Touch the Water Promenade / River Valley "Seawall"

[David A]

I do take issue with the name Touch the Water and even more so efforts to casually dismiss it as unimportant when it it brought up it does not accurately represent things.

Perhaps I expect such hype of used car sales people, but I expect more integrity from those who manage the city. The name is the starting point and presumably some thought was put into it. If it is not very accurate, I think it is an indication everything that follows is questionable.

 

[CaptainBL]

August 3rd is the last date to submit feedback on the current design. I encourage every one to submit their feedback before then. Here is the link:

Touch the Water Promenade Project Stage 3: Rossdale Area - Preliminary Design

Thank you for participating! A What We Heard report will be posted when complete. The Touch the Water Promenade project in the Rossdale Area will be moving forward with the next phase of design work. If you live, visit, move through or simply enjoy this area of the

engaged.edmonton.ca

 

[archited]

Like City Planning is going to pay any attention to outside commentary...

 

[Avenuer]

Like City Planning is going to pay any attention to outside commentary...

Not City Planning, but more so landscape architects and engineers on this one. If they follow the lead of their Neighbourhood Renewal team, valid feedback will definitely be considered (that team does a great job with engagement and actually listening / implementing changes based on feedback).

 

[archited]

@Avenuer -- do you mean Gene Dubb and Stoss -- I can't imagine that either one of these notable consultants came up with these designs without tremendous direction and restraints (both financial and design intent) being put on them by the City -- Planning in particular. This effort is shooting way-way-way below their collective capabilities. Sure, they might read the comments but then will rationalize them away as not relevant to the City's over-riding directives. I am well acquainted with people in both of these organizations; and I know how the City works.

 

[Avenuer]

@Avenuer -- do you mean Gene Dubb and Stoss -- I can't imagine that either one of these notable consultants came up with these designs without tremendous direction and restraints (both financial and design intent) being put on them by the City -- Planning in particular. This effort is shooting way-way-way below their collective capabilities. Sure, they might read the comments but then will rationalize them away as not relevant to the City's over-riding directives. I am well acquainted with people in both of these organizations; and I know how the City works.

Unfortunately great designs are initially presented, only to be 'value engineered' down to a level that the City is comfortable funding. I, too, would like to see something more creative (dare I say 'world class' lol) but I understand massive buckets of cash don't exist to fund such nice things.

I just want to be able to touch the water easily and comfortably in spring, summer, fall and ice in winter and be able to have a drink on a dry step/bench/whatever adjacent to the water/ice.

 

[archited]

Unfortunately great designs are initially presented, only to be 'value engineered' down to a level that the City is comfortable funding. I, too, would like to see something more creative (dare I say 'world class' lol) but I understand massive buckets of cash don't exist to fund such nice things.

Then the City with relevant departments in tow should have the smarts to reduce the scope instead of picking a huge area for rehabilitation for a "meh" solution. No matter what the stupidity, it still lands at the City's doorstep (no avoidance allowed).

 

[kcantor]

^

this!!!

i would much rather live in (or even just visit) a city that did 20 smaller but worthwhile things exceptionally well instead of 1 thing done poorly.

^^

please note that i intentionally didn't say "world-class" here (either with or without the quotation marks). if you have to describe something as "world-class", it isn't.

 

[TAS]

August 3rd is the last date to submit feedback on the current design. I encourage every one to submit their feedback before then. Here is the link:

Touch the Water Promenade Project Stage 3: Rossdale Area - Preliminary Design

Thank you for participating! A What We Heard report will be posted when complete. The Touch the Water Promenade project in the Rossdale Area will be moving forward with the next phase of design work. If you live, visit, move through or simply enjoy this area of the

engaged.edmonton.ca

Just a reminder to do this - today is deadline.

 

[MCXavierL]

This project is going to EDC this month:

UPCOMING APPLICATIONS, CONFLICTS AND REGRETS (Oct 19, 2021)
Touch The Water Promenade (City Project)
Informal - Nathan Roth - City of Edmonton

 

[archited]

^^^^ I hope they get out their roasting irons!

 

[EdmTrekker]

^^^^ I hope they get out their roasting irons!

I find the whole refined design underwhelming. There is little "touch the water" and more just walking paths.

 

[Avenuer]

 

[EdmTrekker]

That render is worth a 1000 words. I am happy to withdraw my earlier comment.

 

[kcantor]

That render is worth a 1000 words. I am happy to withdraw my earlier comment.

why? i don't think there is a single place in that render that depicts anywhere you can actually touch the water. not one.

there's lot's of expensive concrete overlooks and one concrete pad that may be able to be used as a pier to dock to but not to put a small craft or canoe in or take one out and it's frontage is on the current side and not the lee side of the river.

there's no place to wade or splash or even to skip stones...