Great Canadian Skywalks! - Page 8

someone123 · #**141** Posted **Dec 15, 2013, 7:07 PM**

Not sure if this has been posted yet. Here's the map of the "link" system in Halifax:

It will be interesting to see if the new Nova Centre development, which would be just south of this map, is connected to this system. I think it's going out of style a bit. Hopefully there will be more emphasis on improving the streets for pedestrians. One feature the Nova Centre will have is a covered street (similar to the Seattle convention centre, but hopefully a little friendlier), which will be a first in Halifax.

Chadillaccc · #**142** Posted **Dec 15, 2013, 8:23 PM**

That is a pretty good sized network. Will the Nova Centre and Citadel redevelopments be connected to the system?

EDIT: Oh I see you talked about that at the bottom of your post!

esquire · #**143** Posted **Dec 15, 2013, 9:39 PM**

^ Halifax has a bigger skywalk network than I seem to remember.

Here is a map of Winnipeg's skywalk system. Most of it is above grade except for the portion around Portage and Main, which is underground.

The network began as a series of one-off connections in the 1970s and then coalesced into an actual "network" in the 1980s. Since then, Winnipeggers (as in most Canadian cities, I guess) have had a bit of an ambiguous relationship with these corridors... they are blamed for hurting street-level activity, but at the same time they are a greatly appreciated amenity on bitterly cold winter days, or windy and rainy summer days for that matter.

Up until the 1990s there were ambitious plans to expand the network to existing buildings including up toward City Hall and the Concert Hall (where there is a separate small underground corridor network not shown on this map for some reason), but those have been scrapped. Only a couple of new links have been added in the past 20 years, although some new projects on the boards will likely incorporate skywalk connections when built.

I should add that there are many other skywalks throughout downtown and the rest of the city that either aren't part of the main network or aren't publicly accessible and therefore aren't shown here. They are a pretty common sight around this city.

someone123 · #**144** Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 12:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

The network began as a series of one-off connections in the 1970s and then coalesced into an actual "network" in the 1980s. Since then, Winnipeggers (as in most Canadian cities, I guess) have had a bit of an ambiguous relationship with these corridors... they are blamed for hurting street-level activity, but at the same time they are a greatly appreciated amenity on bitterly cold winter days, or windy and rainy summer days for that matter.

I looked through some of the public consultation notes for the new convention centre in Halifax since I thought this was debated a bit but all of the feedback that was noted was of the somewhat thoughtless "obviously this must be connected to the pedway system" variety (similar to "obviously we all need parking and giant arterial roads so we can get from our acre lots to our office towers"). I have a feeling the developers prefer the pedways because they make it possible to capture more foot traffic. Is it even common for developers to have to pay for the right to build across public streets?

I guess the utility of the pedways depends on where you are. Here in Vancouver they don't seem worth it at all. We get maybe one week per year of colder weather and a lot of the mall-like underground paths are longer and much more annoying than the sidewalks. Halifax is a marginal case. The downtown area is very compact and walkable and they don't have much of a winter (or summer) in the traditional Canadian sense.

ScreamingViking · #**145** Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 2:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

An Interesting Skywalk under the Gardiner Expressway and over Lakeshore Blvd. It is being built as part of the Southcore developments and is connected to the Air Canada Centre and Maple Leaf Square.

Great idea. That walk across Lakeshore under the Gardiner is not a pleasant experience.

caltrane74 · #**146** Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 2:41 AM**

Hopefully more of those skywalks under the Gardiner will follow. That would be nice.

ScreamingViking · #**147** Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Here is a map of Winnipeg's skywalk system. Most of it is above grade except for the portion around Portage and Main, which is underground.

I knew about the underground corridors but had no idea Winnipeg has that much skywalk. Eyeballing a map with a scale, that must be around 1 km west to east without accounting for specific routes.

Allan83 · #**148** Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 4:31 AM**

Here’s a map of Calgary’s +15 system showing pedestrian counts. The highest one I see is 22,080 from 7am to 6pm, or about 2000 per hour.
http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/LUPP/Docum...ts-2012-01.pdf
http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/LUPP/Pages...5-Skywalk.aspx

whiteford · #**149** Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 8:28 AM**

the plus 15 is my absolute favorite feature of downtown calgary. it is a icon imo. i have always loved and used it. it is over 18km these days and growing faster than its competitors by a long shot. so it will be the biggest in the world shortly.

caltrane74 · #**150** Posted **Jun 29, 2014, 12:48 PM**

First shot of the Skywalk under the Gardiner connecting Harbourfront and Southcore to Union Station, the Financial District and the Dundas Square Commercial and Retail Shopping Complex.

caltrane74 · #**151** Posted **Aug 27, 2014, 11:23 PM**

New Skywalk for the Delta Hotel in Southcore

From the Facebook Page

SpongeG · #**152** Posted **Aug 28, 2014, 9:28 PM**

cool

caltrane74 · #**153** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 10:17 AM**

More Skywalk Construction

Metro-One · #**154** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 11:17 AM**

Nice, love the skywalk systems.

I do wish metro Vancouver had a few more.

caltrane74 · #**155** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 2:09 PM**

They are also building skywalks on the east side of Southcore, I posted a picture of the first segment above. It will connect the financial district to the Harbourfront. You can now, if you wish, walk totally enclosed from the Atrium on Bay/Bus Terminal/Ryerson/10DundasEast north of the Eaton Centre to the waterfront when its complete.(Harbourfront)

J.OT13 · #**156** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 3:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caltrane74

More Skywalk Construction

Holy spaghetti junction! Reminds me of the Montreal highway interchanges.

Beedok · #**157** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 4:00 PM**

Now that's urban. Layers upon layers of sidewalks.

MolsonExport · #**158** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 5:51 PM**

London has a teeming total of one skywalk, connecting one extraordinary dull (some say, fugly) building (Hilton Hotel) to another architecturally banal building (London convention centre).

Although the former galleria mall has a second-floor racetrack design, where the first floor is bisected by a major city street.

MolsonExport · #**159** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 5:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urban_planner

If a guy named Luke walks through a sky walk would that make him Luke Skywalker

But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!

Beedok · #**160** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

London has a teeming total of one skywalk, connecting one extraordinary dull (some say, fugly) building (Hilton Hotel) to another architecturally banal building (London convention centre).

Although the former galleria mall has a second-floor racetrack design, where the first floor is bisected by a major city street.

I think Hamilton manages a grand total of three. One is between two buildings that already share a podium. The other two connect Jackson square to either a parking garage and the other connects it to the art gallery (though in my experience I don't remember it having ever been open).