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OT: Ice District construction: updates

rboomercat90 said:
Couple things I find odd about this. First off, I've lived in this city for almost fifty years. During that time I've been under the impression there was a problem with pollution. Not sure if it's true or not but as a kid we were always warned that the fish weren't safe to eat due to their mercury content. If this is the case not sure I'd want to be swimming in the water. I don't think I've ever heard of people swimming in it although I do know people fish in it.

Secondly, it's a fast moving river. Spring run off can last until the end of July so some years it may not be safe for the public until then. Most of the use for this would probably be from the May long weekend until the end of July while the weather is hot. Not sure something like this makes a lot of sense for such a short window for use. Curious to hear what others think.
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I've kayaked down the North Sask from Devon/Genesee bridge to Capilano many times and other than May/June the river barely has current for long stretches, not very fast moving at all. Perhaps go down and check it out, lots of people swim in the river on hot days.
 
Quarters is being developed - it's going to be a ways down the line, though. You've got to wait until they near completion of the ICE district to drive foot traffic to downtown, and near completion of the Valley construction projects (there's a viewing platform being built amongst other plans). The Quarters will serve as a nice transition zone between the two areas. The plan is to generate the most beautiful views and experience as you head from Whyte Ave down to the new Walterdale bridge, crossing the Valley projects, through Quarters and into the ICE district.

It should be quite something in 10 years.
 
Hiphopopotamus said:
I've kayaked down the North Sask from Devon/Genesee bridge to Capilano many times and other than May/June the river barely has current for long stretches, not very fast moving at all. Perhaps go down and check it out, lots of people swim in the river on hot days.
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I didn't know people swam in the river. Ive lived across the street from the river near the Dawson Bridge for the last ten years so I do know what it looks like.:) I haven't seen anybody swimming around there. What I do know is that the spring run off can last well into July when, to me, the demand to use it would be the highest. The two worst floods I can remember were in 86 where the sourdough raft race had to be postponed until the last Saturday of the month and the one a few years ago which was into July as well. I do agree though that once that run off is over that it is pretty calm. It's too bad it can be so late in the season.
 
rboomercat90 said:
I didn't know people swam in the river. Ive lived across the street from the river near the Dawson Bridge for the last ten years so I do know what it looks like.:) I haven't seen anybody swimming around there. What I do know is that the spring run off can last well into July when, to me, the demand to use it would be the highest. The two worst floods I can remember were in 86 where the sourdough raft race had to be postponed until the last Saturday of the month and the one a few years ago which was into July as well. I do agree though that once that run off is over that it is pretty calm. It's too bad it can be so late in the season.
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It is hardly ever to dangerous to paddle on and there are stretches upstream and downstream where a person could walk across the river. The river narrows slightly downtown and runs a bit deeper at the Dawson bridge and in around where the Queen is parked.
 
rboomercat90 said:
Couple things I find odd about this. First off, I've lived in this city for almost fifty years. During that time I've been under the impression there was a problem with pollution. Not sure if it's true or not but as a kid we were always warned that the fish weren't safe to eat due to their mercury content. If this is the case not sure I'd want to be swimming in the water. I don't think I've ever heard of people swimming in it although I do know people fish in it.

Secondly, it's a fast moving river. Spring run off can last until the end of July so some years it may not be safe for the public until then. Most of the use for this would probably be from the May long weekend until the end of July while the weather is hot. Not sure something like this makes a lot of sense for such a short window for use. Curious to hear what others think.
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There's always people hanging out along the river and swimming in it at Devon which is just upstream. The river can move pretty quick so you need to be careful but is not too bad. It kind of sad how little we engage with the river in Edmonton, most cities with a river through the middle of them make more use of them for recreation than we do.
 
madmutter said:
There's always people hanging out along the river and swimming in it at Devon which is just upstream. The river can move pretty quick so you need to be careful but is not too bad. It kind of sad how little we engage with the river in Edmonton, most cities with a river through the middle of them make more use of them for recreation than we do.
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It's a corridor for wildlife. Hence the reluctance to develop it.
 
My girlfriends apartment has this exact view. I make sure to look at it every time i'm over. It's always spectacular!


McHilman said:
Not directly ICE District but an awesome picture none the less.

DHXSnWQV0AAKul9.jpg:large

https://twitter.com/Wherezjeff/status/897855288291676161
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Hiphopopotamus said:
It is hardly ever to dangerous to paddle on and there are stretches upstream and downstream where a person could walk across the river. The river narrows slightly downtown and runs a bit deeper at the Dawson bridge and in around where the Queen is parked.
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Guess I'm not too surprised to hear how shallow it is in some areas. I lived in Saskatoon for a few years as a teenager and used to canoe the South Saskatchewan river from downtown to the Warman ferry and there were some points in the river when you almost had to get out and push. Of course those trips were usually in August or early September. Similar type of river.

I was more surprised to hear people swan in the North Saskatchewan, I've been under the impression for decades that the water quality was too poor.
 
rboomercat90 said:
Guess I'm not too surprised to hear how shallow it is in some areas. I lived in Saskatoon for a few years as a teenager and used to canoe the South Saskatchewan river from downtown to the Warman ferry and there were some points in the river when you almost had to get out and push. Of course those trips were usually in August or early September. Similar type of river.

I was more surprised to hear people swan in the North Saskatchewan, I've been under the impression for decades that the water quality was too poor.
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We are approx the same age and I can echo your sentiments about the water quality.
My understanding these days is that the water quality has improved but it is still touch and go in spots for certain contaminants.

Here is an article showing recent testing for E-coli...

http://globalnews.ca/news/3666065/new-program-tests-whether-north-saskatchewan-river-is-clean-enough-to-swim-in/

I have had people suggest that its just mountain water but they seem to overlook the fact that this water travels 400+km (through multiple communities) from the mountains before it got to the city.
 
Are they still going to build the new movie theater? I think it was supposed to go in one of those two buildings that are halfway done.
 
AUAIOMRN said:
Are they still going to build the new movie theater? I think it was supposed to go in one of those two buildings that are halfway done.
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Nope - movie theatre is going where the old bus station was and that is still a big open hole.

So still building it, just not in either of those two locations.
 
Bring in some of the rowdies from downtown Vancouver. They'll have it torn down and in flames in less than an evening. Cheap labour.
 
Stoneman89 said:
Bring in some of the rowdies from downtown Vancouver. They'll have it torn down and in flames in less than an evening. Cheap labour.
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We're already paying those lazy firefighters to sit around and do nothing all day. At least we would get some worth out of them, not just have them as a drain on our taxes.
 
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