Beacon Hill Park
#101
Posted 01 August 2012 - 08:14 AM
Decided to take my family last minute for a picnic in Beacon Hill Park. We live in Quadra Hillside. Drove down to Cook St. Village and picked up dinner at Bigwheel (great service and ready in under 10 minutes). Then drove down to Park Blvd and tried to access park this is now blocked off. A little cheesed turned around drove to Dallas road and tried to enter westbound onto Circle Drive, this is now no right turn from Dallas so had to drive all the way over to Douglas entrance. Now the limitations must be having an impact because at 6pm on a sunny tuesday night there was barely anyone parked anywhere. There was also no tourists and no one using the puttig green (our destination). I guess this is good for me but sad for a park that until now has been a hub of activity.
So it would seem that the plan for the park is to have the park empty on sunny evening or to be enjoyed only by those that live in close proximity to the park. This is the most assinine plan I have ever seen it is an insult to taxpaying residents of the city that cannot just walk over and no, taking my 2 and 4 year old on the bus for an evening picnic is not an option. What is an option is not going again.
Good work! great solution to what is supposed to be at the very least a park for all Victorians.
#102
Posted 01 August 2012 - 08:54 AM
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#103
Posted 01 August 2012 - 09:08 AM
#104
Posted 01 August 2012 - 09:10 AM
...great solution to what is supposed to be at the very least a park for all Victorians.
Hey, if you don't live within easy walking distance then it's not your park. Don't you know that?
#105
Posted 01 August 2012 - 09:33 AM
So here is my experience yesterday:
Then drove down to Park Blvd and tried to access park this is now blocked off. A little cheesed turned around drove to Dallas road and tried to enter westbound onto Circle Drive, this is now no right turn from Dallas so had to drive all the way over to Douglas entrance.
Not sure what you mean. The Park Boulevard entrance is still open, isn't it? at least it was Monday PM. You just can't drive through to the putting greens, but there is parking right there next to the cricket field, and its a 3 minute walk, even with a 2 year old.
#106
Posted 01 August 2012 - 09:45 AM
#107
Posted 01 August 2012 - 10:36 AM
#108
Posted 01 August 2012 - 11:09 AM
Now we're cutting off vehicle access, once again another step towards turning this into a quiet neighbourhood park rather than the busy city park it should be. We should be looking to vibrant busy places like Central Park for inspiration, not spending hundreds of thousands to cripple the park.
Stop the traffic blocking, relax the commercial ban, turn the old Checker House into a park owned snack bar, give peanutbutter a good dusting, and encourage more events and activity.
#109
Posted 01 August 2012 - 11:27 AM
Apparently, there will be an Information Booth on "select weekends." Also, an online survey, running from August to October. Is anyone as shocked as I am that it's August 1 and there's no survey?
#110
Posted 01 August 2012 - 11:52 AM
It was quite busy, I'll give you that. The parking lots were mostly full and there were lots of people there.
Now, this has been pushed as a "experiment" but I see nothing experimental about the way the bollards have been permanently cemented into the ground. If anything they should have carted in some concrete blocks, but no, they've gone one step further.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the city has once again pulled the wool over everyones eyes and has every intention of making this permanent.
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#111
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:04 PM
#112
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:10 PM
Seems to me that this will hurt Cook St. Village businesses, and increase parking on that side. And it will increase traffic on the JB side.
None of which will be a big deal, but I challenge this silly conspiracy that theae changes are only for local residents.
And are the "Friends" even still in existence?
Edit: Seems they are. But the site hasn't been updated in a really long time.
#114
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:35 PM
You could have driven up Arbutus Way and parked right next to the playground.No that entrance is now completely blocked with bollards. It is now just a curve that goes on to Heywood. Also having a picnic in the park with two children requires holding more than a hand. I suppose if I had known that the closures had occurred I could have brought the stroller but I didn't and really when you are working within a tight constraint of time (getting home from work 5pm till bedtime at 8pm) there is something to be said for convenience. It is fine I will just go to Summit, Topaz, Playfair, or Rutherford next time. Of course then Big Wheel and Prima Strada lose out but it will be a gain for Fifth Street or La Piola. Just not sure that is what Beacon Hill is all about is all.
#115
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:40 PM
I entered from the west side of the park to Circle Drive which spat me out at Dallas Road. I drove around and entered Arbutus Way at the North end of the park from Superior Street.
Ended up having to do a U-Turn at the "New accessibility parking" then a left turn onto Chestnut Row which was full of cyclists going the wrong way. (Ok, one cyclist going the wrong way).
The left turn from Chestnut to Circle Drive was a little confusing with all the bollards sticking up, the tour busses and the horse drawn carriages all over the place.
Someone please tell me why these changes are a needed expenditure of tax dollars?
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#116
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:41 PM
You could have driven up Arbutus Way and parked right next to the playground.
Yes, but it's unnecessarily confusing and frustrating.
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#117
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:48 PM
*Apart from the fiscal irresponsibility here. That sh1t is just ridiculous.
#118
Posted 01 August 2012 - 01:46 PM
When the city announced the open houses on traffic issues in the park I didn't attend, because I didn't think there were any problems. Obviously, only people who think there are problems went (I'm guessing quite a small group of people) and now they've created problems for families, tourists and people with disabilities who deserve easy access (please don't tell someone who uses a walker to park and walk across the park to their destination) or just to drive through the park in order to enjoy it.
#119
Posted 01 August 2012 - 02:06 PM
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#120
Posted 01 August 2012 - 02:55 PM
I'm having trouble figuring out how this implementation is to directly appease locals.
Seems to me that this will hurt Cook St. Village businesses, and increase parking on that side. And it will increase traffic on the JB side.
None of which will be a big deal, but I challenge this silly conspiracy that theae changes are only for local residents.
And are the "Friends" even still in existence?
Edit: Seems they are. But the site hasn't been updated in a really long time.
From their AGM Minutes:
BAHAHAHA, what a bunch of loons. Imagine the nerve of people actually trying to do something so experimental as Shakespeare in the Park.There is a Shakespeare Festival nearing approval for Holland Point. If it fails, and the cold offshore breezes seem to guarantee failure, there will be a concerted attempt to move it into BHP. Neither location is good either for the residents or the organizers.
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