There is a lot of buzz about downtown these days. The Jets have returned, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is being built, there are more people living in the Exchange District, Main Street is changing and there is new development activity around our downtown campuses.
Our downtown has come a long way in recent years, thanks to an increasing population, planning, dialogue and partnerships.
How do we keep this momentum going while making sure that all Winnipeggers benefit?
OurWinnipeg, the city’s recently adopted development plan that will guide growth and change over the next 25 years, is one way of maintaining this momentum. OurWinnipeg guides development decisions in the downtown and provides an important framework for investment.
OurWinnipeg and its companion document, the Complete Communities Direction Strategy, are based on the feedback of 42,000 Winnipeggers through the SpeakUpWinnipeg engagement process. Through the Complete Communities Direction Strategy — the city’s development “playbook” — OurWinnipeg provides more direction on downtown development than any previous plan.
What is the vision for the downtown?
The vision for the downtown is for it to be an inclusive, high-density, sustainable mixed-use community over the next 25 years. You are encouraged to take a look through OurWinnipeg and Complete Communities to learn more about the vision and strategies for downtown (available at speakupwinnipeg.com). OurWinnipeg strikes an important balance between physical development and quality of life for downtown residents.
OurWinnipeg supports access to affordable housing, poverty reduction through partnerships, collaboration with community and cultural groups, accessible services and facilities, and options for “aging in place.” It promotes high-quality urban design, strong identities for downtown districts and residential development options as part of a mixed-use strategy. It facilitates the growth of employment and education opportunities, supports the expanded presence of arts, culture, sports, entertainment, leisure, services and attractions and promotes enhanced transportation options.
By pursuing these objectives, the city envisions the downtown as an ideal place to live, work and play.
What tools will help make the downtown vision a reality?
The Complete Communities Direction Strategy guides development in all parts of the city, with an emphasis on downtown. The “Complete Communities Checklist” is a new tool intended to assist developers in achieving complete communities.
The city is providing financial incentives for the development of new housing downtown, and continues to provide urban design review for all downtown development. The city will keep working with residents, stakeholder groups and other levels of government to ensure everyone has a significant part to play in the ongoing transformation of our downtown into a thriving, sustainable community for Winnipeggers of all age groups, cultures and income levels.
Want to learn more now?
Visit speakupwinnipeg.com While you’re there, check out OurWinnipeg in Action, a new online interactive map tool that helps you learn about the urban structure and innovative projects taking place in different parts of it.
— provided by the Planning and Land Use Division, City of Winnipeg Planning, Property and Development Department.