What's missing from your city?

[Nouvellecosse]

While very different in appearance, I've always found the Dingle tower kind of similar in scale, concept and vibe to the clock tower at Old Port Montreal. The experience of climbing up the stairs to the lookout is very reminiscent to one another.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Hawrylyshyn

Hamilton doesn't have a tower for it, but Sam Lawrence Park on the edge of the escarpment acts a a natural observation deck (see below). Unfortunately, the city feels the need to not let buildings be build higher than this which really limits our height..

I am not against height limits like this but most of them are ill conceived:

- The most common type ensures that some point is the "tallest in the city". This may seem satisfying on an abstract level but in practice if a building or natural feature is surrounded by others that are 90% as tall you still won't be able to see it.
- The limits tend to constrain development and not have allowances for decorative features, so they encourage the creation of ugly boxes.
- The limits tend to ignore the possibility that a well-designed building can add to a view rather than detracting from it. They are often BANANA diktats.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

While very different in appearance, I've always found the Dingle tower kind of similar in scale, concept and vibe to the clock tower at Old Port Montreal. The experience of climbing up the stairs to the lookout is very reminiscent to to one another.

That is true... I forgot about that one. There was a proposal to build a tower like that in the seaport area of Halifax around 1910 but it never happened. There are some old postcards that have a drawing of the tower in them. It looked like the St. Mark's campanile.

[ssiguy]

Vancouver is missing a great square and/or plaza. I am not talking parks here as obviously Vancouver has the best parks in the country and arguably the best in NA.


There is however a notable lack of `people places` for events, rallies, or just to hang out. Vancouver has nothing even close to Montreal`s Jacque Cartier or Toronto`s Natham Phillips. Robson Square is the only potential but it`s small and not inviting.

[SpongeG]

The VAG plaza seems to work, always something going on there. From Jazz festival to Mexico day.

[DrJoe]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Vancouver is missing a great square and/or plaza. I am not talking parks here as obviously Vancouver has the best parks in the country and arguably the best in NA.

Does it?

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

The VAG plaza seems to work, always something going on there. From Jazz festival to Mexico day.

Oh yes, that does seem to work

[SaskScraper]

Just noticed this thread, not sure if anyone has mentioned what things Saskatchewan is missing...

No Chinese gardens (so jealous of Lethbridge's Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden though)


https://find.mapmuse.com/details/jap...apanese-garden
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-ni...-74950560.html

...and no Sask Botanical gardens that I know of except for Regina Floral Conservatory, Saskatoon Botanical Conservatory in the old Mendel Gallery & the Pagoda in Victoria Park.


http://www.rvwest.com/article/southe...n_saskatchewan
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationP...katchewan.html
https://www.google.ca/search?q=saska...YjJpNVNWRA5cM:

As far as Art Galleries go, Regina has the Mackenzie Art Gallery. & S'toon of course has Remai Modern..
The one last Saskatchewan Zoo is in Saskatoon… other than wildlife reservers & the Lloydminster petting zoo (that apparently features 'friendly' African Lions & Crocodiles ...for petting ?). https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/...ty-petting-zoo

I saw Starbucks mentioned in one of the first pages (?), never thought of it as something to miss since outside of USA and East Asia, Canada has the most locations in the World… Saskatoon has 16.
Arby's is another one I never would have thought for this thread, Saskatoon has more Arby's than most Provinces do though.

Downtown Department stores are summed up with The Bay in both Regina & Saskatoon. H&M & soon to open in Saskatoon, Mountain Equipment Co for other smaller downtown Department style stores.

Horse racing in Saskatchewan comprises Harness racing held in Regina and Yorkton but the thoroughbred track is at Marquis Downs in Saskatoon.


http://thesheaf.com/2009/08/25/speed...al-racetracks/

The largest Theatrical, Opera or Symphony type theatres in Saskatchewan would be the 2,000 seat Conexus Art Center in Regina & it's matching twin, the 'T-Cup' TcuPlace Arts & Convention Centre in Saskatoon. Each Theatre hosts touring Broadway shows & other concerts.

Other Theatre Halls in Saskatchewan around 400-600 seats are Saskatoon's Persephone Theatre at Remai Arts Centre, Roxy Theatre, Broadway Theatre.
In Regina, the 90 year old and newly renovated Darke Hall, & also Globe Theatre.
Other major Theatres are Moose Jaw's Mae Wilson Theatre, Prince Albert's E.A. Rawlinson Center, Swift Current's Lyric Theatre.


When it comes to indoor arenas, 4,500 seat (5000 for concerts) Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, 6,500 seat (8,000 for concerts) Brandt Centre in Regina & 15,200 seat ( up to 17,000 for concerts) SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon all have hosted large concert tours & shows. Mosaic Stadium in Regina at 33,000 seats (45,000 for concerts) is the major outdoor venue for Saskatchewan.

As far as observation decks in Saskatchewan, besides Grain Elevators, Forest fire lookouts and the odd Prairie Lighthouse...


https://www.facebook.com/RVCochin/ph...type=3&theater
http://saskatchewanderer.ca/blog/a-l...rovincial-park

...its mostly just the cities that have had places to take a lift for a view from above.

Saskatoon Square office tower once had a roof top restaurant but it won't be until Riverlanding's office towers complete construction with their roof top Winter gardens will there be unprecedented views for the general public again.


https://globalnews.ca/news/4275597/n...river-landing/

Regina's 20Ten City Eatery on top of Mosaic Tower number 3 offers great views of the city.



http://nuvomagazine.com/palate/24-ca...ic-restaurants
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationP...katchewan.html

[Martin Mtl]

Montreal lacks, among other things:

A large aquarium (we have the Biodome, but not the same thing - I love aquariums)
A proper opera house (we’ll never have one though)
A proper metro/train link to the Airport
Suburban TODs with 50/60 storeys towers like Vancouver or Toronto.
A cover for the remaining 500 meters of Ville-Marie trenched expressways that is still open.
An enlarge Convention Center.
A tramway system
More and larger film studios
A new roof on the Big O
A dedicated Museum of Decorative Arts to display more of the huge collection of the Mtl Fine Arts Museum
A re-opening of the Art Deco restaurant in the Old Eaton.
A use for the Silo No 5 in the Old Port.

I think that would be a good start.

[acottawa]

Ottawa lacks any sort of zoo/aquarium/conservatory/botanical garden (although I am sure someone will claim Ag Canada’s research plantings are a botanical garden) and generally lacks indoor activities that are not museums or shopping malls, which is odd, because the weather often sucks.

[J.OT13]

Most have already alluded to most of these, but for sure #1 in Ottawa would be the downtown train station. I hope that one day a mayor or Federal Government has the vision to re-open Union Station, maybe as part of a new high-speed rail network. The building was used as a government conference centre since around 1967. Afeter major renovations, it will become the temporary Senate while the Centre Block is being renovated over the next decade.



https://heritageottawa.org/50years/union-station

Other things we're missing:

• An amusement park to complement our 2 (soon to be 3) waterparks;
• Downtown cinema. The last two were closed a few years back, with Lansdowne now the closest one to downtown. We have an abandoned cinema plugged into the new Lyon Confederation Line station, so figures crossed. LeBreton would also be a great spot;
• More Chinese/Asian inspired architecture and parks in Chinatown;
• A downtown arena, but that should be resolved within the next decade (hopefully);
• A subway to serve the denser areas of town. The Confederation and Trillium will be built to serve the three suburban communities outside the Greenbelt. Certain urban neighborhoods are unfortunately unavoidable and therefore will be getting rail to the City's chagrin;
• Direct airport to downtown rail service. The airport will be served after Stage 2, but people will be required to transfer twice (3 trains);
• A more prominent skyline. This will be resolved over the next 10 years with buildings ranging from 30-65 floors proposed and/or approved around LeBreton/Bayview and along the Trillium Line.

IMO, Montreal is probably the most complete city in Canada.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Most have already alluded to most of these, but for sure #1 in Ottawa would be the downtown train station. I hope that one day a mayor or Federal Government has the vision to re-open Union Station, maybe as part of a new high-speed rail network. The building was used as a government conference centre since around 1967. Afeter major renovations, it will become the temporary Senate while the Centre Block is being renovated over the next decade.
...
Other things we're missing:

• An amusement park to complement our 2 (soon to be 3) waterparks;
• Downtown cinema. The last two were closed a few years back, with Lansdowne now the closest one to downtown. We have an abandoned cinema plugged into the new Lyon Confederation Line station, so figures crossed. LeBreton would also be a great spot;
• More Chinese/Asian inspired architecture and parks in Chinatown;
• A downtown arena, but that should be resolved within the next decade (hopefully);
• A subway to serve the denser areas of town. The Confederation and Trillium will be built to serve the three suburban communities outside the Greenbelt. Certain urban neighborhoods are unfortunately unavoidable and therefore will be getting rail to the City's chagrin;
• Direct airport to downtown rail service. The airport will be served after Stage 2, but people will be required to transfer twice (3 trains);
• A more prominent skyline. This will be resolved over the next 10 years with buildings ranging from 30-65 floors proposed and/or approved around LeBreton/Bayview and along the Trillium Line.

IMO, Montreal is probably the most complete city in Canada.

Yes, although you seem to have forgotten the ByTowne

[J.OT13]

I should have specified; the downtown is missing a first run movie theater. Although I've never been to the ByTowne, it does play an important role by showing movies that are a little more of a fringe variety.

[dennis]

For observation towers in Winnipeg, I would like to add a couple located at the forks. The forks Market has a 6 storey observation tower ( with a pretty nice view). And of course the tower of hope crowning the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by dennis

For observation towers in Winnipeg, I would like to add a couple located at the forks. The forks Market has a 6 storey observation tower ( with a pretty nice view). And of course the tower of hope crowning the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.

The Forks Market's lookout has a decent skyline view but it's hard to call a 6 storey structure (6 storeys is generous IMO) an observation tower with a straight face. The CMHR's peak is probably the closest we've got to such a thing.

[Metro-One]

For Vancouver:

2 or 3 towers ranging between 200 and 250 metres downtown to give the skyline more impact.
A real zoo with modern facilities (the one in the Fraser Valley is pretty bad).
A larger underground pedestrian system (based around the Skytrain (Subway) Stations it course).
Proper arcades for shopping and entertainment districts (though sadly the homeless would probably destroy those).
At least one more pro sports league. (NBA or MLB)
After that just the regular desires of more trains and better highways.

[905er]

For Mississauga:

~ A proper vibrant downtown
~ Decent transportation infastructure (although LRT is on the way)
~ Taller/More downtown office towers
~ Large scale public park (Brittannia farmlands will eventually become one)

[hipster duck]

Is it just me, or does Canada only have like 3 real zoos? Toronto, Calgary, Granby.

Generally speaking, small zoos are both bad for visitors and bad for the animals.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

Is it just me, or does Canada only have like 3 real zoos? Toronto, Calgary, Granby.

Generally speaking, small zoos are both bad for visitors and bad for the animals.

African Lion Safari isn't a full zoo, but a pretty substantial operation.

[Razor]

What a great thread idea!

I was going to chime in and say that Ottawa is missing an aquarium or major zoo, but others have already mentioned that. In some respects, I was hoping that the Lebreton Flats re-development was going to be awarded to the other bid, because that one included a Ripley's aquarium. It just didn't have the Sens' planned re-location
downtown though.

Others for Ottawa:

- A major amusement park to go along with the 2 outdoor water parks that Ottawa/Gat currently has.

- I like the idea of an observation tower..It would have to be put on the Gatineau side though..It has the best view!

- High rises over 35 stories outside of the height restriction perimeter..Some are coming though.

- Finally, and I'm being a little facetious here..Once the Sens move to Lebreton flats, perhaps that whole CTC grounds can lure a major automotive manufacturer and be converted into a car factory or some other big major industrial manufacturing plant employing a few thousand shift workers. Only because Ottawa can use an injection of blue collar,and add some dynamics to this white collar city...That would piss off the Kanata residents wouldn't it?