World Exchange Plaza

[McC]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

...one block over in front of the new Delta would be good, too.

Not least because the former Skyline and the former BC Hydro buildings have such similar shapes!

[citydwlr]

I keep thinking the area around King Edward and Rideau could make for a pretty interesting bilingual "Entertainment" district, especially if you build a new large cinema here. I know they already have the Bytowne, close-by, but I don't think it would be affected too much since it would be showing independent films. Then there's la Nouvel Scène going in soon, and The Ottawa Little Theatre behind the Quality Hotel. I really don't like that government building on the corner of Rideau and King Ed (The Constitution Building), and would love to see that transformed into something else...Actually, that whole intersection should be up for renewal...

[loga0082]

Silvia Logan
loga0082
January 9, 2014

I agree with you. I find that it is unfair that they have closed the World Exchange plaza cinemas downtown because they were very convenient for me. It was walking distance from my house. Moreover, it only cost $10 to take a taxi from my house to there. To me, it is absolutely ridiculous that one has to take a bus just to see a movie in the suburbs. I think that the Rainbow or CineStarz should take over that movie theater and show second run movies, while the Lansdowne can still show first run movies. They should call it the Bytowne plaza and it can still shows its standard Hollywood movies and independent American films, while the Bytowne can show its foreign films.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by loga0082

Silvia Logan
loga0082
January 9, 2014

I agree with you. I find that it is unfair that they have closed the World Exchange plaza cinemas downtown because they were very convenient for me. It was walking distance from my house. Moreover, it only cost $10 to take a taxi from my house to there. To me, it is absolutely ridiculous that one has to take a bus just to see a movie in the suburbs. I think that the Rainbow or CineStarz should take over that movie theater and show second run movies, while the Lansdowne can still show first run movies. They should call it the Bytowne plaza and it can still shows its standard Hollywood movies and independent American films, while the Bytowne can show its foreign films.

I don't think I understood you. If you can walk to the WEP cinema, why spend $10 on a taxi ride there?

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by defishel

I don't think I understood you. If you can walk to the WEP cinema, why spend $10 on a taxi ride there?

Uhh, it never rains in your Ottawa? Just for example.

[gjhall]

Originally Posted by loga0082

Silvia Logan
loga0082
January 9, 2014

I agree with you. I find that it is unfair that they have closed the World Exchange plaza cinemas downtown because they were very convenient for me. It was walking distance from my house. Moreover, it only cost $10 to take a taxi from my house to there. To me, it is absolutely ridiculous that one has to take a bus just to see a movie in the suburbs. I think that the Rainbow or CineStarz should take over that movie theater and show second run movies, while the Lansdowne can still show first run movies. They should call it the Bytowne plaza and it can still shows its standard Hollywood movies and independent American films, while the Bytowne can show its foreign films.

Is it unfair? Maybe, but life is unfair.

Hopefully someone else will operate it, but if not, we will have Lansdowne next year and a new Rideau Centre cinemas in a couple years too.

Meanwhile, personally, while I've been to WEP many times, I usually go to the Bytowne, or if I want to see a real Hollywood blockbuster, I go to SilverCity to see it on a decent screen.

[McC]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Uhh, it never rains in your Ottawa? Just for example.

then there's that rain that turns to ice... nasty stuff that. and have you heard of this nighttime thing, too? it often gets colder, while it's dark, can you imagine? craziness!

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Uhh, it never rains in your Ottawa? Just for example.

Rain, snow, sleet and sunshine I still always walk. It's not like any of them are actually that bothersome. Pack an umbrella for rain; dress warmly and wear boots if it's snowy and cold. I'd still think it's a waste of $10 to spend on a taxi if you could walk there easily.

[McC]

You seem like a nice person who is obviously very enthusiastic about cities, so it might do you well to use this as an opportunity to reflect on the fact that cities are chock full of people who can be defined by two key characteristics:
1 that they are different from you, and
2. that there are many more of them than you.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by McC

You seem like a nice person who is obviously very enthusiastic about cities, so it might do you well to use this as an opportunity to reflect on the fact that cities are chock full of people who can be defined by two key characteristics:
1 that they are different from you, and
2. that there are many more of them than you.

You're right, but it still makes no sense that if you can walk someplace easily, why would you take a taxi? If what we want is a walkable city, why rely on something that would take away from pedestrians (cars) and emit CO2 unnecessarily for something that you can walk to? It's completely counter to what we should be doing in cities and what cities should be doing. But then maybe I'm mistaken and the whole concept of people walking in their cities is just an unattainable, utopian ideal because people in Ottawa are so worried about snow, rain, and some cold weather.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by McC

You seem like a nice person who is obviously very enthusiastic about cities, so it might do you well to use this as an opportunity to reflect on the fact that cities are chock full of people who can be defined by two key characteristics:
1 that they are different from you, and
2. that there are many more of them than you.

Awesome. My biggest laugh of the day.

[loga0082]

Silvia Logan
loga0082
January 10, 2013

I strongly apologize if you misunderstand what I was saying about walking or taking a taxi to the WEP. If it is a nice hot sunny day in the fall, spring, and summer, I walk to the WEP and back to my house which is located in Overbrook. In the wintertime, I take the taxi because of bad weather and it gets dark early. I did hear about the new Rideau centre movie theaters which they are building. I saw it in the map last April. I hope that they will still construct them because I have not heard any recent news. However, I did email the general manager a couple of months ago and she did say that the Rideau Centre expansion will include a movie theater. I do go to the Bytowne, since I have a membership card, but I do not want to go in the wintertime. The only problem is that I hate having to wait outside in the cold just to see a movie.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by loga0082

Silvia Logan
loga0082
January 10, 2013

I strongly apologize if you misunderstand what I was saying about walking or taking a taxi to the WEP. If it is a nice hot sunny day in the fall, spring, and summer, I walk to the WEP and back to my house which is located in Overbrook. In the wintertime, I take the taxi because of bad weather and it gets dark early. I did hear about the new Rideau centre movie theaters which they are building. I saw it in the map last April. I hope that they will still construct them because I have not heard any recent news. However, I did email the general manager a couple of months ago and she did say that the Rideau Centre expansion will include a movie theater. I do go to the Bytowne, since I have a membership card, but I do not want to go in the wintertime. The only problem is that I hate having to wait outside in the cold just to see a movie.

Ah, I understand now. I thought you lived somewhere in Centretown and would take a taxi from there to WEP cinema, instead of walking a few blocks. I apologize for my misunderstanding.

[kevinbottawa]

I wonder if they'll stop the free weekend parking at World Exchange now. Maybe the theatre was one of the main reasons for allowing people to park for free.

[m0nkyman]

Originally Posted by defishel

Rain, snow, sleet and sunshine I still always walk. It's not like any of them are actually that bothersome. Pack an umbrella for rain; dress warmly and wear boots if it's snowy and cold. I'd still think it's a waste of $10 to spend on a taxi if you could walk there easily.

When I was 22 I would have agreed with you. My 86 year old mother and 8 1/2 month pregnant wife think you need a bit more life experience. I'm going to side with them instead of 22 yr old me.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by m0nkyman

When I was 22 I would have agreed with you. My 86 year old mother and 8 1/2 month pregnant wife think you need a bit more life experience. I'm going to side with them instead of 22 yr old me.

What's that supposed to mean? That I need more life experience before realizing that I shouldn't walk in rain or snow, and instead should taxi? Age is irrelevant to this discussion. I don't think it's right that you try to reduce my views to my age, claiming that at the age of 22 I don't have enough life experience to make such statements about people doing one of the most fundamental human acts - walking - as a means of locomotion.

If you have low mobility, then it's understandable that walking or cycling might be difficult for you and you'd use some other means of transportation. But if you are perfectly ambulatory and your destination isn't that far then why waste money or burn fossil fuels?

Considering how much people in this forum talk about and believe in making cities more walkable, by improving infrastructure not just for pedestrians, but also for cyclists and public transportation commuters as we need to get people out of the cars, living in denser, urban (as opposed to suburban) areas as traffic and cars cause a lot more problems to our health, our safety, the environment and our cities (among many more things), I'd appreciate it if you could explain how I'm wrong due to a lack of "life experience".

[McC]

The lack of life experience shows in your projection of your choices onto everyone else, and your unwillingness to imagine that they might have different (good) reasons for making different choices.

Mobility is one issue, and bad weather, ice and cold can limit mobility for otherwise able-bodied people. Perceptions of personal security is another issue, weather statistics bear it out or not, many people do not feel comfortable walking alone on dark otherwise-empty streets for fears of muggers, rapists, or falling and no one being around to help them up. Sometimes forget their coat or umbrella.

10 dollars to get home quickly, safely, warm and dry isn't a waste of money for many people, even if you or I think it would be for ourselves (I don't use taxis very often either).

The carbon emissions thing can be mitigated with hybrid-electric cabs, that many cities use exclusively.

It's ironic because even though taxi drivers are often hostile to pedestrians, plentiful and affordable taxis are a critical component of walkable city. For after hours, bad weather, last mile, vulnerable groups, fancy dress night, tourists, etc, taxis fill lots of roles.

[McC]

Originally Posted by loga0082

Silvia Logan
loga0082
January 10, 2013

I strongly apologize if you misunderstand what I was saying about walking or taking a taxi to the WEP.

You don't have anything to apologize for!

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I wonder if they'll stop the free weekend parking at World Exchange now. Maybe the theatre was one of the main reasons for allowing people to park for free.

Without the cinemas, the parking garage will likely be very lightly used on most weekends. And pretty empty if it becomes pay parking.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Without the cinemas, the parking garage will likely be very lightly used on most weekends. And pretty empty if it becomes pay parking.

I think I read recently that parking is part of the development agreement with the city (i.e. it as to be free if downtown parking is free on weekends).

Every time I've been there the garage is full to the 3rd or 4th level, many people going to the market, Rideau centre or elgin park there.