Winnipeg | Forks Redevelopment | Parcel 4 - Rail Side Initiative | Proposals

[esquire]

^ The BRT stations themselves actually are pretty well sheltered and comfortable. The problem is that many of them are so damn far from everything that walking to one in the winter (or in the rain) is a pain. Pretty well all of the stations south of Osborne are practically at least a block away from anything other a few TOD apartments.

[Hecate]

I know I’m in the minority here but I think free parking should be maintained at the forks. The majority of people that go there are spending money on something. So to me the idea of trying to push people to use transit to access the forks and it’s amenities is short sighted and foolish. What family of four is gonna take the bus there to go skating for the afternoon?

[bomberjet]

The BRT stations are fully enclosed with the heated benches. Regardless of opinions on the southwest BRT, Union Station would be amazing with BRT running through it. That's what we want. Grand stations connected to everyone.

[Ando]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

I want to know which retailers they're talking about. If Forks Trading Co. is suffering, I'll count that as proof that something's wrong. If it's the place selling Ukranian tschotskes and unlicensed Jets junk, I'd take that all with a big grain of salt.

I'm guessing that the tacky souvenir places are blaming everyone but themselves.

I would take anything said by a "former store owner" (i.e. failed businessperson) with a grain of salt, especially when its through the second hand lens of on or both of skyler and riverman, the sad twins.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Hecate

I know I’m in the minority here but I think free parking should be maintained at the forks. The majority of people that go there are spending money on something. So to me the idea of trying to push people to use transit to access the forks and it’s amenities is short sighted and foolish. What family of four is gonna take the bus there to go skating for the afternoon?

I see your point but at the same time, it doesn't strike me that The Forks is hard up for visitors. It seems very busy on the weekends, and even weekdays are surprisingly busy. The fact that the proceeds are going into improving The Forks is a plus too, it's easier to swallow the costs when it will make for a better site than it is when the money just goes into some California bank account as it does with who knows how many other Winnipeg parking lots.

[Ando]

Apparently there are discussions underway to move the Barley Research Centre to the Forks. They test batch high end beers that could be offered at the Commons beer hall.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...orks-1.4909241

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Riverman

It really hasn't had any positive effect on anything, has it?

Nope, oversold like most things that the elites put forth!

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

I was shocked when they went from free parking in the parkade to $2 or $3 dollars per hour. If you are going to introduce something like that, do it in a gradual manner by starting at $1 per hour and free after a certain time.

As for the retailers, are they all losing business or perhaps only some of them as maybe there has been a slight shift in the demographics coming to the Forks. The Commons area seems as busy as ever!

Sure the Forks is a busy as ever but it's not a shopping destination, 99% of the traffic to the Forks doesn't purchase anything. In reality the Forks retailers see sales in Dec., July and Aug. the rest of the year it's squat, pretty tough to operate a year round business with only three months of sales.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Ando

I would take anything said by a "former store owner" (i.e. failed businessperson) with a grain of salt, especially when its through the second hand lens of on or both of skyler and riverman, the sad twins.

Keep your head in the sand Ando, lets just ignore all the problems at the Forks and be content that it's going from a destination to cheap office space!

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Spoke to a former store owner at the Forks who said things for retailers there are far from rosy. Forks management is indifferent to their tenants and any suggestions fall on deaf ears. More stores are closing than opening and opening of the CMHR has had no positive effect on retail. Paid parking at the Forks has been the biggest detriment for retailers, you can't charge for something that was always free especially with so many other shopping options in the city.

Forks management is indifferent because there are more people in the market today than ever before and the tenants that have had an almost free ride for the last 20 years are being upgraded....paid parking has had no effect on visitor numbers at the Forks.

I assume you have some data we can see about how the 300,000 annual visitors to the CMHR have had no impact on visitation to the Forks market?

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the giant parking lot across the street from CMHR is about to be transformed into a high density residential neighbourhood with a dozen buildings going up all at once from a line-up of developers.

so...we have one of the largest developments in downtown about to happen and the market is busier than it ever has been.....yet somehow the CMHR has had no impact.

Also...why would anyone not want to be an elite?...is that supposed to be an insult?

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Forks management is indifferent because there are more people in the market today than ever before and the tenants that have had an almost free ride for the last 20 years are being upgraded....paid parking has had no effect on visitor numbers at the Forks.

I assume you have some data we can see about how the 300,000 annual visitors to the CMHR have had no impact on visitation to the Forks market?

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the giant parking lot across the street from CMHR is about to be transformed into a high density residential neighbourhood with a dozen buildings going up all at once from a line-up of developers.

so...we have one of the largest developments in downtown about to happen and the market is busier than it ever has been.....yet somehow the CMHR has had no impact.

Also...why would anyone not want to be an elite?...is that supposed to be an insult?

More people at the Forks hasn't translated into increased sales for any of the retailers.

The supposed 300K visitors to the CMHR which includes virtual visits hasn't translated into much if any increases in spending at the Forks, more stores have closed than have opened, in fact two restaurants at the Forks have closed since it's opening, pretty hard to ignore that.

A high density residential neighbourhood might be the saviour of the Forks which is good, don't exactly get the correlation to the CMHR for spurring this development. The development was eventually going to happen with or without the CMHR.

[Ando]

Once again, you just come on here and spout your nonsense with no proof. You would give a Trump a run for his money with all the unproven falsities you propagate. I hope you are twitter.

[Ando]

Here is a good article that shows the two sides of the new $10 bill, with CMHR on one side. Of course, Manitoba is one of Lonely Planets top ten destinations for 2019 worldwide, with CMHR being one of the named top attractions.

https://www.manitobapost.com/winnipe...at-cmhr-116656

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the giant parking lot across the street from CMHR is about to be transformed into a high density residential neighbourhood with a dozen buildings going up all at once from a line-up of developers.

I am looking forward to this.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Ando

Once again, you just come on here and spout your nonsense with no proof. You would give a Trump a run for his money with all the unproven falsities you propagate. I hope you are twitter.

LOL This is why I ignore all comments from this individual. Since I feel I can expect nothing but blithering nonsense, I choose to avoid the aggravation that would result from ingesting that bile, and seek out interesting and informative comments from others.

[Wpg_Guy]

• Video Link

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Ando

Once again, you just come on here and spout your nonsense with no proof. You would give a Trump a run for his money with all the unproven falsities you propagate. I hope you are twitter.

Yup, no proof at all just two restaurants shutting down and six or seven stores, everything's good though! Go ask someone at McNally Robinson how they're doing at the Forks, selling three books a week just isn't cutting it at that location, but since most of you seem to be business experts carry on...


Kind of like Joseph Hazelwood stating it was just a small hole in the Exxon Valdez!

[Pinus]

Originally Posted by Ando

I would take anything said by a "former store owner" (i.e. failed businessperson) with a grain of salt, especially when its through the second hand lens of on or both of skyler and riverman, the sad twins.

Haha the sad twinsies

I like it.

[dmacc]

I like all the talk about railside but I feel like we are still at least 5 years away from any shovels in the ground.

[trueviking]

^ I certainly hope not. Most of the developers are waiting for the green light to get building.