In what way do you support Calgary's core vibrancy?

[Big Sky]

I thought this might be a good idea for a thread. How do you support the vibrancy of Calgary's core? Some of us live downtown, some of us frequent downtown, and how regularly do we frequent the core? When we are in the core what do we do? where do we go?

I work in the core, but live outside of it. I probably visit the core once or twice a week outside of work hours. We take the kids to Princess Island or stroll some of the corridors like 17th or Stephen Ave at least once every weekend.

[Ayreonaut]

I was downtown twice this fall!

To be fair though I think I was only in the city thrice. So I guess 67% of my time in the city is downtown? That seems alright.

[You Need A Thneed]

I don't work or live near the core. Occasionally I go down.

[fusili]

Live, work and shop in the Beltline. The only times I leave are occasionally to meet friends outside the district or to see family.

[Surrealplaces]

I don't live or work in the core, although, I'm downtown quite often for work. I do a few things here and there to support the downtown vibrancy though. Some examples.

1 - We usually eat out once or twice a week, and we mostly go downtown for that. During the nicer weather months, we go downtown probably 3 or 4 nights a week. Just for walks, etc..

2 - My wife and I have a date night once a week (every Wednesday) and we almost always go downtown for that. If we go to a movie it's Eau Claire whenever possible. Some might ask about the cost of this, but some of our date nights consist only of a grabbing a coffee and a walk...Prince's Island, 17th, Scarth St, etc...

3 - Whenever we get groceries normally go to Beltline Safeway or COOP or the Kensington Safeway. The Kensington one isn't that far out of my way, and worth the extra 5 minutes.

4 - We always make a trip to the downtown Eaton Centre/Core to do our Christmas shjopping. We don't do it all there, but we alweays make at least one or two trips.

5 - I try to visit at least 3 or 4 downtown festivals each summer.

6 - I rarely ever use the +15. If it's -20C out or raining, then, I will, but I make a concious effort not to use it.


The way I figure it, I don't live downtown for varying reasons (dogs and kids a big part of that), but that shouldn't stop me from making use of the downtown core.
It's about making a concious decisions. For example, two weeks ago I saw a movie at Eau Claire, even though there were a couple of more convenient times at other theatres, I stuck with going to Eau Claire. In the end it only a minor sacrifice.
Granted I live pretty close to downtown, so it's easy to pop down there routinely, if every body in the city invested a bit of time to make a few trips down, it could go along way.

[Innersoul1]

I Panhandle on Stephen Ave. You could call me a character that adds to the Core's vibrancy!

[freeweed]

Work downtown every M-F. Go to 20+ Flames games a season, and ALWAYS do something in the Beltline after the game. Spend a week+ at Stampede events downtown and in the Beltline. When we gamble, we try to support the Stampede Casino as much as possible over the far-flung suburban joints in the SE.

One of the unfortunate things about working in the CBD is that I spend a little too much time there; it's nice to have some separation from your work. I suspect if I didn't work downtown that I'd try to make it in more often, just to see the action.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Live in Bankview, am on 17th almost every for eating and shopping and strolling, walk to the core to catch the C-Train to my job at the U two or three days a week... I like to think that my mere presence as a pedestrian almost every day adds to vibrancy.

[DavidKuitunen]

I live and shop in Mission. I work all over the city so I spend lots of my time outside of the core as well.

[Vascilli]

I go to school in Beltline and usually end up doing weird stuff downtown on Fridays.

[MasterG]

Take the bus into the core, train out to the U almost every day. coffee at the Urban Bean when the train is slow, a solid B+ coffee joint. Also: sushi fridays are fantastic.

Btw, i think the Plus 15 system is great. While the destruction of street 'vibrancy' is not a good thing, the ability to get around downtown in the cold 6 months of the year is a big bonus. Whats so bad about moving the vibrancy everyone seems to want, indoors?

[LFRENCH]

Originally Posted by MasterG

Take the bus into the core, train out to the U almost every day. coffee at the Urban Bean when the train is slow, a solid B+ coffee joint. Also: sushi fridays are fantastic.

Btw, i think the Plus 15 system is great. While the destruction of street 'vibrancy' is not a good thing, the ability to get around downtown in the cold 6 months of the year is a big bonus. Whats so bad about moving the vibrancy everyone seems to want, indoors?

In theory the problem is that with the plus 15 system, theoretically the only public place is the skywalks themselves, which obviously have no way to get up there without going into a private space(office towers). Some would argue that this transition of public to private vibrancy would be a more exclusionist model, as it would allow the private landowners to more effectivaly regulate the space within the office towers.

now the natural counter would be well isn't it always like that?

this is more some of the critiques of it, not necessairly my view

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by LFRENCH

In theory the problem is that with the plus 15 system, theoretically the only public place is the skywalks themselves, which obviously have no way to get up there without going into a private space(office towers). Some would argue that this transition of public to private vibrancy would be a more exclusionist model, as it would allow the private landowners to more effectivaly regulate the space within the office towers.

now the natural counter would be well isn't it always like that?

this is more some of the critiques of it, not necessairly my view

This argument does have some merit, the privatisation of urban space is a concern for the integration of the community as a whole. This is true in many aspects of urban development, there are some good examples of this all over the world (gated communities in the US, enclosed condo tower complexes, etc.).

For the Plus 15 system, this is an issue as well. However, the nature and development of the system has reduced the impact of this privatization in restricting access. The sheer size and complexity ( over 16km of paths, hundreds of entrances) of the system resists any single private interest from affecting the balance of the system.

Do you know if the system is entirely privately owned? are some portions considered in the public domain? I would imagine that the building owners have controll of their respective sections.

[LFRENCH]

Originally Posted by MasterG

This argument does have some merit, the privatisation of urban space is a concern for the integration of the community as a whole. This is true in many aspects of urban development, there are some good examples of this all over the world (gated communities in the US, enclosed condo tower complexes, etc.).

For the Plus 15 system, this is an issue as well. However, the nature and development of the system has reduced the impact of this privatization in restricting access. The sheer size and complexity ( over 16km of paths, hundreds of entrances) of the system resists any single private interest from affecting the balance of the system.

Do you know if the system is entirely privately owned? are some portions considered in the public domain? I would imagine that the building owners have controll of their respective sections.

no idea..................... I have only lived here for 7 weeks, I will try and find out more info. the one thing i did observe today was a sole busker on stephan avenue this afternoon around 130 and then watching the people in the skywalks bypassing him was kinda a shame.

I personally don't use the +15 seeing as it connects a large amount of business towers which is something that in the other cities i have lived in were fully private domain.... so that is just a developed habit

[ksnaden]

I have lived in Calgary for about three years now in the Coventry Hills area. Half of that time I worked downtown, and the more recent half I’ve worked downtown on 7th Avenue.

Before I worked downtown I loved the opportunity to go down and I would try to at least once or twice a week just to go exploring around Princes Island Park, looking at the skyscrapers and explore any of the buildings that we could get into (such as the +15 etc.) I loved seeing the busy activity downtown, all the people. I would walk pretty much anywhere, from say, Memorial out to the Saddledome, to 17th Avenue and not much further than MEC / Vistek on the other side. I would love eating downtown prior to a hockey game etc and it was something I enjoyed. During this time I worked in the Deerfoot Industrial park so aside from the Deerfoot Mall, I would drive to places for lunch, or just drive home for lunch.

Now that I work downtown, my attitude has changed quite a bit. I dread going downtown for work and once work is over I can’t wait to get out. I take the 301 going to work, so it’s about 45 minutes to an hour from Coventry Hills one way. I enjoy the perks of downtown at lunch, such as being able to shop a little bit in TD, the choice of food in the food courts, walking around Stephen Avenue on those warmer days. I feel that some of my demise towards downtown could be attributed to my commute.

Truthfully, I'm so involved in my little urban sprawl community that I often don't think about downtown on weekends.

[Calgarian]

I live and work downtown. I don't walk as much as I used to (I'm a lazy bastard), but I still like to take a stroll down 17th every once in a while. none of my close friends live downtown anymore, so I usually leave dt a few times a week, but I also get their suburban butts downtown once in a while.

[bluewaterandsunshine]

I shop downtown and on 17th, but not so much downtown anymore because of the renovation.

I always go for dinners downtown, Stephen Ave, 17th Ave and other food establishments in the Beltline area. All cuisines!

I always go for brunches and have coffee downtown. I have several favorite spots now.

My whole life revolves around this mission to "support Calgary's core vibrancy." I always feel that I must spend at least a couple of hours walking around because if I don't -- heaven forbid -- the core will be empty. I know it won't be empty, but I know that one more anonymous soul in downtown won't hurt.

But the best thing that I -- and, yes, we -- can do is to tell our friends and invite them and maybe they can tell their friends and invite them too. I always make it a point to ask a couple or more friends to enjoy the experience with me. We cannot force people to go downtown and tell them what to do, but we can always invite them for a downtown experience hoping that they will have a remarkable experience, which they will share to their other friends....

With regard to the +15 walkways, I think they take away from the pedestrian movement on the street level. But they are useful on freezing days. But, honestly, the more people there are on the streets, the less it feels cold, at least psychologically.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by LFRENCH

the one thing i did observe today was a sole busker on stephan avenue this afternoon around 130 and then watching the people in the skywalks bypassing him was kinda a shame.

I personally don't use the +15 seeing as it connects a large amount of business towers which is something that in the other cities i have lived in were fully private domain.... so that is just a developed habit

I have a feeling that its fully private too, but for the people it serves it works quite well. Going to a business meeting blocks away without having to go outside does serve the business community very well, which i would guess would be the main attraction of implementing the system in the first place. I think the city has made it mandatory for building projects in certain areas of downtown to have Plus 15 access, or at least leave provisions for it. Not sure the exact details on that though

Its too bad about the buskers, stephen ave seems to get good use but only during the weekend nights and workday lunchhour. I think that there could definately be some room for integrating the Plus 15 system better into the overall picture of the inner city. Perhaps using 4th street and 1st street (renamed scarth st ? i think) as pedestrian friendly corridors into the Beltline. Or maybe having ped bridges that can open in the summer for fresh air and connect directly to stephen ave. Something to increasing the street activity, without limiting or restricting the Plus 15 system that serves the business community quite well.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by MasterG

I have a feeling that its fully private too, but for the people it serves it works quite well. Going to a business meeting blocks away without having to go outside does serve the business community very well, which i would guess would be the main attraction of implementing the system in the first place. I think the city has made it mandatory for building projects in certain areas of downtown to have Plus 15 access, or at least leave provisions for it. Not sure the exact details on that though

Its too bad about the buskers, stephen ave seems to get good use but only during the weekend nights and workday lunchhour. I think that there could definately be some room for integrating the Plus 15 system better into the overall picture of the inner city. Perhaps using 4th street and 1st street (renamed scarth st ? i think) as pedestrian friendly corridors into the Beltline. Or maybe having ped bridges that can open in the summer for fresh air and connect directly to stephen ave. Something to increasing the street activity, without limiting or restricting the Plus 15 system that serves the business community quite well.

A few things.

1st Street West has not been renamed Scarth Street. It was formerly named Scarth Street.

+15 connections are not mandatory, nor is making provisions for them. Density bonuses are given for providing them though, so it is encouraged that way.

They are fully private property.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

A few things.

1st Street West has not been renamed Scarth Street. It was formerly named Scarth Street.

+15 connections are not mandatory, nor is making provisions for them. Density bonuses are given for providing them though, so it is encouraged that way.

They are fully private property.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. I didnt know about that density bonus incentive. How does it work to encourage Plus 15 growth?