Bowman must fix his mess

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/02/2015 (3927 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For 15 years, CentreVenture has been a model of leadership in reinventing our downtown. This model is based on a collaborative, respectful, partnership approach that has allowed the city to punch above its weight. The renewed optimism in our downtown is a direct result.

Unfortunately, the recent debacle between city council and CentreVenture has led to a breakdown of trust and respect critical to Winnipeg’s success. The cavalier way city council treated CentreVenture and the reputations of some great Winnipeg champions is deeply upsetting.

Our mayor must show leadership and put us back on track.

CentreVenture was created for a reason. Fifteen years ago, our downtown was difficult to be proud of — derelict buildings, very few people and little excitement. Revitalization seemed impossible as Winnipeg’s business investment of choice was the suburbs and not our core. Something had to change. That change was CentreVenture, an arm’s-length downtown-development agency we could rally around.

CentreVenture was created to both promote and market downtown, but also empowered to identify opportunities and pursue them. It has a proud history of pursuing projects with partnerships. Few of these downtown projects were easy. Without CentreVenture bringing people and organizations together, few would have been completed.

CentreVenture has been directly involved in 73 development projects representing more than $700 million in new investment. Imagine Portage Avenue today without the redevelopment of the Avenue Building — an eyesore on our city’s signature street for more than a decade. What would north Main look like without the United Way building? The Met Theatre, home to so many great memories for Winnipeggers, left dormant for years, is now reawakened.

CentreVenture’s mandate goes far beyond real estate transactions. It has been used effectively for social development and downtown policy. Its leadership role in establishing the tax increment financing program has provided us with the most effective tool for attracting investments. This model is now used widely by other cities.

As frustrated as I am to see the organization discredited unjustifiably by the mayor and city council, I am more frustrated with the mistreatment of the people associated with the True North Project on Carlton Street.

The successive boards of CentreVenture have been composed of volunteers who are community champions; individuals who have helped build this community personally and professionally. I hold these individuals in the highest regard as standard bearers for fairness, equity and accountability. The great people from True North, who have shown time and time again their commitment to this city, and to operating to the highest standards, did not deserve to have their reputations impugned.

There is a lot at stake in terms of the city’s reputation and its ability to attract investment. There is a lot at stake in this particular opportunity to fill a big hole in the middle of the downtown with a project that will be a game changer for our city. Where do we go from here? We need a reset.

The mayor must take responsibility for failing to fully understand all aspects of the project or CentreVenture itself. This created a divide between council and CentreVenture that was played out in public. The mayor, as our city’s leader, must re-establish an environment of trust, integrity and honour. Now is the time for that leadership, and I know our mayor has what it takes to repair the damage and chart a new course.

Sometimes, we think businesses and organizations are faceless facades with no real value to our community. We are dealing with people. Members of our community who live here, raise families here, invest here, and contribute to those in need. They are you and me.

We must always make sure we value and preserve an environment of respect for each other. And that’s what has been lost and what needs to be resurrected. Now.

 

Dave Angus is president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.