Embracing the dark: planning for nightlife in the beltline

Date
2004
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Abstract
This MDP is an ethnographic study about urban nightlife with liquor establishments as the focus. The project's nature is conceptual and abstract with few existing conventional precedents to draw upon. In addition, the methodology employed is largely based on participatory and first person experiences. Nightlife, in the form of bars and nightclubs, is a valuable component of city life not only because it evokes pleasurable sensations among its participants but also because it re-enforces a city's cosmopolitan edge. However, enforced policies and regulations often mediate and dilute these experiences. This inherent tension creates 'experiential gaps' between the participants in terms of communication, language, and policy deficiencies. These gaps make nightlife planning difficult; what constitutes appropriate planning procedure is unclear. In Calgary, nightlife is planned for only after successive problems arise which cannot be ignored any longer. This approach is reactive and re-enforces nightlife's image, as more of a nuisance than a benefit. The Beltline, the neighbourhood south of Calgary's downtown core, is the study area. Nightlife planning should be included in the Beltline's development plans in order to create diverse and vibrant 'live-work-play' inner-city environments. Research for this project is built on the theory and principles of 2nd Generation CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design). This serves as an appropriate planning model through its capacity to include all affected participants, promote open and equitable dialogue, and uphold the notions of mutual respect and trust. Two case studies -Street SW (Radio Block) in Calgary and Vancouver's Comprehensive Hours of Service Policy -investigate nightlife's impacts on the urban landscape. In order to gain primary insight about the nightlife question, a number of key informant interviews were conducted with involved participants. Recommendations suggest measures which could encourage open dialogue between participants and clarify the present ambiguity clouding nightlife planning. KEYWORDS -Nightlife, The Beltline, Liminal(ity), 2nd Generation CPTED, Dynamic Facilitation, Experience, Safety
Description
Bibliography: p. 83-89
Some pages are in colour.
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Citation
Dickout, D. (2004). Embracing the dark: planning for nightlife in the beltline (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/12327
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