I look at EV as already having succeeded for the most part. It still has room for improvement of course, but the area has managed to turn around to point where it can sustain itself as an area of activity. Once the retail is open in M2 and 5th and Third, I think the area will be far enough along that it'll be past the tipping point. All it really needs is one of those empty lots in the centre area to get developed and it'll be solid.
I walked to the new library and further past it. I can’t say the streets encouraged me to stay.
I have a hunch Sky of Blue's referring to the 4th and 5th street fly-overs, and possibly 9th. I don't usually think of the flyovers as part of EV, but I could see for a newcomer how they would feel like they are cutting EV off from other parts. I don't find 9th ave very busy, except a rush hour, and cars sometimes race through the 4th street intersection when the light's green, other than that I don't find EV itself to have much traffic.
The parking to the east of that park is the old Enoch Sales House land that was offered to the Flames as part of the arena deal. CSEC has first right of refusal on acquiring the land prior to the opening of the new arena. A lot of the old warehouse buildings north of 11th Ave in East Village are historical in nature and the city still hasn't decided on what to do with them. The most recent route change for the Green line thru the East village was decided on because the city would have had to buy some of the old warehouse buildings and demolish them to make way for the S curve under the properties which was considered more expensive than simply doing cut-and-cover along 11th ave.
As much as I don't like the flyover routes, I'm forever thankful we didn't get the downtown penetrator.
Bageezus. What a disaster. ?Yep thank god.
The Downtown Penetrator: