Pedestrian Mall in the Exchange District

[Lee_Haber8]

Originally Posted by ReginaGuy

here are some newer pics of Regina's Scarth Street




this one shows that people still use it in cold weather (almost as bad as Winnipeg winters), so you guys should be able to pull it off


This one looks old


This is actually south of the pedestrian-only portion of Scarth street, but the city often extends the pedestrian mall by closing this street off to vehicles for social events, farmer's market, etc.. The actual perminent pedestrian mall starts at the base of the "slanty" glass towers

Wow, that's pretty impressive. You know things are bad when Regina and Saskatcewan are kicking your ass!

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Lee_Haber8

Wow, that's pretty impressive. You know things are bad when Regina and Saskatcewan are kicking your ass!

You also know things are bad when people can't spell.

[newflyer]

If Albert Street can be converted into something like this :




Winnipeg will have a pedestrain mall to be very proud of.

I love all the patios, plants and beautified street/landscaping.

[newflyer]

Imagine if Can West Global Place, and hense all of P&M opened up to our pedestrain mall. Giving thousands of workers access to outdoor patios and retail.


Might look something like this:

[Lee_Haber8]

Originally Posted by CCF

You also know things are bad when people can't spell.

Wow, I forgot an 'h'. Saskatchewan, are you happy now?

[spiritedenergy]

Originally Posted by CCF

You also know things are bad when people can't spell.

maybe he's just jelous...

[1ajs]

i think the ped street should be graham.......... but sinceits the bus coridor that will never happen

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

i think the ped street should be graham.......... but sinceits the bus coridor that will never happen

I don't think Graham would be very good as a pedestrain mall There are too many large buildings on it. The successful pedestrian malls I have been on were mostly made up of smaller buildings which could easily be used for retail or cafes.

I think Graham is really starting tp become successful as a transit corridore. With the new developments lining the street... it has really moved up in attractiveness. Once the Hydro Building opens it will further mark the advancement of this narror street. In many ways it is becoming a very pedestrain friendly street with wide sidewalks... all that needs to happen to complete this street into something great is to fill in the empty lots. Although condiering the landvalues and the locations it will have to wait for demand for highrises creates a viable building.

[biguc]

Albert Street doesn't need to become a pedestrian street--cars rarely use it anyway. rgalston is right, it's a great example of a balanced city street. If you want to make it more neato for pedestrians, lose the curbs and replace them with bollards.

[trueviking]

that'll be a magnet to draw new pedestrian activity and new retail to the area....bollards.

the sidewalk on that street is already 30' wide...it is perfect for pedestrians as is, but that is not the point....to draw attention to the area so it gets into the conciousness of joe q. white ridge, something unique has to be implemented...like waterfront drive did for the east exchange.

this idea is more about marketing the resource that is the exchange district....it doesnt exactly bustle with these pedestrians and bikes that you guys say it is perfect for.

it is sad that the exchange needs gimmicks like this, but it does.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by trueviking

that'll be a magnet to draw new pedestrian activity and new retail to the area....bollards.

the sidewalk on that street is already 30' wide...it is perfect for pedestrians as is, but that is not the point....to draw attention to the area so it gets into the conciousness of joe q. white ridge, something unique has to be implemented...like waterfront drive did for the east exchange.

this idea is more about marketing the resource that is the exchange district....it doesnt exactly bustle with these pedestrians and bikes that you guys say it is perfect for.

it is sad that the exchange needs gimmicks like this, but it does.

I don't see pedestrain malls as gimmicks... if you lived in a city with a successful one you would see the huge difference between it and a lightly traveled roadway. It opens up to street vendors and large patios. It gives a city a more cosmopolitain feel... a street full of activeity... with a dense retail strip... bars and restaurants and cafe's. It would also help increase the demand to revitalize the exchange district. Currently there is very little main stream retail in the exchange, as its not seen as a viable location. Add a few hundred workers to the area... and enhance the image of this still relatively unknown area, but many Winnipegers. They know it exists, they just avoid it as an unknown area.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by trueviking

that'll be a magnet to draw new pedestrian activity and new retail to the area....bollards.

the sidewalk on that street is already 30' wide...it is perfect for pedestrians as is, but that is not the point....to draw attention to the area so it gets into the conciousness of joe q. white ridge, something unique has to be implemented...like waterfront drive did for the east exchange.

this idea is more about marketing the resource that is the exchange district....it doesnt exactly bustle with these pedestrians and bikes that you guys say it is perfect for.

it is sad that the exchange needs gimmicks like this, but it does.

Bollards: they have shit like that in Europe. As far as gimmicks go, it's a lot less lame than a pedestrian mall--and a lot more urbanly smart. Besides, you can have either a one block pedestrian mall, which is pointless, or you can wizard away the cars from the Canwest parkade. Good luck with that.

But whatever, forget bollards, I'd do nothing. You say something unique needs to be implemented; why? The west exchange is already unique. People already know that. So fuck Joe Q White Ridge: downtown doesn't need Applebees and TJ Maxx, or wherever those idiots shop. Look at the progress in the neighourhood over the last few years. It doesn't need a grand gesture--especially on an already successful retail strip.

And empirically speaking, aren't you a little premature in declaring Waterfront Drive an unqualified boon to the East Exchange?

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by biguc

Bollards: they have shit like that in Europe. As far as gimmicks go, it's a lot less lame than a pedestrian mall--and a lot more urbanly smart. Besides, you can have either a one block pedestrian mall, which is pointless, or you can wizard away the cars from the Canwest parkade. Good luck with that.

But whatever, forget bollards, I'd do nothing. You say something unique needs to be implemented; why? The west exchange is already unique. People already know that. So fuck Joe Q White Ridge: downtown doesn't need Applebees and TJ Maxx, or wherever those idiots shop. Look at the progress in the neighourhood over the last few years. It doesn't need a grand gesture--especially on an already successful retail strip.

And empirically speaking, aren't you a little premature in declaring Waterfront Drive an unqualified boon to the East Exchange?

you consider that a successful retail strip?.....been anywhere else lately?

the exchange district is realizing 5% of its potential...maybe less.....what, like 500 people live there?......and fewer shop there....we've got a puny art store, a handful of antique shops and a few clothing stores?.....its a regular robson.

and yes, i consider 200 new residential units anywhere in winnipeg's downtown a boon.

[The Diva]

Pedestrian Malls are hit and miss. Is Graham Avenue a success? A role model?
Sparks Street in Ottawa is not doing very well either; but Byward Market is, and vehicles are allowed there. Let's focus on filling the buildings and beautification (for starters, Mondragons needs to clean the grafitti off its building; nothing says stay away more than nasty grafitti all over your otherwise charming heritage building).

[biguc]

Originally Posted by trueviking

you consider that a successful retail strip?.....been anywhere else lately?

the exchange district is realizing 5% of its potential...maybe less.....what, like 500 people live there?......and fewer shop there....we've got a puny art store, a handful of antique shops and a few clothing stores?.....its a regular robson.

and yes, i consider 200 new residential units anywhere in winnipeg's downtown a boon.

Nowhere in the exchange will ever look like Robson Street. Robson is a retail strip first; putting retail in warehouses will never achieve the same retail intensity. As far as these things go, then, Albert is a success.

I'm not disputing that the residential units are a boon. But we've yet to see any spillover benefit to the rest of the east exchange.


EDIT: the only thing redemptive about Mondragon is that they haven't cleaned the graf off their building. Smelly hippies suck. Graffiti is cool and typically ubiquitous in healthy, diverse urban settings. See Montreal, New York, or hell, Paris and London.

[Lee_Haber8]

Originally Posted by biguc

Nowhere in the exchange will ever look like Robson Street. Robson is a retail strip first; putting retail in warehouses will never achieve the same retail intensity. As far as these things go, then, Albert is a success.

I'm not disputing that the residential units are a boon. But we've yet to see any spillover benefit to the rest of the east exchange.


EDIT: the only thing redemptive about Mondragon is that they haven't cleaned the graf off their building. Smelly hippies suck. Graffiti is cool and typically ubiquitous in healthy, diverse urban settings. See Montreal, New York, or hell, Paris and London.

You can't call any street in downtown Winnipeg a success. You'd be hard pressed to name a street in the whole city that is truly alive with pedestrian activity - Corydon and Osborne aren't that great even though they are busiest ones in the city.

Robson is probably the busiest street I have been on so I agree with you that it is unrealistic that Albert St will ever match it. It could still become very busy - just not Robson-busy with a lot of retail and residential added nearby. I don't see why a lot of people don't like this idea. I think this is a great idea, though I don't see it as a high priority right now

[biguc]

I think we're talking past each other when we use 'success'. As far as crowds of people go, you might be right. Albert street, though, has several successful businesses along it. The stretch discussed in the article, in particular, is doing fairly well is this respect.

Since you mention crowds of people, though, I don't really think Albert Street is long enough to generate crowds of pedestrians. Especially not a one block stretch.

[The Diva]

^^Spilling over into a rejuvinated Market Square, yes.

Grafitti does not make the cities you listed as "cool". Given the sheer size and number of buildings in those cities, it is not possible for them to be grafitti-free; snot-nose little punks suck...those who pretend they are something they are not--hmmm, maybe that is why you were beaten up along Osborne because of your attitude, Biguc?

[bc2mb]

^ uh, i can see we have a new ***hole on the forum?

[bc2mb]

graffiti is a part of urban life... you'd be an idiot to think you can stop it.

and in mondragon's case, it adds character to the building. if the owners wanted it gone, they would deal with it... this has been debated before.

might as well move out to melita if you need to shield your eyes from graffiti.