Quote:
Originally Posted by newflyer
Okay .. Glenmore is currently going through what I consider a massive revamp, but as we currenly speak it is a giant/massive/huge mess.
Deer Foot is running way over capacity... and is one of the danerous roadways in the country. MESS
The current planning which restrains comercial development mostly to power centre locations, causing significant congestion is very poor city design.
The brain fart between Crowchild and 14th .... anybody with half a brain would have realign that mess decades ago.
The rapid growth of low density housing subdivisions has put an amazing amount of strain on many arteries leading into downtown.
The strange concept of having excessive number of streets without anyform of development only drives more sprawl and encourages a minimal density.
For the record I don't hate Calgary... but refuse to buy into the paradise oasis theory promoted by the some. I try to be a realist.
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Okay - this will be my last post in this thread, on this subject...since we are so far off topic.
You've pointed out very specific infrastructure "issues", and while I agree that Glenmore should have been handled years ago, I don't think it makes the city at-large a mess.
The Deerfoot is funded by the prov government - so not a city planning issue. However, since 2000, they've a) extended it far south to Okotoks to free traffic on McLeod, and b) removed all traffic lights with interchanges (at least five or six have been added).
Not sure I get your comment about excessive streets, but the city has tightened their development policies over the years - and the newest burb (as I mentioned earlier) going south of 196th should really start showing a proper design/mix of retail and res. As well, you know of all the developments around downtown and the C-train stations (and the planning going into those areas)...all of these will give the estimated 300k people moving to Calgary more options for living instead of the typical burb.
Just so I don't come off as completely ignorant of issues, policies, and planning ideologies that need to change in Calgary, I'd have to say that the continued expansion of roadways (McLeod, Deerfoot), new freeways (Stoney Tr), are the biggest reason for sprawl getting further out the last 20 years. Calgary has had far more freeways than a city this size ever needed...and it appears to continue wanting to add more. Bad move. If a city like Regina ever grows to Calgary's current size (and maybe they should plan that it will??), it should make the same desicion Vancouver made 20 years ago, and restrict building more freeways. It's definitely helped them (never mind the complaints from Maple Ridge commuters :-)
The zoning for TODs is also something that should have been figured out quicker. Even the new condos going up around Anderson and McLeod right now have to overlook three brand new car dealerships right on the corner...who approved that in what could eventually become a TOD?
However, all-in-all, I think Calgary has still done a good job - especially in the core areas.
Newflyer - as far as diversity, I fully agree that oil drives the economy...but these are also "energy" companies, and given we'll always need energy, I guess part of the hope is that they themselves are diversifying their interests in the future of power (of course, I would not expect all - or even most?). Aside from that though, Calgary has become the regions transportation and warehousing centre. It also has a strong IT/tech industry (that's what I'm in). And, I think as Calgary gets larger, these (what would be more "niche" industry in a smaller center) industries will also grow enough to be a pull for Calgary. Yes, if oil went away altogether, Calgary would drastically change...quickly. But, this isn't going to happen...it can't. The world is far too dependant on oil - at least for the next 20 years (and likely more). And as long as oil doesn't drop below $25/barrel, the industry will keep plugging away at the oil sands (and that cost gets lower all the time).
By the way - NEP dropped the price of oil (to Alberta) instantly, that's what triggered the end of the boom. Not sure a real figure has been calculated, but something like $90-150 billion lost is what I've read. However, yes, the drop in world prices continued it.
Okay - so that's all I can write about this here...back to Think Regina