Comment 112890

By mdrejhon (registered) - website | Posted July 19, 2015 at 23:41:55 in reply to Comment 112881

Some of us do, yes. The stairs are excellent exercise, but I know lots of Hamiltonians can't take the stairs, especially the older ones.

The energy level of doing it without mechanical help (e.g. motorized vehicle or conveyance like inclinator/gondola), is a big discouragement to the average Hamiltonian.

Buses and taxi are options for sure, though not all of us use them, because it would take us an hour to get to some parts of the top of the mountain, e.g. those of us in the middle between the accesses, having to walk several blocks to a bus stop, go east/west, catch a mountain access bus, so it often requires two transfers (sometimes three) depending on which part of the mountain escarpment we want to enjoy the scenery from if we're too old to use the stairs, or too dangerous (winter time). Especially if you're in the middle of a residential area several blocks away from Gage Park.

Now, if we were already near Gage Park, it's only a 5 minute or 10 minute walk (or easy Flat-Earth bike ride) to the gondola landing. Up to the top in a mere 10 minutes rather than 60 minutes!

We need more really self-advertising 'touristy' things in the city. A highly visible gondola is one thing.

It is NOT folly -- we're not talking about super fancy gondola. We're talking about something cheaper than an inclinator.

The basic small short gondolas (like 4-person open-air-buckets) can be cheaper to install than some forms of inclinators, and in some cases can have less EA (environmental assessment) overhead since less environment modification is needed. No grading issues like with a funicular, especially on parts of escarpment that isn't as ideal angle. They can flyover a road (e.g. for the theoretical Gage Park gondola -- to land inside Gage Park, and/or closer to B-Line route).

I'd be happy with either an inclinator or a gondola, but if citizens are going to crowdfund something to be rebuilt, it may be easier to do so with a fairly basic but safe & scenic 4-person open-air-bucket gondola. Quicker EA, lower capital costs mean less fund raising, no slope regrading, direct park landings.

Inclinators are definitely better in many ways, but a gondola is just as good for the average pedestrian purpose, and in many cases actually bring people up/down faster with shorter waits -- with less capital cost.

Comment edited by mdrejhon on 2015-07-19 23:51:53

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