Winnipeg | Downtown | Portage Place | Redevelopment | U/C

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Sheepish

Fair is good! The essence of my point really is that, while we could quibble with some of the aesthetic choices that were made in the original incarnation of the park, the park was a great space. The problem is that it was allowed to fall into the poor state that led to its closure and now its renewal. Hopefully the lesson is learned and there will be strict adherence to and exercising of the laws in place. In other words, what the city 'wants' and what the city does must be aligned.

I agree that the city's desires for the park have to be aligned with quick action. My impression was that before the recent changes to city bylaws about where homeless camps could be located, the city just didn't have the legal basis on which to move people out of that park. I believe, at this time, they have the legal authority to do this.

People interested in how different jurisdictions deal with their own homelessness issue should pay attention to the U.S. state of Louisiana (House Bill 211). They are apparently enacting some of the strictest anti-homelessness laws pretty much anywhere. Please keep in mind I am not advocating for this, I am just putting this out for discussion.

The bill would make it a crime to sleep in an unauthorized public area, with those convicted of a first offense subjected to a punishment of up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to $500. The punishments for repeat offenders increase to one to two years imprisonment and a $1000 fine. Those convicted of the crime can avoid jail by entering a 12-month-long treatment program, with the bill authorizing treatment camps in remote areas. Individuals taking the treatment option would have to pay for “all or part of the cost of the treatment program to which he is assigned,” and those who cannot afford this would instead have to perform unpaid labor instead of payment.

source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/insi...zmklQk6zJDqyP3Q243Ff3JjG_qkjIrRWWnM1dp9T

Whether these extreme actions are "successful" or not depends on one's definition of "success". if the goal is simply to remove homeless people from sight, I suppose it does the job. if the goal is to cure addictions dependence, I believe the jury is still out an to whether forced treatment works for some people. If the goal is to reduce actual homelessness I can't see it achieving anything. Homeless people after jail time or forced treatment will still be homeless.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Photo from earlier today:

[bomberjet]

Is it too much to ask that the laws be enforced??

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Is it too much to ask that the laws be enforced??

According to the city their encampment laws are being enforced:

https://www.winnipeg.ca/news/2025-11-17-new-encampment-protocol-being-enforced

[bomberjet]

[Sheepish]

To your comments Speid and your response B-J, the issue for me (and I suspect many others - perhaps yourself included) isn't so much about 'removing homeless people from sight' but rather the realization that these agglomerations and the behavior/activity that ensues has significant social, economic and safety impacts on the general public, downtown, and the city as a whole. The need to be respectful of people who are clearly in trauma must be balanced against the need to keep our city and public spaces - parks, pathways, transit shelters - from being trashed. BTW...it is pretty moronic to expect someone who can't afford housing to pay for their own treatment. If you really want these people to be helped...HELP THEM!

[bomberjet]

It's one thing to live in a camp down by the river. It's another to blockade public pathways for example and berate passerby's. Littering and vandalizing both public and private property. Arrest them.

The bloody loitering and begging for money non-stop.

Take the Scadinavian route. Provide housing. Provide treatment. Do something. As we've all gone in circles about this many times. If said person does not accept this, and continues to be a chronic abuser, yes they need to be taken into custody in some form.

Like ffs enough already. One of my friends who is basically normal and has a job, is in Selkirk mental hospital under a medical hold for months now. And they're a normal law abiding, tax paying citizen. Like they have a home and a life and this is what happens to them. But people can just run rampant of our City?! never mind..

I'm a pretty laid back person and for the most part do whatever the hell you want. But this kind of stuff is where I draw the line. For public safety and the greater good. I'm a believer in that.

[Outlandish18]

The goal is to ATTRACT people to live downtown. You beautify an area and let vagrants vandalize and shoot meth wherever they please then you will push people away. It drives me nuts that the city cannot keep our bus shacks intact and have spent millions of dollars "researching" for a shatter-proof material. How about enforcing the law and hold people accountable for their actions?
Downtowns in my home country (third world) are the centre of commerce and tourism. Where people hangout and feel safe. I hate to say it but our downtown is ghetto. The new PP redevelopment and the park are awesome. But until the government does something about the rampant drug abuse in that area it will be trashed all over again. I aint spending money in an area where people are openly smoking meth.

[pegcityboy]

Back to the redevelopment for a minute , is the Medical building going to be constructed first followed by the residential tower or will they be building simultaneously? I thought I maybe be wrong that someone said residential tower was going to be built first .

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by pegcityboy

Back to the redevelopment for a minute , is the Medical building going to be constructed first followed by the residential tower or will they be building simultaneously? I thought I maybe be wrong that someone said residential tower was going to be built first .

The projects will overlap; the medical tower is already under construction, while site preparation for the residential tower has begun—including the relocation of the Portage Place skate park.

[bon_vivant]

Originally Posted by Outlandish18

The goal is to ATTRACT people to live downtown. You beautify an area and let vagrants vandalize and shoot meth wherever they please then you will push people away. It drives me nuts that the city cannot keep our bus shacks intact and have spent millions of dollars "researching" for a shatter-proof material. How about enforcing the law and hold people accountable for their actions?
Downtowns in my home country (third world) are the centre of commerce and tourism. Where people hangout and feel safe. I hate to say it but our downtown is ghetto. The new PP redevelopment and the park are awesome. But until the government does something about the rampant drug abuse in that area it will be trashed all over again. I aint spending money in an area where people are openly smoking meth.

Agree. Sadly, I have little faith in our city's ability to keep our downtown public spaces free of crime and vandalism. Beautification is one thing, but there also has to be a budget for upkeep and policing.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

The upper levels of government need to step up and help address the issue. This is not a problem for just the city of Winnipeg to solve.

[bon_vivant]

Originally Posted by Mr Tall Forehead

The upper levels of government need to step up and help address the issue. This is not a problem for just the city of Winnipeg to solve.

Sure, upper levels of government need to address the systemic issues that cause this. But the city still needs to do its part to keep downtown appealing and safe. The condition of the new AC park one year from now will be telling, one way or another.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by bon_vivant

Sure, upper levels of government need to address the systemic issues that cause this. But the city still needs to do its part to keep downtown appealing and safe. The condition of the new AC park one year from now will be telling, one way or another.

I think a lot of us have a "wait and see and hope" attitude about this, but I understand the impatience and cynicism.

[Wpg_Guy]

X

[asher__jo]

Originally Posted by Outlandish18

The goal is to ATTRACT people to live downtown. You beautify an area and let vagrants vandalize and shoot meth wherever they please then you will push people away. It drives me nuts that the city cannot keep our bus shacks intact and have spent millions of dollars "researching" for a shatter-proof material. How about enforcing the law and hold people accountable for their actions?
Downtowns in my home country (third world) are the centre of commerce and tourism. Where people hangout and feel safe. I hate to say it but our downtown is ghetto. The new PP redevelopment and the park are awesome. But until the government does something about the rampant drug abuse in that area it will be trashed all over again. I aint spending money in an area where people are openly smoking meth.

Maybe you could gain a little empathy. Soo tired of people on forums saying how drug addictions and homelessness are the ails of downtown. Maybe we could consider white flight to the suburbs (which essentially every north American faced at some point). The main problem is Winnipeg has an addictions problem…an addiction to unsustainable suburban growth.
Every time someone brings up addictions and homelessness fails to acknowledge that the vast majority of them are First Nations. Again, let’s use some empathy and cool the rhetoric about people who don’t have a home while we complain from the comfort of our own home.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by asher__jo

Maybe you could gain a little empathy. Soo tired of people on forums saying how drug addictions and homelessness are the ails of downtown. Maybe we could consider white flight to the suburbs (which essentially every north American faced at some point). The main problem is Winnipeg has an addictions problem…an addiction to unsustainable suburban growth.
Every time someone brings up addictions and homelessness fails to acknowledge that the vast majority of them are First Nations. Again, let’s use some empathy and cool the rhetoric about people who don’t have a home while we complain from the comfort of our own home.

I think it's easy to look for blame if one only focuses on internal factors for homelessness and ignores external factors. Both could be at work for any individual suffering homelessness, but focussing on internal factors like addictions or "bad decisions" removes the frightening prospect that anyone could be made homeless by circumstances beyond their control. IMO empathy is crucial to motivate action on homelessness.

[trueviking]

The most realistic rendering of the medical tower I’ve seen.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by trueviking

The most realistic rendering of the medical tower I’ve seen.

Still attractive but the building has been circumcised by several floors from the initial suggestion of 15 - 16.

[Malcsta]

At this rate I doubt Winnipeg will ever see a new development with 20 + floors

Short and stubby seems to be the norm, now