Western Expresso

[dmacc]

Looks like the fortress of solitude with a couple trees added

[trueviking]

This is funny. Edmonton Winnipeg comparison.

https://youtu.be/bn8qepEQHN4

[Biff]

^^^ That had me laughing out loud. Good stuff.

[esquire]

31 degrees today and the Jets are one win away from advancing to the conference finals... life is good

[Wpg_Guy]

Impressions from a Las Vegas blogger

https://youfoundsarah.com/weekend-in-winnipeg/

After dinner, we walked around some more (to work off a teeny, tiny portion of that dessert). There were a lot of covered-over storefront windows, vacant office buildings, and the streets had more trash compared to other Canadian cities we’ve been to. I hope that Winnipeg is a city of opportunity, like many US Rust Belt cities, and that Winnipeg’s young professionals will find that the downtown area provides a cheaper cost of living and turn it into a hip, vibrant area of town. Until then….

[esquire]

^ On the whole the review was generally upbeat, for whatever reason you didn't quote that stuff. I don't think her comments about downtown were unfair, either. It underscores the need for more work on improving it.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ On the whole the review was generally upbeat, for whatever reason you didn't quote that stuff. I don't think her comments about downtown were unfair, either. It underscores the need for more work on improving it.

Yes i agree it was a decent post not at all negative, just the blatantly obvious observation i hope this city can turn around as she mentioned.

[bomberjet]

I often wonder what those people think when they come to Winnipeg. Basically what we already know. Downtown is downtrodden. Forks are cool. They went to BP..... Stellas lol

[Stormer]

I am from Regina. Last summer I stayed in Calgary and Winnipeg on successive weekends. I was quite struck by the contrast. Calgary's sidewalks, building facades and street trees seemed to have seen much more significant recent investment. There are not as many historical buildings in downtown Calgary but that was compensated for by plenty of quality modern architecture. I do love the Forks. Calgary has a great River too.

I would assume there is a much greater tax base in downtown Calgary.

[buzzg]

I put pretty little weight to that review. Based on dining choices they seem to be the type of people most would describe as “don’t get out much” haha.

They came on a long weekend (dead), in May (dusty), stayed at probably the worst-located downtown hotel. It wasn’t overly positive or negative, just whatever haha.

[bomberjet]

lol I'd agree. And it was pretty dusty this spring.But ya everything was closed so it must've sucked.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

To me, this underscores the need to attract more properties from the major hotel chains to downtown. The blogger couple appear to travel on points and those of us who travel on points tend to be loyal to one or two specific hotel chains. Imagine all of those unsuspecting IHG loyalists deciding to wander up Colony/Balmoral to see what is around will experience.

At the moment, downtown has a grand total of five hotels from major chains; one each from Marriott (Delta), Accor (Fairmont), Radisson, IHG (Holiday Inn), and Best Western. While nice, micro-chains like ALT and Sutton aren't available widely enough to make a difference.

Whether it is new builds or renovations (whatever happend to 138 Portage East?) or existing hotels reflagging (Can someone tell the Sparrow family that they would make a mint signing up the Inn at the Forks/Mere/Norwood with a major's soft brand) something needs to happen.

[esquire]

^ Well, the Le Meridien at P&M almost happened

For what it's worth though, at least the major chains are covered. Starriott was conspicuously absent after the Sheraton was deflagged but as you pointed out, they're back in the game downtown.

I still find it surprising that the TNS hotel ended up being an independent brand as opposed to one of the majors. Having the only new hotel downtown attached to a major brand would have given that hotel massive clout unmatched by anyone else.

But I think the reviewer's comment basically gets at the reality that Winnipeg (not just downtown but really the entire city) is deadsville on a summer long weekend. It isn't really the best time to form a first impression. Compounding that, May Long was still a pretty dusty and gray weekend this year... they didn't even get to see the usual lush greenery that will be in place by Canada Day.

[windypeg]

With the exception of playoff hockey, spring is definitely the worst time to visit Winnipeg. Mud, dust, rain, garbage everywhere, no festivals. Winter is becoming more embraced every year and there's stuff like the river trail, Festival du voyageur, ice castles. Fall is like spring except it's dry and cleaner and some of the flowers are still sticking around. Spring is gross.

[esquire]

^ Honestly, if you wanted to give someone the worst possible impression of Winnipeg, I don't think you could do much better (worse?) than to bring them downtown on a long weekend at a time when we're experiencing a late spring and as such the cityscape was still coated in dust and grit and devoid of plant life.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Honestly, if you wanted to give someone the worst possible impression of Winnipeg, I don't think you could do much better (worse?) than to bring them downtown on a long weekend at a time when we're experiencing a late spring and as such the cityscape was still coated in dust and grit and devoid of plant life.

It looks even worse in late March, which I find to be the ugliest time of the year.

Having said that, apart from Fremont Street (and even that can be quite seedy) downtown Las Vegas is pretty ugly. If you want to talk about dead zones, check out the long stretch between downtown Vegas and Circus Circus on the north Strip, and it's scary to walk there even in the early evening.

If downtown was dead on Victoria Day, why didn't they walk a little ways over to Osborne Village or Corydon Ave.? The weather that weekend was beautiful. Why not go to Assiniboine or Kildonan Park? Why be worried that Costco was closed? Couldn't they ask someone, anyone, for suggestions? That's one of the nice things about here, 99% of the people you encounter are locals, in some cities no one lives there, or have only just moved there so they know nothing. I think that opinion piece is misinformed.

[buzzg]

^Yeah Corydon was way busier than normal that weekend, as I imagine many people stayed in the city to watch the game – and most go to Corydon, not downtown. It's clear the reviewer either 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 at travelling or just doesn't have interest in experiencing the actual culture of a city.

[rrskylar]

good read

https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/1/9/the-real-reason-your-city-has-no-money

[Tacheguy]

Very good article in this month's Harpers called "The Death of a Once Great City". It is about New York primarily but loops in other major cities as well. Essentially talks about the "crisis of affluence", and how these places are becoming boring, large-scale gated communities. I have to admit the last time I was in Manhattan similar thoughts occurred to me. I am in no hurry to go back anymore.

the good news I guess is that we are a long ways off from seeing that process take hold in Winnipeg

[esquire]

^ NYC is odd, you basically have the mega rich in the middle, and then the poor in public housing surrounding that. You have to go a long way out to get to middle class areas.

I suppose there is a bit of a trend for the top-dog alpha-level global cities to be moving in the direction of becoming playgrounds for the wealthy, although that really only accounts for maybe a couple dozen cities.