Thoughts on improving Nosehill?

[Sliver]

There will always be a contingent that likes the park as is, but I think for many Calgarians the park just looks like a tinder-dry blight of dead grass and weeds that adds driving time for everyone to get anywhere. I think with such a large chunk of land inside the city, we could really make a wonderful place to be that is actually aesthetically pleasing. Some ideas:
- a lake (a Sicome for the north...boat rentals, playground, etc.)
- more forested areas
- activities (horseback tours again like in the 80s, maybe a paintball field, skatepark, festival venue (seating, amphitheater, etc.)
- rentable wedding facility
- some manicured grass sections for people to picnic
- a splash park
- mountain bike terrain park
- groomed tobaggan hill with rope tow or something

Basically, the park is big and useless. Only a minority of people use it, and that is usually the fire department to extinguish a grass fire.

The idea of keeping a natural area is romantic and all, but come on, this isn't the Redwood Forest. Maybe we can (actually we probably should) preserve a small natural section (like 1%), and it's not like I want to see condos there, but can we at least admit Nosehill couldn't be crappier if it tried?

[burn_this_city]

Handguns would definitely spice things up.

[saskflames69]

You guys have a provincial park in between neighborhoods. Stop complaining. We have U of S farmland in the middle of our city.

[Sliver]

Guy I've been cow tipping on UofS farmland. It's way better than Nosehill.

[saskflames69]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Guy I've been cow tipping on UofS farmland. It's way better than Nosehill.

Try living in my neighborhood on a warm, windy day. It's like the farm is right behind your house.

[Flames_Gimp]

i think it needs dogs

[undercoverbrother]

Who pays for these improvements?

How do you put a lake on the top os a hill?

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Who pays for these improvements?

How do you put a lake on the top os a hill?

A big pit and a giant hose? It's not like lakes have to all be at sea level.

[Kybosh]

The only improvement I can think of is to remove the sucky paved paths.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

The only improvement I can think of is to remove the sucky paved paths.

You have to be kidding. Pavement takes up about 0.00000001% of the real estate up there and you think it's a problem? You can bushwhack through chest-high thistle anywhere you want up there. Why #### on the improved accessibility for people less mobile?

[Delthefunky]

I'm in the leave it the F alone camp. I use it all the time, and I know lots of people that do. I think it's great that you can get a little sense of escape inside the city.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

I say we release 4 tigers to make things interesting. But put some sort of electronic collar on them that keeps them within the confines of Nose Hill.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Sliver

You have to be kidding. Pavement takes up about 0.00000001% of the real estate up there and you think it's a problem? You can bushwhack through chest-high thistle anywhere you want up there. Why #### on the improved accessibility for people less mobile?

Why does development have to equal improvement? Nose Hill was as close to a pristine natural environment as you could get within the city and I am against development within that area. Adding many of your suggestions, in my opinion, would take away from the park as it was intended.

Also, they already have a mountain bike terrain park up there. It might not be at the scale you're talking about, but it's there and there are many other flowing bike trails all over the park.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

I'm in the leave it the F alone camp. I use it all the time, and I know lots of people that do. I think it's great that you can get a little sense of escape inside the city.

Would it bother you or cut into our enjoyment if say one quarter of the park was turned into a more developed form of outdoor recreation? Like what I described above with a lake etc.? Surely you don't use 100% of the park. I doubt 10 people in all of Calgary do.

[ResAlien]

I'm with everyone else. Leave it the way it is.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Why does development have to equal improvement? Nose Hill was as close to a pristine natural environment as you could get within the city and I am against development within that area. Adding many of your suggestions, in my opinion, would take away from the park as it was intended.

Also, they already have a mountain bike terrain park up there. It might not be at the scale you're talking about, but it's there and there are many other flowing bike trails all over the park.

Because development can improve the natural area. There is a reason we aren't all living in tipis on the natural land of Calgary, kybosh.

[Northendzone]

I throw up a gift shop, a Starbucks and a timmie's. Be great entertainment watching folks enter and exit the drive thru on snowy days.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Because development can improve the natural area. There is a reason we aren't all living in tipis on the natural land of Calgary, kybosh.

That's not what I mean and you know it. I live in this city because I enjoy all that it has to offer, including natural environment escapes.

[Wormius]

Why the desire to change it? It's a nice piece of undisturbed land in the city where you can enjoy nature, see deer, coyotes, porcupines, etc. There are enough splash parks, playgrounds in that general area already.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

That's not what I mean and you know it. I live in this city because I enjoy all that it has to offer, including natural environment escapes.

I think what you are saying is it is natural and therefore it is beautiful or something? I'm actually not totally sure. You seem to think adding improvements will have an upsetting affect on what you see as the park's natural beauty. I see an ugly park (as do 10s of thousands of other Calgarians) and probably the most under-used piece of real estate within any metropolis in the world (on a per-sf basis). I think maintaining some of the natural state is worthwhile, but adding other recreational activities that will take a little development increases the value of the park to more people.