1043 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

What I hate is that the tree roots are pushing up the concentric rings of concrete and brick that surround the fountain but instead of repairing it, the City crews just throw a few shovel-fuls of asphalt on top of it. Jeez. :/

[Baro]

The reason we don't use stone much anymore here is that it's very earthquake unsafe. So you either have to use "fake" stone or pay a ridiculous amount for the stonework to be more earthquake safe.

In an earthquake you need materials that can bend and flex. Wood is of course the most simple material in that regard, and steel /reinforced con is the other. There's sadly not a lot of other options in a town like this.

But can we make cement and such look GOOD? yes. Can we have stone pavements and ground floors? No problem!

[Oxford Sutherland]

The reason we don't use stone much anymore here is that it's very earthquake unsafe. So you either have to use "fake" stone or pay a ridiculous amount for the stonework to be more earthquake safe.

I'd say that only partly explains why stone isn't often used on an entire building.

I'm happy to just see it on the first 2 metres of a building, but we hardly even see that.

[Oxford Sutherland]

The stone we often see today isn't very pretty either, like the stuff they used on The Wave.

Developers try to substitute cheap stone cladding or tiles instead of proper stone, but it just ends up looking....surprise surprise....cheap.

[m0nkyman]

back on topic, I actually like the fountain in the middle!

Thus showing yourself as a man of exquisite taste.

[pickledbeats]

I work part time at the CRD building so I am in the square quite often.

I agree it needs a lot of work and is under utilized, but other people do use it (just not enough), some CRD staff do eat lunch there when the weather is nice and some of the events in the summer are great!

I am not sure I agree with a huge stage dominating what should be a central meeting place all on it's own, but since it is a bit sparse, at least it draws people there in the summer.

The farmer's market was great this summer, I hope it grows next year!

The parkade, Antonio's and the buildings connected to it have to go! A public library and revamping the square (with UG parking) is a wonderful idea!

[Oxford Sutherland]

The city could turn Centennial Square into a tourist attraction. They could encourage people to go to the bathroom anywhere they want in the square, then promote the whole thing to tourists as....THE WORLD'S LARGEST PUBLIC WASHROOM!

What do you think?

[gumgum]

Sounds great! And you could use the fountain in the middle to wash you hands just like in old school bathrooms, with those round fountains that you turn on with your foot.

[gumgum]

Anybody see the new public art piece in front of the CRD building on the public space? It caught my eye as I was driving by, so I didn't get a good look at it.
What I did see was a large silver sphere surrounded by three silver claw-type pieces of metal. Maybe about 4 feet high.

[Holden West]

Just for you, mate:

[zingzamzoom]

Hmmmm....that's interesting. I'll have to go check it out tomorrow. Is it a fountain too?

[gumgum]

Did you take that, Holden? Great pic! Thanks!

Looks kinda neat. And it makes the square much less bare.

[Holden West]

Yes, I took it last night. The ball floats in a pool of water so you can spin it around. It's actually a giant globe. It's cooler than I thought it would be.

The nearby fountain is still not operational, unfortunately.

[Mike K.]

That's really cool. Thanks Holden!

WHAT?? No fountain? Odd that nobody's making a stink about that, but Coun. Madoff and the Vic West Community Association's Diane Carr made stink after stink about the waterfall at Parc Residences operating intermittently for a while.

[aastra]

Nice touch with the unfinished concrete. Not enough of that in Victoria.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Great photo, Holden!

Derf, the plaza will have 2 water features (2, 2, 2 for the price of 1! ...oh, wait, this isn't an ad...) The floating ball (which is a modern adaptation of a traditional Chinese motif, I think -- someone verify or contradict, if you know), and another fountain thing in the area between the CRD bldg & RMTheatre. I was there last night, but again running late and didn't get to the front of the building to take a look at it...

[Ms. B. Havin]

@aastra, good call on the unfinished concrete...!

[Mike K.]

Two water features? Hopefully it won't take as long to turn on the second as it did the first!

Thanks, Ms B.

[Caramia]

I was looking at this yesterday. There was/is vinyl lettering showing each of our sister cities on the globe. Very cool idea. Too bad that the vinyl has already mostly peeled off. I hope they go back and do something more permanent.

[zoomer]

@aastra, good call on the unfinished concrete...!

Yes, until Oxford returns we'll have to assign his duties to others. Aastra can be on the outlook for unfinished concrete.. Ms. B Havin you take blank walls, Derf you're assigned to west coast modernism, I'll take more stone and wood, Scaper gets proper landscaping and G-Man will take the odds and ends. Let's go people, we've got work to do!!

note: the names above we're randomly generated from VV's Random Generator V 1.0, please take no offense if you were not enlisted.