Calgary Event Centre | 36.85m | 11s | CSEC | HOK

Do you support the proposal for the new arena?

  • Yes

    Votes: 89 65.0%

  • No

    Votes: 39 28.5%

  • Maybe

    Votes: 9 6.6%
  • Total voters
    137
The Beltline Urban Development Committee has reached out to citizens with their critique of the vision and design. Here are some of the comments that echo what some of us on this blog have already stated. There were several other comments. Bottom line is that they are extremely disappointed.

  • Given the significant contribution of taxpayer funds that will be put towards this project, it is critical for it to demonstrate meaningful and material public benefit. At this time, we believe there is ample room for improvement
  • More than half of the 12 Avenue facade is inactive, with critical sections of this elevation (such as the northeast corner) taken up with back-of-house and service spaces. While we appreciate that there are a number of building services and life safety facilities that need to be accommodated, we would strongly encourage the applicant to look at opportunities to locate or consolidate these functions in other parts of the building and take better advantage of the 12 Avenue interface.
  • We note that the applicant has accommodated a relatively large plaza on the southwest corner of the building. We are disappointed to see that a similar feature was not included in the northwest. Given that this corner of the building is adjacent to the RDMP’s ‘critical corner’ and corresponds to the primary access for users of the Green Line, we feel strongly that much more needs to be done. Given the number of people likely to be exiting from this side of the building after an event, a lack of high quality pedestrian storage space may also create safety issues given the proximity to major roadways.
  • One of the BNA’s major critiques of the RDMP was that the 4 Street retail environment would struggle to thrive given Stampede’s opposition to residential development on the park and the consequential lack of directly adjacent population centres. We do not agree that Event Centre and BMO Centre events will be sufficient to drive the necessary critical mass to support these functions. The proposed restaurants are very large at 200-, 500-, and 800-seats respectively. Even with an increase in the number of events, it will be extremely challenging to keep these spaces full throughout the year. This is a trend we continue to see in entertainment districts throughout the world, and we would caution the applicant in thinking that they are uniquely able to overcome it without creating a very significant destination that will draw people in from further afield. We simply do not feel that sufficient population density exists in the area – today or in the future. Given that CSEC will operate these restaurants, we are also concerned that opportunities to support local business and entrepreneurship will be minimal (and adjacent businesses may in fact be unable to compete).
 
JonnyCanuck said:
The Beltline Urban Development Committee has reached out to citizens with their critique of the vision and design. Here are some of the comments that echo what some of us on this blog have already stated. There were several other comments. Bottom line is that they are extremely disappointed.

  • Given the significant contribution of taxpayer funds that will be put towards this project, it is critical for it to demonstrate meaningful and material public benefit. At this time, we believe there is ample room for improvement
  • More than half of the 12 Avenue facade is inactive, with critical sections of this elevation (such as the northeast corner) taken up with back-of-house and service spaces. While we appreciate that there are a number of building services and life safety facilities that need to be accommodated, we would strongly encourage the applicant to look at opportunities to locate or consolidate these functions in other parts of the building and take better advantage of the 12 Avenue interface.
  • We note that the applicant has accommodated a relatively large plaza on the southwest corner of the building. We are disappointed to see that a similar feature was not included in the northwest. Given that this corner of the building is adjacent to the RDMP’s ‘critical corner’ and corresponds to the primary access for users of the Green Line, we feel strongly that much more needs to be done. Given the number of people likely to be exiting from this side of the building after an event, a lack of high quality pedestrian storage space may also create safety issues given the proximity to major roadways.
  • One of the BNA’s major critiques of the RDMP was that the 4 Street retail environment would struggle to thrive given Stampede’s opposition to residential development on the park and the consequential lack of directly adjacent population centres. We do not agree that Event Centre and BMO Centre events will be sufficient to drive the necessary critical mass to support these functions. The proposed restaurants are very large at 200-, 500-, and 800-seats respectively. Even with an increase in the number of events, it will be extremely challenging to keep these spaces full throughout the year. This is a trend we continue to see in entertainment districts throughout the world, and we would caution the applicant in thinking that they are uniquely able to overcome it without creating a very significant destination that will draw people in from further afield. We simply do not feel that sufficient population density exists in the area – today or in the future. Given that CSEC will operate these restaurants, we are also concerned that opportunities to support local business and entrepreneurship will be minimal (and adjacent businesses may in fact be unable to compete).
Click to expand...
Link here: https://www.beltlineyyc.ca/events_centre_design_issues
 
The design team did respond to some of these comments
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