General Updates and News

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Just some quick reading for fenwick16:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_meme

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/downfall-hitler-meme

I read both links. Very interesting. I actually saw this movie in German with English subtitles. I had no idea that it had become such a popular "Internet Meme"

However, I still think that "Save our View" and the Heritage Trust will do all that they can to scuttle the convention centre project as they have done so many times before with various other projects. This is evident from the number of "Save our View" and anti-convention centre articles that are being published in the Chronicle Herald. As the April 19 deadline approaches, I expect to see a lot more. You will most likely see lots of comments supporting these anti-development views. Look at today's article and read the comments: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorials/1173820.html . These people come out of the woodwork every time progress is mentioned.

Examples:

Bruce DeVenne wrote:
Ask the people of the province in a plebiscite. After all they are the ones who will be paying for it year in and year out with subsidies same as the one we have now, only bigger. This should really be a non-issue with the mess the province and city are in financially. The answer is NO!

sturret wrote:
Yes it is the views that are to be lost not the legislated viewplanes from the ramparts. But the ramparts are not were the most people go, it is around the roadway. The build it people always say protect only the important heritage everytime they want to destroy some. They never give a list of what is important. There is lots of room for development around the harbour not everything has to be on their land in the downtown. As to the developer he had to clear the old herald building down as it had no salvage value. The other block was mostly cleared parking lot. He can still build office space if there is a demand. Retail, parking etc can still be done with residential at the top if need be. However he will not be able to build the mini-me Scotia Square covered in blue glass that would pull businesses from other buildings. If I was coming from inland I would want to see lots of water, not buildings looking at building walls. Let's keep the unique. Very few urban areas have public viewing in their downtowns that let you feel so open with sky and sea and green.

I started reading newspapers when I was 10 - 11 years old when I started delivering the Chronicle Herald (in Bridgetown) and Mail Star (in the Dartmouth area). It has been 40 years now, that I have followed the Halifax area and Nova Scotia news. Hence my distrust for these people and the way they twist the truth.

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

PS: I am an unapologetic pro-development modern architecture lover.

The proposed design is anything but modern - in any sense of the word. It looks more like a poor attempt at post-modern design, resembling projects built sometime between 1985 and 1995. If we are actually going to build a large building on this site, lets at least build something that looks like it was actually built in 2010 - instead of the current proposal that looks like something that other cities may very well have rejected 20 years ago.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by planarchy

The proposed design is anything but modern - in any sense of the word. It looks more like a poor attempt at post-modern design, resembling projects built sometime between 1985 and 1995. If we are actually going to build a large building on this site, lets at least build something that looks like it was actually built in 2010 - instead of the current proposal that looks like something that other cities may very well have rejected 20 years ago.

I sincerely hope that it was a preliminary rendering and that there will be a lot more design work before anything is built.. this actually seems pretty normal for projects in Halifax - do you remember the initial "renderings" for King's Wharf?

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by planarchy

The proposed design is anything but modern - in any sense of the word. It looks more like a poor attempt at post-modern design, resembling projects built sometime between 1985 and 1995. If we are actually going to build a large building on this site, lets at least build something that looks like it was actually built in 2010 - instead of the current proposal that looks like something that other cities may very well have rejected 20 years ago.

Although, I partly agree with you, the Heritage Trust would never allow an ultramodern design in downtown Halifax. Even in downtown Toronto, ultra-modern architecture tends to be either hated or loved.

Although you dislike the design, many on this forum like it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is only so much that can be done to make a hotel and office building unique. Having been to a number of convention centres, I can say that many look like rectangular boxes. Based on the ones that I have seen, the Halifax design is one of the better ones.

Thank you for posting the video link. People viewing it seem to consider it as a joke on the Heritage Trust.

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by someone123

I sincerely hope that it was a preliminary rendering and that there will be a lot more design work before anything is built.. this actually seems pretty normal for projects in Halifax - do you remember the initial "renderings" for King's Wharf?

True - I'll hope for something better. But this is a really counter-productive method for presenting new projects. If you know it will be somewhat controversial no matter what you present, perhaps it would be more effective to present something quite radical, then tone it down to pacify the masses.

Originally Posted by fenwick16

the Heritage Trust would never allow an ultramodern design in downtown Halifax.

I really don't think this is such as issue for them. It really is almost all about height for them, everything else is secondary.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is only so much that can be done to make a hotel and office building unique. Having been to a number of convention centres, I can say that many look like rectangular boxes. Based on the ones that I have seen, the Halifax design is one of the better ones.

I don't buy this. Good design is not a luxury although we generally seem to think it is in North America. And one important factor about this convention centre and many across North America, and throughout Europe, is that they are rarely located in the central core (especially when the core is as small as it is in Halifax). They are often in industrial areas, reclaimed industrial areas, near airports or, at the very least, on the fringe of the central core. If it is located in the central core, attention to design is crucial, as the both the benefits and consequences are much bigger for everyone, compared to a similar project located on the fringe.

Build big, big tall, whatever, but - there should be no compromise on the smart treatment of the exterior block at grade, as well as the interior street created out of market street. This is where the project is most likely to fail if not given proper attention.

[alps]

Hehe, that video is priceless.

I also hope the renderings that have come out are preliminary. Not meaning to sound like a broken record, but while I like the density of it, the architecture seems very suburban and it looks to have a crumby relationship to the street.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by planarchy

And one important factor about this convention centre and many across North America, and throughout Europe, is that they are rarely located in the central core (especially when the core is as small as it is in Halifax). They are often in industrial areas, reclaimed industrial areas, near airports or, at the very least, on the fringe of the central core. If it is located in the central core, attention to design is crucial, as the both the benefits and consequences are much bigger for everyone, compared to a similar project located on the fringe.

Almost every one in North America that I have been to, has been in the central core. So I don't know how you can say this.

Toronto has 2 large ones that I know of. One is downtown, the other is near the airport and the one near the airport looks like a very large industrial building.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Although, I partly agree with you, the Heritage Trust would never allow an ultramodern design in downtown Halifax.

You say this as if they have veto power over every project in the city. They don't. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite - in the end they typically lose their case.

As for how to initially present a project, I'm just not sure they put much thought into it. Many of the developers seem to have very little design sense, along with most other people. Most of the responses to the convention centre rendering have been "the towers are too tall!" or "Halifax needs a new convention centre", not "this looks like something from 1982". It's just not really on the radar for most people, even though it is important to them in the end.

[Jstaleness]

From CBCnews.ca (I couldn't find the Commons Thread)

A Halifax city councillor wants to put an end to concerts being held on the Halifax Common.

It's not just the noise from the outdoor concerts but the disruption they cause for athletes and others who use the Common for commuting, Coun. Jennifer Watts said Thursday.

Thousands of people have come out to the Common in recent years to see performances by big acts like the Rolling Stones, Kiss and Paul McCartney.

"After four years, people have said they've had enough, and they would like concerts not to be here anymore," Watts said.

The shows create noise and disruption even for people who don't live nearby, the councillor said.

"It still has a major impact on people, on recreational users, as well as people who use this as an active transportation trail, and just generally as a green open space in the city," she said.

Watts's motion is to be debated at next week's Halifax regional council meeting.

That's welcome news for a group that's fought concerts on the Common for years.

"This is common land, and the concerts represent commercialization and privatization of the land, sometimes for weeks on end," said Beverly Miller, of the community group Friends of the Halifax Common.
Economic benefits outweigh nuisance

But the motion is bad news for the man who brought McCartney to Halifax last July.

"I'm hoping they'll come to the realization of the overall impact of this event, what it does for the city, the image of the city internationally," said Harold MacKay of Power Promotional Concepts.

Watts has questioned the economic benefits the concerts allegedly generate for the city, saying there are questions about exactly how many people attended the events and how much money the concerts generated.

"'We have never been able to get a clear hard number of … ticketed people who've attended," she said.

MacKay said the economic spinoffs of the McCartney concert were significant.

"The spend levels were in the $24 million range, so pretty significant expenditure," he said.

Watts would also like to stop the concert-related improvements that are set to go ahead this year on the Common, including $375,000 to install a permanent power source at the site and $120,000 to reinforce the turf for trucks unloading and loading equipment.

In 2006, a combination of rain, heavy equipment and huge crowds at the Rolling Stones concert churned parts of the Halifax Common into a muddy mess.
Resident opinions vary

Mayor Peter Kelly said he supports concerts on the Common.

"Common land is used for common purposes — for all purposes," he said. "It's not just for sports, not just for concerts; it's for many different opportunities and venues."

Halifax residents are divided.

"It does a lot of damage to the Common," said Tom Bell. "[It] seems to be fun and a nice evening, but my net feeling about it is it's not so good."

Joan Rodman disagrees and supports concerts on the Common.

"Well, we can always walk around [the Common]; it's not a big deal for me," she said. "I think it's a good idea to have them."

Another resident, Rob Doyle, is not ready to see the outdoor concerts disappear.

"I still would like to see a few more shows," he said. "Like, Paul McCartney was a great concert. Anyone else they could bring in, I'd go."

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia...#ixzz0j92F3QG2

[cormiermax]

Ridicules, just a bunch off old geezers who love to complain. And what Athletes use the commons?

[Wishblade]

Just another reason to build a stadium...

[someone123]

On some level I agree with complaints that the concerts are not open to all, but in practice way more people go to them than would otherwise use the Commons during that period.

The argument about damage to the Commons is also partly true but it seems a little sketchy to then turn around and oppose improvements that would minimize problems.

These are people who are out to get their own way and aren't interested in compromise.

Bev Miller's face should be in the dictionary under CAVE - citizens against virtually everything.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Wishblade

Just another reason to build a stadium...

My thought exactly. Then they don't have to set up temporary toilets each time and most people would have seats of which many could be covered for shelter from the rain.

[Dmajackson]

Everytime I read an article like this I become happier that I live in Bedford and not the peninsula. We might have some whackjobs out here that oppose everything but they don't have the determination or apparent contacts in the journalism industry that Ms. Miller does.

Not to rub anything in but there is a reason why Bedford has three cranes right now and a community 5+ times the size of us only has 4 or 5.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by cormiermax

Ridicules, just a bunch off old geezers who love to complain. And what Athletes use the commons?

It`s absurd at best. The athletes didn`t always have exclusive rights to hijack the commons...........if you can call office softball teams looking for a place to drink beer in public "athletes" Any damage is not permanent and the rest of the commons is not mint condition anyway.

[Jstaleness]

Our cranes are taller!

[Keith P.]

Jennifer Watts is a pain and seems to be against anything that would move the economy forward. Of course, she is a protege of Commissar Howard Epstein so that is not a big surprise. She singlehandedly tried to derail HRM By Design by acting as the Heritage Trust's contact on council, now this. What a mistake the citizens made by electing her.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Yeah, this is just plain rediculous... like not having concerts in Central Park.

They obviously don't know the history of the common either... manufactured lies.

[Dmajackson]

Bubbles’ Mansion closing
Thu. Mar 25 - 4:54 AM

It’s back to wrangling shopping carts for Bubbles and his crew.

Bubbles’ Mansion, a Halifax bar owned in part by the actor Mike Smith, who portrayed the bug-eyed character on the Trailer Park Boys TV show and movies, has gone out of business.

Brad Hartlin, manager of the nightspot that opened in 2006, blamed the decision in part on a municipal ban on cheap drinks.

"We decided that . . . if we have to make a change, the business became not viable," he told the CBC.

In an effort to combat public drunkenness, the municipality brought in regulations a while back to ban $1 drink nights. The minimum charge for a drink in the city is now $2.50.

Hartlin said the move resulted in smaller crowds and revenues.

The Canadian Press

[DigitalNinja]

I wish it was the Dome and the Palace instead.