Ooh it’s sooo big. Do you think it will fit? Hey look at Vancouver they just don’t measure up.

Yes Calgary media’s all in a tizzy about the rising phallic symbol that is The Bow . As many Calgarians will breathlessly tell you it’s bigger than anything west of Toronto. A swelling testament to our world-class city asprirations.

Well Calgary take it easy. It’s not the size but how you deal with it (okay size does matter a little). We can get all giddy about large buildings (we’re talking about buildings right?) or we can get excited about building a vibrant urban downtown.

Huge cocks are great Huge buildings are great — high density and all that — and The Bow looks great but it’s terribly dissapointing that it’s not what it was supposed to be. And that’s my point.

We can get all wet about how big it is but if we want to be this world class city that everybody keeps talking about (and for the record I think that’s bullshit) then we have to focus on building better. The fact that The Bow scrapped it’s promises of cultural space and trimmed some of the more interesting elements of the design is just more of the same — skimping where it counts while we swagger with a bulge and feel better about ourselves.

So go on Calgary get all hot and bothered about that big building we can whip out and compare with pride but I’ll save my erotic cooing for a god damn bike lane.

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