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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

Yes.

On review a few years ago, the allowance in general ended in the 40s when two departments of the city fought over two lots allowing retail at the Elbow Drive, Riverdale, Lansdowne Ave intersection, across the river from the streetcar loop, eventually leading to the rejection of retail as one department baked in 'residential only' via a restrictive covenant that CPC didn't make the effort to figure out how to remove.
Great perspective it would be hard to get an understanding of why without your experience
 
Stephen Ave needs to get rid of the small tiny curbs, fix all the mish mash paving surfaces and styles, and definitely some bigger trees! Can't really think of a way to improve it beyond that.
Make it pedestrian only from Macleod Trail to 4 St SW from May to October. Cars change the ambiance and vibrancy of that stretch of 8th Ave and not for the better. I noticed that last year when the city closed it to traffic for the whole summer and encouraged expanded patios etc. The atmosphere was greatly improved. Now we have expanded patios in some places right to the road with open traffic and parked cars (at certain times ... not sure what the schedule is for opening it to traffic this summer), and no sidewalk space for people to walk. So they walk on the road. My experience is that it is a bit of schmozzle right now.

p.s I don't want to hear the tired, old argument that businesses on 8th Ave need/want street parking to attract customers to downtown and make it more convenient for cars.
 
The new DP plans have been posted now on the DP link:
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More detailed look at each section:
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So basically it looks like they were getting criticized for their bike lane designs, and thought the best way to respond was to remove them entirely. No bike lanes, no criticsm, right?
 

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Make it pedestrian only from Macleod Trail to 4 St SW from May to October. Cars change the ambiance and vibrancy of that stretch of 8th Ave and not for the better. I noticed that last year when the city closed it to traffic for the whole summer and encouraged expanded patios etc. The atmosphere was greatly improved. Now we have expanded patios in some places right to the road with open traffic and parked cars (at certain times ... not sure what the schedule is for opening it to traffic this summer), and no sidewalk space for people to walk. So they walk on the road. My experience is that it is a bit of schmozzle right now.

p.s I don't want to hear the tired, old argument that businesses on 8th Ave need/want street parking to attract customers to downtown and make it more convenient for cars.
Agreed! no need for anyone to drive down Stephen Ave in the daytime, and only taxis and emergency vehicles in the evenings (after 6 in the winter and after 11 in the summer). I think they should try to hold some festival or event there like lilac fest on a summer weekend.
 
Agreed! no need for anyone to drive down Stephen Ave in the daytime, and only taxis and emergency vehicles in the evenings (after 6 in the winter and after 11 in the summer). I think they should try to hold some festival or event there like lilac fest on a summer weekend.
And deliveries in the morning.
 
It seems CMLC has gone downhill with all of the turnover they've had since the completion of the library.

Between this, the BMO expansion which is turning our poorly (at least from an urban design standpoint), the terrible Platform parkade, and their failure on the arena project - there's not a lot of positives.
 
I have to agree on the downhill slide of CMLC. In addition to everything Art Vandelay mentioned, they have also failed to keep the East Village momentum going. I know there was covid and supply issues, but they really haven't done a good job trying to finish the remaining lots in the East Village.The library was truly their last hurrah, now they seem lost.
 
It's their land from 12th to the river, so probable some power I'm sure.
Do they own the streets as well?

Honestly, how did we get to a point where an unelected board of elderly corporate suits (who like to put on cowboy hats and play at being blue collar) control such a huge swath of the city? How have we continued to tolerate their control after decades and decades of doing nothing but building parking lots? Everything they touch is an absolute failure.
 
Again ... why is their a need for street parking along Stampede Trail???? When is this city going to stop catering to cars???
Probably to make it viable the 95% of the time when a big event is not underway. Complete lack of imagination is the problem with the design, not the presence of street parking
 

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