Winnipeg Construction X

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I truly don't understand this at all. Its a shopping centre. The current owner could shut down that food court tomorrow. The sale has nothing to do with an ability to protecting 'community space'. It a private business.

If you want community space, build it....don't rely on a food court in a mall to provide it.

As a private business, it can & should do what it needs to.It is a shopping mall to be owned by a private developer..when it adds residential, residents will want to feel safe...Let the people who RELY on it to go to a community centre nearby or get one built... I am assuming a name change will be in order (It can not retain the same name to achieve success... unless the feds scare the deal off entirely. It can nor remain running in its current state so changes shall be made for sure

[WolselyMan]

Tear it down, open up the street again into central park, dissolve the entire property into several smaller but reasonably sized lots and let nature take over from there.

[davequanbury]

Originally Posted by BAKGUY

As a private business, it can & should do what it needs to.It is a shopping mall to be owned by a private developer..when it adds residential, residents will want to feel safe...Let the people who RELY on it to go to a community centre nearby or get one built... I am assuming a name change will be in order (It can not retain the same name to achieve success... unless the feds scare the deal off entirely. It can nor remain running in its current state so changes shall be made for sure

Just thought it would be good to point out that Portage Place was funded and built as part of the Core Area Initiative. The purpose of the CAI had to do with raising people out of poverty and encouraging investment downtown. A lot of people criticized the tri-level agreement because the majority of the cash went towards building PP and the Forks, community groups and poverty activist groups felt that more of the money should have gone to 'the people.'

I was not old enough then, nor have I delved into researching the CAI to any extent that would allow me to pass judgement. However, in the context of that history, the mall kind of is somewhat of a community centre because tax money paid for it, and because it was built under the banner of CAI.

This is not the story of some pull-up-your-bootstraps tycoon building a mall and then the loser poor people acting like its their right to congregate there, this is a story of 3 levels of government investing in downtown Winnipeg under the auspices of improving the lives of poor residents.

I can sympathize with yours and other people's frustration about Winnipeg's social problems, yeah, we can be a bit of a shit-hole town sometimes. But I like to take the side of the poor, and when I read that "they should get a community centre built" it's only fair I point out that it takes all day to be poor and it is the wealthy amongst us that have the time and resources to make governments work in our favor. Let's not suggest that poor people can make the system work for them to that degree, they need folks keeping their interests in mind I believe.

[buzzg]

I'm blown away. RFO is a twit. This has the opportunity for so much positive economic development spinoff that would benefit the group's he mentions WAY more than not doing this. The fact the feds are considering stopping a massive devopment - and what could be the most important since the arena - is absurd.

[buzzg]

How come Saskatoon's Alt Hotel & Urban Capital condos look beautiful, and we got stuck with two mailed in, half-assed boxes.

Not a dig at them, just sucks for us haha.

[Wigglez]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

Ugh what a red herring. Just wait, they're going to make the case soon that a private development on this land would be racist.

^like you said, this isn't a community centre, and the way it's currently operating is a drag on the rejuvenation of downtown.

Oh, they've already been there. The day it was announced they got some pathetic fool from the area to say that the "community" wasn't consulted and to "remember who's land you are on"

No no... seriously, someone actually said this, read it for yourself: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...tage-1.5216406

"You all made the public library inaccessible. Don't do that with Portage Place mall. Remember whose land you are on."
- Community worker Jenna Wirch

It goes on to have gems like this:

Brunelli told councillors "this is public land, Indigenous land, stolen land," and asked the councillors why revenue from the sale "floated over to the Forks?"


Exactly how long can this kind of attitude go on? How long will the government let this attitude go on? And how long will the Canadian people, with which these people have decided to separate themselves from and feel superior to, let this attitude go on.

Incoming weekly blockades of Portage ave to protect this "sacred food court"

True story - I used to support (financially and through my time) an inner city group that supported (mainly) Indigenous youth. After I read that I cut all contact with that group. They wont see another dime from me unless its forced through my taxes.

[BAKGUY]

Well, the deal was the 3 levels of government were going to keep it public for 30 years..Done.. Private means just that! It is not a community centre and for that very reason it has been seen that way is why it is the worst performing mall in the city..Even after a few years open, it was 3rd in the city for sales per ft2 after Polo and St vital..It is not racist to do what the owners chose to do and how they run it. They truly do not need much input from anybody except perhaps professional experts in turning retail around from near death to somewhat thriving.As mentioned, why would they spend $230 million + adding residential to a male that has an image problem that is halting anything from happening the way it is currently? I am sure there will be a name change to the mall as well as a complete & major redo perhaps unrecognizable except for the fountain and treed courts...I would guess the food court will be redone or possibly moved to another area. This could be an even bigger opportunity than MTS Place or TNS..Feds better watch what they do and not scuttle this deal.

[dmacc]

I think it is all of our responsibilities to email RFO and let him know what you think of the development and how he should urge his government not to hold this up.

[pspeid]

This current Federal Gov't/Portage Place kind of reminds me of the period of time immediately before the demolition of the Eaton's building and the building of the new arena. There was a relatively small group of people, very vocal, determined to stop the development. If I remember correctly, there were delays as these folks had their say, and I am pretty sure I was extremely nervous that our leaders at the time would take the side of the protestors and we would see nothing more than a 4/5ths empty old building hosting flea markets every Saturday and Sunday for years to come. That didn't happen, of course, and I somehow think the PP redevelopment will not be derailed either.

To me, the current PP situation is all about optics for the Federal Gov't. As has been posted here, PP is privately owned, it's commitment to the use of it's public financing completed after 30 years. There are other ways the Federal Government can demonstrate sympathy for the community group other than stopping a hugely important downtown re-development, and I think they will use this next few weeks to bargain out some kind of compromise with the protestors that has the optics they are looking for.

[EdwardTH]

Originally Posted by Wigglez

Oh, they've already been there. The day it was announced they got some pathetic fool from the area to say that the "community" wasn't consulted and to "remember who's land you are on"

No no... seriously, someone actually said this, read it for yourself: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...tage-1.5216406

"You all made the public library inaccessible. Don't do that with Portage Place mall. Remember whose land you are on."
- Community worker Jenna Wirch

It goes on to have gems like this:

Brunelli told councillors "this is public land, Indigenous land, stolen land," and asked the councillors why revenue from the sale "floated over to the Forks?"


Exactly how long can this kind of attitude go on? How long will the government let this attitude go on? And how long will the Canadian people, with which these people have decided to separate themselves from and feel superior to, let this attitude go on.

Incoming weekly blockades of Portage ave to protect this "sacred food court"

True story - I used to support (financially and through my time) an inner city group that supported (mainly) Indigenous youth. After I read that I cut all contact with that group. They wont see another dime from me unless its forced through my taxes.

"Community worker Jenna Wirch told councillors the mall was a place where she grew up and kept her off the streets"

Oh man that's hilarious! Yeah the youths are gonna stay out of gangs because they can go to the Portage Place food courts instead! This is ridiculous

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

"Community worker Jenna Wirch told councillors the mall was a place where she grew up and kept her off the streets"

Oh man that's hilarious! Yeah the youths are gonna stay out of gangs because they can go to the Portage Place food courts instead! This is ridiculous

The so called politician that represents Winnipeg Centre MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette has got to be the biggest clown to ever serve as an MP from Manitoba! If the guy fell down he wouldn't know which way is up!

[Gm0ney]

There's some major digging going on at the old McNaught dealership on Portage at Furby. Had someone mentioned what's going in there?

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by Gm0ney

There's some major digging going on at the old McNaught dealership on Portage at Furby. Had someone mentioned what's going in there?

I was under the impression that it had to do with soil remediation but if someone in the know has information to contradict this that would also be nice

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by Pinus

JT prettyboy and Roberto birdyman will never get my vote, regardless of the outcome.

As long as you don't vot for little Andy, I don't care who you vote for lol\

It's a really a sad state of affairs with the current leaders. I'd love to vote conservative, but they've gone crazy. Grandstanding politicians much like they're fellow conservative down south.

No 'real' plan for anything. Their climate plan has no substance, it will make the polluters pay they say. Guess who will pick up the tab?

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Grandstanding politicians much like they're fellow conservative down south.

not even close buddy

[Wpg_Guy]

Bad news BMO vacating their historic flagship building at Portage and Main. They will be moving to 201 Portage in the spring. That’s a very large the prominent building to be left vacant at portage and Main hopefully a new use is found soon.

[bomberjet]

Buddy. Andrew Scheer and his conservatives have nothing goin except for bashing Trudeau, his opponent. Trump 101. This isn't even getting into Scheers homophobia, racism and whatever else. Which are documented and proven.

Don't get this confused with me supporting Trudeau. I'm simply pointing out the facts. Buddy.

[ywgwalk]

BMO Portage and Hargrave also consolidating into 201 Portage. Were we always expecting BMO to leave Newport Centre as part of their renovations?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by ywgwalk

BMO Portage and Hargrave also consolidating into 201 Portage. Were we always expecting BMO to leave Newport Centre as part of their renovations?

I think so yes, they are blowing that lobby out, the plans look like they want a large restaurant space there.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Buddy. Andrew Scheer and his conservatives have nothing goin except for bashing Trudeau, his opponent. Trump 101. This isn't even getting into Scheers homophobia, racism and whatever else. Which are documented and proven.

Don't get this confused with me supporting Trudeau. I'm simply pointing out the facts. Buddy.

Oh yeah documented and proven, by WHO?

As far as I'm concerned these are just wild and unsubstantiated ad hominem attacks.

There's a really concerning tendency to simply point and shout "racist" about any politician on the right. Honestly, this crap has to stop, it's completely alienating people form one another and widening the cultural gap between right and left. Scheer is a bloody noodle with no spine, at best a softcore conservative, at BEST. He's nowhere near Trump and if you're going to go ahead and smear him with these labels, you have betrayed yourself as a complete cynic, since he completely denounces racism and homophobia, having done so publicly on many occasions. I don't like Scheer, I think he could use some backbone and a less nebulous agenda, but what you're saying about him is tantamount to character assassination.

And just as a question: does any one party have any line of attack these days that goes beyond attacking their opponent? Not really. They make grandiose election promises that mostly don't get kept meaning that their basic pitch to the public is: 'don't vote FOR me, vote AGAINST the other guy'.