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What do you think of this project?

  • Total voters
    32
Edmonchuk said:
It's called democracy. Federal and provincial politics are two different things, and Edmonton is not that conservative. And societies are dynamic.
Just 10 year ago, 30% of roads in the city were in very poor condition, worst in the country. Now it's down to 5% I believe. Still there is a long way to go.
Edmonton lacks investment in infrastructure. It's a rough looking city. It has improved dramatically since 2010 when I moved here.
Edmonton has its own identity and history, you just need to make an effort to see it.
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It is coming along. There was a 10 to 15 year period where virtually nothing was built downtown, which was sad. While part of that period was economically not so good, it wasn't the whole time. Some sort of inertia or malaise set in then that has not yet been fully overcome. It is good to see things still moving ahead, albeit more slowly when the economy was better.

It is hard to do, but I would encourage every person who reads this to try look at our city through the eyes of a visitor. Some things are ok, some not. It will then become clearer what we need to focus on improving.
 
David A said:
To be honest, I don't think you can accomplish much if anything by only criticizing from a distance, unless you want to become one of those people from Toronto that just puts everyone outside of Toronto off, kind if like some Americans who go elsewhere and make unfavorable comparissons to where they live. I think it is really up to people who are invested in our city to improve it and there are actually positive things going on you might miss from a distance. I don't think too much negativity does anything, unless perhaps putting some place else down makes you feel better about where you live currently. If you have something more constructive to say fine, but if not just enjoy your new home city.
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David A said:
It is coming along. There was a 10 to 15 year period where virtually nothing was built downtown, which was sad. While part of that period was economically not so good, it wasn't the whole time. Some sort of inertia or malaise set in then that has not yet been fully overcome. It is good to see things still moving ahead, albeit more slowly when the economy was better.

It is hard to do, but I would encourage every person who reads this to try look at our city through the eyes of a visitor. Some things are ok, some not. It will then become clearer what we need to focus on improving.
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The irony of your previous post about seeing the city through the eyes of a visitor is a response you had in another thread when I offered a critical view of downtown as an Edmontonian that lives in Toronto and comes back to visit, instead you told me to enjoy my new home city of Toronto.

As an Edmontonian that returns to the city with a view as a visitor and citizen and has investments specifically downtown, downtown has come a long way but is years behind where it could/should be in every category from development to cleanliness to basic maintenance to social order. And through the eyes of a visitor, it still lags a lot of other downtowns in those categories more than it probably should. I love being downtown Edmonton as there are many positive aspects but it still has a long way to go and is spinning its wheels in some sense.

Which, to get back on topic, is why it is a shame to see another lot demolished and empty like so many others that have been put a hold on for what looked like such a promising development on this plot of land. Not every development will be successful but if the City and next council want to curb demo and sit empty like this development, they need to explore how to better optimize the permit process so that demo permits aren't taken advantage of at the detriment of the City development process and the community. Furthermore, City bylaws need to be not only updated so that sites like this see things such as proper fencing (see Edgar's MacLaren), but also enforced on to avoid more Regency and Arlington sites.
 
CaptainBL said:
The irony of your previous post about seeing the city through the eyes of a visitor is a response you had in another thread when I offered a critical view of downtown as an Edmontonian that lives in Toronto and comes back to visit, instead you told me to enjoy my new home city of Toronto.

As an Edmontonian that returns to the city with a view as a visitor and citizen and has investments specifically downtown, downtown has come a long way but is years behind where it could/should be in every category from development to cleanliness to basic maintenance to social order. And through the eyes of a visitor, it still lags a lot of other downtowns in those categories more than it probably should. I love being downtown Edmonton as there are many positive aspects but it still has a long way to go and is spinning its wheels in some sense.

Which, to get back on topic, is why it is a shame to see another lot demolished and empty like so many others that have been put a hold on for what looked like such a promising development on this plot of land. Not every development will be successful but if the City and next council want to curb demo and sit empty like this development, they need to explore how to better optimize the permit process so that demo permits aren't taken advantage of at the detriment of the City development process and the community. Furthermore, City bylaws need to be not only updated so that sites like this see things such as proper fencing (see Edgar's MacLaren), but also enforced on to avoid more Regency and Arlington sites.
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From my perspective it's easy to complain and doesn't require much thought -- it's a lot harder to actually do something.

I am all for identifying problems and finding solutions, but listening to someone whine about how bad the city is and how it should be more like X is uninteresting and not particularly helpful (particularly when it comes to thingsnot many of us can control, like the number of direct flights to the airport).

Seems to me that most of us don't actually disagree on the fundamentals, but the approach of some posters leaves something to be desired (at least for me).
 
Yes, I used the word visitor - a visitor could be from anywhere (including Red Deer or Saskatoon), but with fresh eyes and hopefully not too many biases. What I have have a problem with is someone who comes here and judges us based on places we are not and will not be. Toronto seems to sometimes be an example of that, where there seems to be some sense they have reached the penultimate stage of urban achievement, others are somehow inferior and if they would only copy Toronto, they would be better.

I also have problems with sweeping statements negative statements like "years behind". We have nice areas and areas that need improvement So a constructive feedback about specific things would be more helpful than negative generalities.

Also, why I asked people who live here to see things through the eyes of a visitor, is people who live here are invested (not just financially) in the city and its success. Yes, a visitor could point out problems, but not necessarily have the interest or ability to help fix them, even if they have some past or curent connections to the city.

However, I fully agree with your last paragraph about demolished buildings and empty lots. We can't undo what has been done, but I think revisions are needed to our bylaws here.
 
I've said this before, In my opinion Edmontons downtowns biggest flaw, is that outside of restaurants and work. There is very little to draw in people who don't live in downtown.

Some people say it needs more retail. I disagree, for downtown to compete with wem and South common, it's a losing battle. The convenience of those two locations are too attractive.

Some people say more restaurants, more bars. Sure maybe but that only draws in the evening and weekend crowd. If anything downtown needs more speciality coffee/bakery shops open on Saturday/Sunday (not Starbucks)

What Edmonton needs to do, is take a page out of Montreal for its festival line up. When I lived in Montreal I ripped into downtown 3-4x a week from St- Leonard (roughly 20 minute drive or 50 by metro) just to go check out all the festivals. There was always life in downtown there.

Jazz fest, (my favourite of all of them)
Comedy fest,
Osheaga
Film fest
Piknic electronik (this would be at a place more like hawrelak park)
Igloofest

Those are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head, there were lots of other ones which were always interesting that brought in crowds of people to downtown as well. Summer and winter. I get covid doesn't help with the festival situation but once we have a handle on it. This to me is how you liven up downtown. If downtown is more lively all the time, developers will see that, outsiders looking in will see that and it will make it more attractive to build in downtown

Currently now that I no longer live in Edmonton downtown, other than work, I rarely have a reason to go into downtown. Even precovid.
 
Jazz fest often has a few Downtown locations
There is/was a comedyfest Downtown at the Citadel
Nothing to that scale, but there are musicfests such as UP+DT music festival, Winteruption and multiple smaller ones throughout the summer.
Or Louise McKinney Park's oval and hillside
Al Fresco is brilliant
Vignettes can be quite fun
The Edmonton International Film Fest (EIFF) is one of my favourites with some events sold out, lunchtime shorts super popular but evening shows lagging and not enough dinner/drink partners pre/post shows and with MANY Edmontonians unaware or not interested because Edmonton.
Add in Street-performers in Churchill, The Works (needing a rethink), Taste of Edmonton and you basically fill July/Aug up.
104st Classic car shows often have good crowds
Mercer 104st summer street party is always packed
Add in a few symphony in the city at Churchill and the Leg adds a nice touch

But we need to continue to incubate new events/series and growth/adapt the ones we have to attract even more people.
 
IanO said:
Jazz fest often has a few Downtown locations
There is/was a comedyfest Downtown at the Citadel
Nothing to that scale, but there are musicfests such as UP+DT music festival, Winteruption and multiple smaller ones throughout the summer.
Or Louise McKinney Park's oval and hillside
Al Fresco is brilliant
Vignettes can be quite fun
The Edmonton International Film Fest (EIFF) is one of my favourites with some events sold out, lunchtime shorts super popular but evening shows lagging and not enough dinner/drink partners pre/post shows and with MANY Edmontonians unaware or not interested because Edmonton.
Add in Street-performers in Churchill, The Works (needing a rethink), Taste of Edmonton and you basically fill July/Aug up.
104st Classic car shows often have good crowds
Mercer 104st summer street party is always packed
Add in a few symphony in the city at Churchill and the Leg adds a nice touch

But we need to continue to incubate new events/series and growth/adapt the ones we have to attract even more people.
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Mercer 104st summer street party is always packed .... remains to be seen what the new operators of the Tavern space do.
Ian you missed:

CariWest festival
The Lebanese and Arab festival held in the square behind the Library
Ice District programming remains a mystery
Evolution GLBT and friends Street Party

There are many others. I wish the City did a better job (or the DBA) in identifying and promoting Downtown events on an app, web and social media sites. I miss the printed VUE and SEE magazines which really helped create a buzz in the City. All I can find now is: https://exploreedmonton.com/event-calendar?term=&date=&location=52&category=. This is interesting and glad to see our multi-cultural community is thriving. https://exploreedmonton.com/event-calendar/mosquers-film-festival
 
IanO said:
Jazz fest often has a few Downtown locations
There is/was a comedyfest Downtown at the Citadel
Nothing to that scale, but there are musicfests such as UP+DT music festival, Winteruption and multiple smaller ones throughout the summer.
Or Louise McKinney Park's oval and hillside
Al Fresco is brilliant
Vignettes can be quite fun
The Edmonton International Film Fest (EIFF) is one of my favourites with some events sold out, lunchtime shorts super popular but evening shows lagging and not enough dinner/drink partners pre/post shows and with MANY Edmontonians unaware or not interested because Edmonton.
Add in Street-performers in Churchill, The Works (needing a rethink), Taste of Edmonton and you basically fill July/Aug up.
104st Classic car shows often have good crowds
Mercer 104st summer street party is always packed
Add in a few symphony in the city at Churchill and the Leg adds a nice touch

But we need to continue to incubate new events/series and growth/adapt the ones we have to attract even more people.
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Oh don't get me wrong, Edmonton does have some great events downtown and that's when downtown is packed. Which shows there is a need for more.
 
I worry about any out of province money (let alone in province) right now and suspect this is going to be sold or indefinitely postponed.
 
IanO said:
I worry about any out of province money (let alone in province) right now and suspect this is going to be sold or indefinitely postponed.
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And here I am, every single day, battling to get this stupid stigma against out-of-province investment, trying to sell AB projects to financiers all across the country...
Hell, I want the big players from Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal to buy land and develop here, and if having a development take a little longer to allow for more players to be in our market, that's a low price to pay. Especially in West Oliver, it's not like this lot will make-or-break the neighborhood.
 
It will be a blight on Jasper given that it was an active frontage before and that's unacceptable if prolonged.

The problem is that the fundamentals/numbers simply don't work very well (relative to other markets) here from a demand delta to what high-rise concrete product is being pitched at.
 
Gronk! said:
Sell the land to Beljan or Westrich. Hell, anyone but Regency!
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Here here!

West Downtown doesn't need any more ugly, so yes Regency should stay far away from here.

I feel like Westrich has too much on the go at the moment, but I would like to see what they could do here.
Would'nt surprise me if Edgar or Cidex picked up this site (assuming it's for sale) given their interest in the area already
 
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