[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I don't think arena's and stadiums themselves are motivators for people to want to, say, live near them. It's the complimentary uses and spaces that they can inspire that are the amenities people actually would want to live near. These being vibrant public spaces, entertainment uses, restaurants, shops, pubs and so forth.

One of the biggest flaws in this plan, in its current form, is that it doesn't seem to do much if any of that. Ken King himself said "this is not LA Live". Why, not? It should be!

Because the decision was made to not do anything with Bow Trail the arena/stadium, is on its own island, and other development is on another island. They don't really mutually benefit from one another at all.

The size of the complex itself is a problem too in my opinion. You have a very large and monolithic structure with a lot of blank walls and little activity on any edge. It would actually be not a pleasant thing to live beside at all. Convention Centres also tend to have this problem.

If you look at the most successful of these types of arena/stadium districts, the sports facilities are sort of at the edge, with the primary facade/entrance facing and stitched into the urban fabric very thoughtfully. They feel very much a part of the community and city.

Petco Park in San Diego, Columbus Arena District, At&T Park in San Francisco, LA Live, and even the Edmonton Arena District are all good examples of this. Contrast with the isloated monolith that is CalgaryNEXT.

I agree - it should be!

What I want to see is the city negotiate some of these key elements into the project, instead of saying 'this doesn't have them' or 'we aren't interested.

I want to see discussion that improves the idea, not 'no'.