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ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit
One thing I'm surprised about is why the University of Waterloo stop didn't incorporate the University's colours - black and gold in the wall design. 

Also, I don't know why the Waterloo Square stop they had to add "Public" in it. Simply naming it Waterloo Square is tied more to the site. Adding "Public" is an unnecessary attempt to brand the square as a "public" space. Think of the great squares the world over - do any have the name "public" in them?
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The curves of those rail yards are just so sexy!  Smile

That is all I can add to this thread.  But it has been very interesting to follow the comments and insights here.
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(06-14-2015, 11:55 AM)The85 Wrote: Also, I don't know why the Waterloo Square stop they had to add "Public" in it. Simply naming it Waterloo Square is tied more to the site. Adding "Public" is an unnecessary attempt to brand the square as a "public" space. Think of the great squares the world over - do any have the name "public" in them?

Two things: first this is already the case. The official name has always been "Waterloo Public Square" from the get go. Second, I seem to recall someone telling me that this was done to avoid potential infringement of the registered trademark "Waterloo Town Square" which is the name of the mall.
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Went out for a walk last night and accidentally ended up at William and Caroline (our intent was to turn left up Park, but ended up continuing up the IHT to Caroline).  We noticed something odd behind the fence: kiddie pools.  One of them was just sitting to the side, but the other had a compactor in it.
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Were they actual kiddy pools or did they just look kind of like kiddy pools? Either way, they were almost certainly using them as spill trays to contain any leaking fluids.
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(06-14-2015, 02:25 PM)BuildingScout Wrote:
(06-14-2015, 11:55 AM)The85 Wrote: Also, I don't know why the Waterloo Square stop they had to add "Public" in it. Simply naming it Waterloo Square is tied more to the site. Adding "Public" is an unnecessary attempt to brand the square as a "public" space. Think of the great squares the world over - do any have the name "public" in them?

Two things: first this is already the case. The official name has always been "Waterloo Public Square" from the get go. Second, I seem to recall someone telling me that this was done to avoid potential infringement of the registered trademark "Waterloo Town Square" which is the name of the mall.

It is hard to believe that the square at Waterloo Town Square is not the open space at the front. The building has "The Shops" at Waterloo Town Square written on it. 

This is the third mall located along the LRT route. Seeing as Conestoga Mall became Conestoga and Fairview Mall became Fairway, I too wonder why Waterloo Town Square did not become Waterloo Square... I too see the inclusion of the word public superfluous. 

Having a contest for the public or a vote on the stop names would have generated additional interest and participation in the LRT process. 
_____________________________________
I used to be the mayor of sim city. I know what I am talking about.
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(06-15-2015, 07:42 AM)Drake Wrote: Having a contest for the public or a vote on the stop names would have generated additional interest and participation in the LRT process. 

While this may be true, I'm glad it didn't work that way. We came out with station names that (mostly) are descriptive of the locations they are in. Would we get that if we put it to a public vote? Would that process be able to resolve conflicts between "Victoria Park" and "Victoria St."? And would it have even saved us from "Central Station - Innovation District" if a councillor or mayor really insisted on that branding?

Remember, even at a large scale, a public response can be subverted. At a small scale like this, a determined campaign by the vocal opponents of this project could be allowed to embarrass us all.

I'm happy that we didn't go this way, and I'm happy we didn't consider selling station naming rights or anything else (beyond a little politics) that would jeopardize the legibility of the system.
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(06-14-2015, 11:30 PM)jamincan Wrote: Were they actual kiddy pools or did they just look kind of like kiddy pools? Either way, they were almost certainly using them as spill trays to contain any leaking fluids.

[Image: CHi5FtbUYAAB7gA.jpg]
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(06-15-2015, 07:42 AM)Drake Wrote:
(06-14-2015, 02:25 PM)BuildingScout Wrote: Two things: first this is already the case. The official name has always been "Waterloo Public Square" from the get go. Second, I seem to recall someone telling me that this was done to avoid potential infringement of the registered trademark "Waterloo Town Square" which is the name of the mall.

It is hard to believe that the square at Waterloo Town Square is not the open space at the front. The building has "The Shops" at Waterloo Town Square written on it. 

This is the third mall located along the LRT route. Seeing as Conestoga Mall became Conestoga and Fairview Mall became Fairway, I too wonder why Waterloo Town Square did not become Waterloo Square... I too see the inclusion of the word public superfluous. 

Having a contest for the public or a vote on the stop names would have generated additional interest and participation in the LRT process. 

The public space in front of the building is called Waterloo Public Square while the mall building is called The Shops at Waterloo Town Square. The name Waterloo Town Square seems to be a shortened reference to The Shops at Waterloo Town Square.

The LRT stop named "Waterloo Public Square" is located right at the Waterloo Public Square, so it seems to make sense to name it precisely that.
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(06-15-2015, 11:13 AM)tmccnnll Wrote: The name Waterloo Town Square seems to be a shortened reference to The Shops at Waterloo Town Square.

"The Shops at" part of the name is relatively recent, since the mid-2000s rebuild.

The mall opened in 1961 as "Waterloo Square", judging by the quote on this page: In Waterloo Square, this city has one of the most modern downtown shopping malls in the province."
It likely wasn't that long before "Town" got inserted in. (Or maybe that Waterloo Chronicle employee just colloquially dropped it.)
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Expected to take an extra week to complete the ION rail crossing at Columbia Street. Seems like all areas of ION construction are behind schedule :/
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Do you mean that it will take a 3rd week, after this one? It was planned to take 2 weeks initially.
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(06-15-2015, 11:46 AM)Markster Wrote: Do you mean that it will take a 3rd week, after this one?  It was planned to take 2 weeks initially.

Unfortunately yes. Will not get done until the 26th or so.
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(06-15-2015, 11:36 AM)Markster Wrote:
(06-15-2015, 11:13 AM)tmccnnll Wrote: The name Waterloo Town Square seems to be a shortened reference to The Shops at Waterloo Town Square.

"The Shops at" part of the name is relatively recent, since the mid-2000s rebuild.

The mall opened in 1961 as "Waterloo Square", judging by the quote on this page: In Waterloo Square, this city has one of the most modern downtown shopping malls in the province."
It likely wasn't that long before "Town" got inserted in.  (Or maybe that Waterloo Chronicle employee just colloquially dropped it.)

"Town" got inserted into the name maybe in the late 80s or early 90s; it was just "Waterloo Square" for a long time before that.  (This was around the same time that we lost "Motor" from the "Waterloo Motor Inn" ...)
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(06-15-2015, 02:51 PM)tomh009 Wrote: This was around the same time that we lost "Motor" from the "Waterloo Motor Inn" ...
I always thought it should be named "Waterloo Person and Motor Inn" since it's more than just a large parking lot for motor vehicles Wink
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