An arts festival campus, thousands of new apartment spaces and more pedestrian-oriented pathways may be on the Exchange District agenda.
The Exchange District Business Improvement Zone unveiled a 20-year community investment strategy Wednesday.
“Our vision is to make the Exchange District a destination, a place every Winnipegger can come,” David Pensato, executive director for the BIZ, told a crowd of roughly 50 people.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
‘Our vision is to make the Exchange District a destination, a place every Winnipegger can come,’ said David Pensato, executive director for the Exchange District BIZ.
The strategy breaks the area into seven precincts and outlines 28 “foundational” projects.
One project involves linking a series of pedestrian-oriented travel paths from Alexander Docks to cultural and artistic spaces, including those involved in Nuit Blanche and the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival.
The strategy suggests building housing east of Portage and Main. Creating an infill development community between William and Notre Dame avenues, bounded by Dagmar and Adelaide streets, is another suggestion.
Should the strategy be followed, it could yield another 11,000 residential units, according to Exchange District BIZ projections.
“We’re not saying that the city needs to spend any money today on it,” Pensato told reporters. “It’s about saying, ‘Where’s the city going to spend money? Where’s the city going to leverage funds?’ And here’s a way to do it.”
Local business owners have lamented a drop in foot traffic during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some entrepreneurs, including The Haberdashery, have left the core to pursue business elsewhere.
“Downtown is the heart of Winnipeg, and if that’s not living… the rest of the city kind of dies with it,” said Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas).
She’s supportive of the strategy. It will be put forward for adoption by the city’s property and development committee next Wednesday. If approved, Winnipeg’s executive policy committee will look over the strategy; if they approve, it will be subject to a full council vote in December.
“It (could) feed the downtown plan that we’re already working on,” Santos said.
The city is creating CentrePlan 2050, a document to guide downtown development. Santos hopes to see the plan next year.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
‘Downtown is the heart of Winnipeg, and if that’s not living… the rest of the city kind of dies with it,’ said Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas).
The new Exchange District strategy “paves the way for where those investments need to happen” in the area, Santos stated.
“We always talk about, ‘Where’s that return on investment?’ And this strategy outlines that,” she continued.
Modelling from the strategy projects a property tax increase of $103.5 million and a business tax increase of $5.7 million.
Pensato didn’t say how much investment would be needed from the public and private sectors to complete the projects. He noted it’s a strategy that can be broken into smaller, specific plans.
“We’re just modelling what will (happen) if we take steps,” he said.
Incentives to draw private sector investment could include expediting permitting and partnering with the city on infrastructure spending.
“It’s about taking the opportunities as they come,” Pensato added. “It really is sort of an organic, comprehensive plan.”
There isn’t an ordered list or timeline showing when specific projects will be pursued.
Pensato referenced Waterfront Drive: what was once contaminated grounds is now a lively area along the Red River. Its development spurred more action on roads nearby — an unexpected perk, Pensato noted.
“Let’s leverage that and keep it going,” said Shawn Mahoney.
The artist listened to the Exchange District BIZ’s strategy briefing. He’s used a space in the Exchange District for six years and works a full-time job downtown.
“There’s definitely been some neglect,” Mahoney noted. “Businesses close, their windows are boarded up. Facades of buildings that have been broken… they’ve not been repaired.”
The new Exchange District strategy “paves the way for where those investments need to happen” in the area, says a city councillor. (Exchange District Community Investment Strategy)
The new Exchange District strategy breaks the area into seven precincts and outlines 28 “foundational” projects.
He applauded the BIZ’s presentation, calling it “very, very impressive.” He would also like quick changes to the area.
“To see buildings that are boarded up… it creates an atmosphere that this is vacant and dangerous,” he said.
Window decals of a restaurant or business on vacant buildings could encourage entrepreneurs to move in, he brainstormed. Lights in alleys and regularly emptied garbage bins are other fast solutions, he added.
More people occupying downtown will entice more artists to come, he said.
Upwards of 3,500 people live in the Exchange District strategy area, Pensato said. The number could quadruple, or more, if all 11,000 suggested residential units are built.
The new strategy joins Exchange District Plan 2022, a foundational document adopted by city council last year.
If the recent strategy is adopted, next steps could include making a priority list of projects, connecting with partners, and creating a progress-monitoring protocol, according to the Exchange District BIZ.
Integrating rapid transit and reconfiguring the Disraeli Freeway are among other points in the strategy.
Gabrielle Piché
Reporter
Gabby is a big fan of people, writing and learning. She graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in the spring of 2020.
