[Kosy123]

I thought the ice district plaza area was going to be more of an event centre space - but instead we have OEG asking for more public dollars to activate more of its private property while ice district plaza mostly sits lifeless.

The dream would be something like Brentwood Centre's plaza but I understand that we'd probably need an anchor retailer facing the plaza or a large restaurant. Bank District isn't getting as much foot traffic in the area in non-office hours, the City Market is honestly doing much more work in that way.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

It fills another space yes, but no an area that interests me to visit outside of event days, unless I need to visit a bank. Even another fast food joint would have been better.

 

[Avenuer]

People aren't even going into banks in-person much anymore, either. I have never banked with a 'brick and mortar' bank...ever (for example).

 

[Gus Haynes]

I only go a few times a year to deposit rolls of change.

 

[David A]

People aren't even going into banks in-person much anymore, either. I have never banked with a 'brick and mortar' bank...ever (for example).

I do deal with a couple branches in what should perhaps instead be called the Bank District now, one moderately more convenient than its other location, one less so.

While banks are not as busy as they used to be, sometimes they can be fairly busy, sometimes not. However, I don't get why they all want to be in this area.

It's not terrible, but I don't really find it that attractive either as someone who goes to the branches here.

 

[NicolBolas]

It's disappointing for sure, but not really surprising to me at all. As a suburbs person I only really go downtown to eat at two restaurants and go to the occasional event. Brewery District is more appealing to me, it has more stores, easier parking and less visible social decay. Other then that I have all the stores around me that I need.

Downtown needs something more appealing then the same stuff I can get in the burbs without the total inconvenience of parking.

 

[archited]

Banks are essentially billboards anymore -- they certainly tend to kill street-facing pedestrian zones.

 

[ChazYEG]

It's disappointing for sure, but not really surprising to me at all. As a suburbs person I only really go downtown to eat at two restaurants and go to the occasional event. Brewery District is more appealing to me, it has more stores, easier parking and less visible social decay. Other then that I have all the stores around me that I need.

Downtown needs something more appealing then the same stuff I can get in the burbs without the total inconvenience of parking.

I agree entirely. I feel like a Rec Room or something similar would be a great addition, for example. A better and more accessible movie theatre would also be great, maybe not as much for those from the suburbs, but for people who are Downtown or in the closer neighbourhoods like Winketowin, Garneau, Old Strathcona, QMP, etc., who currently have to drive far to go to a decent one, and have to deal with ECC (closest one if you're north of the river is on 137 Ave/Mark Messier Tr or WEM, and if you're south of the river it's SEC).
Another commonly mentioned thing is a good hardware store, and I wouldn't be mad at something like a Simmons or even a Mark's downtown (their Westmount location is not particularly great or large, and I feel like that whole area will eventually be redeveloped anyways).
I feel like keeping people from central neighbourhoods in the area, and bringing them to DT is as, if not more, important than attracting people from the suburbs.

 

[David A]

I agree entirely. I feel like a Rec Room or something similar would be a great addition, for example. A better and more accessible movie theatre would also be great, maybe not as much for those from the suburbs, but for people who are Downtown or in the closer neighbourhoods like Winketowin, Garneau, Old Strathcona, QMP, etc., who currently have to drive far to go to a decent one, and have to deal with ECC (closest one if you're north of the river is on 137 Ave/Mark Messier Tr or WEM, and if you're south of the river it's SEC).
Another commonly mentioned thing is a good hardware store, and I wouldn't be mad at something like a Simmons or even a Mark's downtown (their Westmount location is not particularly great or large, and I feel like that whole area will eventually be redeveloped anyways).
I feel like keeping people from central neighbourhoods in the area, and bringing them to DT is as, if not more, important than attracting people from the suburbs.

While I agree people who live in the suburbs are not going to come downtown to go to the Winners in City Centre, what is downtown also needs to serve people who live in the core or nearby, who often seem to be forgotten or overlooked in this discussion. Then we wonder why we have a hard time attracting people to live in an area with such limited retail and we also expect people who do live downtown will continue to happily trudge to WEM to go to decent stores like Simmons.

It was unfortunate that the theatre visioned for Ice District did not go ahead, it could have attracted more people to downtown as well as been an enhancement for those living there. I suppose fancy new downtown theatre complexes are just for other cities only and we will just have to continue to make do with the theatres in City Centre. A Rec Room downtown would be nice and there are several spaces available that could accommodate it.

 

[Gronk!]

A big problem with a Rec Room in the ICE District is that it will compete with The Banquet that's already there.
On the other hand, I think The Banquet may be on its last legs.

 

[ChazYEG]

A big problem with a Rec Room in the ICE District is that it will compete with The Banquet that's already there.
On the other hand, I think The Banquet may be on its last legs.

I definitely feel like the Banquet is on it's lest legs. Rec Room is also better and has a more recognizable name, which I feel like would help A LOT, I believe.

While I agree people who live in the suburbs are not going to come downtown to go to the Winners in City Centre, what is downtown also needs to serve people who live in the core or nearby, who often seem to be forgotten or overlooked in this discussion. Then we wonder why we have a hard time attracting people to live in an area with such limited retail and we also expect people who do live downtown will continue to happily trudge to WEM to go to decent stores like Simmons.

It was unfortunate that the theatre visioned for Ice District did not go ahead, it could have attracted more people to downtown as well as been an enhancement for those living there. I suppose fancy new downtown theatre complexes are just for other cities only and we will just have to continue to make do with the theatres in City Centre. A Rec Room downtown would be nice and there are several spaces available that could accommodate it.

That was exactly my point. People in the core neighbourhoods (anything within a 10-15 min drive of downtown) would probably go there happily if the offerings were good enough to convince them that it's more convenient than going to WEM, or even Kingsway. It obviously also doesn't help that the social disorder discourages people from going there even if there were people willing to do so, but mostly, the absolute lack of options for basic things, like decent retail, a hardware store, etc., seems to be the biggest issue for me.
I lived in Winketowin for years, and I honestly would've preferred going DT for stuff than driving to WEM, or even Westmount or Kingsway, especially if I could turn the whole trip downtown into a full experience for shopping, entertainment and eating. I can't even count how many times I've though about how nice it would've been to go watch a movie Downtown, then stop somewhere to eat and hang out for a while, but the very thought of having to go through ECC to do that made me reconsider and go to WEM, for example.

 

[David A]

A big problem with a Rec Room in the ICE District is that it will compete with The Banquet that's already there.
On the other hand, I think The Banquet may be on its last legs.

Yes, I had thought of that. Heaven forbid there could be more than one of a certain thing downtown that might compete. Do most malls just limit themselves to one shoe or clothing store?

I feel having more choice and competition might actually attract more people to the area and perhaps force some existing places to up their game, although also not confident about Banquet in the long run.

Perhaps that is even more reason to try get something better in the area now.

 

[NicolBolas]

This is the answer.

Downtown doesn't really have the stores or really even public services ie: K-9 school to make it a community. People want to live downtown really because they want convenience, things being close so they don't have to drive everywhere. Well in our downtown they get the downsides of living downtown and the downsides of living in the burbs all in one, that's not very appealing.

These prime commerical spaces being taken up by the same ol stuff is starting to become a issue city wide. Downtown it's all banks or just empty storefronts, the northeast it's shawarma, pizza, weed stores, liquor stores and daycares...

 

[David A]

The banks are really, really not the problem here. There were actually around three times as many banks downtown several decades ago and it actually was more vibrant then with a lot of other retail.

Yes, I agree Ice District is not the best place for them. IMO, it seems a strange choice but if no one else was renting the space was the landlord going to say no to them?

However, I agree the mix of downtown commercial space use is very poor right now, we seem to have more than enough of some things and not enough of many other things.

 

[Avenuer]

This is the answer.

Downtown doesn't really have the stores or really even public services ie: K-9 school to make it a community. People want to live downtown really because they want convenience, things being close so they don't have to drive everywhere. Well in our downtown they get the downsides of living downtown and the downsides of living in the burbs all in one, that's not very appealing.

These prime commerical spaces being taken up by the same ol stuff is starting to become a issue city wide. Downtown it's all banks or just empty storefronts, the northeast it's shawarma, pizza, weed stores, liquor stores and daycares...

You forgot pharmacies, medical clinics and dental offices!