Murray vs. Katz

[Pootkao]

Hey folks

I only caught the headline on the paper about their little spat the other day. Any letters to the editor or anything of note come out of that?

Thanks.
MP

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by Pootkao

Hey folks

I only caught the headline on the paper about their little spat the other day. Any letters to the editor or anything of note come out of that?

Thanks.
MP

The Free Press published quite a few letters to the editor earlier in the week. The vast majority of the letters they published were on the side of Murray.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Tale of two mayors

Tue Nov 6 2007

FORMER mayor Glen Murray was no stranger to tirades, which was one of the less attractive attributes of the man who fashioned a vision of a 21st century renaissance for Winnipeg and then left it in the lurch for a shot at a more lustrous political career.
Speaking at an art forum in the city on Saturday, Mr. Murray bemoaned the sorry state of downtown Winnipeg, specifically Portage Avenue, where empty storefronts and the abandoned streetscape speak loudly of the commercial strip's continuing public humiliation. He pointed out what all Winnipeggers know, and feel keenly, and what all visitors to the city cannot miss noticing. It seems this city is without a heart; with the shops decamped to the malls and the suburbs, and with few entertainment venues filling the gap, Portage Avenue is almost lifeless after weekday business hours.

Unfortunately, Mr. Murray framed this in petty political tones. He effectively argued that in the three-and-a half years since he left Winnipeg -- having failed to win a federal seat -- nothing of value has happened: Portage has not been reborn; surface parking lots remain a blight; the lack of a rapid transit system means young hipsters are not working at high-tech jobs in the city centre; there is no thrumming lifeline connecting points of interest, such as The Forks and the Exchange. The new Canadian Museum for Human Rights will be an island of potential, stunted in its possibilities without the links that, presumably, Mr. Murray would have had constructed.

Mr. Murray did his best to ignore the good of what's been done, minimal as it has been. Had he turned his sights to Main Street, he might have noticed new businesses investing in what some are sensing is opportunity in bloom. He ignored the most obvious of all: Had he stayed to shepherd in the "new deal" he crafted to rebuild the city's centre with injections of cash from new sources of revenue, maybe Portage Avenue would be looking brighter today.

Mayor Sam Katz proved his own pettiness with a gratuitous insult and a complete lack of substantive response to Mr. Murray's lament. Without a strong, confident and determined spokesman, a city's struggling downtown is unlikely to see a rebirth. Mr. Katz has no demonstrable vision for downtown. in fact, he says he doesn't do the vision thing.

Therein stands the contrast of the two mayors.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Letter of the day

Tue Nov 6 2007

Katz, Murray both right
Re: Murray comes out swinging against city, Nov. 4.

It is hard to understand why the former mayor and the current mayor are having a verbal back and forth as both men have the same goal in mind -- making Winnipeg a better place. Their major difference, it would seem, are their approaches to this goal.

Former mayor Glen Murray found answers as to what ails the city in terms of innovative planning techniques and creating a vibrant cultural environment. Mayor Sam Katz seems to be finding his answers in creating a vibrant business environment and ensuring Winnipeg's infrastructure is maintained and its environment safe. Both men's approaches are correct, but they are only parts of the medicine the city needs, and would be more effective if implemented concurrently.

The public sector alone cannot execute all of the plans Winnipeg needs to become the type of city young people gravitate towards. This is why Katz's approach makes sense. Without the type of innovating planning Murray advocates, future growth could just continue on its present trend as a missed opportunity instead of being used to create the type of city young people are attracted to. This is why Murray's approach makes sense.

Perhaps the missing third piece of the equation is having the private sector buy into creating the type of developments that create a vibrant city. The private sector requires young people moving to the city to fill its employment needs. Perhaps Murray should have been directing his comments towards the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce instead of the current civic administration.

CHRIS WILCOTT
Vancouver

[wags_in_the_peg]

Tue Nov 6 2007

Murray is long gone

Re: Murray comes out swinging against city, Nov. 4.
I have to say that I haven't had that good a laugh in ages. So Glen Murray thinks that Winnipeg is so much worse off than when he was mayor. What did he do that was so fantastic to rejuvenate downtown? Oh, he held parades once a year. Yeah, that's fantastic. For someone who has so many wonderful ideas and feels he's mighty enough to criticize (while living in Toronto, I might add), he sure ran out of Winnipeg fast enough with his tail between his legs.

I agree with Sam Katz -- Murray doesn't live here anymore, and his opinion doesn't count.

CANDACE CALIGIURI
Winnipeg


Murray good for Winnipeg

I have been reading all the comments regarding Glen Murray's outlook for the city. I think Murray only wanted the best for the city when he made those comments. You may not always agree with his politics, but I believe Murray was a very good advocate for Winnipeg. It is too bad we don't have the budget to do all the improvements.

LYNDA HENSON
Winnipeg


Let down by arena

How sad that former mayor Glen Murray's heart breaks when he sees what's not going on in downtown Winnipeg.

He was here when downtown began to show decay and he was in a position to start a process to halt that decay. What was his solution to that problem? Demolish the Eaton's Building and replace it with an arena on Portage Avenue. Yes, I know the arena has been good for Winnipeg and draws many people to its sporting and entertainment events. But it is the only place available for such events, so how could it not succeed?

Murray said that the arena would bring hundreds of people into the downtown area when they took in arena events. The way I see it, people come directly to the event, then go home. There appear to be few people strolling on the streets or shopping as part of their downtown arena visit.

We have been told many times by many experts that it is people living and working downtown that brings life to that area -- not the occasional visitor who drives there for an entertainment event, then immediately returns to his suburban home. Murray had 15 years at city hall to consider ways to revitalize our downtown. Why was it so difficult to understand what so many urban planners kept saying: No people -- no downtown.

Some good may come from Mr. Murray visiting our city (for a few days) and stirring things up a little. Perhaps now the public will move itself out of its "complacency mode" and demand that those sitting in city hall get into high gear and move this city forward so we can truly become the beautiful, safe and interesting place we feel proud to call our hometown.

MARJORIE JAMAN
Winnipeg

[Pootkao]

Thanks folks.