[buildings]

Well, you learn something new everyday. I stand corrected. I thought for sure that the city had purchased most of the land on 96st between 102 and 105ave in order to demolish all those old hotels (NO KNIVES!) and rooming houses.

 

[ADob]

Well, you learn something new everyday. I stand corrected. I thought for sure that the city had purchased most of the land on 96st between 102 and 105ave in order to demolish all those old hotels (NO KNIVES!) and rooming houses.

OMG, I had forgotten about the NO KNIVES! hotel! Memory lane!

 

[buildings]

^your welcome.

 

[TAS]

Yeah, I guess me arguing for townhomes is me suggesting a pivot from traditional downtown thinking.

The quarters was envisioned as like an eastern version of Oliver. High density, towers, some office, etc.

But I think a more realistic vision is the denser parts of cloverdale/griesbach/blatchford.

I'd love to see something kind of like these (from Griesbach) line 96st in the Quarters - the current streetscaping the city did along 96st is ideal for these - such a classic look.

 

[policyenthusiast]

OMG, I had forgotten about the NO KNIVES! hotel! Memory lane!

Did some reading, as I never saw the York Hotel. It sounds like the bar from Road House.

 

[David A]

I understand and will of course admit that, no I do not have any current list of anything in the Quarters. I will even go so far to appoligize for assumptions of intentions from owners and their properties. Although as you pointed out though, some of those properties have remained the same way for decades. I remember some of the land the same way when I was just a kid visiting my dad at the newly built Canada Place.

Although I think the point I was trying to make, perhaps not in the correct way, was that as far as I'm aware, the city doesn't own a lot of the properties in the Quarters so it isn't just a matter of the city letting go of properties to developers. It is definitely much more on the onus of the businesses and or individuals. I don't think the Quarters could be considered a failed social experiment. The only major work in recent year by the city was the major road rehab of 96st as an effort to encourage developers to come do something in the area, as far as I'm aware.

I recall the city spending a lot on infrastructure here, was it a decade or so ago now?, and they were so sure it would soon lead to development. So, I don't the failure was as a social experiment, but more so in municipal planning/development.

 

[Kosy123]

e4c has an excavator on site!

 

[Kosy123]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-city-council-quarters-revitalization-9.7179167

Renaming the Quarters station to Chinatown South actually seems like a really good idea?

 

[ADob]

It really does, in particular since the Quarters was a manufactured name, whereas Chinatown is organically a part of that area.

 

[Kosy123]

It really does, in particular since the Quarters was a manufactured name, whereas Chinatown is organically a part of that area.

There's a ton of people passionate about revitalizing Chinatown and having some of that energy brought over to the area by the LRT stop seems like a great idea tbh. It's another chance to get some more unique retail in the core that would actually want to make people show up to the area.

Branding really is a power of its own. Quarters doesn't have the same "oomph" and marketing appeal as Chinatown South imo.

 

[ADob]

It really doesn't, especially since it was basically DOA. It was a classic example of "if you build it, they might not actually come". Would love to see it come alive!

 

[Avenuer]

It's funny, the official neighbourhood name for the area that 'the Quarters' is located in is Boyle Street, so maybe the City should officially rename the area now referred to as 'the Quarters' to Chinatown South. Would be cool to make that official once the new Chinatown Gate is completed - would need to start that process now, though.

 

[Kosy123]

It's funny, the official neighbourhood name for the area that 'the Quarters' is located in is Boyle Street, so maybe the City should officially rename the area now referred to as 'the Quarters' to Chinatown South. Would be cool to make that official once the new Chinatown Gate is completed - would need to start that process now, though.

Would be a great change. Small cost of rebranding the area, paying homage to the old Chinatown that got demolished due to Canada Place, new gate and the possibility for more Chinese/Asian owned and inspired businesses to take a small chance there like Boa & Hare did at some point.

 

[fromyeg]

We’re going to need all new signage once Valley Line West opens anyways.

Agree that we should change the name!

(Emailed council to voice support for the change.)

 

[Gronk!]

I look forward to a potential growth of Chinatown along 97 St between Jasper Ave and that abandoned CN bridge.