[trueviking]

Since the turn of the century, downtown Winnipeg has seen its population increase by 40%, MTS Centre rose on Portage Avenue, the Jets came back, our skyline grew, an iconic new bridge and a national museum went up, the U of W greatly expanded, Waterfront Drive lined with luxury condominiums replaced abandon rail lines, Red River College moved in and the Exchange District went from an area of derelict, empty buildings to an active urban neighbourhood.

Imagine, if this trajectory continues, what downtown will be after 15 more years.
True North Square, a thousand people living at The Forks, maybe a new tallest skyscraper....who knows what else.

If by 2019 we don't choose to legally take back public control over Portage and Main, it will close for another four decades, meaning that after those 15 years we will still be nearly a quarter of a century away from allowing our most important intersection the ability to evolve and respond to whatever the downtown and the world has become.