priority, no mechanisms in place to fund sidewalks effectively
Why are the traffic signals so long for no reason in inner city Calgary and there are never any cars past rush hour?not solved; my guess is no one looks at it and no traffic engineer in charge has ever lived in the Beltline or been there past rush-hour when there is no need for 3 minute signal cycle times.
*NEW* Why do we build curvy paths for no reason and add unnecessary grass and planters to urban things that don't need it and no one asked for it?not solved; my guess there is a nega-CBBarnett one step ahead of me in my career and literally believing the opposite of me and is more effectively at getting their curvy, infuriating design ideas implemented.
 
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You could potentially come to a realistic conclusion that we build curvy pathways with grass patches to subconsciously cause people to walk more and get more exercise, therefore decreasing obesity levels. 🤔

Maybe curvy pathways are actually just a fitness conspiracy 🤷‍♂️
 
That's the first thing I thought as well. Why not just have a nice tree lined straight path? It's the same thing that bothers me about 3rd st (Barclay Parade)
CBBarnett said:
Calgary's unnecessary windy path fetish strikes again! At least most of it is paved so it functions almost like a square - but with none of the intentional design for it by once again forcing a straight walk into a curvy one. It might be a bit COVID induced stir-craziness or just going crazy a regular way, but I can't help but see this curvy nonsense everywhere I look now.

A really specific and fun fact from 30 seconds of googling of all other big cities in Canada and a few random ones in the US - I think we are the only major downtown convention centre that has random planters, greenery and trees adjacent to the building that interfering with pedestrian flow and creating unusable spaces adjacent to the building.

I will officially add this to my list:
Question I changed my career to urban planning in hopes of answeringAnswer
Why do we build car-oriented high density buildings that are the worst of both worlds?solved: parking requirements, setback requirements, design culture, political/cultural/regulatory inflexibility, project economic constraints
Why can't we build sidewalks of consistent width and quality, even in highly-pedestrian areas?partially solved: no one cares, no department champions the sidewalk, cars/lane width standards/parking/utilities always take priority, no mechanisms in place to fund sidewalks effectively
Why are the traffic signals so long for no reason in inner city Calgary and there are never any cars past rush hour?not solved; my guess is no one looks at it and no traffic engineer in charge has ever lived in the Beltline or been there past rush-hour when there is no need for 3 minute signal cycle times.
*NEW* Why do we build curvy paths for no reason and add unnecessary grass and planters to urban things that don't need it and no one asked for it?not solved; my guess there is a nega-CBBarnett one step ahead of me in my career and literally believing the opposite of me and is more effectively at getting their curvy, infuriating design ideas implemented.
Click to expand...
 
people.talking said:
You could potentially come to a realistic conclusion that we build curvy pathways with grass patches to subconsciously cause people to walk more and get more exercise, therefore decreasing obesity levels. 🤔

Maybe curvy pathways are actually just a fitness conspiracy 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Just like how building straight 8-lane freeways solve climate change because cars drive a bit less and at higher speeds so are more fuel efficient!
 
MichaelS said:
The DP goes to Planning Commission this Thursday. Report here:

The DP drawings here:

I don't think there are any new renderings in there that we haven't seen before. This site plan though has me wondering why they will make pedestrians take so many extra steps (winding path) to get from the train station to the new event centre:
Click to expand...

If nothing else gets built around there, it'll be a shorter distance to walk the other way to the new event center along the NW face of BMO and cut through at 3rd St SE between Cowboys. Assuming they don't block off heading north from the platform for some incomprehensible reason, which wouldn't surprise me.
 
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