WINNIPEG | Portage Place Redevelopment

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

The link to the source wasn't properly showing up, it's been fixed.

Thanks!!

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Highwayman

I'd be happy if they started moving all the retail to City place and True North Square.

Yes, I wonder where the remaining retail will move? I suppose the people who use the Pharmacy at the Shoppers Drug Mart will be a little concerned.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by pspeid

Yes, I wonder where the remaining retail will move? I suppose the people who use the Pharmacy at the Shoppers Drug Mart will be a little concerned.

People could move their Shoppers prescriptions to the Rexall Drugs at City Place or the Shoppers in Winnipeg Square.

I don't know what the difference in dispensing fees (if any) are so that may factor in where one would move their prescriptions to.

ETA: There may even be small retail Pharmacies in the medical clinics on Ellice and Carlton and the clinic on Kennedy and St. Mary Ave.

[esquire]

I wouldn't complain if Shoppers moved back to Graham Avenue...

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Considering the heavy amount of Shared Health involvement in the Portage Place plan I think it is at best "pending" the results of the election this October. Lest we forget the near shovel ready Cancer Care plan that was scraped when the provincial government last changed.

True North will make sure those lease agreements and contracts are iron clad before the fall election, they will learn from past mistakes like when the government pulled the plug on the large format LC in Hargrave Market.

[Luisito]

Originally Posted by esquire

Yeah, at least it's something. It's better than boarding up Portage Place. And it will bring some good jobs to the area, so there's that.

True

I remember 20 years ago people on this board would bemoan the fate of Selkirk Avenue going from a busy retail street to one where the biggest activity is basically social services. What we didn't know then was that Portage would end up following the same path.

That's exactly what's happening to portage place. I noticed the design has two drop in centres. This pretty much gaurantees the front of this place will turn into what the front of the air canada centre is now. Not exactly a great way to bring people back downtown or attract tourist.

In any case the tower designs are nice and will be a great addition to the skyline. So there is that. I will admire it from far away.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Luisito

True



That's exactly what's happening to portage place. I noticed the design has two drop in centres. This pretty much gaurantees the front of this place will turn into what the front of the air canada centre is now. Not exactly a great way to bring people back downtown or attract tourist.

In any case the tower designs are nice and will be a great addition to the skyline. So there is that. I will admire it from far away.

If True North Square is any indication they will deploy their security to remove any loitering, TNS has a zero tolerance policy which some critics might not like but it makes it feel like one of the safest spaces downtown, it's actually enjoyable.

[Jammon]

Originally Posted by cllew

People could move their Shoppers prescriptions to the Rexall Drugs at City Place or the Shoppers in Winnipeg Square.

I don't know what the difference in dispensing fees (if any) are so that may factor in where one would move their prescriptions to.

ETA: There may even be small retail Pharmacies in the medical clinics on Ellice and Carlton and the clinic on Kennedy and St. Mary Ave.

I could see City Place becoming "the" shopping mall for downtown. Interestingly, Staples has been contemplating opening a store there as they would like to keep a downtown presence, but the theft at Portage Place was so high, they had to close it down.

[thurmas]

Originally Posted by Jammon

I could see City Place becoming "the" shopping mall for downtown. Interestingly, Staples has been contemplating opening a store there as they would like to keep a downtown presence, but the theft at Portage Place was so high, they had to close it down.

does that mean it will become this the 1986 vision it was supposed to be?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ws-p7EHQ3Y

[Luisito]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

If True North Square is any indication they will deploy their security to remove any loitering, TNS has a zero tolerance policy which some critics might not like but it makes it feel like one of the safest spaces downtown, it's actually enjoyable.

I agree about true north square feeling safe. The situation is a bit different there though.

I remember one of the biggest criticism of the PP redevolpment was people were going to lose a "gathering place'. This one of the biggest complaints 'community organizations" and chiefs had. They were asking for 24 hour drop in centre from the begining. If security enforces no loitering rules, there will almost certainly be accusations of exclusion, colonialism and racism thrown around. Looks like the developers know this and just gave into demands. Two portions of this project are drop in centres. We will replicate the air canada centre and, main and higgins all over again. Sorry for being pessimistic and skeptical but the way things are going in this city, I don't see any improvement in our downtown.

Like i said before though, the towers look really nice. Look forward to seeing them go up.

[Highwayman]

Originally Posted by Luisito

I agree about true north square feeling safe. The situation is a bit different there though.

I remember one of the biggest criticism of the PP redevolpment was people were going to lose a "gathering place'. This one of the biggest complaints 'community organizations" and chiefs had. They were asking for 24 hour drop in centre from the begining. If security enforces no loitering rules, there will almost certainly be accusations of exclusion, colonialism and racism thrown around. Looks like the developers know this and just gave into demands. Two portions of this project are drop in centres. We will replicate the air canada centre and, main and higgins all over again. Sorry for being pessimistic and skeptical but the way things are going in this city, I don't see any improvement in our downtown.

Like i said before though, the towers look really nice. Look forward to seeing them go up.

Do you really think they would invest this much and let it turn into Air Canada place? With your thinking may aswell just make it all a gravel parking lot.

Remember that the Bay will be a giant reserve. If I worried about loitering it would be around The Bay.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

If True North Square is any indication they will deploy their security to remove any loitering, TNS has a zero tolerance policy which some critics might not like but it makes it feel like one of the safest spaces downtown, it's actually enjoyable.

Similar to 201 Portage, there's no loitering around there for most part. The lunch hour atmosphere in warm days is fantastic. Music playing, lots benches, people and as of Friday, lots flowers in the planters. Great vibe

[pspeid]

IMO people should be applauding the social services that the revamped Portage Place will provide to the downtown. Instead of merely lamenting that one may be forced to look at, or even interact with homeless people/people struggling with addictions, this plan looks to provide services for some of these people to overcome their problems and have lives away from the street. Humans being rescued is a pretty good function IMO, as well as the health/therapeutic services the place will provide.

No it's not glamorous or showy (except for how good the building look!). It doesn't turn Portage Ave into Rodeo Drive or the Ginza, or into a Las Vegas Strip entertainment district. It doesn't turn back the clock to when there were two large department stores downtown and no suburban shopping malls.

Was it does do, IMO, is recognize that the downtown is a neighbourhood, albeit a unique one. It needs to support it's residents with housing and services, as well as being the hub for a large portion of the city's business, entertainment and government offices. Helping to create a safer, more attractive downtown neighbourhood will, I hope, also become a magnet for some of those shopping and entertainment options that people appear to see lacking in the downtown.

Of course, it won't do anything to change people's race/ethnicity, so if that's what's bothering some people, which based on some comments I've read seems to be the case, then no, Portage Place won't solve that "problem".

[WinCitySparky]

^Hear hear.

[Luisito]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by pspeid

IMO people should be applauding the social services that the revamped Portage Place will provide to the downtown. Instead of merely lamenting that one may be forced to look at, or even interact with homeless people/people struggling with addictions, this plan looks to provide services for some of these people to overcome their problems and have lives away from the street. Humans being rescued is a pretty good function IMO, as well as the health/therapeutic services the place will provide.

I agree people need social srvices but how has that worked out on Selkirk Ave?Has that street been "revitalized"? if we are being 100% honest, most people don't want to interact with homless, people that are visibly intoxicated or bothering people for money.

Was it does do, IMO, is recognize that the downtown is a neighbourhood, albeit a unique one. It needs to support it's residents with housing and services, as well as being the hub for a large portion of the city's business, entertainment and government offices. Helping to create a safer, more attractive downtown neighbourhood will, I hope, also become a magnet for some of those shopping and entertainment options that people appear to see lacking in the downtown.
.

Good luck with that.

[thurmas]

Portage is now the medical and social services street which is fine as thats what it has become and needs those services. Graham appears to be the street the city aims to gentrify with True North Square and the New plans laid out last week. It makes sense to have the little retail that was on Portage to be brought under one roof at city place. The scale of city place works much better as the retail hub for downtown to serve the business people there coupled with a renovated Winnipeg Square would be nice. Who knows maybe one day they can bring a cinema back to city place like in the 80s.

[esquire]

Having that critical mass in Cityplace seems good in theory, but there have really been no tangible signs of improvement in that mall in nearly 30 years. The only positive steps in there have been the addition of the Shark Club and Boston Pizza, but those are probably arena amenities as much as anything else. It lost several of its few remaining retailers during the pandemic... all that's left is food, and services (banks, doctors, dentists, travel agents, etc.).

[thurmas]

Originally Posted by esquire

Having that critical mass in Cityplace seems good in theory, but there have really been no tangible signs of improvement in that mall in nearly 30 years. The only positive steps in there have been the addition of the Shark Club and Boston Pizza, but those are probably arena amenities as much as anything else. It lost several of its few remaining retailers during the pandemic... all that's left is food, and services (banks, doctors, dentists, travel agents, etc.).

If they could get a modern man or Tommy guns barber shop a winners or Marshall's and a suit store I think could do well there Monday to Friday

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by esquire

I wouldn't complain if Shoppers moved back to Graham Avenue...

It was better when it was located on Graham.

[cslusarc]

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

It was better when it was located on Graham.

Is there a large enough storefront on Graham (near Kennedy) to accomodate a full-sized Shoppers' with a Beauty Botique?