107 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

...I recall you could cut through the Bay Centre after hours using the Broad St. entrances but I don't think you can still do that. Does anyone know?

As I recall that was one of the "ammenties" given to the city when they allowed the re-development of the Eaton Centre (now Bay Centre) in the late 1980s.

[Mr Cook Street]

As I recall that was one of the "ammenties" given to the city when they allowed the re-development of the Eaton Centre (now Bay Centre) in the late 1980s.

An urban Geog prof at Uvic told me that they are still required to honour that amenity. If you ring a door bell, a security guard is supposed to escort you through to the other side. This was in 2005 that I heard this.

[Mike K.]

Now that Goodlife Fitness is in there you can get via the parkade but I don't think the doors off the street are open after hours.

[tedward]

As I recall that was one of the "ammenties" given to the city when they allowed the re-development of the Eaton Centre (now Bay Centre) in the late 1980s.

 

Not so much an "amenity" as a requirement in exchange for the city giving up a chunk of public roadway and sidewalk.

[Mike K.]

Has anyone been paying attention to the lawn in Centennial Square? It would appear as though the crowds that would gather at the whaling wall on Wharf have found a new place to hang out all day. Right in the centre of the city along the city's busiest artery.

[jdsony]

Even if public spaces go under utilized I'd argue that they still provide a great benefit to the community even if just psychological. In cases of under-utilization though just plain green space could do the same at a much lesser cost.

Centennial Square tends to be fairly empty unless there is an event going on but it's also A) not in a great location and B) has no shopping or really anything worthwhile bordering it. It's also completely open to the busiest street downtown. I'm surprised I'm saying it but the Uptown Square is quite the opposite and provides a nice place to relax, or eat for shoppers or people on a lunch break. People need a reason to use a public space and rarely do people travel out of their way to do so.

[lanforod]

Uptown square is quite busy these days though you have to filter out the people going in and out of walmart.

[aastra]

The good people of Winnipeg seem to be proud of the little square in the middle of this new office complex...

 

more pics...

 

still more pics...

 

As such spaces go, I'd say they did a pretty good job. It's cozy, it has a half-decently interesting fountain with illumination, and there are businesses in it (meaning: there are legitimate reasons for somebody to bother spending a bit of time there). Methinks Victoria has the potential for something similar behind the new office block on Pandora. Put a major new building where the crazy-out-of-place little office block is, and revamp the square as part of the deal.

Edited by aastra, 20 November 2018 - 01:39 PM.