Honestly, as a supporter of this project, this setback is a disappointment and I think it's a shame that there's been so much controversy surrounding it.
I support the project for the following reasons:
- River crossings are essential in a city of the size Calgary is and the size it is growing to be, especially when the busiest area of the city abuts the river. If it's not an absolute need today, it's inevitable that more will be needed.
- Given the heavy use (and at times, overuse) of the nearby pedestrian bridges and their difficulty with safely and efficiently handling a mix of walking and cycling users, a new pedestrian crossing should be somewhere in that area.
- Paying a little extra on a project to have it look unique, stand out, and be aesthetically pleasing to a lot of people is important once in awhile.
Given the problems with handling (the attention they received being grossly disproportionate, but problems nonetheless), and now coupled with legitimate delays, I think it's a shame that such an important piece of infrastructure (given the above) has been flubbed to this extent. I still think it will be great to see it built and in operation. I also still think that it's weird to 'hate' the project, but I just find that it's a shame that the combination of legitimate screw-ups and setbacks, combined with intense media attention have soured people who would otherwise not care or be neutral on the subject.
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