I have only SOME words for the Doncaster Shopping Centre. And those words are *#$%$@%#$%@#$ – what the hell??
What a situation.
I went to Doncaster today, because I felt like my phone or computer has been hacked. It maybe was, but today, I just FELT as though something untoward was happening (and I needed a power bank/cord for my puter) so I got in my little car and drove to Doncaster shopping centre. . .
What is this place?? You get in,,, (in a car, , , first impressions seem like we should turn into the car park otn he left, but , there is a ramp ahead, and it only tells you that it is VALET parking once you have come TOO far to reverse out – I tried , , , I can tell you I TRIED. but to no avail.
Thank goodness for small murcies, I made my way out of the value (value) VALET again, (it was free to get out) and went into the car park to the left.
GETTING FROM ONE side of the street to the OTHER, , , my GOODNESS. . . It was the most complex driving maneuvure I have ever achieved. I thought I wasn’t going to MAKE it!!
The mall
So you GET IN THERE. . . And, , , Well, , what happens is you walk from the carpark, across the road again, and there is this big sign with all the big brands on the corner of the shop, but ‘do I really have to go through a shop to get to the mall?’ what is this business.
I walked PAST that door, into some kind of mankuy situation, , , which felt barren and not happening, so I turned back and tried my luck in the department store.
Thankfully a PERSON was standing at the corner between the department store and the entry to the mall, so I felt so happy to FIND the body of the mall.
Navigation?
I consulted a digital map and walked towards the computer store. I got a bit spooked half way in, and there was a desk there. The woman told me how to get to the store that I needed, but it wasn’t he same directions of the map.
It was hard work, and I got CONFUSED. But I found my way into the store, and got my power bank and a number for a support team for my puter.
On the way back, I thought I wasn’t going to MAKE IT BACK out, but it wasn’t too bad, a few wrong turns, and missteps. Not sure it would stick in my memory for next time, but WE WILL SEE!
Are you serious??
I went back outside the department store, and by this time I was pretty pissed off with the whole design of this urban mall. The icing on the cake, felt like walking into the carpark, there is NOWHERE for pedestrians to WALK. . . There are boom gates, and roads but the path from the pedestrian crossing to the carpark is razor thin. . . And by this time I was mouthing expletives to the wind. Hah!
It was so good to GET OUT TO Doncaster to see this urban design in practice.
I get it. . . IT is NOT easy to make a walkable, livable, healthy, legible space. However, I feel that it is the way of the future.
Thanks for the adventures!! ((Peace!! out!! ))