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Archivistower
Guest
It sounds like a West Edmonton Mall without the stores. Too hilarious to even make up!
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BrianHawkins1
Guest
"La Ronde ia a very good amusement park"
Not that "French" (note the capital 'F'), this one:
"two private developers from France"
(Unless some France-French outfit runs La Ronde, I suppose.)
Amusement park design is about as natural a fit with the French sensibility as their efforts at movie musicals.
Too bad the fun yuks created above have now been cast down the tubes due to having to be spelled out. Perhaps someone will chime in with, "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg could compete on any level with Singin' in the Rain", in order to nail the comedy coffin shut.
Not that "French" (note the capital 'F'), this one:
"two private developers from France"
(Unless some France-French outfit runs La Ronde, I suppose.)
Amusement park design is about as natural a fit with the French sensibility as their efforts at movie musicals.
Too bad the fun yuks created above have now been cast down the tubes due to having to be spelled out. Perhaps someone will chime in with, "Les Parapluies de Cherbourg could compete on any level with Singin' in the Rain", in order to nail the comedy coffin shut.
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green22
Guest
Perhaps I have an idea that will solve 2 problems. We could use this idea for the Island airport. The city will be rid of the airport and the Port authority will be rid of a money losing airport (our mini-Mirabel).
I think this would work-- for the airport site I'm seeing an old time theme, you could have a miniature train that runs around the grounds for the kids to ride, miniature golf, a roller coaster, classic ferris wheel, game booths or even a swan boat ride. I'll forward this to Lisa Raitt for approval, they have a keen sense for profitable ventures. The Rochester Ferry terminal shouldn't be too busy this summer, so people could use it to take a ferry to Westville Amusement Park from there.
I think this would work-- for the airport site I'm seeing an old time theme, you could have a miniature train that runs around the grounds for the kids to ride, miniature golf, a roller coaster, classic ferris wheel, game booths or even a swan boat ride. I'll forward this to Lisa Raitt for approval, they have a keen sense for profitable ventures. The Rochester Ferry terminal shouldn't be too busy this summer, so people could use it to take a ferry to Westville Amusement Park from there.
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bizorky
Guest
Mirabel was another farking waste of money, a fiasco up there with the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. It was designed by people who thought that flying was going supersonic, hence the extremely long runways. Yet as that airport evolved, passeneger aircraft remained subsonic, grew larger, increased in range and could easily bypass Mirabel (and go to Pearson). The airport was never finished; the rail system to the city was never attempted, the highway from Montreal was never completed, and the highway from Hull (Ottawa) was never started. Huge amounts of land were expropriated at disgustingly low prices, wiping out many farmers in the process.
Now this billion dollar white elephant is being turned into a theme park. Pathetic! Another testament to megaprojects gone mental.
Now this billion dollar white elephant is being turned into a theme park. Pathetic! Another testament to megaprojects gone mental.
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spmarshall
Guest
I have this wonderful book published in 1981, I believe, called "Paper Juggernaut", all about Mirabel and Pickering. It explains the politics of building new aiports and site selection (which was very political) and how Pickering was choosen, even though it was one of the earliest rejected sites, then brought back to life to appease the provincial government.
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dan e 1980
Guest
they'll invent teleportation travel before mirabel is needed.
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interchange42
Guest
Just to nitpick: Mirabel's Highway to Hull is being opened in stages, and will be fully open in 2010, albeit as a "Super 2" as opposed to 4 lanes, divided.
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interchange42
Guest
I think the push behind Autoroute 50 has been more political: Highway 417 handles the Ottawa/GatineauMontreal traffic pretty well, but it's through Ontario. With a better highway (than meandering 148) built on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, the Outaouais part of the province it is hoped (by the separatists) to feel more connected to "je me souviens". Right now that part of Quebec is the least likely to vote for separation because of the strong influence of Ottawa across from them. The provincial Liberal government is still building the highway, just not as quickly as it was going to be done. I think it's doubtful that one highway is going to tip the scales in the separation war in that area.
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Antiloop33rpm
Guest
interchange: Politics seem to be an integral part of any highway project in any province. I suspect that the PLQ has continued with Autoroute 50 too ensure that the Outaouais electorate feels like they are getting their 'fair share' of the highway projects given that most other regions of the province are also going to be seeing new highway construction project.
Edit: What is interesting about this recent announcment by the PLQ was that many people were rather strongly against many of these projects, even Autoroute 30 which is probably the one project that should happen without question. In Montreal especially there was a lot of criticism for not putting the money into public transit instead. Of the 1.3 billion investment, only 438 million is going to new projects so at the end of the day this isnt a huge amount in new highways and autoroutes. Here is a breakdown of how the money is being spent.
Concrètement, Québec consacrera:
# 359 millions à la conservation des chaussées;
# 253 millions à la conservation des structures;
# 250 millions aux interventions d'amélioration du réseau;
# 438 millions à la réalisation de projets de développement majeurs.
# 132: 87 millions;
# 138: 40 millions;
# 155: 17 millions;
# 50: 73 millions;
# 20: 67 millions;
# 40: 58 millions;
# 55: 60 millions;
# 15: 40 millions;
# 10: 27 millions.
One interesting note though is that I believe the money being invested in Autoroute 10 is going to be used to realign and redesign the Bonaventure Expressway from the Autoroute 10/15/20 interchange to Univeristy Ave which will turn it into an at grade boulevard for most of its length. This will be an interesting project to watch one it commences.
Edit: What is interesting about this recent announcment by the PLQ was that many people were rather strongly against many of these projects, even Autoroute 30 which is probably the one project that should happen without question. In Montreal especially there was a lot of criticism for not putting the money into public transit instead. Of the 1.3 billion investment, only 438 million is going to new projects so at the end of the day this isnt a huge amount in new highways and autoroutes. Here is a breakdown of how the money is being spent.
Concrètement, Québec consacrera:
# 359 millions à la conservation des chaussées;
# 253 millions à la conservation des structures;
# 250 millions aux interventions d'amélioration du réseau;
# 438 millions à la réalisation de projets de développement majeurs.
# 132: 87 millions;
# 138: 40 millions;
# 155: 17 millions;
# 50: 73 millions;
# 20: 67 millions;
# 40: 58 millions;
# 55: 60 millions;
# 15: 40 millions;
# 10: 27 millions.
One interesting note though is that I believe the money being invested in Autoroute 10 is going to be used to realign and redesign the Bonaventure Expressway from the Autoroute 10/15/20 interchange to Univeristy Ave which will turn it into an at grade boulevard for most of its length. This will be an interesting project to watch one it commences.
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bizorky
Guest
^I suspect that this highway is more about getting quicker access to ski hills for people living in the Gatineau area and easter Ontario.
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Antiloop33rpm
Guest
I suspect that this highway is more about getting quicker access to ski hills for people living in the Gatineau area and easter Ontario.
Much of the original motivation behind the highway was a Quebec alternative to the 416 running between Ottawa and Montreal. However, for various reasons the highway was never completed and with Mirabel being the failure it was there was even less reason to complete it. The reason that it is being completed now is largely due to the PLQ and an initative that will see some of the more infamous autoroute projects finally completed (Autoroute 30 being the number one priority in terms of network continuity).
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interchange42
Guest
I agree.
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bizorky
Guest
Highway 417 from Ottawa links with the 40 in Quebec, and a split takes you to the 20. Both go to downtown Montreal. Why anyone would want to travel the Quebec-side route is beyond me. The trip would be about two-and-a-half hours. Going via the 417 is two hours, downtown to downtown.
Although on nice summer evenings on weekdays one can easily shave some time off.
Although on nice summer evenings on weekdays one can easily shave some time off.
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adma
Guest
How about an outer Montreal bypass en route to Quebec City?
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unimaginative2
Guest
I believe one of the early sites for a new Toronto airport was out by Flamborough. That actually wouldn't have been a terrible location. Another site was Orangeville, which would have been pretty terrible.