It香蕉视频直播檚 probably best not to judge buildings before they香蕉视频直播檝e been completed. But, as a naturally judgmental person, I can香蕉视频直播檛 help but do just that.
When I walk down Doyle Avenue, past Ellis Street, my brow furrows and my mind is immediately overwhelmed with one word: Ugh.
Ugh, in this case, is a stand-in for the following questions: Why is it suddenly so gloomy in what used to be a cheerful and bright corner?
Why has the aesthetically pleasing library been obscured by what looks to be a squat, square blah-ding?
Why is the Interior Health building so close to the sidewalk?
Was this corner always supposed to shape up into the 1970s version of progress?
I香蕉视频直播檓 hoping that my pre-completion perspective will be changed as time wears on, windows are popped in and cranes roll away because the last thing I want to become is one of the anti-development crew.
Firstly, because I know Kelowna needs to be densified.
The downtown requires a concentration of people, working and spending money, so supporting existing and future businesses can really flourish.
Secondly, I香蕉视频直播檝e seen what having nagging development doubts can do to someone in their dotage, and I really don香蕉视频直播檛 want to devolve into one of those people who compulsively heckles city planners as soon as they mention concrete.
I really love concrete. Especially when it香蕉视频直播檚 the foundation of a good city.
A good city-scape makes my heart go pitter pat, as a matter of fact.
But these buildings, on their own thus far, aren香蕉视频直播檛 getting my pulse racing and I香蕉视频直播檓 not alone. I香蕉视频直播檝e spoken to a number of people who香蕉视频直播檝e expressed similar displeasure in the darkening of Doyle.
Darkening that really needs to be offset as further development comes into place because, thus far, it香蕉视频直播檚 out of step with the natural attributes that makes this city appealing.
Coming to terms with how it all fits together, I suppose, is what香蕉视频直播檚 to happen with the development of a 香蕉视频直播渃ivic plaza香蕉视频直播� which has been talked about a great deal this week.
The long-range plan encompasses a new performing arts centre, a consolidation of existing museums and extension of the Art Walk from Queensway to Cawston Avenue.
香蕉视频直播淭hese public space improvements are an important ingredient for the civic precinct to function as a cohesive and vibrant district within downtown,香蕉视频直播� reads part of a report to council by planner Ross Soward.
香蕉视频直播淭he civic precinct plan embraces the vision of a dynamic community that aspires to have people live, work, play and learn in this area.香蕉视频直播�
Anticipating the future look of the area bounded by Queensway, Clement Avenue, Ellis Street and Water Street, among other things the plan says the current RCMP building, which will soon be empty when the police move to new Clement Avenue digs, will become a higher density residential property.
香蕉视频直播淭he site will be a catalyst to enhance and accelerate public space improvements such as the Art Walk extension and civic plaza (to eventually be developed between the courthouse, library and community theatre),香蕉视频直播� Soward said.
It all sounds wonderful, but what I hope we all remember as we zoom toward future Kelowna, is that this space may be coming available for economic and cultural enhancement, but it shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be at the expense of our natural attributes.
Kelowna has one of the most fetching waterfronts I香蕉视频直播檝e ever seen and it would be nice to see developers be mindful of that, not just maximizing their square footage, as they create our future city scape.
