Quote:
Originally Posted by Empire
The pathways could be brick pavers.
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I can imagine a perverse history of the Public Gardens pathways:
1) Basic pathways in the 1830's-whenever
2) Victorian-era management of gardens propose paving stones or brick, but there's no money available.
3) 100 years later, we must keep the gravel pathways because that is how it was in the Victorian era.
The Citadel has a similar feel -- like it is how it is now because that's how it was, even though many aspects of its layout and the empty space around it have no real historical significance and do not function very well today. The Citadel is the result of decommissioning a military base and then tearing down some shacks. I don't think anybody has taken a serious, creative look at how to best take advantage of that site in the modern city. And we do need to do this every few decades because needs and possibilities are constantly evolving. What makes sense in a city of 100,000 in the 1940's does not necessarily make sense many decades later.
The Victoria Park square is a good example of a public space that was overhauled and has been substantially changed while retaining its original value and unique character.
The Grand Parade is begging for similar improvements and they have been proposed as part of the Capital District but they seem dead in the water. One particular nice idea was a granite staircase near the north end of the square on Barrington. Imagine that going in along with the renovation of the TD building. It would open up Barrington a little more and eliminate some of the "blank wall" effect.
The Commons of course need the biggest overhaul of all. Aside from the very ad hoc addition of the oval the last two modifications I remember are the hideous washroom hut and the removal of some shrubs because homeless were sleeping in them.