What's the biggest change you would make to your city?

[agrant]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

For Vancouver, would love to have a couple office towers between 200 and 230 meters tall, anything beyond that is not necessary in Vancouver.

I would have the Millennium Line skytrain extension completed along Broadway to UBC.

I would have the Lion's gate Bridge closed for general traffic, only buses, bikes and pedestrians would be allowed to cross it (and i guess emergency vehicles if necessary)

At the same time, I would construct a 4 lane 70km h Japanese style urban expressway from the southern end of Knight street in Vancouver (connecting it to the southern freeway network), where it would be tunneled for much of its length, it would then continue North over the Burrard Inlet as a new 6 lane bridge, and then continue as a 4 lane expressway to the Upper Levels highway. This road would also be tolled (maybe 5 dollars minimum for non commercial) and only have a few interchanges (one a the northern end of the bridge on the North Shore, another at the southern end of the Bridge, another around 1st Ave / terminal, then one at Kingsway and then the existing one at Marine Drive.

I would also add some more lights and digital billboards along Granville Street and parts of Robson.

I would make Water Street in Gastown and Mainland street in Yaletown both Pedestrian only

I would also have all the dumpsters removed from downtown and have the alleys re-purposed into pedestrian areas, hopefully having some alley cafes etc...

Good list. I'd also like to demo most of the Vancouver specials on the east side of the city, and zone it all for 4 to 6 story multi-unit buildings. Also, complete the proposed streetcar phases with a line running along Arbutus (tunneled if necessary) into Richmond and east along Marine... It's only money.

[Razor]

Ottawa

Outlaw birkenstocks with work socks
Outlaw retro bicycles with milk crates on the back
Bring in a huge factory/plant to bring more blue collar element into the city
Get rid of the height rule

[vid]

Originally Posted by Razor

Outlaw retro bicycles with milk crates on the back

What about mountain bikes with Loblaws grocery bins on the back? It's a purple one if that counts?

[ChillN]

Edmonton:

Possible Change:
- Rebrand city
-outlaw cul de sacs and truck nuts.

Impossible Change
-Close West Ed and have all of it's ammenities downtown.

[Razor]

Originally Posted by vid

What about mountain bikes with Loblaws grocery bins on the back? It's a purple one if that counts?

$5000 fine and fine doubled if you are wearing said sandals and socks.

[Doug]

Calgary: bump up the annual average temperature by 10C

[FrAnKs]

Quebec city :

- Less Withe/french/catholic, only. ( It's about 96% that )

- Alot more density in the close & far suburbs ( We only get those 70's bungalows )

- Hotter winters ( I would second Doug with that, raise the average by 10 Celcius)... but keep our 300cm average of snow

- Another bridge Between Quebec city and the south shore (The Quebec bridge & Pierre laporte will need an alternative in a close future especially because the Quebec bridge is too narrow and old )

- Better general transportation/transit system ( We only have buses, we need something else, a tramway per example ? )

- Stop allowing clapboard for exterior cladding on houses... ( Cheaper doesn't exist )

...For the rest I can manage it

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Doug

Calgary: bump up the annual average temperature by 10C

So .... convince the government to expand the oilsands?

For Halifax;

- Demolish Tuft's Cove and replace it with a greener power plant in the suburbs.
- Restart the ferry expansion plans in Bedford and Birch Cove. Look into expanding into Eastern Passage and Burnside.
- Enact better by-laws for new subdivisions requiring things like buried powerlines and minimum tree coverage.
- Expand the heritage districts across the urban center with the tradeoff of higher densities outside of them.
- Create the first streetcar line
- Improve traffic flow through roundabouts and reversing lanes.

For fellow Haligonians more specific;

- Close down Spring Garden to private vehicles. Allow pedestrians, buses, streetcars, taxis, and local delivery vehicles (off peak hours).
- Create a streetcar line from Scotia Square to Mumford via Route 1.
- Create feasible redevelopment plans of Dartmouth Cove, Turfts Cove, Shannon Park, and Halifax Forum Lands along with any other large underused sites in the urban core.
- Consider pedestrian malls on Agricola, Gottingen, Portland and other retail-dominated streets with low traffic volumes.
- Build the Sackville Greenway and Bedford Basin Trail, connect them to existing AT corridors.
- Allow for continued suburban expansion BUT place limit based on community population (ie maximum 10% of community population/year).
- Expand HRM_by_Design to all of the Urban Centre via the Centre Plan.

[FrAnKs]

If I was from Halifax :



... but actually it isnt my business

[Bluenote]

Winnipeg:

Fix our damn inner city streets.
Get a new proactive Mayor.
Finish the 100 projects that get started and never finished.
Stop this insane urban sprawl.

If this were to all take place I could see Winnipeg regaining some large corporate offices again, thus would bring more towers and density. One may ask why we don't build more towers right now though when the vacancy rate is almost nil. But this is a city with so much RED TAPE, no one can start anything without it taking 4-5 years of discussion at city hall. By then the Builders moved to another city.

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by agrant

He looks like a baseball umpire that eats too many cheetos.

or a little league dad who drinks nine millers and rushes the plate.

[LeftCoaster]

The only plate Rob Ford is ever rushing is one covered in deep fried chicken fat.

[Copes]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

If you were an all-powerful mayor of your city for a day, with the authority to tear down, build up, or otherwise change your city in any way - what would you do?

I'd start by making Water and Duckworth streets one-way, with traffic on the former heading east, the latter heading west.

Then I'd introduce diagonal parking on these two streets (stole that idea from a CBC comment). It's somewhat less safe but it would dramatically increase the number of parking spots available in downtown St. John's and it would add to the friendly, neighbourly, inviting atmosphere since that style of parking is typically associated with much smaller towns.

I'd tear down all of the relatively modern buildings along Harbour Drive, especially Atlantic Place and the Fortis Building, and replace them with either green space or smaller buildings in a heritage style.

I'd institute progressive height restrictions for new construction. So, say, 3-floor maximum on the harbour side of Harbour Drive, 4 floors on the next block, 4 on the next, 5 after that, 6 after that, etc. They can do whatever they want inside but the façades have to match heritage requirements.

I'd compensate by cramming numerous medium-height glass towers on the crest of the first hill of downtown St. John's, behind The Rooms and the Basilica.

I'd build a cluster - 6 to 8 at least - of tall glass towers (condos and apartments) on the south shore of Quidi Vidi lake. These would be the tallest buildings in the city, tall enough for at least a 180-degree unbroken view of the Atlantic and to peer over the hill into downtown St. John's.

And I'd force the amalgamation of Mount Pearl and Paradise - and possibly even Portugal Cove-St. Phillips and Conception Bay South - with St. John's. The residents of St. John's pay such high taxes because they have to subsidize everything residents of these neighbouring communities come into the city to do. Most residents of the northeast Avalon work or spend a great deal of time in St. John's. They should be paying taxes to help it along.

While I don't think I'd follow through with much of what you said, I do fully support what I've bolded. I rant and rave about those areas all the time. Drive me nuts. You're right.

My big move would be to revolutionize the West-End of Downtown into a very vibrant "Business District". This is sort of happening now, with the development of Fortis, the supposed development of Deacon, and even 351 (although this is a little further East than I would like). Height around 60m in this area would not be a problem. Small parks and shops would be incorporated for lunch times. Maybe a nice deli or a few restaurants. High condominiums in this area would also provide a space to live. I'd love to see a major bus hub in the area as well. The area would overall be a much more modern "mixed use" that is still visible and looks great in pictures from Signal Hill. Leave the Harbour Front historic, but the downtown area does need a more modern area for our oil companies and young people to tend to prefer Urban Living.

If the West End wouldn't work, then let's put all this on the Southside of the Harbour. With some solid development on Southside, the Harbour could be very interesting with "historic" St. John's on one side and "modern" St. John's on the other.

[flar]

Ottawa: get rid of the height restriction


Hamilton: completely wipe out the parochial ruling class

example:

Originally Posted by Hamilton Spectator

The Carmen’s Group is looking to become the Walt Disney of Hamilton and make the city’s dreams come true.

As part of managing the city-owned Hamilton Convention Centre, the Mercanti family is preparing to build a $200-million, 700,000-square-foot hotel complex, which will include an addition of 1,000 parking spaces, three “world-class” high-end restaurant and shops in the city’s core. The proposed building would be 44 storeys, with a 440-room hotel, with 150 condominium units.

“It’s our own vision to do it,” said Peter Mercanti. “This is a game-changer complex.”

Peter Mercanti, owner of Carmen’s suggested the structure could eventually be the future home of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. He suggested the project could be underway within five years.

Politicians praised Mercanti and his family for proposing such an ambitious project for the downtown.

“You are major league,” said Councillor Sam Merulla.

“This is quite exciting what is being proposed,” said Mountain councillor Terry Whitehead.

“This means a lot to council,” said Mayor Bob Bratina.

[Gerrard]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

or a little league dad who drinks nine millers and rushes the plate.

Ford ain't rushing anything but a Big Gulp down his throat to chase the Big Mac he just devoured.

[monocle]

I am still boggled how Mr. Ford got elected in the first place. Cole's notes?

Calgary has never had a Mayor as unsightly as him, but I wouldn't have thought too hard about it had we woke up with him instead of Nenshi the day after the election.

Nenshi seems to have raised our City's national profile in a positive way. Mr Ford...not so much. Unless you hate bicycles.

[Troll]

Originally Posted by monocle

I am still boggled how Mr. Ford got elected in the first place. Cole's notes?

Calgary has never had a Mayor as unsightly as him, but I wouldn't have thought too hard about it had we woke up with him instead of Nenshi the day after the election.

Nenshi seems to have raised our City's national profile in a positive way. Mr Ford...not so much. Unless you hate bicycles.

he convinced the suburban folks that the downtown folks.... want to eat their children? or something? i don't know, honestly.

[Bluenote]

Originally Posted by flar

Ottawa: get rid of the height restriction




:

Height restrictions are not always bad, we have them here in Winnipeg sort of, it just costs a lot to build very high. But look at Paris or any of the other Historic cities, they all tend to stay small in height. I know grand tall buildings makes a city feel a live, but I honestly like to see all these super talls in say TO or Calgary in 100 years, they will be ugly and falling apart. Kinda like Miami is now. But New york on the other hand has super tall older buildings which were built with old archetecture and they still look good 100 years later and are going to stand for many more. Glass towers are not the best planning, they just look cool.

[flar]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

Height restrictions are not always bad, we have them here in Winnipeg sort of, it just costs a lot to build very high. But look at Paris or any of the other Historic cities, they all tend to stay small in height. I know grand tall buildings makes a city feel a live, but I honestly like to see all these super talls in say TO or Calgary in 100 years, they will be ugly and falling apart. Kinda like Miami is now. But New york on the other hand has super tall older buildings which were built with old archetecture and they still look good 100 years later and are going to stand for many more. Glass towers are not the best planning, they just look cool.

Ottawa has dozens of stumpy office towers. The skyline (or lack thereof) looks like crap despite a huge amount of office space.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by agrant

He looks like a baseball umpire that eats too many cheetos.

He looks like a satisfied KFC customer. Wait a minute....