EnMasse

Calamus

For whatever reason, even the local paper hasn't focused much on this story, but here's what I found by searching the StarPhoenix site.

Back in October of '06 Lenore Swystun, Atch's main competition tried to warn the people of Saskatoon that Atch's disregard for sustainable growth in our city was leading to a volatile and "straw house" economy.

It appears as though Saskatoon's economy is booming. I mean, we have the largest Wal-Mart in North America (and a huge tax deferral for the next decade or so), we have an influx of corporate interest, and we have regional retail giants knocking at our door to be a part of our increasing corporation free for all. Sweet huh? Well, sure if we had the people to run it.

Saskatoon, a mere 6 months later, is a runaway economic train. There's just one problem... No one is at the wheel. Atch isn't driving, cause he's too busy making sure the people in his waiting room are wearing Atch and Co. ties, and we don't have enough people to hire someone else to do it. Still, a train pretty much steers itself, right? Well, that's what Atchison supporters say anyway. Gormley, and Wood scream it every day on their radio shows. Swystun was crazy, this train is unstoppable. Especially with the fancy Remai Ventures brand tracks we plan to install for our little train to run on.

Huh? Remai backed out? What for? Oh, there wasn't anyone to install their fancy train rails? Costs would be too high? Oh well, the train is still a few hundred metres from that section of the tracks anyway. Besides, it's just a small part of the rails. Even if we don't get those fancy rails we will get someone else cause our train is BOOMING. Just don't tell the new guys how much of a bitch it's gonna be to find workers to build the riverfront part of the tracks.

...choo ...choo

Hey Atch: Growth for the sake of growth is not sustainable. Poor self esteem regarding the state of your city will lead you to desperately do anything you can to make it look like you're bigger than you are. when your solution is to narrow your focus on corporate growth and forget all about the people to sustain that growth you better hope those corporations don't realize the lack of your focus. It begins with one... The domino is wobbling, better do something quick or the whole thing will fall down.

*Disclaimer: Metaphors may have been overused in this thread*

al-Qa'bong · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:26 am Post subject:

I say let the South Downtown revert to wild prairie.

This might distract the vultures who call themselves "developers" from their current rape-and-pillage of the fields and bush on the outskirts of Saskatoon.

Once the riverfront becomes a pristine natural environment, the vultures will notice it and build their ghastly big-box malls and a tacky subdivision on it.
_________________
"The purpose of government is to protect the weak from the powerful" Hammurabi

"We can't all be Sam the Sham; some of us have to be Pharoahs" Larry, brother of Darrel, and his other brother Daryl

Calamus · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:25 am Post subject:

The only thing missing then would be the 30 foot tall stAtchue.

Can you just see the 10 foot long necktie?

DSquared · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:40 am Post subject:

New development proposal out of Calgary:

DSquared · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:35 am Post subject:

Another project goes down:

DSquared · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:41 pm Post subject:

Another deadline looms:

al-Qa'bong · Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:52 pm Post subject:

I haven't kept track of the real estate transactions in the south downtown, but I have noticed the riverbank area is steadily being buried under concrete.
_________________
"The purpose of government is to protect the weak from the powerful" Hammurabi

"We can't all be Sam the Sham; some of us have to be Pharoahs" Larry, brother of Darrel, and his other brother Daryl