Edmonton and the play for post-secondary educational relevance

[David A]

Yes and they all grow as the city grows, perhaps at a faster rate as it is harder for the largest institutions to grow as much.

MacEwan and Norquest are becoming fairly significant downtown. I do think there is more potential for the U of A to have a downtown presence both in Enterprise Square and elsewhere.

It might be a good time for them to consider snapping up some nearby space while it is affordable and available.

 

[scyeg]

I can't stand how the U of A treats Enterprise Square. It's so cold and isolated with its vinyl-covered windows and one functioning entrance. Safety concerns are a real thing, sure, but I think opening it up to the street, welcoming people to use the atrium cafe to sit and have lunch and treating it more like a university building would help it. I don't understand the idea of trying to prevent crime by making it look like no one is there. It's basically been like this since they moved in there too, so it's not new.

 

[David A]

The U of A, which should be a great asset for our city, unfortunately has a very mixed history being a good citizen. Yes, the building is increasingly locked down like Fort Knox.

Another thing that irks me is the nice space they fixed up in the front south west corner (probably lot of money was spent to do that), is empty and has been for a very long time. So much potential wasted here.

If they don't want to use the space fine, but don't just sit on it like a dog in a manager and find someone else to use it or give it to someone who can. There are various not for profit groups that need space.

 

[archited]

And so we come around to Enterprise Square -- a U. of A. edifice that has unrealized potential (to date) and yet it has probably the greatest impact possible for the generation of downtown Edmonton entrepreneurial development. Some comments follow:

Promising words -- but needs to be followed up with concrete examples -- we can explore this later.

These programs should be de rigeuer for public employees so that there is a developed cohesiveness in terms of City-Centre solutions

It's a starting point but most often requires an oversight hand to develop viable solutions.

This is so true -- it unlocks the doors to other cultures.

Don't leave home without the basic knowledge wrapt up in this know-how.

Again, a good starting point.

 

[archited]

Looking at the possibilities and studying what potential partnerships might be in store to improve the downtown character and City-wide impact, several possibilities come to mind...
Here is the Dream Scenario:
Excavate the basement area of the former Hudson's Bay building (Enterprise Square) and the building to the North of Enterprise Square bringing their basements down to align elevation-wise with the current LRT concourse level (one level above the platform level) and in some discrete areas down to the platform level to generate interest and unique possibilities. This new deeper excavation would serve to create a subterranean tropical wonderland bounded by a perimeter of unique specialty restaurants and retail businesses dedicated to plant functionalities and purposeful business models. All of the restaurants would follow a "quick-service" model and would include:
-- coffee and pastry shops
-- tea and pastry shops
-- chili eatery and beanery
-- Phở eateries
-- Borscht eateries
-- Potato Soup eateries
-- Vegetable Soup eateries
-- Chinese Soup eateries
-- Udon Soup eateries
-- Ramen Soup eateries
All of these would support local start-ups (incubators) without national chain affiliation and would be best examples of local know-how in food prep and service memes.
Complementing these would be plant-affiliated (horticulture) businesses that could encompass the following:
-- an Herb Shop that sells both plants and seeds/produce related to Herb culture.
-- an Edible Snails (escargots) and Snail Caviar business (high returns) referred to as Heliciculture
-- a Soft Fruits business -- berries (blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. and most notably Alberta natives including Saskatoon berries, bearberries, black currants, black huckleberries, blueberries, bunchberries, chokecherries, cloudberries, cranberries, crowberries, elderberries, fairy bells, false solomon's-seals, golden currants, gooseberries, hawthorns, Oregon grapes, prickly-pear cacti, red currants, skunk bush berries, thimbleberries, and twisted stalks.
-- a Cut Flowers business
-- a Seed and Seedlings (Nursery Garden) business
-- a Bamboo Cultivar business
-- a Scented Garden and Potpourri business (lavender, roses, calamintha, thyme, allium, etc.)
-- a Mushroom Garden business (e.g. oyster gourmet mushroom)
-- a Ginseng business (up to $600.00 per pound)
-- a Houseplant business
To complete the picture, then, we would have an underground tropical paradise with water features, articulated paths, and sustaining creatures (exotic butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, all pollinators). A Master Gardener Club could be established for the express development of new hybrids and cultivars.
The University of Alberta having an express interest in all things "horticulture" could form and alliance with the "UC" (University of California -- particularly UCLA) network to meld "extension" and "continuing education" offerings from the University of Alberta's ALES Faculty (Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences) with the Horticulture Certificate Program (online) developed by UCLA. This could be a good "test" scenario exploring intra-University cooperation that could expand into many other offerings in many other disciplines over time, showcasing how this kind of cooperation builds public benefit. New teaching methods could be supported by advanced Communication Technology and the express development of AI in the learning environment. As an example, a holographic module that puts an instructor in a life-size "box" replete with illustration panels and a variety of educational aids could form the basis of an "in situ" classroom that could also be translated into an online experience. The professor, then, could be teleported from any place in the world into a classroom in Edmonton for the "live" plus "hands-on" experience and the whole could be saved and replicated online; likewise Edmonton-area experts could be "teleported" to SoCal and other world-locations. This could be a "business" that eventually draws on the best of the best with the most exceptional results favoring the general public and focused students alike.
Two examples:

 

[archited]

Back when the Bay was in full operational mode at the Enterprise Square site I used to love checking out the street-facing windows, often with animated components (especially around Christmas time). Currently, those same windows are greatly underutilized in terms of message projection. I could see another cooperative effort partnering with a film studio to see the windows transformed into holographic masterpieces that are not only imaginative in their make-up but that are also interactive, pairing a member of the public with a "toon" entourage -- one such set-up at each window...

The reddened windows are the ones being referred to. I would remove the trees relocating them to the centre island (eliminating the left-turn lanes), expand the sidewalk to consume the indented lane, move the bus stop down a block, create a concrete "safety shape" barrier adjacent to the driving lane that mitigates traffic creep out of the driving lane and then build atop this barrier a media wall that is composed of "smart" LEDs -- the wall would rise to a point in line with the third floor level of Enterprise Square and then would arc out over the two westbound driving lanes. The media wall would have similar functionality to the new Sphere exterior (Las Vegas -- https://www.thespherevegas.com/) and would provide a huge message improvement over what is currently there -- for the University of Alberta, for the internal functions of Enterprise Square, for this section of Jasper Avenue, for the businesses on 103rd Street and 102nd Street, and for all manner of events that are planned for downtown Edmonton. Interior to the Media Wall there would be two escalators and an elevator that ferry street pedestrians down to the concourse level of the LRT station (thereby eliminating the current inadequate access points) and connecting to the new interior tropical garden. An arced glass roof would connect the media wall to the Enterprise Square building. In front of the new activated windows three or four rows of tiered seating would allow pedestrians to sit and take in the interactive show -- 'toons connecting with engaged youngsters in a two-way IA-enhanced conversation -- the possibilities are nigh on endless in terms of entertainment for all ages.
I envision the flat roof of the building North of Enterprise Square being a great staging ground for "formation drones" and ever-changing, ever-inspiring illuminated -- drone formation show -- hovering over the downtown skies at night.
The transformational total then incudes:
-- nightly drone shows
-- an underground tropical park that forms the basis for new themed businesses and the development of new hybrids and cultivars
-- an incubator "start-up" program for casual eateries promoting local entrepreneurial spirit
-- an incubator "start-up" program for plant-themed businesses again promoting local entrepreneurial spirit
-- a media wall that entertains, informs, and creates an income-driven advertising base
-- activated IA-enhanced theme windows that create an alternative form of entertainment for all ages, toddler to centenarian
-- a transformational series of partnerships between the University of Alberta and other global like-minded institutions and corporations that bring entertainment and education to a new level of existence
-- transformational impetus to a key section of Jasper Avenue
-- transformational impetus to both 102nd street and 103rd street
-- a growth factor that can lead to continuous positive change for downtown Edmonton

 

[archited]

There is another idea that can reinforce both the Enterprise Square concept and the reimagining of 104th Street. It would also have a larger impact on Downtown Edmonton generally. That is the notion of building a community-binding tram rail that offers a fare-free ride (income sourced from other possibilities). I would imagine that starting "loop" traversing 103rd Street from 103rd Avenue to 100th Avenue, then coursing westward to 105th Street, northward back to 103rd Avenue, and finally closing the loop from 105th Street to 103rd Street.

The Boarding Stations shown in red on the above map would see stops... #1 on the southwest corner of 104th Street and 103rd Avenue that would give access to the upgraded 104th Street and, in particular, to the new developments planned by Westrich and the repurposing of the Storage building -- also providing access to the Neon Museum to the north along 104th Street and the bridge connection to the Arena; #2 in front of the Historic Hotel on the corner of 103rd Ave. and 103rd Street -- this would help propel this historic property into relevance and would also provide access to the ICE District; #3 by the street-killing Melcor Building to get the owners there to open up their building to the street and opposite the reconstituted Enterprise Square, making this station specifically useful in reconstituting the Street and underscoring Jasper Avenue rehab at the same time; #4 opposite Mason's Hall and putting development pressure on the HUGE parking lot to the east of the proposed Station site; #5 just South of Falcon 2 and just east of the Hotel (Holiday Inn Express), again an activator of the South portion of 104th Street; #6 on 105th Street adjacent to another Parking Lot and a redevelopment potential; #7 opposite Beaver Hills Park and the connecting alley that opens up to 106th Street (Bicycle Heaven) and the Warehouse District Park; #8 the last station in the loop and 1/2 block from the Shift twin-tower concept.
Each Station would be three above-grade levels, housing a boarding station on the ground floor plus a restaurant Kitchen that would supply dining seating above and also connect to the Street with take-away access. The second Floor would be restaurant seating (with public restrooms and the third Floor would either be additional restaurant seating or a Micro Hotel location (a la Japan).
The most exciting part of this concept would be the double-decker tram that runs on LSM-powered tracks -- 4 cars at the busiest times, 2 cars minimum between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. the following morning. The cars would be fare-free and would have three employees for each vehicle -- a motorman responsible for the operation of the car (although this could be traded off with central control if a situation warranted the need for another engaged body); a conductor who would be responsible for entertaining riders and maintaining general order and interest of passengers; and a barista on the upper deck who would tend a coffee/pastry bar, taking orders and also entertaining passengers. The upper deck, then, would sport a coffee bar where patrons could "run the circuit" as many times as they liked, enjoying entertainment and the company of fellow travelers.

 

[archited]

Dr. Marielle Papin named Tier 2 Canada Research Chair

www.macewan.ca

 

[archited]

MacEwan University appoints new Dean for the Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications

www.macewan.ca

 

[archited]

The MacU expansion...

Ledcor chosen for $190M MacEwan University project

When completed, the building will accommodate an additional 7,500 students.

readsitenews.com

 

[David A]

Good news! This will really raise the profile of MacEwan particularly as the premier downtown University in Edmonton.

I continue to be disappointed, as a U of A alumni, how sad their downtown initiative seems in comparison.

 

[MacLac]

Good news! This will really raise the profile of MacEwan particularly as the premier downtown University in Edmonton.

I continue to be disappointed, as a U of A alumni, how sad their downtown initiative seems in comparison.

They're the only DT university. I wasn't aware that the U of A was engaged in a formal initiative alliance looking at moving the university to the DT core?

 

[David A]

Sorry, I was referring to Enterprise Square. Maybe I should have said lack of downtown initiative instead.

 

[Tropical]

Sorry, I was referring to Enterprise Square. Maybe I should have said lack of downtown initiative instead.

Honestly? The main U of A campus is wonderfully located. And if that results in the vibrant, beautiful neighbourhoods we see on the south face of the river, I'm all for it. MacEwan (and Norquest) are the folks who can make the biggest impact downtown.

 

[David A]

Honestly? The main U of A campus is wonderfully located. And if that results in the vibrant, beautiful neighbourhoods we see on the south face of the river, I'm all for it. MacEwan (and Norquest) are the folks who can make the biggest impact downtown.

It is well located with a great neighbourhood nearby, but it is constrained. I'd rather they expand downtown rather than encroach on the older neighbourhoods nearby or expand more in the further away south campus.