Druh Farrell and Memorial Drive

[ken0042]

Just to put this into persective; many people have (uncluding Druh) have said other cities do this; like Winnipeg. And others have said "Wrong Street."

So here is two of the streets that gets this in Winnipeg: Wolseley ave and Wellington Crescent

You will notice that both are right beside the river, and are right beside major roads on either side; Portage being like MacLeod Trail and Acadamy being like Elbow drive.

Winnipeg can do this because those roads are entirely residential, and there is a better road right beside it to use for regular traffic.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Bunk

It's not about a building's 'prettyness' but good urban design helps make a city more liveable, yes - absolutely.

You're going to trust "good urban design" to a bunch of politicians?

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Shazam

You're going to trust "good urban design" to a bunch of politicians?

The Panel isn't made up of politicians but rather professionals nominated by them.

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I stopped watching that video once i saw a quote by Ric Mciver.

Nice job keeping your mind open.

[Boblobla]

BUUUUUUMP

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loc...ub=CalgaryHome

Council has approved a plan to close two lanes of Memorial Drive in August.
The eastbound lanes will be closed for one day as part of a river festival.
The exact day of the festival hasn't been decided yet but there is some talk it will happen on August 16.
The closure was controversial and five aldermen voted against the idea.
They argued that a major road shouldn't be closed for a party and the closure will create a hardship for drivers.
But Ward 7 Alderman Druh Farrell says the road isn't busy enough on Sunday's for the closure to have a major effect.
She says she doesn't understand the opposition to testing the idea and hopes it can be expanded if it is a success.

[Dion]

But Ward 7 Alderman Druh Farrell says the road isn't busy enough on Sunday's for the closure to have a major effect.

Guess she's never driven Memorial on a summer weekend

She's going to look bad when this blows up in her face.

[Bobblehead]

I was agains the idea, but reading this article: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Co...452/story.html makes me wonder if this isn't a tempest in a teapot and perhaps the time spent debating this could better have been spent on something else?

1) Farrel is the Alderman for this area. If anyone is being annoyed, it will be her own constituents most of all.

2) Memorial has the capacity to be able to handle the reduced traffic on Sundays. "Traffic is light enough on a Sunday to accommodate two-way travel on the north lanes, said transportation general manager John Hubbell. Traffic counts show 850 cars travelling in one direction at peak times on Sundays, while each lane can handle 1,500."

3) Memorial is already shut down for other things, and none of those created any of this backlash. "Memorial, for example, is partially closed for the Stampede marathon in July."


It makes me wonder why this is such a large issue?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I was agains the idea, but reading this article: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Co...452/story.html makes me wonder if this isn't a tempest in a teapot and perhaps the time spent debating this could better have been spent on something else?

1) Farrel is the Alderman for this area. If anyone is being annoyed, it will be her own constituents most of all.

2) Memorial has the capacity to be able to handle the reduced traffic on Sundays. "Traffic is light enough on a Sunday to accommodate two-way travel on the north lanes, said transportation general manager John Hubbell. Traffic counts show 850 cars travelling in one direction at peak times on Sundays, while each lane can handle 1,500."

3) Memorial is already shut down for other things, and none of those created any of this backlash. "Memorial, for example, is partially closed for the Stampede marathon in July."


It makes me wonder why this is such a large issue?

What about the increased traffic numbers as people from the east and west side of city try to use Memorial to get to this event. Or even the curious folks that will drive by to have a see at what is going on. I can see the above creating problems.

[llama64]

I have two questions:

1) Where do people park if they want to come down and take part?
2) What happens when a Stampeders game lets out and Memorial Drive is closed? Do we take 16th instead? larf. (assuming this collision will/can happen)

Disrupting traffic flow increases air pollution. Why the hell would we want to do that?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by llama64

I have two questions:

1) Where do people park if they want to come down and take part?
2) What happens when a Stampeders game lets out and Memorial Drive is closed? Do we take 16th instead? larf. (assuming this collision will/can happen)

Disrupting traffic flow increases air pollution. Why the hell would we want to do that?

People wil most likely park in residentail areas - in front of peoples homes - and anywhere else they can find. I''m sure local residents and businesses will not be happy.

[Reggie Dunlop]

So when is "DruhStock" anyways?

[FlamesKickAss]

when did they do the traffic counts? in the winter or summer?

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Dion

What about the increased traffic numbers as people from the east and west side of city try to use Memorial to get to this event. Or even the curious folks that will drive by to have a see at what is going on. I can see the above creating problems.

Well there wouldn't have been an issue with curiosity seekers if there hadn't been a big a hulabaloo. That almost makes this a self fulfilling prophesy.
And as for people going to the event, that doesn't seem to be an issue with the Stampede run.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

So when is "DruhStock" anyways?

LollapaDruhza

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

It makes me wonder why this is such a large issue?

My issue was the original plan, a handful of Sundays in the summer. Her arguement was other cities like Winnipeg do it, but the raods they close are like 20th ave NW.

Now they are just talking about 1 Sunday, and they want to arrange a festival in that space on that day. A very different issue than "let's close down an artery so there is more room for people to ride their bikes."

[octothorp]

Here's the reason Druh has nobody but herself to blame for the bad response: There has been absolutely nothing released that would cause anyone to get excited about this festival. If there was a really great festival concept behind it, then I think she'd get a lot of support. But pretty much the only thing I've heard is that there's going to be walking along the street, and possibly mass yoga and tai chi events; probably we'll get the same food and vendors that are at every other festival in the city. Add to it that you cannot actually even see the river from most of this stretch of Memorial because of a high flood embankment. Even if you're walking along the embankment there's a false island that makes it impossible to actually access the river for a good portion of this distance; it's not like it's a particularly scenic stretch when viewed from road level.
I live about a half block away, and while I have no complaints about the traffic access, there are no details released thus far that would inspire me to leave the comfort of my back yard and head down the block. Personally, I love the idea of a river festival, but at this point it's such a half-baked idea. Come up with a concept that will excite Calgarians (and a location where you can maybe see the river?) and you'll get the support you need for road closures.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Amen bobblehead - I can't believe how stupidly out of proportion this has gotten over one lousy day. Memorial is routinely shut down for all manner of "silly" events like Runs for <insert your disease or cause here> that have the same effect as this "festival" day that has so many hot and bothered. Like the bridges issue, lets not let things like facts get in the way of the media whipping people into a froth over not much.

I can't help but think that Druh Farrell has turned into the Calgarian Hillary to the Conservative Crowd in Calgary. She could cure freaking cancer and still be made to look bad.

At the end of the day, people most against this closure are also the LEAST likely to actually come down and walk a street festival. They're primarily bothered that their crosstown drive might have been lengthened for 5-10 minutes. At the end of the day, 5-10 minutes means more to them than anything else, and the real issue here. Is the true of EVERYONE that is against this closure? Of course not, but I'm willing to bet my assertion holds in a poll.

I also see a lot of the Rick Bell crowd beating the drums to vote out Druh Farrell. I have to laugh at this as unless you live in her ward, all you get to do is make noise and scribble in blogs. Don't forget Druh's ward is a fairly unique and left leaning ward, sending a Liberal MLA to the Leg, and generally supportive of enviro causes. Her constituents largely love this stuff, and love watching her propose ideas that fly in the face of Conservative Suburbia. She's representing her constituents quite well actually.

[Bigtime]

So I live in the east end of the Beltline, on Sunday morning my wife and I attempted to leave the Beltine to head out for a mother's day brunch in the far northwest.

Now I was aware that there would be road closures due to the Mother's Day Run & Walk (I could see two of them from my place), but what we didn't plan on was that they had completely sliced the core and beltline in half, and there was no way to get from the east side over to the west! We finally ended up having to turn around and head back through Inglewood to get out of the city centre.

Those road closures were a heck of a lot more disruptive than 2 of 4 lanes being closed on Memorial for ONE Sunday.

The "anti-everything" crew at council (McIver, Diane C.U. & Co.) were made to look like the bunch of incompetent fools they really are at yesterdays session. Of course one has to do more than just rely on our fishwraps to see that whole picture.

Mrs. Bigtime, our new arrival (in just a couple of weeks) and myself will be pushing a stroller from the east Beltline over to Memorial to take part in this closure when it happens. Even if this event ends up being moved somewhere else next time (10th street?) you have to start somewhere and participate in these things to let them grow and start something special in the city.

[Dion]

The "anti-everything" crew at council (McIver, Diane C.U. & Co.) were made to look like the bunch of incompetent fools they really are at yesterdays session. Of course one has to do more than just rely on our fishwraps to see that whole picture.

Saying that the idea is great but suggesting that Druh close down another road as opposed to a major artery is hardly being anti everything.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Dion

Saying that the idea is great but suggesting that Druh close down another road as opposed to a major artery is hardly being anti everything.

Sorry, I should have said the "anti-everything that doesn't further their political careers" crew.