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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Museum 'shell game' and condo conundrum

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 10/14/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

A report to Parliament by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights shows the museum delayed hiring, postponed some spending and found other savings. (KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store

Love it or hate it, Winnipeggers always have something to say about what is going on downtown. Two stories caused big buzz last week: A 'saving' of $10 million at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and the difficulties one downtown condo project is having selling units.

On the museum...

Now think of the money they (we) will save if they don't open at all.

-- Tamaro

Only $12 million in operating budget for something that won't open for at least two more years? If this success continues it will cost $36 million BEFORE they open the doors. Excellent work!

-- vindico65

This museum will be a tourist attraction -- and trust me with this one -- the pessimists' curiosity will be wondering what the fuss is all about and will get the better of them. The attendance will soar. And even if they don't attend, you can't miss what's not there. People who know how to appreciate a good thing will make up for it. CMHR is the luster of Winnipeg.

-- firstclass

"The report also notes the museum spent just $11.7 million of its $21.7-million operating budget."

I thought the full operating budget ($21.7 million) came into effect after opening? Am I missing something here?

"That means the amount owing on a $45-million advance provided by the federal government over the summer is down to $35 million."

So... the CMHR is paying back the federal advance, with money from the federal government that it wasn't supposed to be receiving in the first place? I feel like this is a shell game.

-- Dave11

On the condos...

If you are trying to sell condos in Winnipeg without guaranteed parking you are going to hit a wall in a lot of cases. It shouldn't be surprising.

-- Chad Weswick

I don't think low sales at H20 have anything to do with it being downtown. We went to the open house on Sunday, and while we liked the looks of the bones, when we read the details, we saw that they were very overpriced -- no appliances included, carpet rather than hardwood, cheap finishings. Anything facing in any direction that you'd want to face was priced at $270,000+ (those 190 units face onto the parking lot and don't even include a parking space). The other issue for us? We like to walk/bike everywhere and there is no grocery store anywhere near the East Exchange. Build one, and we'll be there.

-- Kilgore Trout

Most people know that real estate is about location, location, location -- and in this location there is a high probability of being stabbed or having an unwanted "neighbour" living in your Dumpster!

I know a couple who relocacted from Regina and wanted to spend about $400 K on a condo. They were very interested in Waterfront -- until everyone they knew (and I mean EVERYONE) told them not to buy there. So they ended up on Wellington.

-- Cal Varnson

Cal: "until everyone they knew (and I mean EVERYONE) told them not to buy there."

You are saying everyone they know tends to get hysterical over very little?

What do you call a high probability of getting stabbed? When was the last time this happened in this area?

-- JustWondering

When are the city and people trying to "spruce up downtown" going to realize that downtown is a garbage hole that puts a black eye on our city. Seriously, I work downtown and even during the day it is disgusting. I can only imagine how brutal it is once you remove all the working people that are wearing suits and whatnot. Why anyone would want to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a condo where your chance of getting stabbed... mugged... beaten up greatly increases. People need to give their heads a shake and clean up downtown properly.

-- joel1978

@joel: So... what's YOUR plan then? Just bulldoze the entire area and leave it an open field? This is how downtown gets fixed -- people move in, then it becomes a community instead of an empty shell.

-- Vibrolux

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 14, 2012 A10

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