Waterloo Region Connected

(05-22-2015, 10:01 AM)BuildingScout Wrote: [ -> ]One of the advantages of solar powered led lighting is that it requires no conduit. It'd be sad if the "intelligent city" of KW were to use last century's technology in this location.

+1

The decision to install conduit doesn't exude much confidence that the, um, powers-that-be, have a clue about what they're doing. Maybe Jaworsky will be a bit more, um, enlightened about his section of the trail.

I would think also that there would be money at the provincial and federal levels to support this sort of initiative, e.g. Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program 

Quote:Projects must fall within the following project categories to be eligible for funding under the program:
...
• parks, recreational trails, including fitness trails, bike paths and other types of trails;...

Examples of eligible projects include:
...
• adding a roof or lighting to an outdoor rink; and
• extending a trail or bike path by no more than 50 percent of its existing length.

(05-22-2015, 10:01 AM)BuildingScout Wrote: [ -> ]One of the advantages of solar powered led lighting is that it requires no conduit. It'd be sad if the "intelligent city" of KW were to use last century's technology in this location.

I suspect solar lighting would not work so well in a heavily shaded area under a dense tree canopy.

Must we be so quick to label things as "last century's technology"?

Waterloo's own bylaw probably has height limits to lamp post/solar panel collection devices. I didn't look it up but yesterday I was reading Kitchener's bylaw and I came across that very issue in property standards information.

Solar LED lamps are usually about half as high as sodium vapour street lights. Do you think that would be too short or too high to meet regulations?

p.s. A positive unintended side effect is that LED lights produce substantially less light pollution: lower and more directional.

(05-23-2015, 12:08 PM)kwliving Wrote: [ -> ]Waterloo's own bylaw probably has height limits to lamp post/solar panel collection devices. I didn't look it up but yesterday I was reading Kitchener's bylaw and I came across that very issue in property standards information.

There was some concern over the lamp posts on the Spur Line trail. I can't remember the proposed height and I'm not sure what the final disposition is. Documents: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettin...oSheet.pdf. I want to say 9' lamp posts but I'm not sure.

Great resource, thanks. The drawings linked to in that report have 15' posts with LED lighting (non-solar)

Spur Line Trail construction appears to be in full swing. Ground prep and post bases in between Regina and Willow. Given that (I think) there is no drainage work happening there, we may see trail surface poured sometime soonish.

Hillside Park trail surface is nearing completion. Crews were pouring asphalt at the Carter/University entrance to connect up with asphalt laid at the (south) foot of the bridge. Caution though! There are several cuts along the section paved last fall, looks like they'll be fixing that up as well before they're done.

In Tuesday's Planning and Works meeting, (video) there was an update about the proposed Chandler-Stirling bridge.

The proposal is already being reviewed by the MTO.

Markster, do you have any more details about that bridge? Can't watch video right now. It would help a lot in getting across the expressway. Ottawa is still a huge problem though.

Nope. That was literally all that was said. There aren't many details yet.

City applies for 150 funding 

Quote:The City of Waterloo has submitted three projects for consideration as part of the Federal Government’s new infrastructure fund to celebrate Canada’s upcoming 150th birthday in 2017...

The first project requests $475,000 from the fund to help pay for improvements to the Trans Canada Trail through Waterloo Park, including better landscape design, increased shade, additional amenities such as water play features and furniture, and the expansion of pedestrian-scale lighting along secondary trail linkages that cross the light rail transit corridor. The total project would cost an estimated $1.5 million.

The second project the city will submit is $288,000 in funding to improve pavement conditions along approximately four kilometres of trail on eight different sections of the Trans Canada Trail in the city, with a total project cost of about $720,000.

I wonder if any of this will pay for something better than a fugly chain link fence to separate the LRT tracks from the TCT trail through Waterloo Park.

I've been impressed by the quality and quantity of suggestions (many of which have been discussed here and previously on WW) on Kitchener's trails survey so far:
http://www.communityremarks.com/Kitchener/

The tool is very intuitive and easy to use (and doesn't require any kind of account to use).

The Spur Line Trail is progressing well! 

Where abouts is this Spur Line Trail, Waterlooer?

(05-29-2015, 08:51 PM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]Where abouts is this Spur Line Trail, Waterlooer?

I think I got the name right haha! It's the trail connecting Uptown Waterloo to Weber Street/downtown Kitchener. This photo was taken on Allen St. at the railway track