Takin' it to the Streets -- an Edmonton Imperative

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Trekking southward along 104th Street, the block bounded by 103rd and 104th Avenues falls under consideration. Already considered are the existing Neon Museum and the Victorian Atrium (and connected Bridge) that we would centrally locate between either side Buildings and at the north end of the block. The block make-up would look like this...

 

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The new Pocket Park could feature an extension of the Neon Museum with more surface area for Neon Signs. I would envision the asphalt surface of 104th street being torn up completely, ready for a new treatment that includes a mixed media flooring approach including wood-block flooring, cobble stone brick, and stone tiles -- all subtended by the snow-free heating system described previously. One of the mixed media flooring elements would define the pathway for pedestrians (stone tiles); another would define a multi-use path for vehicles and other conveyances (bikes, scooters, etc.) that features slo-mo prohibitors (brick cobbles) that suggest speeds of 15kph or less; wood-block flooring would underscore the warehouse nature that is sought after via preservation and replication of the "warehouse" idiom. Running from the Victorian Atrium (south) and the fountain feature therein we could have a "little river" that ties the whole of 104th Street together -- we could even have illuminated mechanical fish that are controlled by smart-phone APPs that provide a public engagement factor...

 

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The Neon Park could feature a building-sized neon sculpture (commissioned artist competition) at the alley-end of the space that adds to the prominence of the entire museum display; the mini river could also loop through the park; and there could be a centrally located food outlet with integral seating (as pictured below), the roof of which could feature another artist-commissioned neon sculpture. There exists a translucent restroom project in Tokyo that shows the interior of public restrooms when they are vacant that becomes opaque when the door is locked (in the public eye, ensures cleanliness upkeep and safety for occupants) these could be positioned along the blank wall of the . The food outlet could service an array of tables and chairs set about the park -- I am thinking an Asian noodle house as a restaurant concept.

 

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Elements of the Neon Pocket Park -- 1. Commissioned Main Sculpture at alley facing 104th Street; 2. Additional neon signs as acquisition permits; 3. centrally located "Noodle House" with seating dispersed throughout the Park; and 4. Commissioned roof-top neon sculpture over "Noodle House"...

 

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I also like the tree sculptures suggested by @thommyjo that could be "planted" about the Park, fitting in nicely with the Neon Park Theme.

 

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A little bit of math (everybody's favorite subject). From Googly/Apple Maps measurement applications it appears that the 104th Street width, measured transversely, from property line to property line is 76-feet (23.165 meters). If we allow for two vehicle access lanes at 9-feet each (2.75 meters) that are essentially MUPs (brick cobblestone paving with planned-for turns along the road length will reduce motor vehicle speeds to 15kph) -- we need these to access parking along the route but we don't need them for thru-traffic accessibility. And if we entirely eliminate curbside parking. Then we have 76feet minus 18feet = 58-feet (17.68 meters) left over to achieve new Street imperatives that completely enhance the Pedestrian Realm. Sometimes this realm will be split equally on either side of the vehicle-way (MUP) -- 29 feet (8.84 meters); in other instances with one side of the street heavily loaded the ratio would be more like 10-feet (3 meters +/-) on one side and 48-feet (15 meters+/-) on the other side. This greatly enhances possibilities for 104th Street and the businesses along its length.

 

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A story better told with pictures...

 

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Here's a video of the "Shooting Stars", the Edmonton Grads Story for those who haven't seen this before...

 

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So the possibilities for the Sports "Fan Park" include the following:
*Passive -- strolling through the park noting:
-- "Walks of Fame" for Eskimo/Elks favorites, Oilers favorites, Edmonton Grads favorites, and other notables in other sports endeavors
-- Standing/sitting for feature films adjacent to bronze statue groupings
-- Viewing/admiring statues -- life-size and detailed to true likenesses of sports figures (3-d modeled from AI incarnation of collected photos)
-- admiring plant groupings and, in particular, artistic arrangement of vertical plant arrangements
*Interactive:
-- QR code participation by engaging stories related to "Walk of Fame" icons with video readouts on smartphones -- connected to advertising featuring purchase possibilities for related swag (sweaters, t-shirts, miniaturized 3-d models, Proto "M", etc.)
-- engagement with Hologram Proto displays (AI assisted interaction with "programmed" players -- those of "today" as well as those from "Yesteryear"), featuring realtime Q & A with players at "downtimes" on away games (allows players to engage directly with fans -- monitored to keep the discussion positive and "healthy"). Again, smart phones are the interactive platform that initiates the play -- the "Hologram club" would have participation fees.
-- engagement with an animatronic-robotic sports panel (situated in the northeast portion of the park adjacent to the LRT station) -- as indicated on plan the panel would consist of 3 seated robots at a panel desk that are monitored and controlled remotely by trained skilled operators that, via cameras and microphones, can interact with the public. Humor would play a big part in the experience. The "panelists" would field sports questions on any sports subject and projections onto the wall of the arena building would act as a visual aid for the robots. Advertising via projection film would support the effort vis-a-vis advertising. This would provide a fun-fare interaction platform especially for those waiting for a train.
-- via the StreetSeenz modules the ability to search through a holographic catalogue for nearby businesses and articles for purchase; the ability to way-find via downloadable maps directing one to places of business, museums, parks, etc.; a human-to-human interface with multiple language platforms for direct question-and-answer sessions; connection to fee-based internet games with prize potentials; and advertising with product rewards.
*Active:
-- ability to join in two half-court pick-up basketball games or more sedate games of H-O-R-S-E.
-- programmed events participation like Tai-chi, outdoor Yoga, dog-training, etc.
Food trucks could be made accessible to the park site (managed and controlled via a Sports Park authority).

 

[MacLac]

Saw the word “street” in the is threads’ name…..so does anyone know WHY there was 250+ plus cars all facing West with a driver and multiple passengers in them at 10am today on Parsons and 50th st? Half of the length between 34th and 50th St on Parsons was lined with vehicles. The line eventually pointed north’ish towards an empty brown field? Not gonna lie…seemed very creepy akin to a religious cult kinda thing going on. Anyone see the “Empty Man?” I was gonna turn around and ask but the wife was legit creeped out and wanted me to me to speed away.