Mayor Nenshi Documentary on Sunday at 8pm on Omni

[4X4]

Originally Posted by SebC

I'm sure everyone who's ever read a Rick Bell article already understands.

Rick Bell is such a pathetic, sniveling loser, it blows my mind that he's employed by a so-called newspaper.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Slava

That's the part that I'm starting to wonder about as well actually. I voted for Nenshi and if the election was today I would likely do the same and put up a sign and all that.

I actually don't think that the city has done much over the past two years though. I guess he got the airport tunnel through....which I am basically ambivalent about. Otherwise there isn't much of a record that I can get excited about.

There's actually a lot happening.

Here's a report on year 1 measuring what he actually did against his promises:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3Yy...it?hl=en&pli=1

Of course, that's about 10 months old and we're currently updating what's happened in year 2, which is also quite a bit - especially now moving into big systemic reforms of how the City actually operates. For instance reforming how the entire urban planning and development system works at the City, which is something I worked on in the office. These bigger changes take more time for their fruits to bear, but are the most important kinds of changes.

Stay tuned in October for that more current update of work-to-date.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

agreed, watching Bell was ridiculous, that guy is like a cartoon character and not only were his mannerisms distracting and annoying but his commentary was equally inept and lacked substance.

Nenshi's victory was interesting and I honestly didn't know his rise in popularity happened that quickly. But looking back, that's really all the documentary is about (plus the airport victory in city hall). This latter part was awesome and I was hoping for more things like that.

I think people are less interested in politics because of elections treated like a sporting event and more interested in actual policies and platforms and what actually has been executed to date with him in office as we're rounding the corner on 2 years. I know I am awful at figuring out what elected officials actually do and therefore I'm disappointed this program didn't focus on these things allowing me to continue to be lazy but be semi-informed and lazy.

The documentary crew filmed us (I work in the mayor's office for those that don't know) during strategy sessions on things like the secondary suite issue, but chose to focus the documentary more on the election and only a little bit on post-election governing - but the airport tunnel storyline was compelling and a major early term win for the Mayor.

[Free Ben Hur!]

Originally Posted by Bunk

There's actually a lot happening.

Here's a report on year 1 measuring what he actually did against his promises:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3Yy...it?hl=en&pli=1

Of course, that's about 10 months old and we're currently updating what's happened in year 2, which is also quite a bit - especially now moving into big systemic reforms of how the City actually operates. For instance reforming how the entire urban planning and development system works at the City, which is something I worked on in the office. These bigger changes take more time for their fruits to bear, but are the most important kinds of changes.

Stay tuned in October for that more current update of work-to-date.

Anyone know if the airport tunnel is acutally on time and on budget? The feeling the viewer was left with from the documentary was that this project would be closer to $1B by the time the dust cleared.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Free Ben Hur!

Anyone know if the airport tunnel is acutally on time and on budget? The feeling the viewer was left with from the documentary was that this project would be closer to $1B by the time the dust cleared.

http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation...il-Tunnel.aspx

Plus, You Need a Thneed posts in the airport tunnel thread here when an new update is released by the city.

[Free Ben Hur!]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation...il-Tunnel.aspx

Plus, You Need a Thneed posts in the airport tunnel thread here when an new update is released by the city.

Thanks. This is a progress update but it didn't see anything about progress against budget or schedule.

[Bertuzzied]

As much as I love Nenshi and his story I'm going to have to give this show an F.

Rick Bell seriously?? was he auditioning for a cartoon? and half of it wasn't even in HD. Fails all around!

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Free Ben Hur!

Thanks. This is a progress update but it didn't see anything about progress against budget or schedule.

Every news report I've heard from the start has said that it's on time and on budget. The actual concrete tunnel work is on pace to be complete sometime in early October (extrapolating from the pace on the each monthly update). Once the tunnel is turned over to the airport authority to start building on top of, the risk of extra cost due to delay goes way down. Nearly all elements of the project have been tendered already, I think.

It still wouldnt surprise me to find out a couple if years from now that the tunnel was finished for significantly under budget, and perhaps the savings can be used as a good start on funding phase two, which will allow the connection to Metis Trail (and thus to Stoney Trail), at which point, the tunnel becomes immensely useful for people in many areas of Calgary and southern Alberta.


As I've argued before, people from near the 22x and south of Calgary will use Stoney to get to the airport, and not Deerfoot, meaning that they will use the tunnel.