Peace Bridge | 131 Meter Span | Completed

[Dice]

I wouldn't say I love it but it does stand out from the other bridges in the area which is a good thing since it suggests architectural evolution in the city

[RiverRat]

Honestly... this is what I hate about columnists. One persons opinion gets written up as something that takes on the form of a factual article reporting the opinions of others.

Originally Posted by Wooster

Next bridge process much better
Push aside the buzz of complaints over Calgary's new footbridge and one can hear the healthy hum of a deeply engaged public, chattering about what the city's future should look like.

Translation: We are really proud of ourselves for trying to stir up a hornets nest.

"Not everybody is going to come to a consensus on this bridge, that is going to be the sure outcome," says Ollenberger, who had no hand in the Peace Bridge process or the ill-conceived decision to acclaim Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Translation: Look! we've got this guy back-peddling before he's really even started. Watch how I make it look like he's against the peace bridge by pointing out that he wasn't involved.

"Not everybody is going to like whatever happens. But to actually have a debate and engage people with it should lead to a better project and should lead to a sense of pride in the city for being involved with it. It's good."

He's so right. What was egregious about the first footbridge went well beyond its outrageous $24.5-million price tag. Council disregarded the electorate, seeking neither public engagement nor the talent of local architects.

Translation: The press should determine what issues are in the domain of the electorate and what issues are a waste of money to consult the populace as a whole. We reserve the right to only render this determination after we can figure out how it will affect newspaper sales.

By acclaiming someone famous, the city paid top dollar for a design many now feel has been imposed upon Calgary by an outsider who has no connection with Calgarians.

Translation: A guy from Spain, who does not live in Calgary designed a bridge for us. Somehow this is very wrong, I'm certain of it.

Understandably, many are overly critical of the red, helix-like structure often likened to a Chinese finger trap or hamster tunnel. One Herald reader said "it looks like something you would find wrapped around asparagus in the produce section." Another called it "ugly as sin" and said: "Say No to the orange torpedo."

Translation: After giving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bad publicity to the project, we've managed to scrape up hundreds of replies that we can use to further spin the issue.

Much of this fury could have been diffused had the city involved the public more, or invited people to meet the architect. Cantos Music Foundation recently hosted a full house at its public unveiling of the shortlist for its King Edward renaissance project. The five finalists in the international design competition were on hand, making their presentations to the people.

This is how it should be done. Ollenberger plans on using the help of an advisory committee to narrow down the entrants. As long as there is a good balance of views represented from different walks of life, this can offer fresh opinions and new ideas to the project.

The competition should lead to exciting outcomes because it is open-ended. The sky is truly the limit in terms of ideas that could be introduced, at least conceptually. That doesn't mean the structures would work in reality.

Many of the proposals might not be practical. So be it. It isn't every day the city builds a structure that is supposed to benefit generations.

Translation: The city builds long term infrastructure every other day, not every day. Some of these projects must have cocktail receptions in order for things to be done properly. They must feed lots of free food and booze to reporters while generating a lot of useless input and wasting time and money.

Again, we, the press, should be the judge of which of the hundreds of public infrastructure projects require free cocktails.

Bring on the creativity, and let it flow as freely as the river this bridge will span.

Translation: I'm a hack.

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion...281/story.html[/QUOTE]

[Fiveway]

Do architecture competitions generally pay a stipend to the finalists? I know I personally won't do spec work, which a competition is essentially, but I realize competitions are much more common in architecture.

[Wooster]

Originally Posted by Fiveway

Do architecture competitions generally pay a stipend to the finalists? I know I personally won't do spec work, which a competition is essentially, but I realize competitions are much more common in architecture.

Usually, yes. For instance Cantos paid each of the five finalists $50,000 to help cover the cost of the competition.

RiverRat - very good response - you win the internets!

[McPaul]

I love this bridge, I think the design fits perfectly with the restrictions given, and I think that Calgary DESPERATELY needs more modern architecture like this, the Bow, Germain, and Eau Claire. I think the colors will stand out, especially in winter, and am anxious to see what the LED's look like at night.

However, I hate the location. I think it's the stupidest spot for a bridge and don't see the point. We have the train bridge (pedestrian underpass), plus the bridge to Prince's Island and over to Memorial. if you're a runner, you're most likely going to do the whole loop between the train bridge and the Edmonton Trail Bridge. if you're walking over to the north, it gets you a couple of blocks closer to East Sunnyside. Who the heck lives in east Sunnyside?? The city was acting STUPIDLY when they decided on the location.

That being said, if I'm still living in Xenex when this is complete, I'll likely use it myself a few times, but that doesn't change the fact that it still GOES NOWHERE!!

I really hate Sarah Palin, but even she is smart enough to know that a bridge to nowhere is a bad idea.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by McPaul

I love this bridge, I think the design fits perfectly with the restrictions given, and I think that Calgary DESPERATELY needs more modern architecture like this, the Bow, Germain, and Eau Claire. I think the colors will stand out, especially in winter, and am anxious to see what the LED's look like at night.

However, I hate the location. I think it's the stupidest spot for a bridge and don't see the point. We have the train bridge (pedestrian underpass), plus the bridge to Prince's Island and over to Memorial. if you're a runner, you're most likely going to do the whole loop between the train bridge and the Edmonton Trail Bridge. if you're walking over to the north, it gets you a couple of blocks closer to East Sunnyside. Who the heck lives in east Sunnyside?? The city was acting STUPIDLY when they decided on the location.



That being said, if I'm still living in Xenex when this is complete, I'll likely use it myself a few times, but that doesn't change the fact that it still GOES NOWHERE!!

I really hate Sarah Palin, but even she is smart enough to know that a bridge to nowhere is a bad idea.

Finally someone else sees that the emperor has no clothes.

[O-tacular]

Anyone else catch Rick Bell's latest diatribe against the bridge called "a bridge too far" or something equally stupid? He basically uses the testimony of some city official from Dallas and claims if we don't stop it now council will bilk us for billions. Only thing is his Dallas comparison is retarded in that it's not even relating to a similar pedestrian bridge, but a designer highway overpass. Also it's had problems cause the national guard won;t approve it or something.

Absolutely idiotic!

[korzym]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Anyone else catch Rick Bell's latest diatribe against the bridge called "a bridge too far" or something equally stupid? He basically uses the testimony of some city official from Dallas and claims if we don't stop it now council will bilk us for billions. Only thing is his Dallas comparison is retarded in that it's not even relating to a similar pedestrian bridge, but a designer highway overpass. Also it's had problems cause the national guard won;t approve it or something.

Absolutely idiotic!

Yeah following a budget instead of spending with no regard is the most dastardly thing one could do

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by korzym

Yeah following a budget instead of spending with no regard is the most dastardly thing one could do

The budget is $25 million. Looks to me like it's being followed so far.

[O-tacular]

25 million divided by 1 million is 25$ a person. Are you kidding me? I'd gladly pay that in taxes for this bridge. And the Dallas example was for a bridge that cost hundreds of millions and was in a totally dif't situation. And like freeweed said: they have a budget and so far they've followed it.

What's with ppl wanting so desperately to believe that gov't is ripping them off? Especially in a time where there are CEO's and investors like Bernie Madoff. I still can;t understand ppl's hate on for gov't when business has such Lex Luthor-ian villains.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I still can;t understand ppl's hate on for gov't when business has such Lex Luthor-ian villains.

I consider them both evil, but you're right - over the past 12 months I'd say governments have been much better behaved than the Masters of the Universe, who've nearly destroyed the world's economy.

[sync]

the more i look at it the more i like it.

should look amazing at night.

[Slug]

That bridge would be perfect to replace the current pedestrian overpass in Airdrie. Seems like you guys don't really want it

[MalcolmTucker]

Calgary's new bridge divides

GILLIAN STEWARD
It's been called a twizzler, the red wiggler, a candy cane and an argyle sock and it's the hottest topic of conversation in Calgary these days.

What's everyone talking, arguing and laughing about? Would you believe plans for a footbridge over the river that divides the city centre?

Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the 130-metre, red, coil-like structure will cost about $25 million and is expected to be finished in the fall of 2010. In the meantime, it has provoked a welcome flurry of public discussion about how this city sees itself and how it wants to be seen in the future.

One woman said it is the "ugliest" bridge she has ever laid eyes on: "We are not in the year 3000 and it doesn't match our current landscape."

Others say it is a complete waste of taxpayers' money and that the funds should be used for more practical amenities like rapid transit trains or snowplows.

Others see it as a whimsical and much-needed departure from the drab office towers and bland suburbs that became de rigueur over the past decade as the city quickly expanded in all directions. Nobody talked much about them. It seemed to be taken for granted that there was no other way to proceed.

But this little bridge is another matter. Even before the design was revealed, the bridge and its price tag had become so contentious that the wizards at city hall decided to dub it the Peace Bridge in honour of Canadian soldiers. If they had hoped that would quell the public argument, they were dead wrong. This bridge is definitely not causing peace to break out.

When the architect's renderings were made public last week, things got even hotter. Like all artistic, edgy designs, it sparked a lively public conversation. That in itself is a good thing, especially in Calgary where people tend to be apathetic about local politics – only about 25 per cent of eligible voters turned out during the last municipal election; only 18 per cent for the previous election – and where everyone tends to vote the same way when they do turn out; every federal seat in the city has been held by Conservatives of one stripe or another for decades.

Some observers attribute the uniformity to a long-standing "circle the wagons" attitude: You don't want any of those outsiders (especially those powerful people in Central Canada) to think that you are divided lest they take advantage of you.

But this stifling sort of conformity seems to be cracking apart as more and more people from other parts of the country, and the world, migrate to Calgary. For many of these people, especially the young and adventurous, the Calgary Tower (which is now dwarfed by several office towers) and the Saddledome just don't cut it anymore as iconic landmarks that reflect the spirit or soul of the city.

One Calgarian writing online about Calatrava's bridge put it this way: "This town sounds like an old, grumpy, redneck neighbour of mine. How more conservative can Calgarians be? I've lived here all my 35 years and I am happy to see a more creative, inspiring and environmentally focused urban design for Calgary."

San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge and Vancouver has the Lions Gate. In Calgary, we're working on the Red Twizzler.

It may not be the longest or the most elegant bridge in the world but it sure has people talking about the kind of Calgary they want to live in. That alone makes it worth every penny.

Gillian Steward is a Calgary writer and journalist, and former managing editor of the Calgary Herald. Her column appears every other week.
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/674966

_

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

_

Good article, glad I'm not the only one thinking this city is populated by rednecks.

[bob1954]

Too much country western crap.... Need more rock& roll. Cowbows don't like highrises and bridges, rockers do!! Really.....

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Wooster

This is my favourite media story so far. The sun has headline "Wave of scorn greets bridge" and then the video of a reporter on the trails asking people what they think...

...everyone interviewed likes it and is in favour. ha ha.

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alber...-10294766.html

The online poll had a slight majority not liking the design.

Funny how people who are actually out and using the paths (the people they interviewed) understand its need and appreciate it.

I just have to point this out because it really makes me incredibly angry. Newspapers such as the Sun do not know (or care) how to do scientific polling. A newspaper poll of readers is not a random sample. Respondents are self-selecting, typically meaning they have polarized opinions. Samples are not representative of the general population, because all the members of the sample belong to a single group (people who read the sun). As well, the questions are leading. They force people to make choices that may not actually reflect their opinion. What if someone hated the design, but thought it was worth every penny? Just because you don't like the look of something, does not mean you do not believe the cost is justified. I don't like the look of fire engines, but I sure as hell think their cost is justified.

It just makes me angry that these kinds of polls are construed as an accurate representation of public opinion. I am not going to make any comments about what public opinion is of the bridge until an actual polling firm conducts an actual scientific public opinion poll. Until then, I consider a poll like this to be worth just as much as the paper it is printed in. Pun intended.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by fusili

A newspaper poll of readers is not a random sample. Respondents are self-selecting, typically meaning they have polarized opinions.

Polarized - almost always towards the negative. People don't call the newspaper to commend the city on how good a job it's doing, they call to whine and complain about something. Plus the type of person who'd even bother spending their time doing this tends to be the same type who looks for things to complain about in the first place.

It's a horrible bias from just about any angle and it amazes me that *anyone* takes these things seriously.

Hell, from listening to radio call in shows, I'd have to conclude that all Calgarians are a bunch of unemployed, drunk, redneck paranoids.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Here's a good article that supports the bridge...ironically its a globe and mail article

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1238116/

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by freeweed

... I'd have to conclude that all Calgarians are a bunch of unemployed, drunk, redneck paranoids.

You make it sound like that is a bad thing!!!

Funny thing is that I remember hearing many of the same comments that are now out there about this bridge also said about the recent ped bridges in Ottawa and Toronto. I must admit, Bronco's lead on pushing this through will likely MAKE me vote for him next election.