Bridge to Nowhere?

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

For those saying that a bridge won't bring tourists to Calgary, have you never been visiting an area and hopped on Wikipedia or done a google image search to check out the places that look like they are worth going?

If you pop open a picture of downtown Edmonton for example, and then one of downtown Calgary with a freaking cool bridge with the river right there and the Bow in the background, where are you going to chose to go?

I think having an aesthetically appealing city can do wonders for you.

People come here for the mountains, rivers, parks, and praries. Not some cold steel bridge that a bunch of elitest dweebs thinks looks pretty. Table I'm shocked you live in Calgary when 90% of the city is this vapid craphole you speak of.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

People come here for the mountains, rivers, parks, and praries. Not some cold steel bridge that a bunch of elitest dweebs thinks looks pretty. Table I'm shocked you live in Calgary when 90% of the city is this vapid craphole you speak of.

People don't come to Calgary for the mountains, rivers and praries. Apart from the Stampede, people fly into Calgary and use it as a base to go and do those other things outside of the city. Why not encourage them to stick around more?

Btw, I dont live in Calgary. Just grew up there. I left because it couldnt support the career I had in mind for myself.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Btw, I dont live in Calgary. Just grew up there. I left because it couldnt support the career I had in mind for myself.

Makes sense, I wouldnt be here if I didnt enjoy what I do.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Table 5

This bridge is nothing compared to the crazy amounts of money spent in order to save some suburban soccer mom 5 mintues of trafic time in Cougar Ridge or some other vapid craphole that nobody else in the city visits.

For the amount of money that's gone in to satisfying the suburban lifestyle in this city (the majority of it being infrastructure), it's about time something significant monetarily was contributed to inner city projects. So Table, you are EXACTLY right in your post.

These pedestrian bridges will provide a fantastic service to EVERY resident of the City, and every non-resident as well. Like Table says; there's no reason for inner-city residents to go to places like Cougar Ridge; just... none. But, there is reason for outlying communities to come downtown and use these bridges - the most obvious reason is work. The other major reasons include tourist / recreation spots such as the Zoo, the Science Centre, the Calgary Tower and the Glenbow. A tertiary reason could even be Kensington and Inglewood - arguably the two most eclectic communities in the City.

Again, making these bridges a significant part of the landscape is key to encouraging healthy lifestyles, enhancing inner city beautification and promoting environmental sustainability. Why would you want to have ugly, cheap bridges that is available from every angle of the City in such a strategic location? This is a huge opportunity to really showcase the beautiful locations we have at both sites (Zoo and Prince's Island Park); entrances and exits to these parks shouldn't be any different.

If anyone is wondering where they can find a current, existing pedestrian bridge in this city that is beuatifully designed, look no further than the one over Memorial Trail just east of Crowchild. If I recall, that bridge wasn't entirely the cheapest to build, either, but man... it is a beautiful bridge. A signature architect designed that one (forgot his name).

[CaptainCrunch]

I'd like a bridge shaped like Jodie Fosters knuckle.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I'd like a bridge shaped like Jodie Fosters knuckle.

you're already getting the hannah bridge to montana. stop being greedy.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

People come here for the mountains, rivers, parks, and praries. Not some cold steel bridge that a bunch of elitest dweebs thinks looks pretty. Table I'm shocked you live in Calgary when 90% of the city is this vapid craphole you speak of.

There is a reason when flying home the sign at the gate will often read "Calgary/Banff". Lots of people just use us for our Airport. I'm sure lots take a day or two to check out the city as well, and the more appealing you make it, the more people that will do so, the more money they will spend.

[moon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

insane amounts of money? Have a litte fricking perspective dude. How much do you think a normal overpass in the middle of some suburb costs? Those things are easily in the 25 mill range, and are approved and built all the time. Why no outrage there?

Probably because when I come to Calgary I use tend to use those overpasses and can see that they have a lot more use then a supposedly pretty overpass.

Also, there are few things better than listening to inner city folk whine on and on about how hard done they are by having to "pay" for things in the suburbs.

[moon]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

For those saying that a bridge won't bring tourists to Calgary, have you never been visiting an area and hopped on Wikipedia or done a google image search to check out the places that look like they are worth going?

No

If you pop open a picture of downtown Edmonton for example, and then one of downtown Calgary with a freaking cool bridge with the river right there and the Bow in the background, where are you going to chose to go?

I think having an aesthetically appealing city can do wonders for you.[/quote]

I wouldn't base my decision on which city had the "fancy" overpass.

The fact that Edmonton is a crap hole would prevent me from choosing it whether or not it had 5,000 of these "fancy" bridges.

[Table 5]

So moon, basically your whole argument is " I have no use for these bridges, so they have no use for anybody else." ?

I have no use for the University of Lethbridge. Clearly it's a dump that needs to go!

[moon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

So moon, basically your whole argument is " I have no use for these bridges, so they have no use for anybody else." ?

I have no problem with them being built, in fact if they are needed I fully support it. I just don't support wasting money on trying to make them into some sort of BS cultural landmark.

I have no use for the University of Lethbridge. Clearly it's a dump that needs to go!

I have no problem with that. It is a dump and getting rid of it would rid the city of the 10,000 pain in the ass university students here.

[Nancy]

Originally Posted by Table 5

This bridge is nothing compared to the crazy amounts of money spent in order to save some suburban soccer mom 5 mintues of trafic time in Cougar Ridge or some other vapid craphole that nobody else in the city visits.

It's funny that you pick Cougar Ridge as an example because there are no overpasses serving Cougar Ridge. The two roads serving Cougar Ridge, Old Banff Coach Road and 85th Street, don't even have lights, just a series of four way stops. Two of these four way intersections are near schools (The International French School and the new Catholic school) and are accidents waiting to happen for pedestrians because the city is too cheap to put lights in. The density level in Cougar Ridge is higher than most inner city neighbourhoods. The citizens of Kensington oppose increased density, forcing people out to the burbs. It's rediculous to say that an inner city hood like Kensington takes less tax dollars... it's only true because the infrastructure is already paid for.

[Nancy]

[quote=moon;1428878]No

If you pop open a picture of downtown Edmonton for example, and then one of downtown Calgary with a freaking cool bridge with the river right there and the Bow in the background, where are you going to chose to go?
[quote]

Neither. Tourism doesn't really matter to either city's economy. Besides, Calgary doesn't need it. Banff is already the number one rated destination in Canada by Tripadvisor. A pedestrian bridge isn't going to do anything.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by moon

I have no problem with them being built, in fact if they are needed I fully support it. I just don't support wasting money on trying to make them into some sort of BS cultural landmark.



I have no problem with that. It is a dump and getting rid of it would rid the city of the 10,000 pain in the ass university students here.

Ha ha ha. That town would close down without the university.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Nancy

The density level in Cougar Ridge is higher than most inner city neighbourhoods.

ha, oh boy, which inner city neighborhood would this be? that statement is just utterly false.

Originally Posted by Nancy

The citizens of Kensington oppose increased density, forcing people out to the burbs. It's rediculous to say that an inner city hood like Kensington takes less tax dollars... it's only true because the infrastructure is already paid for.

Of course it's paid for, and that's the beauty of it! We don't have to spend any more money! Why spend money on new roads out in the boonies, when densifying the city we already have would work just as well. Get people to live inside of Calgary's current footprint, and we would all save a ton of money on infrastructure costs.

A very large part of Calgary's citizens use those Kensington streets, whether to commute or hang out. The amount of use the city get's out of spending a dollar on Kensington is much more than any suburb which only the local citizens use (Cougar Ridge is a completely random example, there are dozens of other neighborhoods that could take its place).

I agree with you that Kensington could use more density though...

[moon]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Of course it's paid for, and that's the beauty of it! We don't have to spend any more money! Why spend money on new roads out in the boonies, when densifying the city we already have would work just as well.

Because people don't want to live in high density areas.

If I move to Calgary I sure as hell don't want to be forced into to moving into a high density inner city area because some whiney inner city citizens don't like paying taxes that go to pay for needed roads in the suburbs.

[moon]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Ha ha ha. That town would close down without the university.

Perhaps then I could hopefully get out of here!

I think there would still be enough old folks and farmers to keep it going.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Nancy

Neither. Tourism doesn't really matter to either city's economy. Besides, Calgary doesn't need it. Banff is already the number one rated destination in Canada by Tripadvisor. A pedestrian bridge isn't going to do anything.

Tourism doers indeed matter a great deal to the city's economy...for example, the difference in attendance between Edmonton's Capital Ex and the Calgary Stampede is 300-400K (depending on the year). One of the main reasons for this is tourists, who spend millions here.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by moon

If I move to Calgary I sure as hell don't want to be forced into to moving into a high density inner city area because some whiney inner city citizens don't like paying taxes that go to pay for needed roads in the suburbs.

fine dont...but then you better pay your proper share of taxes. Do you really think residents of those new communities are the ones supporting the payment of all the new construction and infrastructure going into those roads, sewers, intersections, schools etc? Why do you think they have such low taxes compared to the inner city neighborhoods? They are definitely not paying their fair share compared to the inner city residents who are not getting any ofthe benefits.

Or what about the people in communities like Airdrie or Okotokos who come into the city to use Calgary's roads, facilities, infrastructure, and then go back to their bedroom communities and pay nothing for it?

btw, can you cut out the name calling already? dont need to do it every post....

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Table 5

fine dont...but then you better pay your proper share of taxes. Do you really think residents of those new communities are the ones supporting the payment of all the new construction and infrastructure going into those roads, sewers, intersections, schools etc? Why do you think they have such low taxes compared to the inner city neighborhoods? They are definitely not paying their fair share compared to the inner city residents who are not getting any ofthe benefits.

Or what about the people in communities like Airdrie or Okotokos who come into the city to use Calgary's roads, facilities, infrastructure, and then go back to their bedroom communities and pay nothing for it?

btw, can you cut out the name calling already? dont need to do it every post....

I would support some sort of toll for anyone person living in Airdrie, Cochrane etc. It's not feasible but it annoys me.