Quote:
Originally Posted by Elbownian
Stopped by the open house for a bit, as I was involved in the feedback process and wanted to see the end result.
$20 million is the budget for the island redevelopment (excluding the bridge). Not an enormous amount, but I expect it'll go a long way considering the general theme seems to be to keep things as natural as possible. Most of the real development (amphitheatre, canoe launch) is concentrated near the parking area off Zoo Road, leaving the bulk of the island fairly wild. Very much like the idea of reintroducing the natural flood channel.
The bridge is growing on me. I never really minded it (though other designs were more interesting), but it looks like it'll be a nice place for a casual stroll, or to just sit on one of the benches and admire the scenery - a good piece of recreational infrastructure, as opposed to the commuter orientation of the Peace Bridge. Still not sold on the access ramp to the island though - it interfaces awkwardly with the bridge deck, and doesn't seem suitable for accommodating mixed pedestrian and cycle traffic.
So I was quite pleased overall, though I think a mockup model of the island (as opposed to just the bridge) would have been nice to get a bit more visual context. Maybe at the next event! Also got to meet Wooster, which was a nice bonus for attending.
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Wow. 20 million is much more than I anticipated. I had thought they were way too ambitious in their concept, but it's seeming more realistic now.
Upon second sober thought, I wish they would integrate some more of the active programing on the west end of the island. The amphitheater, kids play area, boat launch etc is all by the zoo. Should be an even distribution.