12°c Light drizzle
17°c Mainly cloudy
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Helping Central Park reach its full potential
Panel explores options for economic development
TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Raymond Ngarboui wants community consultations on Central Park's economic development.
Central Park has come a long way, baby.
But until an economic development organization for one of Canada's most ethnically diverse neighbourhoods is put in place, proponents say it won't be able to reach its full potential.
For years, the downtown park's reputation as a hub for crime and drug use was well deserved, but that's changed since a $5.5-million overhaul added a soccer pitch, a giant toboggan slide and the largest spray park in the city a couple of years ago.
Raymond Ngarboui, a neighbourhood volunteer and one-time resident who immigrated to Canada from Chad seven years ago, said new Canadians who move to the area -- many of whom come from countries such as Nepal, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Togo and Cameroon -- need entrepreneurial training so they can set up shops and reduce the number of boarded-up storefronts.
Ngarboui would like to see community consultations on the Central Park area's economic development take place, just as they did prior to the overhaul. One possibility is having collectively owned stores, he said.
"If we can do a consumer co-op, then we could have mixed multi-purpose businesses. We could have a restaurant where food and meals would be made by member-owners. We could also have some community members get hands-on training in catering, which would help families with cooking and nutrition. Some of those families will likely become entrepreneurs," he said.
"It's meaningless to have people with nice infrastructure but with empty stomachs."
Ngarboui was one of the panelists at a Manitoba Professional Planners Institute breakfast held Thursday at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café to commemorate World Town Planning Day. He was joined by Bob Somers, a principal with the landscape architectural firm Scatliff+Miller+Murray Inc., and Ross McGowan, president and CEO of CentreVenture, the city's downtown redevelopment agency.
Somers said because Central Park is insular and "very local," the best thing that can be done to spur activity is to fund programming to get "eyes and ears into the space."
The more people are out and about, the more local stores, such as a parlour coffee shop, could thrive. Ultimately, local residents have to take on the risk and drive to get businesses off the ground, he said.
"People won't go there if they live in Lindenwoods or Wolseley. It's about getting the right-scaled businesses (to open). I'm not talking about an Earls. I'm sure that Mac's store (on Carlton Street) does gangbusters," said Somers.
McGowan pointed to the public-private partnership in the rebirth of Central Park, which he said is the oldest park in Winnipeg, as a model for redevelopment elsewhere.
"We can get a lot of mileage out of cobbling (the money) together and minimizing the pain," he said.
"We have a new park but also a new attitude and a new sense of ownership. Five years ago, nobody wanted to set foot in that park. Crime is down 50 per cent (in the last couple of years). We still have issues there but there's a strong sense of community growing there."
geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 9, 2012 A10
More Latest News
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
More Latest News
(1 of 10 articles for today)
Overnight stabbings probed
8:37 AM 0Winnipeg Police are investigating a pair of early-morning stabbing incidents.
A man in his 20s was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening ...
Poll
Most Popular Latest News
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- Rare comic book featuring debut of Superman found insulating abandoned house in Minnesota
- Systemic approach to voter interference 'extremely worrisome': Trudeau
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Evidence ignored in dangerous driving acquital, appeal court told
- 'I do not use crack cocaine': Ford ends week of silence on crack video scandal
- City's first urban reserve born
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- 2 dead in crash near Portage la Prairie
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Winnipeg woman camps out in front of legislature to protest child welfare
- Rainfall warning issued for southern Manitoba
- Two men now facing first-degree murder charges in Tim Bosma test drive death
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Seattle man dribbling soccer ball to Brazil killed by car on Oregon Coast
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Driver crashes into tree near golf course
- Arrests made after raids on local head shops
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- News of city's $17-million winner leaks out on FB
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Catching up with Arrested Development's Bluth family
- Toews 'disappointed' U.S., Canada at loggerheads over meat labeling regulations
- Driver horrified by scene in rearview mirror after load hits I-5 bridge, road falls into river
- Youth faces murder charge in Pauingassi First Nation death
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Jockey club launches $350-M civil suit against province
- New owner for lumber stores
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Marsh Madness: Photographers Fred Greenslade and Joe Bryksa capture spring migration's grandeur at Delta Marsh
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- Prominent Canadians back petition to rename Victoria Day to honour aboriginals
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- Skin picking gets status as distinct disorder, should help sufferers access help
- Order of Manitoba recipients announced
- New owner for lumber stores
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Dogs can experience separation anxiety and depression just like humans
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- 'Revenge of the redheads': Ginger-haired Montrealers gather in celebration
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Passengers from diverted flight to leave Winnipeg Thursday night
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.