It should not be thought of as some exclusive enclave for suburban people who come and go to events,” he said. “The downtown is, and always has been, about a mixture of people.
Another downtown upgrade | The Uniter: Winnipeg’s Weekly Urban Journal
Although I’m intrigued by the SHED plans for Portage Ave. I have very little hope that it will be the shinning beacon of hope for Downtown that everyone (especially Centre Venture) is hyping it up to be.
What Downtown Winnipeg needs is not more massive corporate projects, it needs a critical mass of small specialized businesses. Winnipeg needs its residents to get excited about small local projects instead of new fast food joints and massive corporate furniture stores. I can’t even keep track of how often I’ve heard people clamor on about the new Harvey’s being built on Portage or how they can’t wait to finally shop at IKEA, but ask them about a new place in the Exchange and they stare blankly at you.
I’d love to see the streets south of Portage lined with small niche businesses instead of parking lots and crumbling architecture. Centre Venture, True North, Downtown BIZ, or any other corporate group will not be the ones to breath life back in to the Downtown. Sure they will all try to take credit, but it will be the small business owners and the people willing to come leave the suburbs to support them that bring back the excitement of days long gone.
