In Hindsight

[edslunch]

CP is full of lively debate about many current decisions, big and small, hockey-related or not. The current Banff train thread is an example. Often there are strong held opposing opinions about whether something is a good idea or not, other times there is near unanimity. Once the issue gets decided one or other though there is rarely any follow-up. This thread is for revisiting past debates with the benefit of hindsight to see if all the fuss was warranted.

I was inspired by seeing the BRT on 14th Street SW. It was hugely controversial at the time, maybe not so much on CP but in the adjacent neighbourhoods. As I drove past it I didn't notice any grievous traffic problems or gas pipelines burning so I'm wondering what people think about it now.

What other things turned out the way you predicted, or didn't? What disasters decisions didn't actually make much difference, or what seemingly good decisions turned out terribly?

[powderjunkie]

The Flames off-season...but I suppose we have a whole other section of forum for that.

In hindsight, peter12 may have been on the wrong side of the COVID discussions

[Looch City]

Good thread idea!

The Peace Bridge has got to be up there in the top 10. The biggest waste of money AND one of the most internationally revered architectural projects in Calgary.

I honestly can't picture Calgary's skyline without it. It's an icon.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by edslunch

I was inspired by seeing the BRT on 14th Street SW. It was hugely controversial at the time, maybe not so much on CP but in the adjacent neighbourhoods. As I drove past it I didn't notice any grievous traffic problems or gas pipelines burning so I'm wondering what people think about it now.

Pre-pandemic, I drove past it every day. It was HELL while it was being built. Several other projects in the area turned a inconvenience into a nightmare. And i really dislike that they put in another traffic light on the west side of the 14th st intersection, just one more to stop at now.

That being said, I had no strong feelings either way. My wife intended to take it most days, again, pre-pandemic but has yet to use it once because of that.

I assume by you saying "grievous traffic problems", you meant after it was done? Not sure why it would TBH. Other than that 1 traffic light, I don't see what impact it was expected to have on traffic.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by edslunch

CP is full of lively debate about many current decisions, big and small, hockey-related or not. The current Banff train thread is an example. Often there are strong held opposing opinions about whether something is a good idea or not, other times there is near unanimity. Once the issue gets decided one or other though there is rarely any follow-up. This thread is for revisiting past debates with the benefit of hindsight to see if all the fuss was warranted.

I was inspired by seeing the BRT on 14th Street SW. It was hugely controversial at the time, maybe not so much on CP but in the adjacent neighbourhoods. As I drove past it I didn't notice any grievous traffic problems or gas pipelines burning so I'm wondering what people think about it now.

What other things turned out the way you predicted, or didn't? What disasters decisions didn't actually make much difference, or what seemingly good decisions turned out terribly?

Regarding the BRT, it seems to me that this gets very little use. I barely see anyone near the stops and it seems that the buses appear empty for the most part. If anything, they got it backwards, and should've built that underpass at 14th and 90th for the regular traffic as opposed to the bus.

[timun]

Originally Posted by Looch City

The Peace Bridge has got to be up there in the top 10. The biggest waste of money AND one of the most internationally revered architectural projects in Calgary.

I honestly can't picture Calgary's skyline without it. It's an icon.

You can't picture Calgary's skyline without a bridge at the bottom of the Bow River valley? You can't even see it unless you're on the north side of the river...


In hindsight both sides on the 'debate' about the bridge were hyperbolic. The "waste of money" was vastly overblown, but so too are the alleged world-renowned accolades. It's a bridge; it's fine. I still think the interface with the pathway system on the north side is dumb.

[Ozy_Flame]

Ehhh . . . . Every tourist image of Calgary basically has one, two or all of the following three things in it:

- The Peace Bridge
- The Bow River
- The Bow Tower

It is an iconic piece of Calgary at this point. And I say that as someone who doesn't live there.

In hindsight it was a wonderful addition to the city.

[undercoverbrother]

Sorry OT, but how did the Peace Bridge get it's name?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Sorry OT, but how did the Peace Bridge get it's name?

They chose that (and it makes some sense as it links to Memorial Drive). I think that the attack on that choice was it was basically to try to deflect from the dislike of the project overall.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Slava

I think that the attack on that choice was it was basically to try to deflect from the dislike of the project overall.

Didn't work for me.

That bridge doesn't do much for me, unpopular opinion I know.

[Muta]

I love the Peace Bridge. Did at the time it was first proposed, still love it today.

[TorqueDog]

Agreed, Peace Bridge is the biggest one that jumps out at me, I'm quite happy we have it now.

Like timun, I still think there are some warts from the overall design and placement as the closest pedestrian crossing splits the difference between it and the pedestrian crossing built into the C-Train flyover, which itself is a stone's throw away from the 10th St. bridge. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have pedestrian infrastructure, rather I wish the nearest Memorial Drive crossing was closer to the Peace Bridge itself.

The Bow is a disappointing one for me for two reasons:
1. The tower's height was reduced from 'largest building in Canada' at 300 metres to 'who cares' at 236 metres.
2. The plans for the south tower incorporating The York Hotel never came to fruition (and I doubt they ever will).

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

2. The plans for the south tower incorporating The York Hotel never came to fruition (and I doubt they ever will).

This one really GMGs. The podium as the original York Hotel would have be stunning and excellent street scape honoring the past. Plus, modern skyscrapers that use the original building really seem to have a more wholesome integrated feel. Not saying it isn't now (people love that giant head art), but Centre Street has a particular majesty to it with brick buildings.

[D as in David]

In hindsight, I still don't know how I feel about vagina expansion.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by D as in David

In hindsight, I still don't know how I feel about vagina expansion.

She probably doesnt' feel anything.

[Locke]

In hindsight CalgaryNEXT was still a preposterous boondoggle that looked like it was designed as an Elementary Class make-work project.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Locke

In hindsight CalgaryNEXT was still a preposterous boondoggle that looked like it was designed as an Elementary Class make-work project.

Are you saying it didn’t blow your socks off?

[zamler]

There is only one way to make the Peace Bridge better

NSFW!

Link

also

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Ehhh . . . . Every tourist image of Calgary basically has one, two or all of the following three things in it:

- The Peace Bridge
- The Bow River
- The Bow Tower

It is an iconic piece of Calgary at this point. And I say that as someone who doesn't live there.

In hindsight it was a wonderful addition to the city.

I'd add the Saddledome to that list

[Fuzz]

Choosing to build the west LRT over North Central, when it was clearly the corridor that needs it most. And we repeat the bad decisions by doing the south first. Dumb followed by dumb.