gsunnyg
Senior Member
Another great method is throwing on a bunch of well designed LED billboards with proper ads, not from a local realtor. Helps generate revenue too....Where's our own Dundas Square Calgary!?
I think that the Beltline is far too residential in nature to be a good place for a digital mini Younge/Dundas type square. We could borrow some small elements for a Tompkins Park redo, but otherwise most of the neighbourhood lacks monumentality that is required for these type of grand public spaces. It should be noted that these squares are only partially "invented" - mostly they exist, and are successful as tourist traps or otherwise, because they have always existed in some capacity at the crossroads of major commercial, retail and transport hubs (and at the centre of a large local population for more people to see signs and generate that all-important commerce).An intersection with a few LED signs would certainly give off a metropolis vibe similar to Dundas. 4th street SW and 17th ave would be a great location as well as 8th street SW and 17th ave around Tompkins (as previously mentioned) On a smaller scale, maybe Kensington Road and 10th street - if the Osteria parcel gets redeveloped.
I looked into this a bit and counted parking stalls nearby, I probably missed some. I only counted online parking spots so missed all condos, residential, dedicated stalls and on-street. This is all I could find within a block or so, including underground and surface parking.In my ideal world, Tomkins Park is 50% larger; there's a parkade under it with a traffic calmed shared street entrance from 7th St, and 16th Ave is replaced by park/plaza all the way to the shops in Mount Royal Village. The added parking capacity here also enables a wider sidewalk on 17th Ave taking up the parking lane of the road, on the Tomkins Park block, and at a minimum on the block west of it (the N side of 17th between 8th and 9th), where the Devenish -- a great heritage building -- results in a sidewalk too narrow for today's foot traffic. (Probably also the block east; at least up to Market, RIP).
And the top level of the parkade is largely a high quality bike parking facility.
Is anyone here supportive of a stand alone "how to fix the CBD" thread? This topic comes up a lot these days whether it's talk of converting one ways, office to residential conversion, Stephan ave redux, Dundas/ Times Square style digital advertising ext. so it might be nice to have everyone's ideas contained in one thread.So 7th Avenue / Stephen Avenue is the right vibe for "monumentality" - unfortunately the area is now painfully being held back because of our 50 year obsession of single-use office block development in the core that limits the 24 hour nature of the area. In fact it probably needs even less plazas than it has - I'd trade most of the corporate plazas in the core for a major movie theatre development (and the huge amount of traffic it generates) connected directly to a train station. For example, the city would be a better place if instead of the Courthouse Park at 4 Street SW Station, we built a 16-screen cineplex.
I don't know if one currently exists, but I put my Public Realm Catelogue in one of the folders. Go ahead and make one and I'd contribute for sure!Is anyone here supportive of a stand alone "how to fix the CBD" thread? This topic comes up a lot these days whether it's talk of converting one ways, office to residential conversion, Stephan ave redux, Dundas/ Times Square style digital advertising ext. so it might be nice to have everyone's ideas contained in one thread.
You can create one if you'd like. I can too, let me know.Is anyone here supportive of a stand alone "how to fix the CBD" thread? This topic comes up a lot these days whether it's talk of converting one ways, office to residential conversion, Stephan ave redux, Dundas/ Times Square style digital advertising ext. so it might be nice to have everyone's ideas contained in one thread.