Devonian Gardens - almost ready to reopen

[Notorious Honey Badger]

Just left there an hour ago. What a hole compared to what it used to be.

[Rhettzky]

I'm pretty disappointed. In the old gardens it almost felt like you could explore the place. Looping Pathways, narrow bridges, elevation changes, small hide-a-ways, wood finishes, and lots of little features hidden in the foliage like statues and such. Now it's just bland, open, and generic feeling. You can see all the way across the thing in parts.

Did they really need to completely gut the place? I mean renovate parts of it and replace what needs replacing but I don't understand why everything had to be stripped out altogether.

Just disappointed.

[stacey]

Originally Posted by Notorious Honey Badger

Just left there an hour ago. What a hole compared to what it used to be.

I bet the one in Winnepeg is allot nicer...

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

I'm pretty disappointed. In the old gardens it almost felt like you could explore the place. Looping Pathways, narrow bridges, elevation changes, small hide-a-ways, wood finishes, and lots of little features hidden in the foliage like statues and such. Now it's just bland, open, and generic feeling. You can see all the way across the thing in parts.

Did they really need to completely gut the place? I mean renovate parts of it and replace what needs replacing but I don't understand why everything had to be stripped out altogether.

Just disappointed.

exactly. Just seems like overkill.

And killed it they did indeed.

[jayswin]

nm

[SebC]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

The entirety of the Core mall feels like this - there's absolutely nowhere to stop end to end, and the way the escalators are laid out, you have to traverse the length of the mall to change floors. I couldn't put my finger on what I didn't like about it, but it's definitely this aspect of the design.

Yeah, whoever designed the escalator layout was either incompetent or evil.

[Notorious Honey Badger]

Originally Posted by stacey

I bet the one in Winnepeg is allot nicer...

Although you're a complete troll, yes, it is

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by SebC

Yeah, whoever designed the escalator layout was either incompetent or evil.

I vote for evil. I went and complained at the mall desk about that when they first changed it, on the theory complaints might get them to change it back. I got a rehearsed explanation (she said I wasn't the only complaint) about how they figured out that on average it's easier for people.

Which is bull####. It's not easier, but it does make you walk past half the stores in the mall if you want to go to the foodcourt. But realistically, I'm not going to buy women's shoes or a $1000 suit on my way to get a sub.

Nobody could be that stupid and think they're helping people. They're inconveniencing me (and everyone else) from a profit motive, and then lied about it to my face.

[Drummer]

Still no restaurant, is any company even interested in opening up a restaurant here? There still is a wall up "deficiencies" around the restaurant spot. I wonder what's going on? And are they getting as many weddings book as they did pre renovations?

[Drummer]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

I've now scrolled through the pictures, and after cleaning the blood from my eyes, have to say that all we can hope for at this point is that the designer has switched careers.

That just might be the most mismanaged redesign in North American history. Unless the price of palm trees inflated 1,000% in the last year, I have no clue how you reach $37MM for a project of this "scale".

Really, this masterpiece, and by masterpiece I mean unadulterated failure, is no more than a few greeny plants (ugly ones) surrounded by an ocean of grey / black tile. It's almost like they held a competition to design the worst possible Devonian Gardens, or awarded the contract exclusively to a city hall family member's sideshow business.

I'm not sure it was easy to take what was once a pretty cool little area and transform it into a tasteless, boring atrocity that will never again match the original let alone better it- but somehow they've managed to do it. Mission accomplished I guess, and a shining example of just why you sometimes need to leave #### alone.

Grade: F-

Super old post I'm quoting here, but that's a good review.

[Swift]

I haven't been to the Devonian Gardens in a few years now, but funnily enough I found myself thinking of going for the hell of it just this week. I was picturing myself sitting around the outdoor pool reading a book. Then I realized it was winter and the weather is no good for outdoor. And then I realized that the little outdoor pool area doesn't exist anymore. Made me a little sad to be honest

[t0rrent98]

Did they reopen the Devonian Gardens after the police found thousands upon thousands of Pot being grown there and sold.hahaha.. jk.

[The Familia]

Just another example of not leaving well enough alone. I have not been in the new gardens nor do I plan on ever stepping foot in that ####hole. Judging on the current pictures and what used to be there before, I know if I step foot in there I will be greatly disappointed. It is probably best to imagine the place does not exist.

[CliffFletcher]

Unsavoury things would happen in the gardens occasionally. I'm guessing the designers were given a mandate to get rid of the hidden niches and private spots. And so we're left with the soulless, ugly mall we have now. A dumb overreaction ruined a civic treasure.

[Joborule]

It's so depressing to see how they've made a renovation, such a massive downgrade. What a waste of money.

[Muta]

I am an ultra modernist, I love new and contemporary stuff... but the old Devonian Gardens had a certain charm about it. I think it was the wood stumps everywhere. Really gave it an innocent, 'walking in the woods' feel.

If I had the ability to re-do the project, I'd actually make it a tropical setting, with palm trees, cactus and ponds with exotic fish. There would be nothing like it in Western Canada, and I think it would attract people to visit more - especially in the winter.

[Dan02]

I checked it out a couple of months ago, just has a mall food court feel to it, won't bother to return.

[combustiblefuel]

I knew it had changed!!!

Last year when I visited with my girlfriends I swore it was different. She just said" Maybe your mind wanted you to rember it that way.

When she gets home I now have proof. Thanks op.

[Daradon]

Better?!

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Better?!

Sorry, It should say different, not better.