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General Urban Waterloo Updates and Rumours
(04-03-2019, 04:30 PM)urbd Wrote:
(04-02-2019, 07:58 PM)MidTowner Wrote: The Clay and Glass has a fair few school programs and children's camp, and workshops for children and adults. Artists sometimes run projects there involving local schools that culminate in a public installation or museum exhibition.

Yeah, but don't you agree that it could be more active and vibrant? I live very close to it and walk by it almost every day, and it always just feels dead and empty. Very few go through those doors. Let alone the public space around it, just fully inactive.

I agree with the fact that it could be more vibrant. You're right that it never feels very energized when I'm walking by. I wonder how few go through the doors- my impression has always been, with the children's activities, that it does serve a fair few clients. You're probably right that the facilities could be more heavily leveraged.
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I believe that there were plans for the space to be easily expandable when it was first designed but I don't think that they have ever been brought up since it opened. For what it's worth, 20,000 people walk through its doors every year. (Mind you The Museum claims 100,000+ visitors each year). I'm not sure how much of either figure comes from private functions that are more interested in the space (like a wedding) than in what's on the walls or the programming schedule.
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Does anyone know what's happening with the houses on Erb Street West?....about 5 houses are boarded up...about 190ish Erb Street West

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/180+Erb...3481?hl=en


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(04-08-2019, 09:20 AM)LesPio Wrote: Does anyone know what's happening with the houses on Erb Street West?....about 5 houses are boarded up...about 190ish Erb Street West

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/180+Erb...3481?hl=en

Big redevelopment coming up...
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The properties 192-202 Erb St West are mentioned in this "notice of passing zoning bylaw" document, so are a number of houses on Dietz.

https://www.waterloo.ca/en/government/re...-bylaw.pdf

Probably a stretch but Killam REIT bought Westmount Place last year and they have redevelopment ambitions for that property, and this stretch of homes runs along a portion of that property.
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That stretch of Erb could be a really cool gateway to uptown
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(04-08-2019, 09:09 PM)rangersfan Wrote: The properties 192-202 Erb St West are mentioned in this "notice of passing zoning bylaw" document, so are a number of houses on Dietz.

https://www.waterloo.ca/en/government/re...-bylaw.pdf

Probably a stretch but Killam REIT bought Westmount Place last year and they have redevelopment ambitions for that property, and this stretch of homes runs along a portion of that property.

From the official plan amendment:
Quote:Item (21): For consistency with Schedule ‘A’ (Land Use Plan), that Schedule ‘B1’ (Height and Density) of the Official Plan for: 
  • 9 Dietz Avenue North  
  • 15 Dietz Avenue North  
  • 192 Erb Street West 
  • 194 Erb Street West 
  • 196 Erb Street West 
  • 198 Erb Street West 
  • 200 Erb Street West 
  • 202 Erb Street West
is hereby amended as follows:

Existing: Medium Density, 20 Metres

Amended To: Medium High Density, 40 Metres
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There were a number of homes on Erb St that were purchased by the previous Westmount Place owners. That would include 208 Erb St West (knew previous owner) and several properties towards Westmount, up to 216 Erb Street. Several homes were torn down in between those addresses. I am 99% sure Kilam REIT got all those properties with their acquisition. Would not surprise me if they also purchased the properties noted in the Zoning amendment above. I look forward to seeing development proposals, really unique grading to deal with there. About a month ago I saw a crew taking soil/core samples(?) in the ever vacant lot between 208 and 202 Erb St W.
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I've always pictured a condo tower here, with 'underground' parking on the Erb side that's exposed on the plaza side (perhaps even having an entry on the plaza parking).
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Would that not save a lot on excavation?
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Not sure if posted anywhere, but couldn't find it in the search. Princess (Original) Theatre set to close:

https://www.therecord.com/news-story/928...-to-close/
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It's being discussed in the General Arts and Culture thread.
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Question: Can you turn left on a red light from Caroline onto Erb when you're approaching from the Albert St. side?

Seems legal to me (turning left from Caroline where it's one-way onto Erb where it's also one-way), but I've noticed that cars stopped at a red light in the left turn lane on Caroline almost always wait until the light turns green to turn onto Erb.  This can create a backlog, especially during rush hour.

I've also noticed that the train barrier at that intersection doesn't extend into the left turn lane on Caroline.

Since there seems to be a lot of confusion, they should post a sign advising that left turns on red are permitted (assuming I'm correct).
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(04-19-2019, 10:48 AM)Tony_Plow Wrote: Question: Can you turn left on a red light from Caroline onto Erb when you're approaching from the Albert St. side?

Seems legal to me (turning left from Caroline where it's one-way onto Erb where it's also one-way), but I've noticed that cars stopped at a red light in the left turn lane on Caroline almost always wait until the light turns green to turn onto Erb.  This can create a backlog, especially during rush hour.

I've also noticed that the train barrier at that intersection doesn't extend into the left turn lane on Caroline.

Since there seems to be a lot of confusion, they should post a sign advising that left turns on red are permitted (assuming I'm correct).

Left turns on red are permitted there, because it is a one way road to another one way road.  Many drivers do not know, and worse, many drivers honk and harass people who wait (which by the way is legal, unlike making a nuisance by honking--which all the people who live in the nearby buildings get to listen too).

Now with the bike box, it is even less clear that left turns are legal on red, but I believe under the letter of the law they are.

That being said, this is actually a pretty uncommon turning movement at that intersection, the failure to turn left on a red is not creating a backup that I can see.

If you are to put up a sign, banning turns is probably the right choice, it's obscure, unusual, and with the bike box, actually problematic, and also totally unnecessary.

But that intersection has bigger fish to fry...soooo many bigger fish.

As for the train barrier, I've noticed that the train signals and traffic lights make almost no sense at all when the train is going through, entirely non-conflicting movements are blocked for no reason.  I've even seen the ped signals turn off for the straight direction. Of course in a world where we have a no-walk signal at a retaining wall, this isn't totally shocking.
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(04-19-2019, 10:57 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: which by the way is legal

No, see s. 170 (12).

Quote:unlike making a nuisance by honking

‘Making a nuisance’ would be illegal, but just honking isn't. (s. 75 (1))
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