General Urban Waterloo Updates and Rumours

[Spokes]

Was the decision made just for the Lumen festival?

[darts]

Was the decision made just for the Lumen festival?

probably the opposite.

[rave]

I can't help but laugh at the fact that the BIA pitched in significant funds for the lights but was worried that painting the bike lane green would ruin the character of uptown....

[Pheidippides]

Looks like new plant/tree boxes are being installed in front of Allen Square. Would make for a nice patio behind those and the building.
   

The next set of McMansions on George sure went up fast:
   

From the rear - newest ones are on right partially-obscured by trees (via Regina):
   

It is kind of sad that those older houses were demolished only to be replaced with cookie-cutter, $1.2million dollar homes when it is so close to an Ion stop. They could have fit some nice walk-ups (i.e. density) on those lots that would not have been out of place or scale given what was actually built.

[danbrotherston]

Seconded.

Yup, the DTK lights look good at night - much higher end look/ not too bright or overbearing.
I still don't understand how Waterloo could make such an obvious mistake.

Again, because some of us do like them.

It being in uptown does not negate my right to an opinion, to each their means that.  Calling it a mistake, suggests that your opinion is right, and mine is wrong.

As for DTK, I really did like those lights, but those ones were clearly a mistake, as 100% of the bollard lights have failed, what, 5-6 years in?

[jeffster]

Seconded.

Yup, the DTK lights look good at night - much higher end look/ not too bright or overbearing.
I still don't understand how Waterloo could make such an obvious mistake.

That's a real mystery why Waterloo did this. I am guessing they wanted something flashy, which is totally is. It's also distracting. Personally the part that bothers me the most is that the trees all look like that they're in jail. But, being from Kitchener, I only have to worry about the mistakes of this city, past and present (examples, tearing down the old City Hall and questionable design of the Farmers Market).

I think when it comes to lighting, my favourite is still Queen St from Lancaster down to the Iron Horse. Just an opinion, obviously.

[Spokes]

Yup, the DTK lights look good at night - much higher end look/ not too bright or overbearing.
I still don't understand how Waterloo could make such an obvious mistake.

Again, because some of us do like them.

It being in uptown does not negate my right to an opinion, to each their means that.  Calling it a mistake, suggests that your opinion is right, and mine is wrong.

As for DTK, I really did like those lights, but those ones were clearly a mistake, as 100% of the bollard lights have failed, what, 5-6 years in?

I think almost none of the bollards ended up having lights.  Unless I'm mistaken.

That was a cost saving measure I think

[clasher]

Yup, the DTK lights look good at night - much higher end look/ not too bright or overbearing.
I still don't understand how Waterloo could make such an obvious mistake.

That's a real mystery why Waterloo did this. I am guessing they wanted something flashy, which is totally is. It's also distracting. Personally the part that bothers me the most is that the trees all look like that they're in jail. But, being from Kitchener, I only have to worry about the mistakes of this city, past and present (examples, tearing down the old City Hall and questionable design of the Farmers Market).

I think when it comes to lighting, my favourite is still Queen St from Lancaster down to the Iron Horse. Just an opinion, obviously.

I don't like the uptown lights nor do I like the old-timey Queen street ones.

[Rainrider22]

That's a real mystery why Waterloo did this. I am guessing they wanted something flashy, which is totally is. It's also distracting. Personally the part that bothers me the most is that the trees all look like that they're in jail. But, being from Kitchener, I only have to worry about the mistakes of this city, past and present (examples, tearing down the old City Hall and questionable design of the Farmers Market).

I think when it comes to lighting, my favourite is still Queen St from Lancaster down to the Iron Horse. Just an opinion, obviously.

I don't like the uptown lights nor do I like the old-timey Queen street ones.

I think the lights on Queen Street look great.  They are old beautiful lights, not new lights trying to look like old lights.  That neighborhood looks so beautiful after a fresh snow fall too..WOW

[danbrotherston]

Again, because some of us do like them.

It being in uptown does not negate my right to an opinion, to each their means that.  Calling it a mistake, suggests that your opinion is right, and mine is wrong.

As for DTK, I really did like those lights, but those ones were clearly a mistake, as 100% of the bollard lights have failed, what, 5-6 years in?

I think almost none of the bollards ended up having lights.  Unless I'm mistaken.

That was a cost saving measure I think

I could be miss-remembering but I'm pretty sure all of them did, I remember seeing them all lit, the first year.

They failed very quickly, within 2-3 years, well over half were off, and by 4 years, there were only a handful left.

I haven't seen one lit in a few years.

[taylortbb]

I think almost none of the bollards ended up having lights.  Unless I'm mistaken.

That was a cost saving measure I think

I could be miss-remembering but I'm pretty sure all of them did, I remember seeing them all lit, the first year.

They failed very quickly, within 2-3 years, well over half were off, and by 4 years, there were only a handful left.

I haven't seen one lit in a few years.

Only the ones in font of city hall were lit. The rest were cut for cost saving reasons.

[MacBerry]

Yup, the DTK lights look good at night - much higher end look/ not too bright or overbearing.
I still don't understand how Waterloo could make such an obvious mistake.

That's a real mystery why Waterloo did this. I am guessing they wanted something flashy, which is totally is. It's also distracting. Personally the part that bothers me the most is that the trees all look like that they're in jail. But, being from Kitchener, I only have to worry about the mistakes of this city, past and present (examples, tearing down the old City Hall and questionable design of the Farmers Market).

I think when it comes to lighting, my favourite is still Queen St from Lancaster down to the Iron Horse. Just an opinion, obviously.

Me ... I am thinking how amazing those lights and trees will be in 10 or 20 years ... think bigger and taller trees.

[Pheidippides]

They do not look sturdy enough to last 2 years, let alone twenty.

They were patterned like candy canes this evening.

[Tony_Plow]

Looks like new plant/tree boxes are being installed in front of Allen Square. Would make for a nice patio behind those and the building.


The next set of McMansions on George sure went up fast:


From the rear - newest ones are on right partially-obscured by trees (via Regina):


It is kind of sad that those older houses were demolished only to be replaced with cookie-cutter, $1.2million dollar homes when it is so close to an Ion stop. They could have fit some nice walk-ups (i.e. density) on those lots that would not have been out of place or scale given what was actually built.

Agreed - they're not great looking houses - very generic/suburban looking.  Whoever bought those houses is taking quite a risk - the land directly behind is not owned by the city and could be developed in the future - the city only owns the pumping station and the land on the other side of the pumping station (further away from King St.) - not to mention the condo tower proposed for the corner of King and George.

[Lens]

Is Sunlife getting a reclad?