[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by The Familia

Here are the issues with the new arena from my point of view. First, there is no point arguing the style of the arena as that is subjective. Some people really like futuristic arenas like Vegas or Edmonton, while some prefer more subtle or traditional arenas like Detroit or Nashville/Columbus. With that said, here is a list of deficiencies with Calgary's proposal and how to fix it.

1. Parkade. The attached parkade is literally the biggest issue in my mind. It takes up much needed space from a lot that is already super small and tight at best. This forces the arena to shrink its usable floor space and place restrictions on its design. The parkade provides zero benefit to the general public as it will be used exclusively by the team/management and a few rich patrons who can afford it. There is no shortage of parking in the area. There is a new $80 million dollar parkade a couple blocks north in addition to the multiple surface lots in and around Victoria Park. Don't forget the actual Stampede grounds themselves! As these lots develop over time, the completion of the Green Line should alleviate any issues by removing drivers. A reduced arena capacity also reduces the number of vehicles. If the Flames are hell bent on a parkade, why not build it on the small parcel of land immediately to the south and build some retail into the base?

2. Building Transparency. The arena looks like a bunker with only a small percentage of its exterior being windows. This automatically makes the arena feel hostile to the pedestrian realm, especially when it is supposed to be one of two anchors of an entertainment district. People want to see inside the arena. The arena should be inviting and open to the street. The west side appears to do a decent job of this with the restaurants/patios and team store along this stretch. This side is transparent and built with a human scale in mind. The north, east, and south are hostile and uninviting. Blank walls, a parkade, and loading docks litter all three sides. There is nothing to see and no reason to stay or linger. Solution? Remove the parkade. Loading docks and back of house should remain on the east side. Duplicate the west side treatment to the north and south. If there is no room to do both, prioritize the north and southwest corner.
The upper window wall treatment which they have on the northwest side should continue down the entire length of the west side and wrap around the southwest corner. It should also be applied to the entire north side as well. This will open up the building and make it feel more transparent and part of the urban fabric.

3. Public Plaza. The southwest plaza is too small. It should be expanded if possible and include the entire intersection and part of the small lot to the south. There should also be a larger plaza/entry on the northwest corner as that will be a primary entrance for people coming from the Green Line, East Village, and the new hotel proposed across the street. Again, removing the parkade should provide more room to accomplish some of this.

I spoke with a project manager who works with CMLC and is on the project management team of the BMO center renovation. While they are not directly involved in the arena project, they did say the Flames have always been the driver of the actual arena design and CMLC was more of the driving force behind keeping it pedestrian friendly and integrating it with pedestrian realm. Contrary to what Pepsi has been saying, CMLC was not a driver behind the actual design. I guess we should be thankful that we are at least getting some retail on the west side. It could be much worse.

Aye! I agree with all of this. And what I stated last page when I compared the two projects.