CentreCity

Centre City Maps Changing

The Centre City is sporting its first, spiffy new outdoor map! Since the weather was kind enough to cooperate this week, the City had a chance to put up the first new and updated sign.

You can see it up close and in person at the NE corner of 3rd Avenue and 7th Street SW in Eau Claire. Here's what the new map looks like: 

What you will see on these new maps: Bow Tower, Eighth Avenue Place, and much more!  

The City of Calgary's +15 Coordinator, Ray Ference, is overseeing the new map project. He says the remainder of the signs (there are 14 in total) will be updated over the course of the next three weeks, weather permitting. So keep your eyes peeled for these improvements in the Centre City and let us know what you think.  

And hey, here are a few links to some other resources to help you explore the Centre City:

- The +15 walkway system is currently equipped with interactive maps of downtown Calgary, with a building locator and information locations. Pick-up a pocket version at the Municipal Building. 

- Log onto Calgary.ca, Calgary Downtown Association, Tourism Calgary or Discover Calgary 

- Use Google Maps or Map Quest

Art of Transportation

(T-Centralen, Stockholm - photo via flickr) 

We stumbled upon this awe-inspiring subway blog this week and wanted to share it with you.  Underground subway tunnels are often depicted as the dark or soul-less danger-caves of New York's "The Warriors" era.  But this blog highlights some of the most architecturally and visually stunning subway stations around the world. They are stations and tunnels that work to engage the population.  Form and function, art and inspiration are what drive these designs.  My favourites are the Georg-Brauchle ring station, the Bund Sightseeing tunnel in Shanghai and the Iidabashi station.  What are yours?  Can you envision this kind of design in our own CTrain stations of the future?  

The Calm Before the Green (and blue, red and white) Storm...

The finishing touches are being made in Calgary's Centre City to ensure the estimated 15 - 20 thousand visitors to calgary are well-entertained before, during and after the big Grey Cup Championship game.   

Events over the coming days range from free pancake breakfasts to gala affairs and everything in between - and of course then there's the actual game.  

Local musicians, artists and designers will be featured in the Grey Cup festivities and it's pretty much guaranteed there's something for everyone.  

Enmax Illuminate Calgary is the highly anticipated light installation display set to run November 27th and 28th (5 - 11 p.m.).  People who work and live in the centre city have likely had a chance to watch a bit of the set up of the exhibit (with a modicum of bewilderment, no doubt!).  Even if you're not a football fan - you MUST try to get out to see this interactive and awe-inspiring light art display. 

   

World's Greenest City?

You may have already heard about this - Vancouver's Mayor introducing a plan to make his city the world's greenest by 2020. It's ambitious. Is it achievable? Check out some of the details here in this Vancouver Sun article by Gerry Bellett.  
The Vancouver Sun

Gridlock. Meet Greenspace.

A pedestrian plaza in the middle of Times Square. Separate bike lanes. Efficient, high-speed bus lines. Streets turned into temporary parks. It's people over cars in New York City. And this woman is leading the charge. Check out the article by writer Susan Adams at Forbes.com, it's an inspiring read.

 

Mayor's Urban Design Awards

The Mayor's Urban Design Awards are coming up! 

These biennial awards recognize the important contribution designers, architects and artists make in improving our quality of life by  producing beautiful buildings and liveable public spaces. This year's awards gala is October 28, 2009.

 

Submissions are being accepted until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2009. Entries are being accepted in eight categories, including:

 

• Conceptual/Theoretical Urban Design Projects
• Approved or Adopted Urban Design Plans
• Urban Architecture
• Civic Design Projects
• Urban Fragments
• Student Projects
• The Mawson Urban Design Award

More details can be found at Mayor's Urban Design Awards

 

Hailing a Cab in the Centre City?

If your answer is yes, or even if you take take taxis in other parts of our lovely city, check out this survey. It's being released today by the Taxi Limousine Advisory Committee and it's seeking your input on the taxi industry, specifically public safety, service, quality and consumer protection. Fill it in and you may impact how taxis operate in Calgary!

 

San Francisco's Art On-The-Go

San Francisco is a great city. It boasts bustling bike paths, tranquil parks, museums, galleries, shops, restaurants and a variety of public transit options - it's a place we can all learn from. Take a look here at one of its latest  projects - functional and attractive street furniture for public transit. 

I first spotted these futuristic bus shelters on a recent trip to the Golden Gate city. From a distance, I was impressed by the overall artistic appeal of the shelters - with their multi-coloured signature wave-like canopies. Upon closer inspection, I realized that integrated within each canopy was a solar panel that provides power to the shelters arrival time information panel. Cool!

After returning home and researching these shelters, it turns out that these shelters offer more ammenities for the transit rider, with push-button loudspeakers for visually impaired riders - informing them on upcoming arrival times and integrated WiFi.

 

While the price tag for each shelter is higher than that of the "standard" shelter (total cost around $25,000 to $30,000 US) - I'm sure the impact these shelters have on the overall image and perception of the downtown is significant. They certainly caught my attention!

Perhaps one day we will see initiatives like this in our Centre City?

Graham

Related articles:

Popular Mechanics: Popular Mechanics

The Architect's Newspaper: The Architect's Newspaper

CNET News: CNET News

 

East Village Bridge Design Competition Announced

There is plenty going on in the Centre City's East Village. If you haven't seen the changes - take a trip down. The cobblestone roads and pathways are opening up and on Monday, a design competition was announced for a new St. Patrick's Island Bridge.  

The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) is charged with rejuvenating the area and it's seeking  submissions for the creation of a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists from qualified candidates. According to the CMLC, the proposals must demonstrate:

•  cost effective, innovative design
• consideration for safety, connectivity, aesthetics and common design guidelines

The competition opened yesterday and the deadline for the conceptual submissions is Monday, September 14, 2009. For more information and all design guidelines and criteria, check out the CMLC website at www.calgarymlc.ca/

 

 

 

 

Annual 'State of Centre City' and 'Clean to the Core' reports

Did you know that in 2008 over 3,788 arts events were held in Centre City, or that four main operational plans were enacted through the Centre City Safety Impact Team?

These facts and many more are presented in the inaugural State of Centre City and the third Clean to the Core annual reports that Centre City Implementation presented to The City of Calgary Standing Policy Committee on Land Use Planning and Transportation on July 22 2009.