Ongoing Calgarians complaining about pedestrian bridges thread - Page 95 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

killer_carlson · 03-22-2012, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

You're going to explain that she paid ~$6.86 for it?

We've been over this a hundred times, please explain to us how you can build a bridge that spans 130 meters without having supports in the river and can meet the Transport Canada height requirements for that cheap.

Highly entertaining.

And the papers will run the financial numbers enough I can rely on those for the cost.

There is no doubt a conventional bridge would have cost less and not been delayed for over a year.

Now that it is done, hopefully the bridge becomes something of an icon for the city. Those people in the city who do not live close enough to use it or who do not bike will be highly critical of the bridge because of the additional cost this bridgecwas over the alternatives, whatever that amount is. This is fair criticism, especially if there are are services lacking in the areas where those citizens do reside.

MrMastodonFarm · 03-22-2012, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Highly entertaining.

That's one way to respond to facts I suppose?

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 07:08 AM

Edited: I see you completed a pretty good response!

killer_carlson · 03-22-2012, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

That's one way to respond to facts I suppose?

I was editing.

Sorry, the iPad is slow to type on.

It will be highly entertaining because I can stir up all sorts of negative sentiment on it by using local media to do that part or me.

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

And the papers will run the financial numbers enough I can rely on those for the cost.

There is no doubt a conventional bridge would have cost less and not been delayed for over a year.

Now that it is done, hopefully the bridge becomes something of an icon for the city. Those people in the city who do not live close enough to use it or who do not bike will be highly critical of the bridge because of the additional cost this bridgecwas over the alternatives, whatever that amount is. This is fair criticism, especially if there are are services lacking in the areas where those citizens do reside.

It's probably a debate for another thread, but in a city this sprawled out and with such low density there are many areas where services are lacking. This will continue to be the norm until those areas pay their fair share of taxes or the city wins the lottery.

I still believe that the width and design of this bridge will make it more of the "go to" for the cyclists in their commute. It is designed to let them keep zipping along on a grade separated section of the bridge.

In the summer I utilize the Prince's Island bridge over Memorial on my bike commute, in the afternoon rush it is choked with people and makes crossing it on bike a slow process.

The Peace bridge is already becoming an icon, I constantly see people stopping to take pictures of it. Can't remember the last time I saw someone do that with the Prince's Island bridge, LRT bridge, or Louise bridge.

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 09:59 AM

Op-Ed in FFWD on the bridge:

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/ne...a-chance-8899/

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 01:24 PM

CBC is going to have something on the bridge tonight on their news, how do I know this? I guess the local media is knocking on my door now for this kind of stuff. I'll try not to look like too much of a latte-sipper.

undercoverbrother · 03-22-2012, 01:26 PM

is the second bridge still going ahead, the once further to the east?

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

is the second bridge still going ahead, the once further to the east?

Yes it is, the winning design was selected a while back and the CMLC was working on the St. Patrick's island re-design and integration with the new bridge.

undercoverbrother · 03-22-2012, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Yes it is, the winning design was selected a while back and the CMLC was working on the St. Patrick's island re-design and integration with the new bridge.

do you have a link to the design?

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 01:33 PM

undercoverbrother · 03-22-2012, 01:34 PM

what is this price point, my recollection, which is hazy is that this too was in the $25 mill range, but I could be wrong

Table 5 · 03-22-2012, 01:34 PM

Chinese finger trap!

nik- · 03-22-2012, 01:34 PM

It looks like the jump path of a character in a platformer video game. All we need is some coins at the apex of that jump over the river.

MrMastodonFarm · 03-22-2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'll throw this out there, I don't like the look of that bridge, it does nothing to inspire me.

Bigtime · 03-22-2012, 01:44 PM

It is pretty vanilla, I liked the submission that had the form of a fly fishing line (somewhat similar to this, but at least the theme related to the river and one of the activities done on it).

Table 5 · 03-22-2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I'll throw this out there, I don't like the look of that bridge, it does nothing to inspire me.

Yeah, it's quite the bore, isn't it? There were quite a few better options to pick from in the initial round, but most of the finalist selections were a total snooze fest.

None of the concepts were quite as refined as Calatrava's (although some sure tried to make it look one of his works).

Sliver · 03-22-2012, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Is this a rendering from a communist country in the 1970s?

firebug · 03-22-2012, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

I can hardly wait tontake my 60 something year old mother who pays a ridiculous amount of property tax across this bridge and explain how much she paid for it.

I anticipate it will be highly entertaining, even more so if some hippies are around.

She will be happy to know then that it was paid for with Provincial tax dollars and not Civic Property tax dollars.

Although if she is part of the whining high property tax suffering senior class, she probably pays a ridiculous amount of Provincial Taxes as well... ridiculously low.

OldDutch · 03-22-2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Op-Ed in FFWD on the bridge:

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/ne...a-chance-8899/

I think this is a good article in defence of the bridge. However, I think it goes as far the other way, as a Rick Bell article against it.

It reads like a love letter to Druh, who is my alderman. Druh has some good ideas, but many of us in Kensington tried to throw her out last election. Why? since she got a bridge built for us aloof yuppie latte sippers you may ask? Well for every bridge, there is a Bow River Flow. A totally dumb pet project of hers that gives little concern for our community. Also, the completely stupid pro-Bike pilot programs she tries to run. ie: anyone see the bike box on 10th st? Better yet, anyone see a biker use it? I have seen one in almost a year. Yet you can't turn on red any more, and have to sit forever. I hate it, and I am a frequent biker.

Trust me, Druh has her fan base, but I really think they are in the minority. I appreciate that she took on the face of the bridge, and helped get it built. However, she is still full of a lot of bad ideas, and that stubborn side that got the bridge built is the same one that does Bow River Flow, even though it has been a total flop so far.

You need progressives on council, but you also need the muzzlers who will keep her grounded. The bridge was a home run, but let's stop short of a pitty article, and throwing bouquets at her. She in fact does deserve some of the scorn she receives.