April 10, 2021

Winnipeg
10° C, A few clouds

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • The StarNEW
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Canstar Community News
    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Flyers
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photostore
  • More

©2021 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Flyers
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photostore
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Day Pass
    • Read Now Pay later
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
Winnipeg Free Press
Articles Read
Your Balance +tax
Day Pass Till
Day Pass
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Report an Error
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
    • Staff Biographies
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • Log in
    • Create Account
    • Help
    • Chat with us

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
    • My Account
    • Manage My Subscription
    • Change Password
    • Chat with us

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
Log in Create Account Contact Us
Contact Us Manage Subscription
  • Sections
  • Local
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Diversions
    • Environment
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Health
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Soccer
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • E-Edition
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Automotive
    • Careers
    • Garage Sales
    • Merchandise
    • Pets
    • Real Estate
    • Rentals
    • Services
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print
    • Ripley's Aquariums
    • The Bay
    • Staples Canada
    • Altitude Sports
    • Nike
    • Tuango
    • Ebay Canada
    • Sport Chek
    • Roots
  • Obituaries
  • Subscribe
Opinion Columnists
WEATHER ALERT

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Campuses return to core

Downtown a logical spot for universities

on architecture By: brent bellamy
Posted: 3:00 AM CST Monday, Dec. 1, 2014

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
Running a satellite campus can carry logistical challenges, but the U of M has some experience with it, operating its faculties of medicine and pharmacy from Health Sciences Centre.

BRENT BELLAMY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Running a satellite campus can carry logistical challenges, but the U of M has some experience with it, operating its faculties of medicine and pharmacy from Health Sciences Centre.

Weighed down by book-filled backpacks, groups of young people brave the autumn cold as they race between monumental stone buildings set geometrically around a sprawling open lawn. This pastoral scene is the traditional image of a university campus, but today, post-secondary institutions across Canada are creating a new backdrop for student life by returning to the bustling streets and soaring office towers in the cores of cities.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 1/12/2014 (2322 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Weighed down by book-filled backpacks, groups of young people brave the autumn cold as they race between monumental stone buildings set geometrically around a sprawling open lawn. This pastoral scene is the traditional image of a university campus, but today, post-secondary institutions across Canada are creating a new backdrop for student life by returning to the bustling streets and soaring office towers in the cores of cities.

In an age of globalization and mobility, universities increasingly have to compete nationally and internationally for students. Young people today are more often looking for cosmopolitan lifestyle choices and are beginning to focus on educational programming that will make them career- or enterprise-ready upon graduation.

In response to these evolving priorities, universities and colleges are looking to differentiate themselves from their competition by exploring avenues to commercialize education and pollinate research disciplines. Following business, art and technology back to the urban core can enhance collaborative partnerships and identify synergies within local clusters of creativity and innovation.

Connecting students to regional industry promotes the establishment of personal professional networks, which also supports greater retention after graduation.

The University of Windsor has become the most recent school to begin an urban migration, expanding from its suburban base with a new $70-million downtown campus. Suburban universities in mid-sized cities across the country are following this model and redefining themselves by establishing new urban footprints.

Brock University is studying the construction of a campus in the core of St. Catharines, Waterloo has moved into the centre of Kitchener, Wilfred Laurier University has established itself in downtown Brantford, and in Edmonton, MacEwan University is defining its image as the city's urban institute by consolidating into the downtown.

Many of these cash-strapped institutions have discovered that by re-engaging urban communities, new avenues of capital funding become available as cities look to invest in urban-renewal strategies that create broader economic impact. Universities can be transformative catalysts for change and provide economic stability in urban centres. Like an anchor tenant in a shopping mall, an urban campus brings a critical mass of people that can stimulate growth and development. By leveraging this impact, universities can find eager partners in local governments wanting to maximize the benefit of their tax-dollar investments within the community.

Despite this leverage, many Canadian urban universities have not embraced their role as city-builders, often functioning as islands set within, but functionally separated from their urban surroundings.

In contrast to this, the University of Winnipeg has demonstrated what can be accomplished when a post-secondary institution chooses to become a leader of urban issues within its community. Over the past 10 years, the U of W has exploded beyond its traditional block, growing by 30 per cent in area and 15 per cent in enrolment while establishing itself as a main driver of renewal in the inner city.

Guided by its Community Renewal Corporation, a not-for-profit charitable organization comprised of university and community members, the University of Winnipeg has committed itself to the highest levels of environmental, social, economic and cultural sustainability in its development. The U of W has not simply been expanding its physical footprint, it has also transformed its social commitment and level of community engagement.

The United Health and RecPlex, adjacent to historic Wesley Hall, is the latest building to redefine the campus image while exemplifying these guiding principles. Targeting LEED Gold environmental certification, the newly opened sports and recreation facility houses a divisible FIFA-standard soccer pitch, a running track, gymnasium and a health, wellness and healing centre. Uniquely, the new facility comes with a formalized Community Charter that establishes a set of guiding principles to define the building's role within the neighbourhood. The charter will be administered by a community access advisory committee, ensuring at least one-third of the building's scheduled availability is reserved for community uses such as athletic programming for inner-city children, drop-in gymnasium hours and summer adventure camps.

The U of W's innovative, community-focused growth will continue through future projects that include the transformation of the Merchants Hotel on Selkirk Avenue into an affordable-housing and education complex, as well as a highrise residential development near Portage Avenue that will be a unique blend of student housing, assisted living and market units.

As the U of W redefines the downtown's west side, Red River College is transforming the Exchange District to the east. Since 2004, the architecturally celebrated Princess Street campus has brought thousands of students to the area each day. This energy has recently been supplemented through the rebirth of Union Bank Tower on Main Street as the Paterson Global Foods institute.

Since relocating its Broadway and Memorial Boulevard campus to the Fort Garry Agricultural College in 1950, the University of Manitoba has retained little presence in downtown Winnipeg. With the recent announcement of a $500-million capital campaign however, there may be an opportunity to leverage part of that public investment to allow the U of M to join its post-secondary partners in the downtown, creating an urban neighbourhood of innovation and creativity that provides a greater physical connection to the local community.

Stay informed

The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.

Subscribe to COVID-19 Briefing
Sign Up

A satellite campus can be logistically challenging, but the U of M has some experience with the concept, operating the faculties of medicine and pharmacy from Health Sciences Centre. There may be other specialized disciplines and research programs that can benefit from reduced geographic isolation, allowing them to leverage existing ecosystems, grow their programming and advance community partnerships. Some of the challenges of proximity to the main campus may be solved through creative solutions such as a reciprocal partnership with the U of W to offer elective courses or library and student services.

In 2009, Simon Fraser University became a key partner in the redevelopment of the iconic and long-vacant Woodward's store in Vancouver's beleaguered Downtown Eastside, realizing one of Canada's most significant urban-renewal projects. In 2006, the University of Alberta transformed Edmonton's vacant downtown Hudson's Bay store into Enterprise Square, becoming a symbol of the city's urban rebirth. Both projects demonstrate the positive and lasting impact a university can have on its city. Similar opportunities exist for Manitoba's largest educational institution, including the possible redevelopment of our own Hudson's Bay store in downtown Winnipeg.

Winnipeg's core is in the midst of being remade. Expansion of the city's post-secondary institutions has already had a transformative effect on the city centre. Working to establish a greater downtown presence for all of Winnipeg's advanced institutions will broaden this impact and provide a multiplier effect for the public investment. By getting ahead of the national trend to urbanize the university experience, reinforcing support for the growth of existing downtown institutions as well as facilitating opportunities for new players, there is vast potential to generate lasting and mutually beneficial relationships for students, local industry and the city.


Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.

bbellamy@numberten.com

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Top