The Unknown Poster Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/manitoba/true-north-square-development-winnipeg-1.3408314 And from the Freep: The City of Winnipeg and province have partnered with True North Sports & Entertainment on what all parties believe will be a "transformative" project for downtown. As construction begins on True North Square, both levels of government have come to the table with a shared $17.6-million of tax increment financing to invest in more than two acres of public space. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mayor Brian Bowman, from left, Premier Greg Selinger and Jim Ludlow, president of True North, on hand to announce details on the 'transformative' project for downtown. Purchase Photo Print It will include a skating rink, a public stage, public seating and green space. A further $9 million could be coming from the city under an expanded program for public amenities in the Sports, Hospitality & Entertainment District (SHED) that would be in close proximity to True North Square. Jim Ludlow, president of True North, said his team went to school on other mixed-use real estate developments in other cities, such as Toronto’s Maple Leaf Square and L.A. Live in Los Angeles, and determined the site just outside its corporate head office was the premiere development site in Winnipeg. Both Premier Greg Selinger and Mayor Brian Bowman said they believe the investment in the $400-million True North Square will be revenue positive. It will include retail, office and residential spaces, plus a "significant" hotel. geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taynted_Fayth Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 I havent been downtown for a while, but public areas tend to get over run by homeless and thugs (thinking specifically of the air canada area across from mts center n beside portage place, and more recently the skate park at the forks.) Are things getting better these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Unknown Poster Posted January 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 I can't speak for current. But id suspect this will be better due to what will be surrounding it as well as, I'm sure, security and police beinf pro active. This is a huge investment by private business and a significant investment by government and could easily have a profound affect on downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 3 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said: I can't speak for current. But id suspect this will be better due to what will be surrounding it as well as, I'm sure, security and police beinf pro active. This is a huge investment by private business and a significant investment by government and could easily have a profound affect on downtown. Not to completely derail the topic.... but you know what would help out immediately for downtown would be for them to ban pan handling , window washers and for them to really pro actively boot out the drunks. They did this when I lived out East and it was night and day difference in how comfortable it was walking downtown there compared to here. Make the place safe and people will come.... building new things like this definitely helps... they still however have to cleanse the filth in order to get people to want to hang in that area on any given day (rather then for special events only). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Unknown Poster Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 I guess the question is. Aren't they just moving the problem a little further north? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noeller Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Poverty situation aside, this project looks incredible and I can't wait to see the finished project....what a great thing for Winnipeg and Manitoba... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taynted_Fayth Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 it looks good in theory, but colour me skeptical. The way the video made it look, people were standing outside watching the hockey game, predominantly played in the winter and around 7pm when a home game. I barely enjoy being outside for 5 minutes these last few weeks with the cold we've had. I suppose you could dress for the cold, but if it's anything like the forks which has its skating rink center, the last dozen or so times ive been there in winter and summer it's been a cluster and filled with some shady people. I hope this plan and projected outcome comes to pass, but that grande piano on the pond was a bit much lol rebusrankin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 It could work if they clean the city up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrostyWinnipeg Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Only reason to go downtown anymore is because you have an appointment somewhere like Medical Arts or Winnipeg Clinic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Unknown Poster Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 As far as standing outside watching hockey I believe it's modelled after similar projects in other NHL cities like Toronto. I could be wrong but I doubt Leafs fans are standing around in January. Its more for Stanley cup playoff overflow. Maybe Olympics. Things like that. But what do I know! massive investment by True North (Chipman and Thomson families). Good on them. I wonder why Thomson wasn't in on Alt and Glasshouse.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taynted_Fayth Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Selinger did say they were trying to emulate what they have in front of the new T.O. city hall, however, while I've only been to toronto during the summer for visit, and too brief at ACC during winter changing flights, do they not have significantly different/milder winters than us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 They definitely do have more wild winters.... they also have many more people living downtown and much more reasons for people to visit downtown. I know for myself... now that I'm ancient and have a family.... aside from a Jets game I really have no reason to hang around downtown. Aside from a few unique restaurants what am I going to do down there? Bring the fam and *shop* at Portage Place lol.... rebusrankin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty Liver Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 8 hours ago, Taynted_Fayth said: Selinger did say they were trying to emulate what they have in front of the new T.O. city hall, however, while I've only been to toronto during the summer for visit, and too brief at ACC during winter changing flights, do they not have significantly different/milder winters than us? The skating rink in front of Toronto City Hall is artificially refrigerated ice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate007 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Here's an idea: put in-ground heating in this public area. Keep it nice and clear year-round. Couple that with patio heaters and you could have true three-season patios surrounding this thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Unknown Poster Posted January 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 That's actually a great suggestion Nate, and could be their plan. If the area is somewhat enclosed by buildings, it wouldnt take much to have strategically placed patio heaters in key locations. Ultimately, Winnipeg does well to get people outside during the winter and I see no reason why this would be different. We had a very mild Winter this year. I could see people watching giant video screens in this area if it was October/November/December of this winter...maybe you dont go there specifically to stand and watch a TV, but if you're there for some other gathering/event and they are playing the Jets on TV, then sure. You could also do it for certain games. Jets have a "big" game? A playoff implication game that is out of town on a Saturday night? Set up a "party" with an outdoor "icebar" (as noted in the plans), have some other entertainment, inside/outside restaurant/bars and I can see a gathering of Jets fans attending. Its not like they need 30,000 people to make it look busy. Downtown just needs to hit a critical mass of people. I know there has been criticism that MTSC didnt bring downtown back to life. Then it was oh the Jets didnt bring it back to life. But it takes a lot more than one thing. The Jets returning showed a long-term commitment to the area. It showed other business people that they could invest because at the very least they'd have those events for the next X amount of years. And ofcourse, the investment by True North and the Chipman family in Alt/Glasshouse and other businesses. Then you've got the Hydro building which was criticized but as part of an over-all strategy for downtown, its been great and will be even better as downtown improves. If True North Square works out as planned, it will be tremendous in getting people downtown 24/7. Same with the Alt/Glasshouse. More people there during working hours, more people living there/staying there. Then you've got the Skycity development just down the street which was considered pie-in-the-sky but they are actually ahead of projections on Condo deposits and if that works (which it seems like it will), it will be a monster development for downtown. In five years, downtown should look and feel completely different. Then you've got a few other little projects. The Macyntire Block (at P&M, at some point, which was slated to be a hotel). The Forks re-development which, if successful, should serve to connect downtown/SHED with the Forks. And I suspect once Glasshouse is up and running there will be interest in cleaning up/redeveloping the area North of that development. Really exciting time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iso_55 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Is Portage Place as dead as it was 26 years ago when I moved to Calgary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 2 minutes ago, iso_55 said: Is Portage Place as dead as it was 26 years ago when I moved to Calgary? During the day the food court and all benches and planters seat people from reserves. Mostly thrift shops, lots of empty stores, mall cops that are much more armored then Paul Blart...lots of dirty sketchy people inside. Lots of drug activity behind on Ellice, mostly from the African gangs. Lots of aggressive pan handlers outside, once 6 pm hits the area shuts down and is a ghost town. I don't know of anyone who shops there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iso_55 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Yep, things haven't changed. Just the gangs. PP should be torn down. Waste of taxpayer money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Unknown Poster Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Portage Place will make a great location for a new arena in 50 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan35 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 16 hours ago, iso_55 said: Yep, things haven't changed. Just the gangs. PP should be torn down. Waste of taxpayer money. no. the parkade is well used on jet game days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan35 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 On 1/19/2016 at 9:29 PM, Brandon said: Not to completely derail the topic.... but you know what would help out immediately for downtown would be for them to ban pan handling , window washers and for them to really pro actively boot out the drunks. They did this when I lived out East and it was night and day difference in how comfortable it was walking downtown there compared to here. Make the place safe and people will come.... building new things like this definitely helps... they still however have to cleanse the filth in order to get people to want to hang in that area on any given day (rather then for special events only). If the area is operated as the SHED (private/semiprivate) then their can be more control over panhandlers and vagrants. Kind of like the forks. If it is full our public space then it is harder to boot people out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 I don't know about Portage Place specifically but I work downtown and it is very lively during the day. The underground Winnipeg Square is particularly busy and security does a good job of keeping the vagrants moving. Of course you still have homeless people coming through but they aren't allowed to linger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iso_55 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 15 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said: Portage Place will make a great location for a new arena in 50 years. In or around 1983 Winnipeg federal Liberal Cabinet Minister Lloyd Axworthy came forth with funds for a new arena where Portage Place is now. However, the City wanted no part of it & said no. They built Portage Place instead. Anyone recall that back 30 some years ago& provide better details than me as I'm going from memory. I do recall Mayor Bill Norrie being really ticked off with Axworthy over this as he didn't want to build a new arena, I believe. The Unknown Poster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 23 hours ago, Atomic said: I don't know about Portage Place specifically but I work downtown and it is very lively during the day. The underground Winnipeg Square is particularly busy and security does a good job of keeping the vagrants moving. Of course you still have homeless people coming through but they aren't allowed to linger. Winnipeg square is much *cleaner* then Portage Place. Same with City Place. Portage Place around the escalators to the Food Court on the lower level is so very nasty. During the day everything is lively because of the workers going around.... at night it's all a ghost town and quite unsafe. Once you have gone to a few other cities which has a nice safe and vibrant downtown ... you then see the night and day differences between Winnipeg and them. In those cities people *flock* to downtown after work and at night it's jam packed and busy... in Winnipeg it's the complete opposite and people are trying to get away from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Unknown Poster Posted January 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 Projects like this will help change that. You need a critical mass of people living downtown. Then you will have people out and about at night. Will have more amenities like grocery stores etc. Fingers crossed that TNS is fully developed out as planned and that they have plenty of street level activity on all sides and not just concrete jungle turned in towards the "square" same with Skycity which seemed like a pipe dream even a year ago. That will be the tallest building in Winnipeg and include a grocer. Next, clean up the area behind center point where they have that LC and giant Tiger. I have a feeling TNS will include a flagship LC store.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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