Tropical
Active Member
The vibe is - I think we've been compaining a bit much.
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- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
The vibe is - I think we've been compaining a bit much.
Gronk!
Senior Member
Perhaps so, but there are still some valid criticisms of this park such as an underwhelming playground, disappointing rec facilities, no fountain, and some valid questions about the greenery.
IanO
Superstar
I for one cannot wait to experience my first walk-through of this new asset and while imperfect (naturally), it will be a massive, massive upgrade for the entire area and has a lot of elements for folks to enjoy.
Now it's time to work on tennis/pickleball/basketball/multi-use on the corner of 105st/102ave where the lay down area is. That corner is ripe for something like that and could really bring some activity to the corner.
Now it's time to work on tennis/pickleball/basketball/multi-use on the corner of 105st/102ave where the lay down area is. That corner is ripe for something like that and could really bring some activity to the corner.
bodsbods9090
Senior Member
And get those parking lots to the East of the park going with buildings. Man, the park looks good but that's a sore spot seeing that pic from The Parks.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
Honestly if I didn't know where it was, I wouldn't say it's Edmonton, and that's a good thing in this case.
Out of Towner
Active Member
I don't blame you for being unable to offer a solution to the crime (and vandalism) that occurs at parks. You probably haven't had many encounters with aggressive unruly people at the Ivory Towers. Everybody at the Ivory Towers acts in an orderly business like manner and there are no intoxicated knife carrying individuals that you've had to deal with. It's my guess that if were responsible to the public for dealing with issues like the stabbings that occurred at park in Montreal, then you would consider fencing or some other means of suppressing crime.
constance_chlore
Active Member
Well, I spend a lot of time in downtown Edmonton and surroundings, and I've spent a lot of time past sundown in Montreal parks (which, need I remind you, remain unfenced to this day—a reminder that some people don't live their lives paralyzed by fear!). Despite that, and despite having spent a lot of time in cities like Chicago and DC where Trump is sending in the National Guard on the pretext of combating crime, I haven't had many (really, any) encounters with aggressive unruly people. Guess I'm just built different!
There's always a risk, no matter where I am, that someone, somewhere in my vicinity will get stabbed. (It probably won't be me, though!) This risk might be slightly higher if I'm in a "high crime" area late at night. There's a much greater risk that some idiot will run me over in their car. I choose to focus on the greater risk, and I can truly say I've never once felt any genuine fear of being attacked at night in any of these places.
That's not to say that nobody should ever feel fear—some people are more vulnerable than others. But among the strategies to deal with the potential for crime here, fencing has to be one of the stupidest. We spent $45 million on this park. It's there to be used. And if there's a big fence around the perimeter, I can guarantee it won't be.
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whattheheck
New Member
Please, please, please City of Edmonton MAINTAIN this park, keep the zombies out, ensure there's no social disorder and KEEP IT CLEAN!
This has the possibility of becoming a great gathering space. I'd venture to say, it would be great to buy up the empty lots to the east, close off another n/s street for the block and extend the park.
This has the possibility of becoming a great gathering space. I'd venture to say, it would be great to buy up the empty lots to the east, close off another n/s street for the block and extend the park.
constance_chlore
Active Member
Some notes on the stabbing that keeps being cited: the park in Montréal where it took place is Parc Roman-Zytynsky. I've never set foot there (closest I got was a few blocks east, near Acadie), but from what I can tell, it is fenced and does have hours (6-23 h). The fence appears to be there in part because the whole thing is a big soccer pitch and you don't want balls flying into the road. The area is not the nicest; it's rather poorer than average for the city, and from what I've seen from the highway it's got that "towers in the park"-type planning that we recognize now as a failure. But it's a funny example to pick because it's practically in the suburbs (VSL was annexed to Montréal in 2002) and not remotely an analogue of the Warehouse Park. Closer analogues might be Place Émilie-Gamelin or Square Saint-Louis, which are both small, amenity-rich parks in the center city that have no fencing and no hours that are really enforced. Place Émilie-Gamelin might be closer, because it's in an area that does have some level of disorder similar to the Warehouse Park's surroundings. I would love for there to be less disorder in that area, but I would nevertheless say that Edmonton would be very lucky to have a park as lively as Place Émilie-Gamelin.
Anyway, long story short, the fencing in Parc Roman-Zytynsky didn't stop the stabbing. You can take steps to reduce the incidence of crime and disorder, but you can't eliminate them. The only solution to that is to seal yourself in a bunker.
Anyway, long story short, the fencing in Parc Roman-Zytynsky didn't stop the stabbing. You can take steps to reduce the incidence of crime and disorder, but you can't eliminate them. The only solution to that is to seal yourself in a bunker.
Out of Towner
Active Member
Your strategy for dealing with crime that occurs at a park is based on hope and a prayer and not everybody has the luxury of using that as a strategy. The public wants solutions when crimes occur and the "he was at the wrong place at the wrong time" resolution isn't leadership and it isn't something that the public will accept from an authority. Be sure that if your strategy is used - especially in the case of a serious crime - the public will be saying that "she should have done this" or "she should have done that.. Most likely though the public will say that "she should have done something."
constance_chlore
Active Member
Sorry, I just don't think it's worth it to drop everything else that makes public spaces great to drop the crime rate to exactly 0.00!
Out of Towner
Active Member
You should have. You're fired.
Edmontonian
Active Member
I understand you won't change your mind, but just think for a second why we have this cliche of a dark alleyway. It's become a stereotypical place for crime and other illicit undertakings to occur, not just because its dark and late out but because it's an isolated and uninviting space with few people nearby to hear or see anything. Fencing up public spaces and urging people not to go outside after dark is not a solution to crime, just a way to make the overall problem worse.
More on topic - this park looks very good early on, I got a look at it during my lunch break and was pleasantly surprised. The light feature feels a bit imposing from street level but that will change as the surrounding area becomes more developed, I'm excited to see what it looks like in the winter. Those aerial shots of the landscaping look amazing, I'm sure we'll have our gripes with features missing from the final product later on but this is truly an excellent addition for Downtown.
More on topic - this park looks very good early on, I got a look at it during my lunch break and was pleasantly surprised. The light feature feels a bit imposing from street level but that will change as the surrounding area becomes more developed, I'm excited to see what it looks like in the winter. Those aerial shots of the landscaping look amazing, I'm sure we'll have our gripes with features missing from the final product later on but this is truly an excellent addition for Downtown.
Garceyues
Active Member
My girlfriend saw the construction crew installing swings earlier today.
