[Jamaican-Phoenix]

This was only brought up once or twice in the news, but should Ottawa make a serious bid to host Expo 2017?

After all, Expos usually help cities build up the infrastructure they need and give the city a tourism boost. If Ottawa were to make a bid, what are your suggestions and ideas about what it should be and what it should include?

[Aylmer]

Allo!

I'm new...

I have seen some media on the subject regarding that O'Brien is thinking seriously about bidding!

TTFN!

[harls]

Welcome, Aylmerlover. I love Aylmer as well :D

[Aylmer]

G'Day!

I thank your warm welcome!


for so long I have had to keep my mouth shut because I was not registerd...
yet I still can not seem to participate to the Ottawa Development 4 thread (hope I wrote ''Developement'' correctly)

[harls]

It's been locked, no one can add to it anymore...désormais, on va poster sur ssp:local ottawa... tous les projets sont leurs propres fils.

[Aylmer]

Tu deverais en faire une autre!
ottawa developement 5!!
un concepte jamais réalisé!
cela va révolutionner le monde!!!

non, mais sérieusement, tu deverais y penser!

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

:previous: Non, ca ne fonction pas. La seule purpose de la "Ottawa Development Thread 4" est de servir comme un place pour la collection des projets de development d'Ottawa.

Maintenant, nous avons les sections individuelles pour les projets. Cela rendu un autre "Development Thread" serieusment improbable...

[Aylmer]

Mais vous en avez deja fait quatres threads...

[d_jeffrey]

Mais vous en avez deja fait quatres threads...

Parcqu'avant, il n'y avait pas de forum pour Ottawa-Gatineau... seulement pour l'Ontario.

[Aylmer]

a t'on vraiment besoin de parler du sujet mot pour mot?:koko: :shrug:

on pourrait simplement en faire une pour l'ontario et parler de Gatineau (mais surtout Aylmer:banana: ).

[clynnog]

Allo!

I'm new...

I have seen some media on the subject regarding that O'Brien is thinking seriously about bidding!

TTFN!

Love your avatar Aylmer Lover. IMHO Aylmer is the jewel in the crown of what is now the Ville D'Gatineau.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Aylmer is the jewel in the crown of what is now the Ville D'Gatineau.

Can't argue with ya there. :)

Although all the suburban developments are kinda ruining it. :(

[Aylmer]

We could simply make a GREEN development plan...
or just call the new development ''Brownton''!

oh, and I'm sorry that I don't have an avatar.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

In light of O'Brien's plans for the city, I honestly don't believe that Ottawa is going to get Expo 2017 or even the Portrait Gallery.

[movebyleap]

I spent the month of August in Spain and had the good fortune to visit the city of Zaragoza. When I arrived in this town I was completely oblivious to the fact that Zaragoza would be hosting Expo 2008. The first thing I noticed was that the city was going through some kind of massive upheaval. It was an enormous construction site! While it still had its splendid old town, Roman ruins, fine dining, and great shopping, one could feel excitement and change in the air.

People, you'd have to see it to believe it! This is a city with a metro population of 660,00. It is stuck halfway between Madrid and Barcelona and has always been considered the neglected provincial cousin of these two giants. (Sounds familiar?)

Well, it is now getting a high speed train link, suburban and urban light rail (which was as hotly debated there as in Ottawa), AND a subway line! What else? How about a massive airport expansion, two spectacular new bridges, a phenomenal ultra modern train station, a world class congress centre, new roads, crazy fountains, and even a new "high street" along a freshly developed river bank!

Most interestingly, Zaragoza is getting a whole new neighbourhood called the "Digital Mile" , a "smart" and eco-friendly urban-technological development. You can read all about it here:

http://www.milladigital.es/ingles/01_quees.php


The cost of all these perks? In 2006 it was 2 billion Euro and no doubt it has now increased. Zaragoza, however, doesn't seem to mind. It aims to put itself on the world map as a first class tourist and business destination. Now THAT is vision! THAT is swagger!

So YES to an Expo in Ottawa! Unfortunately we won't get it. We won't even attempt. Call me cynical, but the city councillors can't seem to think outside the box or beyond today. Larry O'Brien is the best thing that happened to this town in a while, but without a team behind him, he seems powerless.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Larry O'Brien is the best thing that happened to this town in a while,

No, he is not. He has absolutely no clue about how to run a city. He doesn't have the support of teh city councillors because he has no clue how to run a city or even how municipal politics works! :rolleyes:

The only good thing to come from him so far is the MTF on Transit in Ottawa and wanting to give the city swagger. That's it.

Now back to the Zaragoza story...

It looks like the Spanish version of Ottawa and one of the newspapers should definately cover the upheaval in Zaragoza. Hopefully it will spread in Ottawa and people will get behind it and forget about cost for once.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I found some articles in relation to Ottawa hosting Expo 2017. Check them out...

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/columnists/story.html?id=25cb8798-fe06-4ffc-a2dc-f9321e4a89d4&p=1

http://www.blakebatson.ca/?p=125

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=1cf9b944-2149-42d5-be0b-a1f7c9afa591

[movebyleap]

I don't disagree with you about the mayor's inexperience. But sometimes isn't a vision alone just as important? You know the saying "where there's a will there's a way" ... As a lifelong Ottawa resident it is incredibly discouraging and depressing to see project after project and dream after dream flushed down the drain because it is considered too frivolous/elitist/expensive/impractical. I've seen the aquarium plans dashed (twice). My friend's father was one of the architects involved in the design of the amazing original aquarium in the 1980s which would have been built in Lebreton Blats. The botanical garden plans have been discarded numerous times. A zoo. A concert hall. Bridges. Subway. Science & tech Museum. The portrait gallery. A new library. All these subjects have been discussed and proposed for the last 20 -25 years. The list goes on...

A city is so much more than social housing and sewer maintenance. So many people I know go to Montreal or Toronto for their regular fix of culture, entertainment, dining and shopping. This should not be necessary in a city of over 1 million and a national capital to boot!

Well, I've digressed. What I was trying to say is that if councillors shared at least part of the mayor's vision, they could sit down together to figure out how this vision could be attained. I just can't see this happening with the current group of people in office. They don't seem to see ahead. Case in point: crack pipes and needles, but no treatment centre. HELLO???

[d_jeffrey]

I found some articles in relation to Ottawa hosting Expo 2017. Check them out...

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/columnists/story.html?id=25cb8798-fe06-4ffc-a2dc-f9321e4a89d4&p=1

http://www.blakebatson.ca/?p=125

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=1cf9b944-2149-42d5-be0b-a1f7c9afa591

When is the last day to submit a proposal?

[lrt's friend]

If we want Expo 2017, that needs to be the focus of the city. Instead, for the next 3 years, we will be spending all our time on cost cutting. The two work at cross purposes as Expo will require us to spend money. We will never see Expo in Ottawa. Already, there has been virtually no talk about it since the mayor brought it up in the summer. Just like the mayor's task force on Transportation. Just another dead issue.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I don't disagree with you about the mayor's inexperience. But sometimes isn't a vision alone just as important?

Not in today's world. Money, selfishness and vote-buying rules above anything else.

So sad...

You know the saying "where there's a will there's a way" ... As a lifelong Ottawa resident it is incredibly discouraging and depressing to see project after project and dream after dream flushed down the drain because it is considered too frivolous/elitist/expensive/impractical. I've seen the aquarium plans dashed (twice). My friend's father was one of the architects involved in the design of the amazing original aquarium in the 1980s which would have been built in Lebreton Blats. The botanical garden plans have been discarded numerous times. A zoo. A concert hall. Bridges. Subway. Science & tech Museum. The portrait gallery. A new library. All these subjects have been discussed and proposed for the last 20 -25 years. The list goes on...

I know. There have been tonnes of projects that have been scrapped due to lack of vision, but councillors and city staff are not the only ones to blame. You can also blame the general public and the various levels of government.

A city is so much more than social housing and sewer maintenance. So many people I know go to Montreal or Toronto for their regular fix of culture, entertainment, dining and shopping. This should not be necessary in a city of over 1 million and a national capital to boot!

I completely agree and I find it sad because Ottawa and Gatineau have so much potential. :(

Well, I've digressed. What I was trying to say is that if councillors shared at least part of the mayor's vision, they could sit down together to figure out how this vision could be attained. I just can't see this happening with the current group of people in office. They don't seem to see ahead. Case in point: crack pipes and needles, but no treatment centre. HELLO???

Well, I can't argue with you there! :haha:

City council needs to stop thinking about their wards and start thinking about the city as a whole.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

When is the last day to submit a proposal?

I have no idea... :shrug:

If we want Expo 2017, that needs to be the focus of the city. Instead, for the next 3 years, we will be spending all our time on cost cutting. The two work at cross purposes as Expo will require us to spend money. We will never see Expo in Ottawa. Already, there has been virtually no talk about it since the mayor brought it up in the summer. Just like the mayor's task force on Transportation. Just another dead issue.

Sad, but true.

However, we could change things if we get the talk moving, show what's happening in Zaragoza, start petitions, send letters to our councillors, etc.

It's possible but there needs to be pressure from the public.

[movebyleap]

Unfortunately these articles are all dated August 2007 and two of them are opinion pieces. So, though interesting, not very official..YET :shrug:

[lrt's friend]

Ottawa is so dependent on the feds. We don't have a large private sector for the size of the city. As a consequence, party polictics play a big part of whether major Ottawa projects take place or not. Unfortunately, when the Conservatives have been in power, Ottawa often suffers. Look at our history. The first beautification efforts came as result of Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Then William Lyon MacKenzie-King was the push behind the Greber Plan. Then Trudeau's regime gave us the National Art Gallery, the Museum of Civilization and the replacement of the unsightly pulp mill opposite from Parliament Hill. Jean Chretien gave us the new War Museum. What have the current Conservatives done? Killed LRT and cancelled the Portrait Gallery at a time when the feds are rolling in cash.

[Kitchissippi]

When is the last day to submit a proposal?

From the Bureau International des Expositions (http://www.bie-paris.org/) (a surprisingly tacky website, given its stature):

The Bureau will not recognise as a show of intention to organise a Registered Exhibition unless the request is presented:

- maximum of nine years (9 years) and a minimum of six years (6 years) before the chosen date for the opening of the Exhibition (Registered Exhibitions)
- maximum of six years (6 years) and a minimum of five years (5 years) before the chosen date for the opening of the Exhibition (Recognised Exhibitions).

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

So in other words, we have until 2011 to come up with a truly stellar proposal?

[Kitchissippi]

So in other words, we have until 2011 to come up with a truly stellar proposal?

Actually, there is already a bit of a problem if you want to hold a true World's Fair in 2017. These are only allowed every 5 years and the next one is in Shanghai 2010. Milan is going really strong for its bid for 2015 and is way ahead of the game. The best hope for 2017 is a minor international expo, one in which the host country has to provide exhibition space and participating nations do not build individual pavilions. These recognized international expositions are allowed anytime once in between true World's Fairs.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Actually, there is already a bit of a problem if you want to hold a true World's Fair in 2017. These are only allowed every 5 years and the next one is in Shanghai 2010. Milan is going really strong for its bid for 2015 and is way ahead of the game. The best hope for 2017 is a minor international expo, one in which the host country has to provide exhibition space and participating nations do not build individual pavilions. These recognized international expositions are allowed anytime once in between true World's Fairs.

Yes, I am aware of that, but how is that a problem?

Most cities Ottawa's size(and Zaragoza) would host a recognized Expo. It seems to be working for Zaragoza; why couldn't it work for Ottawa?

[Kitchissippi]

You are missing the semantics of my post. I said there is a problem if you want to hold a true World's Fair ("Registered Exhibition") because of the strong bids for 2015 by Milan and Izmir and these are only allowed every 5 years. Yes, Ottawa could bid for a "Recognized Exhibition" for 2017.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

You are missing the semantics of my post. I said there is a problem if you want to hold a true World's Fair ("Registered Exhibition") because of the strong bids for 2015 by Milan and Izmir and these are only allowed every 5 years. Yes, Ottawa could bid for a "Recognized Exhibition" for 2017.

I understood what you meant, but I'm saying that to tie into Canada's 150th, Ottawa should host a recognized Exhibition. Look at the good it's doing for Zaragoza, adn it's smaller than us! :rolleyes:

We would never be able to host a Registered Expo; we just do not have the capacity, nor will the City ever approve of such a money-drain as a Registered Expo.

Ottawa would never stand a chance against the big cities who bid for Registered Expos, but the Recognized Expo would be a perfect fit for the city and since it will Canada's 150th, that will help give us an edge over other cities like Hamilton and Edmonton.

[Aylmer]

I just calculated the perimeter:
Chaudière Islands: 5,5 thousand Meters
Bayview Yards: 4,5 thousand Meters

Which?