Downtown – a place we should all be proud of

Old Kildonan

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/11/2024 (334 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As Winnipeggers, we’ve heard a lot about downtown over the past months. We know the pandemic has changed how we experience our city’s core, but plans for the future of the neighbourhood are starting to take shape.

Many people used to head downtown five days a week for work or school, but now it’s common to go only two to three times a week, if at all. This shift has contributed to business closures, increased safety issues, and reshaped a downtown area that no longer resembles the one many of us grew up with. However, the good news is that downtown is evolving for the better. With many projects and plans on the horizon, our city’s core can once again become the vibrant heart of the city we can be proud of.

So why should we care about our city’s downtown?

The success or failure of downtown Winnipeg affects all Winnipeggers. Even if you don’t regularly visit for work, school, or events, it’s important to know that the revenue generated in our city’s core supports amenities across Winnipeg. According to a 2021 report by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, downtown Winnipeg makes up less than one per cent of the city’s total land area but comprises approximately 17 perc ent of our commercial tax base. This means that our community spaces, snow clearing services, road maintenance, and more – services and programs we rely on in this neighbourhood – depend on revenue generated downtown.

Here are just a few of the projects that will improve downtown Winnipeg, and bring additional safety and vibrancy to our city’s core:

• In July, Council supported CentrePlan 2050, a 30-year vision to create a resilient and thriving downtown neighbourhood by increasing housing, transforming Graham Avenue and making downtown a destination;

• We’re seeing economic reconciliation in action as work has started on the Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s transformation of the former Hudson’s Bay building into Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn, which is expected to be at least partially completed in 2026;

• The proposed redevelopment of Portage Place by True North Real Estate Development was supported with city funding this past September.

Please contact my office at 204-986-5264 or devi@winnipeg.ca if you have any questions, comments or ideas.