Regina Construction IV

[Kegger]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

The thing is, there are some tree cells downtown that HAVE worked. Maybe it’s the trees that they used but I think there is still hope.

The boxes on Lorne Street next to Sasktel look great, I have walked passed them regularly over the years and those trees had a hard first couple years, but have really grown a lot over the years now.

I don't know what they did there that was so successful compared to, let's say, Hamilton Street.

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Did some bylaw change or has it just become less of a priority for people/developers?

My guess is a lot of people are house-poor and can't afford to landscape the yard. That and a lot of people just don't care about their yard beyond having somewhere for the BBQ to sit.

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

My guess is a lot of people are house-poor and can't afford to landscape the yard. That and a lot of people just don't care about their yard beyond having somewhere for the BBQ to sit.

Ya, I figured that was the case, which is too bad. The suburbs make me depressed, particularly the glossy-white plastic fencing.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by Kegger

The boxes on Lorne Street next to Sasktel look great, I have walked passed them regularly over the years and those trees had a hard first couple years, but have really grown a lot over the years now.

I don't know what they did there that was so successful compared to, let's say, Hamilton Street.

Maybe watered them every now and then. The years of drought have been hard on a lot of trees and our aging trees are dying quickly these days in many places. Just look at the large older trees within Victoria Park. They are in terrible shape.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Did some bylaw change or has it just become less of a priority for people/developers?

I am mostly referring to backyards. For trunk roads, condos and commercial, developers still have to plant trees. For front yards on normal residential streets, the City used to plant street trees, but it became optional and then they stopped altogether. StreetView Example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.4946...7i16384!8i8192

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Maybe watered them every now and then. The years of drought have been hard on a lot of trees and our aging trees are dying quickly these days in many places. Just look at the large older trees within Victoria Park. They are in terrible shape.

We are seeing that in the SE. Varsity Park, Richmond Place, Univ Park are losing the cedars to drought. I talked to someone at the tree nursery about it. The cedars around here are about 30-35 years old and, even with watering, drought and the extreme weather jumps have been hard on them. A lot of them dying off.

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I am mostly referring to backyards. For trunk roads, condos and commercial, developers still have to plant trees. For front yards on normal residential streets, the City used to plant street trees, but it became optional and then they stopped altogether. StreetView Example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.4946...7i16384!8i8192

It's also that we handed over development to these builders determined to squeeze out every bit of profit. Now we have whole developments with narrow twisty streets with sidewalk on one side only if at all and no city trees.

Residents haven't demanded street trees. What do people demand from council? They want free parking six feet from wherever they are going and faster routes to get where they want to go. It's a push to get much for climate change and trees fit very well into that climate change need. We don't even enforce landscaping where it was supposed to be required like in front of the building where the Coronet used to be.

[gecho111]

Today I was curious what year the Transportation Master Plan was done so I visited the City webpage.

The Transportation Master Plan is a key component of the City’s Official Community Plan, Design Regina.

The Plan was approved by City Council on May 29, 2017. This comprehensive, multi-modal transportation policy and planning document will shape Regina’s transportation system for the next 25 years in order to support the mobility needs of its residents, businesses, and visitors.

5 years already, time flies. I also saw this at the top of the document itself.

The TMP is scheduled for a full review every 5 years, with the first review occurring in 2022.

I wonder if that happened. I don't see that performance review getting high marks.

This is the kind of response when I ask about when any particular part of the cycling network will get implemented.

[yveseluj]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I am mostly referring to backyards. For trunk roads, condos and commercial, developers still have to plant trees. For front yards on normal residential streets, the City used to plant street trees, but it became optional and then they stopped altogether. StreetView Example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.4946...7i16384!8i8192

This is mostly an issue with front-attached homes only. Almost anywhere in Harbour Landing with lane homes or condos will have trees.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/DKHcPRpbQbVDQkN59?g_st=ic

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by Kegger

The boxes on Lorne Street next to Sasktel look great, I have walked passed them regularly over the years and those trees had a hard first couple years, but have really grown a lot over the years now.

I don't know what they did there that was so successful compared to, let's say, Hamilton Street.

Actually was thinking exactly of them LOL. But yeah, they look wonderful!

[blacktrojan3921]

The tree issue is a bit baffling; I live on Hansen Drive, close to the park, and the trees dotting the front and backyards make for a idyllic scenery.

In contrast with the nearby Fairways West, and combined with the almost uniformity of the house designs, parts of that neighborhood are sterile and eerie. Doesn't help matters that the front lawns are either too small to plant a tree, or are non existant.

If I ever get my own house, a big if, I'd definitely be planting trees. I think the city needs to go back to planting the street trees instead of it having it be on the developers and home owners themselves.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by blacktrojan3921

The tree issue is a bit baffling; I live on Hansen Drive, close to the park, and the trees dotting the front and backyards make for a idyllic scenery.

In contrast with the nearby Fairways West, and combined with the almost uniformity of the house designs, parts of that neighborhood are sterile and eerie. Doesn't help matters that the front lawns are either too small to plant a tree, or are non existant.

If I ever get my own house, a big if, I'd definitely be planting trees. I think the city needs to go back to planting the street trees instead of it having it be on the developers and home owners themselves.

I bolded the part that probably makes sense. I know I had heard here that the city increased the tree budget. I still need to call the city to get a new tree from the one we lost in one of the wind events.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by blacktrojan3921

The tree issue is a bit baffling; I live on Hansen Drive, close to the park, and the trees dotting the front and backyards make for a idyllic scenery.

In contrast with the nearby Fairways West, and combined with the almost uniformity of the house designs, parts of that neighborhood are sterile and eerie. Doesn't help matters that the front lawns are either too small to plant a tree, or are non existant.

If I ever get my own house, a big if, I'd definitely be planting trees. I think the city needs to go back to planting the street trees instead of it having it be on the developers and home owners themselves.

Back in the day lots were narrow but driveways were in the alley, so these old streets are all beautifully tree lined. Now lots are narrow again but driveways are in front and wider than ever. It is absolutely sterile as you say and not good for the environment to have so much urban concrete with no shade or rain water infiltration.

[gecho111]

I noticed a bunch of dirt getting dumped and spread out around the Eastbrook area the past few times I was over there. Today I noticed where it was coming from. They are starting to extend the storm channel north of Arens Road.

Looking at an old area plan, the storm channel only goes as far north as Haughton, so the pathway will switch to being beside Aurora Blvd at that point instead of in green space.

They are also filling in the ditch along Anaquod. The Eastbrook plan has an alley being built side by side with Anaquod from Arens to Primrose Green. Eventually Anaquod will be moved further east which will eliminate that tight bend near Costco.

[Newstart]

I've been having some fun reading a lot of old and past posts over the last week.

I'm quite curious to the long term members of this forum.

Why did the InFill Projects that DID get approved back in the 2014-2018 range never go forward?

Why other than Grasslands and Williston does no one seem to build underground parking? it seems like such wasted opportunities for interactive space and buildings vs wastelands of surface parking lots. I mean a lot of these buildings have foundations and basements anyhow...?

Colour me curious as a newer observer of Regina housing.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Newstart

I've been having some fun reading a lot of old and past posts over the last week.

I'm quite curious to the long term members of this forum.

Why did the InFill Projects that DID get approved back in the 2014-2018 range never go forward?

Why other than Grasslands and Williston does no one seem to build underground parking? it seems like such wasted opportunities for interactive space and buildings vs wastelands of surface parking lots. I mean a lot of these buildings have foundations and basements anyhow...?

Colour me curious as a newer observer of Regina housing.

Land is still relatively cheap in Regina and construction costs are higher than many other places due to labour shortages and a lack of competition. Therefore U/G parking is very expensive relative to surface parking. Regarding infills, which ones are you referring to? Rail yards and old Mosaic? The main reason is timing. The economy took a big hit after 2009 and then in the pandemic. We are still recovering and the demand for these lands is just not there yet.

[gecho111]

The city also botched the last boom. They waited until after they took on a pile of debt and the boom was over to ask themselves if maybe they should recoup service costs instead of letting the developers and builders make out like bandits.

The Coopertown developers were going to take a piece of that until the city pulled the rug out from beneath them.

[gecho111]

I asked the city about the status of the Transportation Master Plan review. The response was that the Transit Master Plan was approved back in May.

It's going to be endless confusion between the names of those two master plans.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Land is still relatively cheap in Regina and construction costs are higher than many other places due to labour shortages and a lack of competition. Therefore U/G parking is very expensive relative to surface parking. Regarding infills, which ones are you referring to? Rail yards and old Mosaic? The main reason is timing. The economy took a big hit after 2009 and then in the pandemic. We are still recovering and the demand for these lands is just not there yet.

costs comparative to where? Costs are exponentially higher in Alberta, Manitoba and I mean BC or Ontario thats a whole other ball of wax.

There was one or two I came across in Cathedral and something in the Hospital area. smaller lots. but then Railyards and Old Mosiac are on that list too. between the recovery in 2009 - to before Pandemic places like East Village in Calgary got largely built out. two residential mid-rises and an office building seem to be the only major urban side of things.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Newstart

costs comparative to where? Costs are exponentially higher in Alberta, Manitoba and I mean BC or Ontario thats a whole other ball of wax.

There was one or two I came across in Cathedral and something in the Hospital area. smaller lots. but then Railyards and Old Mosiac are on that list too. between the recovery in 2009 - to before Pandemic places like East Village in Calgary got largely built out. two residential mid-rises and an office building seem to be the only major urban side of things.

Commercial construction costs in Regina have been among the highest in N. America for may years.