I was reading the other day in one of our local rags,and by "local rag"I'm refering to one of those papers that is distributed to local transit users,whether they want it or not,free of charge,and worth every penny,that Calgary needs something "fun"to stimulate interest in our downtown area.It's a shame that I did not keep the article,as I would have liked to fully cite it,but the main idea behind it was that Calgary is lacking anything really distinctive to stimulate interest in it's city center.And while I'm not a regular reader of these pulp newspapers,and while the article was not especially well written,as is most often the case with these papers,I couldn't agree more with the sentiment.
Calgary has seen a lot of development in the three years I was absent.It's skyline grows more impressive every year,if by impressive you mean that it is becoming more inundated with steel and glass corporate phallic symbols and the odd new condo building.Much of the old Victoria Park neighborhood has been redeveloped.Instead of the old houses-old affordable accomodations,I might add-new high rise condos are sprouting out of the ground.The East Village,immediatly north of Victoria Park is slated for similar redevelopment in the coming years.And north of that,just across the river,Bridgeland,where the former Calgary General Hospital stood has seen redevelopment as well.The problem with Bridgeland is that it was a wonderful oppurtunity for Calgary to redevelop within an older community in a way that was distinctive but complimentary to the existing neighborhood.They missed the boat.Where are the brownstones,or Tudors,or French Chalet style condos.Well,they are not there.Instead there are a number of boxy,ultra modern glass and concrete buildings,which do not look like they belong.They have managed to acheive visual uniformity though.
With all that land to redevelop,extending from the Stampede Grounds,all the way north to 16th Avenue,for all intents and purposes,one might ask if Calgary is missing one oppurtunity after another to build something that will set itself apart and make it noteable among world cities.During the early part of this century,when all the talk about recreating these connected communities began,I suggested that perhaps Calgary could,as part of the redevelopment put on a World Exposition.Montreal did that over forty years ago.Vancouver did that somewhat more recently.So,does Calgary want to join the big leagues or not?A World Exposition would make Calgary a showcase for the world for a number of months.Moreover,a Worlds Exposition would leave our city with a lasting infrastructure as a heritage.Useable facilities for the future.Unfortunatly,I don't think anyone in Calgary has the vision to do that.It seems a far different city than when I first came here in the 1970s and plans were announced to bring both an NHL hockey team and the Winter Olympics here.Both those goals were accomplished but the hockey team seem to have fallen on hard times and the Olympics is more than 20 years in the past.So I ask our community leaders,what have you done for this city lately?And,how large do you want to live?As building has already started in these neighborhoods,the oppurtunity to incorporate a Worlds Fair into the plans may have disappeared.Or,perhaps not.The point is,though,that such ideas don't even seem to be part of the conversation.
At a more grass roots level,there is downtown Calgary,such as it exists right now.I'm afraid I have to agree,it is not an especially "fun"place.Much of the reason for that I believe has to do with the automobile culture,which you would expect,perhaps to be prominent in an oil producing province.Downtown Calgay,to my eye at least seems to consist of expressway like streets that lead out of the city center,to the far off suburbs.They are neither appealing to the eye nor,evidently conducive to storefront development.They are not,given the speed and traffic flow,especially pedestrian friendly.Consequently,there tends to be pockets of development connected by not much of anything.So you find yourself walking down concrete canyons where many of the shops are indoors,either above or below street level.And some of what is at street level is not especially attractive.Calgary is known for it's 80 or 100 year old "heritage buildings"that have received a minimum of maintainance over their lifetime,and thus have to be torn down or restored,when in fact the will to do either seems missing.In most eastern cities,to say nothing of Europe,there are beautiful old buildings that have been very well kept and are still prestigous bussiness adresses,as well as local landmarks.What does Calgary have that is uniquely Calgary?A tower that no longer towers over much of anything and certainly doesn't offer the view it once did.And The Stampede Grounds which is to say the least in need of some modernization.
So where do we go from here?Well,as much as I would still favor a Worlds Fair,I seem to be a voice crying in the wilderness.But we could start a little smaller I suppose.Recently the Public Library has been conducting surveys as to what we would like to see in the new Public Library.Well,firstly.I must say it's long past time this city had a new library.Libraries are not optional in any city that would like to consider itself world class.In the late 1970s Calgary's library was merely unsightly.Now it is a complete eyesore both within and without.It is not anything approaching reader,writer or researcher friendly does not let in outside light and is more or less an afterthought in terms of being integrated into the community where it is located.So.if you want to show that we can undertake distinctive development,the Public Library is a great place to start.It needs to be a unique and innovative building within the context of it's location.It needs to be conveniant and easy to access from both downtown and outlying communities.It needs to attract commercial development into its overall complex.Yes,the library is an excellent oppurtunity to show some imagination that has to date seemed rather lacking in Calgary.I'll be disappointed if Calgary doesn't get that done right,especially after all of the public consultation.
Where do we go after the library?Well,how about some more downtown green space.toronto seems to have parks every few blocks,while Calgary seems to have few by comparison.How about a park dedicated to rock climbing,for instance.How about a park dedicated to street performers and the visual arts.How about a few more streets that could be dedicated solely to pedestrian traffic and shopping.How about some horse drawn stage coaches down the Stephen Avenue Mall,for instance.Those are just some of my ideas and I'm sure that there are people in Calgary who have much better ideas than mine.
Yes,I'm in full agreement.Calgary needs to create an atmosphere of fun in it's inner city.Because,aside from the Calgary Stampede,I don't know that this city is noteable for much else.
Calgary has seen a lot of development in the three years I was absent.It's skyline grows more impressive every year,if by impressive you mean that it is becoming more inundated with steel and glass corporate phallic symbols and the odd new condo building.Much of the old Victoria Park neighborhood has been redeveloped.Instead of the old houses-old affordable accomodations,I might add-new high rise condos are sprouting out of the ground.The East Village,immediatly north of Victoria Park is slated for similar redevelopment in the coming years.And north of that,just across the river,Bridgeland,where the former Calgary General Hospital stood has seen redevelopment as well.The problem with Bridgeland is that it was a wonderful oppurtunity for Calgary to redevelop within an older community in a way that was distinctive but complimentary to the existing neighborhood.They missed the boat.Where are the brownstones,or Tudors,or French Chalet style condos.Well,they are not there.Instead there are a number of boxy,ultra modern glass and concrete buildings,which do not look like they belong.They have managed to acheive visual uniformity though.
With all that land to redevelop,extending from the Stampede Grounds,all the way north to 16th Avenue,for all intents and purposes,one might ask if Calgary is missing one oppurtunity after another to build something that will set itself apart and make it noteable among world cities.During the early part of this century,when all the talk about recreating these connected communities began,I suggested that perhaps Calgary could,as part of the redevelopment put on a World Exposition.Montreal did that over forty years ago.Vancouver did that somewhat more recently.So,does Calgary want to join the big leagues or not?A World Exposition would make Calgary a showcase for the world for a number of months.Moreover,a Worlds Exposition would leave our city with a lasting infrastructure as a heritage.Useable facilities for the future.Unfortunatly,I don't think anyone in Calgary has the vision to do that.It seems a far different city than when I first came here in the 1970s and plans were announced to bring both an NHL hockey team and the Winter Olympics here.Both those goals were accomplished but the hockey team seem to have fallen on hard times and the Olympics is more than 20 years in the past.So I ask our community leaders,what have you done for this city lately?And,how large do you want to live?As building has already started in these neighborhoods,the oppurtunity to incorporate a Worlds Fair into the plans may have disappeared.Or,perhaps not.The point is,though,that such ideas don't even seem to be part of the conversation.
At a more grass roots level,there is downtown Calgary,such as it exists right now.I'm afraid I have to agree,it is not an especially "fun"place.Much of the reason for that I believe has to do with the automobile culture,which you would expect,perhaps to be prominent in an oil producing province.Downtown Calgay,to my eye at least seems to consist of expressway like streets that lead out of the city center,to the far off suburbs.They are neither appealing to the eye nor,evidently conducive to storefront development.They are not,given the speed and traffic flow,especially pedestrian friendly.Consequently,there tends to be pockets of development connected by not much of anything.So you find yourself walking down concrete canyons where many of the shops are indoors,either above or below street level.And some of what is at street level is not especially attractive.Calgary is known for it's 80 or 100 year old "heritage buildings"that have received a minimum of maintainance over their lifetime,and thus have to be torn down or restored,when in fact the will to do either seems missing.In most eastern cities,to say nothing of Europe,there are beautiful old buildings that have been very well kept and are still prestigous bussiness adresses,as well as local landmarks.What does Calgary have that is uniquely Calgary?A tower that no longer towers over much of anything and certainly doesn't offer the view it once did.And The Stampede Grounds which is to say the least in need of some modernization.
So where do we go from here?Well,as much as I would still favor a Worlds Fair,I seem to be a voice crying in the wilderness.But we could start a little smaller I suppose.Recently the Public Library has been conducting surveys as to what we would like to see in the new Public Library.Well,firstly.I must say it's long past time this city had a new library.Libraries are not optional in any city that would like to consider itself world class.In the late 1970s Calgary's library was merely unsightly.Now it is a complete eyesore both within and without.It is not anything approaching reader,writer or researcher friendly does not let in outside light and is more or less an afterthought in terms of being integrated into the community where it is located.So.if you want to show that we can undertake distinctive development,the Public Library is a great place to start.It needs to be a unique and innovative building within the context of it's location.It needs to be conveniant and easy to access from both downtown and outlying communities.It needs to attract commercial development into its overall complex.Yes,the library is an excellent oppurtunity to show some imagination that has to date seemed rather lacking in Calgary.I'll be disappointed if Calgary doesn't get that done right,especially after all of the public consultation.
Where do we go after the library?Well,how about some more downtown green space.toronto seems to have parks every few blocks,while Calgary seems to have few by comparison.How about a park dedicated to rock climbing,for instance.How about a park dedicated to street performers and the visual arts.How about a few more streets that could be dedicated solely to pedestrian traffic and shopping.How about some horse drawn stage coaches down the Stephen Avenue Mall,for instance.Those are just some of my ideas and I'm sure that there are people in Calgary who have much better ideas than mine.
Yes,I'm in full agreement.Calgary needs to create an atmosphere of fun in it's inner city.Because,aside from the Calgary Stampede,I don't know that this city is noteable for much else.
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