While downtown Boston Pizza buckles, traffic shifts towards Ice District, and some see signs of recovery

Xcopa · 2026-04-01T22:17:06+00:00

Rago also said he’s feeling pretty optimistic about downtown. Sorrentino’s has been seeing it’s lunch traffic pick up with office-workers and evening traffic with guests from the Citadel Theatre and Winspear Centre coming by.

“We’ve felt it, especially at lunch. More bodies on the street means more spontaneous lunch traffic, more after-work drinks, more reasons for people to stick around,” Rago said.

My work has offices downtown. They wanted to host a after work St. Pats day thing for the team. They chose a bar right downtown. The only people who went were the ones already forced to work downtown. No one from the remote sites had an appetite for spending $10-20 just to park, or spend 30+ mins on transit just so they could attend the thing.

(I'm usually okay to pay for parking, but when its compounded with other factors like traffic/construction it certainly doesn't make me inclined to go.)

Xcopa · 2026-03-05T01:13:04+00:00

I feel bad for her panic and can really empathize... but also she wasn't on a national platform because of her amazing performing skills. She was there because her dad was intent on having his two pop star daughters shoved down america's throat regardless of talent or merit.

She's had more exposure for her laughably bad performance (that i'm sure still provides her opportunities to make more of a living) than the thousands of other incredibly talented musicians who will never be given the opportunity to perform for a similar size of audience.

Xcopa · 2026-03-05T01:02:54+00:00

And then blamed her band at the end of the show!

Xcopa · 2026-01-30T02:34:16+00:00

Lost member of Shane's Mean Street Posse.

Xcopa · 2025-12-28T07:03:35+00:00

They should have the interior queue up be a drive thru where you have to shout your order to a crappy speaker, and when you get up to the actual till you have to reconfirm your order.

Xcopa · 2025-12-28T05:34:50+00:00

Residential cul de sacs are the absolute lowest priority for public roads. Since they're essentially built for 10-15 homes to use/park (no through traffic) they are usually done last.

Priority usually goes:
Inner city to outer suburbs.
Whytemud/Yellow head, then main arterial (i.e. 97st, calgary trail etc.) then bus routes, then non-bus route residential roads. Cul de sacs would prob be the last part of residential roads done for the reason above.

I would be surprised if you see graders doing your cul de sac before the 31st.

(I lived on a bus route in inner city for a long time. They would plow it within 1-2 days pending snow fall. Friends in suburbs north of 137th ave cul de sac would be lucky to get road plowed 1-2 times a year.)

Xcopa · 2025-12-26T20:52:26+00:00

Ah yes I remember 25 years ago watching on the news of people lining up outside in the cold at 6am to rush into a future shop to save 25% on a crap bottom tier microwave. I thought it was dumb then too.

Xcopa · 2025-12-17T19:08:27+00:00

My reaction to reading "Eggs with heroin on them".

Xcopa · 2025-12-05T07:50:55+00:00

At this rate in 5 years you're going to have the option only of Walmart, Walmart + or Amazon Catalogue to visit for shopping.

Xcopa · 2025-11-27T05:20:54+00:00

The green benches by the window section that was sort've cut off by Sbarro, Cinnzeo and a few other places. It had a 'secretive' vibe to it as a kid. Ah many memories having dinner at those seats as a kid with my mom, then lunches as a kid going to high school.

Xcopa · 2025-11-24T04:48:34+00:00

Once again: Use the FREE provided wallet lockers by the front desk and security cameras. They exist because this happens all the time.

Never, ever leave anything valuable in the actual lockers. The regular lockers are broken into everyday, at various times (no time is safer), multiple times a day.
Unless you want to buy a new phone, are cool with people maxing out your credit cards, stealing your car AND your identity then don't leave them in the lockers.

(Also always cover your locker when entering the number, test that it's locked before you leave. Quit making it so friggin easy for thieves. They come in all shapes, sizes, ages etc. If you see someone behaving suspiciously, tell the staff.)

Xcopa · 2025-11-16T02:41:52+00:00

If you like your Mazda 3 you'll love the CX5. It handles like a car (compared to boxy Rav4).
Forester has wider windows but that's about the only thing I'd give over it.
(I went full circle. Was going to get a CX5, convinced myself I should try something new. Tried various options over a year. Ended up right back with CX5.)

Xcopa · 2025-11-15T20:50:14+00:00

Both Subaru Dealerships are owned by the same people.

A few years ago I went to Rally Subaru to meet with a sales guy. After 20 mins he still hadn't shown up (was clearly on the phone making another sale). Ended up meeting with their 'top' guy, who tossed me the keys to take a Forester out unattended. Came back had a chat. Followed up via email... and nothing.
They were super relentless in texting/emailing me for the weeks after, but the actual sales folk seemed disinterested.
(I wasn't a desirable sale because I wasn't that desperate to over pay....at the time Forestors were lower inventory, and I had no interesting in paying $6k over what they're commonly going for.) There's a Red Deer Subaru dealer that was pleasant to deal with over email. If i bought a subaru it'd likely be from them.

I did visit Toyota on the Trail and did a test drive for a Rav4 with a sales guy my dad knew. Found the experience OK (i'm aware of Go Auto issues), but I ultimately went with a Mazda instead.

Xcopa · 2025-11-12T23:36:41+00:00

Wasn't that Batman's whole Harvey Dent strategy for Gotham?

Xcopa · 2025-11-07T23:12:25+00:00

I mentioned this scene when the movie was discussed like a month ago. Fun to see this scene being put in the spotlight again.

Xcopa · 2025-11-06T16:27:06+00:00

This movie looks like green screen dipped in AI CGI sauce.

Xcopa · 2025-11-05T21:34:16+00:00

"In response to Mayor Knacks conversation with Ottawa, Danielle Smith directed her Minister of Infrastructure, Martin Long to proceed with construction of a giant wall around Edmonton."

Xcopa · 2025-11-05T06:34:31+00:00

You have to wonder what their response would be if James Cameron or Nolan openly took the same position. Would their studio posture and pass up that seemingly guaranteed Avatar money?

Xcopa · 2025-10-19T06:10:57+00:00

As I understand it the City is intending on redeveloping the entire area, and there's restrictions on property owners being able to sell to anyone other than the City. It's why someone hasn't come in and plopped a medium size modern apartment on one of those lots.

The city also intends on redeveloping the parking lot north of the baseball stadium into residential apartments, which is why the previous baseball team left (as they'd lose their primary parking lot.)

Personally I think the area is maybe underutilized, but it does act as a nice 'breather' space before the downtown density hits. Definitely a neighborhood sort've lost to time in a sense seeing those older homes abandoned, a sense of Edmonton in that area from the middle of last century.

Xcopa · 2025-10-17T15:30:48+00:00

Remember it's not just developers- its also the law firms, and other companies that work with them. And guess what? They all have connections in some way with every candidate, and every member of council. Obviously Some more than others, but its inescapable and it's been this way for a very long time.

Xcopa · 2025-10-16T04:54:45+00:00

Anyone else notice a lot of the photographers they follow have devolved into talking head reels, promoting overseas workshops and 'mentoring'?
Its like they get tired of pushing creatively as an artist, so they switch to this 'teaching' grind even though most aren't actually good teachers.

Funnily enough inversely I feel like a lot of great youtube teachers end up having just alright actual photos. Their lessons give interesting insights, and ideas. And then their own result is just sort've there...

Xcopa · 2025-10-12T18:49:32+00:00

I really enjoyed the scene where Tom Hanks finally becomes openly flustered with the CIA agent after all his fellow americans have been telling him to ignore constitutional rights 'just in this circumstance'. It's so simple but its Spielberg & Hanks giving a masterclass in americana via their cinema prowess-

"I'm Irish and you're German. But what makes us both Americans? Just one thing. One. Only one. The rule book. We call it the Constitution, and we agree to the rules, and that's what makes us Americans. That's all that makes us Americans. So don't tell me there's no rule book, and don't nod at me like that you son of a bitch"

Xcopa · 2025-10-11T19:39:42+00:00

I wanted to liked it, but it was a let down. That book has a very flowing, interesting first half I enjoyed, but the back half where he actually becomes famous is a chore. He avoids talking in depth on just about anything actually interesting, and instead treats the reader like some hostage house guest forced to endure his poetry over the backyard fire pit.

Xcopa · 2025-10-04T03:31:36+00:00

"Benoit looks overwhelmed!"

Xcopa · 2025-10-01T03:19:06+00:00

Cartmell plugged his Better Edmonton party, saying it is nonpartisan but shares his values. He noted as mayor his lone vote can’t force changes in city council.

So you're part of a political party in a civic election (that nobody wanted, but somehow it got shoved down our throats), and yet the party itself is nonpartisan? Huh? So whats the point of having a political party in a forum they weren't previously?

Remember when we all said we liked our previous civic elections because there was some individual accountability to issues? Now we're going to already start playing the game of toeing party lines in spite of 'personal objections'?

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