David Suzuki calls Calgary an "ecological disaster"

[habernac]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

maybe its CULTURAL.
well i guess you can use any stat to make any point

exactly.

[firebug]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Privelage, not a right.

Not picking on you personally here, 4X4.

In Canada, 3 people per square kilometer. Divorce rate at 48%.
http://www.divorcerate.org/divorce-rates-in-canada.html

In Japan, 138 people people per square kilometer. Divorce rate at 27%.
http://www.divorcerate.org/divorce-rate-japan.html

You do not need a backyard to raise kids. Based on most data, I would argue that a much denser population with shared backyards, or no yards but more parks/greenspace is directly correlated to the quality of family and community relationships.

And yes, I have been to Japan.

Not picking on you.

In Canada male suicide rate 18.3/100,000.

In Japan male suicide rate 35.6/100,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_suicide_rate

Is that because we get divorced, or don't live so close together?

~Firebug

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Your entire life as you know it is directly related to your environment.

The argument was made that to have a family and family life with kids they need a backyard to play in.

I think its interesting how people without this neccessity of a backyard in a much higher population density manage to actually stay a family.

Only thing I'm arguing here is the comment that you need a backyard to raise kids and have a quality family life.

Since when do two people even have to be married in order to raise a child? Do all families consist of a husband, wife and 2.3 kids?

I don't have kids, but if I did... in this day and age, I'd probably feel safer with my kids playing in my backyard where I can keep an eye on them, than out in the street or the playground down the block.

This isn't the same world we grew up in 20 years ago.

[Table 5]

sooo....how bout that pedestrian bridge?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Russic

I can say there's also a positive correlation between population density and liking Godzilla movies too, but that doesn't make it factual.

Convince me, then? Remember, once upon a time the earth was flat!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Table 5

sooo....how bout that pedestrian bridge?

Ahhh...the days when pedestrian bridges were our biggest problem....good times, good times....those were the days.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

maybe its CULTURAL.
well i guess you can use any stat to make any point

Japan is a little more progressive (I can't believe I'm using the word "progessive" to describe a state's level of acceptance of divorce) than other places, so its not like it is social taboo.

But I will agree that the culture does play a large role.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by firebug

Not picking on you.

In Canada male suicide rate 18.3/100,000.

In Japan male suicide rate 35.6/100,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_suicide_rate

Is that because we get divorced, or don't live so close together?

~Firebug

That really made me laugh.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Table 5

sooo....how bout that pedestrian bridge?

It's going ahead, and I've spoke to a few people in the construction / design industry... they're absolutely convinced that a bridge by the architect doing the Prince's Island bridge will bring in tourism, atleast on some level. Apparently, Santiago Calatrava is more known around the world than most of us know.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Muta

It's going ahead, and I've spoke to a few people in the construction / design industry... they're absolutely convinced that a bridge by the architect doing the Prince's Island bridge will bring in tourism, atleast on some level. Apparently, Santiago Calatrava is more known around the world than most of us know.

With a name like "Santiago" I'm not surprised...does he speak Esperanto too?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Muta

Calatrava is more known around the world than most of us know.

I think Calatrava is almost 75% to being at Gehry level of recognition....a few more Chicago Spire's, and he'll be there.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

The typical Calgary backyard isn't big enough to accomodate play for children older than say, 4 or 5 years. After that, they need to go to the community park/schoolyard anyway. It's absolutely true that kids need space to play, but the only spaces large enough in Calgary are found in community parks, whether the parks are in the suburbs or in the core.

Do today's kids even know what a backyard is these days?

From where I live, I have an almost top-down view of two whole neighborhoods, and hard EVER do I see kids in a private backyard.

The only kids I ever see playing are the low-income housing families used by immigrants, who are always playing in the central communal park they share in their complex.

I think Nintendo has sucked the will power of kids to do anything physical (other than lace up for minor hockey). But that's a different discussion.

[Ozy_Flame]

Calatrava and Sir Norman Foster doing work in our City? Excellent.

This is exactly what Calgary needs to be put on the map in terms of architecture. I think the new pedestrian bridges will be WELL worth money in the long run. Easily.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I think Calatrava is almost 75% to being at Gehry level of recognition....a few more Chicago Spire's, and he'll be there.

Even at 75%... that's 99.9% better than most designers out there. Frank Gehry is a legend.

Interesting to see that Calatrava and Norman Foster both have dipped their hands in the Calgary market (Foster with the Bow building)... very intruiging, indeed.

[Wookie]

Originally Posted by firebug

Not picking on you.

In Canada male suicide rate 18.3/100,000.

In Japan male suicide rate 35.6/100,000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...y_suicide_rate

Is that because we get divorced, or don't live so close together?

~Firebug

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I think Calatrava is almost 75% to being at Gehry level of recognition....a few more Chicago Spire's, and he'll be there.

Is that code? Klingon?

[Table 5]

Muta, from what I hear there is also one or two other Foster projects in the works for Calgary as well....

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

Is that code? Klingon?

haha, sort of, yes.

anyway sorry to derail the thread. everyone feel free to go back to your hippie/yard bashing.

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Thirded.

As a Canadian once said, the medium is the message. So long as a freakshow stands as the medium, the intended message will be completely lost.

I do like Fotze's idea of driving 30km just to spite him.

Marshall McLuhan was speaking about technological mediums, not advocating argumentum ad hominem.

The message may be lost on some, but only because it is easier to attack the man and effectively change the subject than to attack the argument itself.

[Cactus Jack]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Back and front yards are useless and just isolate families into their own lots. I agree with David Suzuki. Calgary's urban sprawl is disgraceful. Look at Europe. Build apartments with commercial space on the street level and have large parks and squares for communual use. You defeat disgusting urban sprawl and you concentrate people so we all meet more people and interact more in daily life.

Originally Posted by pepper24

He's dead-on. City council has had backwards thinking about urban sprawl for decades. We have such a vibrant downtown core during the day due to being the energy capital of Canada that you think they'd try to replicate that in the evenings with entertainment, condos etc. We're only now starting to bump that trend.

I'll take New York/Chicago over LA/Houston any day.

I agree with both of you 100%. Calgary has a vibrant downtown core until 5/6pm when everyone goes to the suburbs. It's partially because few people live downtown but the sprawl encourage mini-metro centre like Deerfoot Meadows, Market Mall, Chinook and Shawnessey so there is no reason to have a vibrant night or cultural vibe. Kids don't even play on the streets like they used to when I was a wee lad.

That's why I love cities like Vancouver, TO and Montreal so much. You can walk around almost any reasonable time of day, any day off the week and with any weather, and there's a vibe. People are out shopping, go to packed streets with bars, cafes and restaurants and there is lots to do. Calgary severely lacks that and I think its not caused by but rather encouraged by the sprawl.
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Marco polo