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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

I don't want to sound like Rick Bell, but how the hell did this thing cost $47 million?
And take 3 years. I don't like to sound like Rick Bell either, but I know where you're coming from. I'm looking at the plaza and thinking it was a lot of time and money, for something that doesn't seem much different. The riverfront portion is nice and there is a noticeable difference, but the section between the riverfront and 2nd ave feels like much ado about nothing. I also wish they had put in a protected bike lane from the river path over to third ave.
 
I don't want to sound like Rick Bell, but how the hell did this thing cost $47 million?

And take 3 years. I don't like to sound like Rick Bell either, but I know where you're coming from. I'm looking at the plaza and thinking it was a lot of time and money, for something that doesn't seem much different. The riverfront portion is nice and there is a noticeable difference, but the section between the riverfront and 2nd ave feels like much ado about nothing. I also wish they had put in a protected bike lane from the river path over to third ave.

Lots of utility work (including to supply festivals with lots of on site power). Constrained site next to a water body, and very close to residential. The incremental expense of relocating programming that was typically on the plaza. Archaeology of the entire site down 2 metres. Integrating invisible flood protection. Buying the land/buying out the lease Hard Rock/Brewster's/KidsNCo was on.

May also include replacing the Jaipur Bridge? Always hard to nail down scope on these budgets versus a raft of adjacent projects.
 
Lots of utility work (including to supply festivals with lots of on site power). Constrained site next to a water body, and very close to residential. The incremental expense of relocating programming that was typically on the plaza. Archaeology of the entire site down 2 metres. Integrating invisible flood protection. Buying the land/buying out the lease Hard Rock/Brewster's/KidsNCo was on.

May also include replacing the Jaipur Bridge? Always hard to nail down scope on these budgets versus a raft of adjacent projects.
OK that makes more sense, although still a lot of money. I believe Jaipur Bridge was a separate project not included in this cost.
 
I don't want to sound like Rick Bell, but how the hell did this thing cost $47 million?
The city spent 1 million on Jack Long park in Inglewood a couple years ago. Looks like a handyman’s weekend worth of work there. It’s typical government contracting. No oversight. Like a 50 000 $ phone line with Bow River recordings on it.
 
As we were all celebrating the new hotel proposal, a bunch of Calgary businesses are threatening to sue to stop the Stephen Avenue redevelopment in its tracks.

 
I fully support the concerns of businesses along Stephen Ave. The two blocks west of City Hall are already a mess between the Olympic Plaza/Arts Commons construction and the Glenbow redevelopment. Tearing up Stephen Ave itself on top of all that is going to make being outside in what is typically the most vibrant part of downtown a miserable experience - and those businesses are the ones who will suffer.
 
I can see both sides of the argument. On one hand the city needs to be able to do upgrades and improvements from time to time, but Stephen ave is a very busy corridor. After seeing how long it took for Marda Loop and Eau Claire plaza I would probably be worried too.
One thing that the city can look at is maybe changing the start date from July 14th to more of the end of summer.
 
Needless to say the city has lost people's trust when it comes to executing public realm and utility improvement projects.

Speaking of Eau Claire... Looks like they're finished with the mall demolition. If the downtown portion of the Green Line were starting soon this would probably be used as laydown for that. I know they're going to start doing utility work on 2nd Street for the Green Line so they could still use some of this for that. Maybe they open it up to parking for the summer?

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