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Old Posted Dec 29, 2017, 7:52 PM
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wardlow wardlow is offline
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Winnipeg: 2018 (and Beyond)

Looking ahead to the new year, what are some of the changes that may come to Winnipeg? What will stay the same? Things move so slow here that it's hard to make a meaningful prediction for just one year, so I've thought more about the new year, plus a couple more after that.

- Uber and/or Lyft begin operation in Winnipeg. This has little impact on the taxi industry, since everyone using rideshare apps had largely given up on trying to get a cab over the past 10-15 years. It becomes one more thing that moves some people, particularly younger adults, away from being so compelled to own a car. Fewer people drive drunk, at least in urban areas.

- The river trails and and the ice attractions at The Forks are wild successes, and so is the skating trails at Assiniboine Park. The attitude that winters in Winnipeg are something to be endured indoors becomes even more outdated.

- Barring the emergence of some kind of superstar candidate I can't think of, Mayor Bowman is easily re-elected in October. A somewhat credible candidate (eg, Councillors Browaty or Lukes) will run against him under some populist banner of "transparency" and opposition to Portage and Main pedestrians and impact/growth fees, etc. but it won't matter. Also some kind of woke activist/radical union hack will run and everyone will be amused.

- A few new faces change on Council, but generally things stay the same. Northeast Winnipeg remains a populist voting bloc opposed to everything. What will be interesting to see, with respect to the potential for infill development, is if Councillor Orlikow is re-elected. A more pro-development councillor in River Heights would likely mean we'd see the Parker Lands developed in short order, and more small-scale infill projects creeping into the less tony parts of Crescentwood and River Heights (eg, south of Grosvenor Avenue).

- The Exchange District and the Sherbrook Street area hum along, solidifying themselves as the clear winners of the Two Coolest Neighbourhoods in Winnipeg contest. Some new development projects are proposed or begin construction, but nothing major.

- Osborne Village and Old St. Boniface get a number of new mid-sized infill projects, but little new commercial development. Bedroom communities for urbanists.

- The Boyd Building joins the St. Charles Hotel as another high-profile heritage building with a very uncertain future. (I so hope I'm wrong about this one.)

- A modernist building is saved from demolition on the basis of its heritage value for the first time. (Spoiler alert: it won't be the Public Safety Building.)

- Construction of 300 Main gets underway, becoming Winnipeg's tallest building when completed.

- The future of the North End hangs over the city like a big question mark. What is the fate of that fairly continuous row of old buildings on the west side of Main between the CPR and Euclid? Will a critical mass of hipster artist types ever migrate to Point Douglas? Does Selkirk Avenue get anywhere close to living up to its potential?

What am I missing here?
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