Winnipeg's Exchange District | East/West | Development

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by drew

^ honestly no longer a big deal IMO.

Developments in that particular area seem to continue despite the lack of parking, so lets plant some trees! (including in front of my house, where my elm has a big orange marked for death dot on it).

I don't mind the lack of parking, but dammit, $5m in trees? A pocket is being lined somewhere. Or use that money to make the opening of P+M nicer.

Trees are nice, but we're still doing alright in that department...

[DancingDuck]

1.5$m for parking and street improvements in the exchange, 3.5$m for trees as per the article

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by Wolf13

I don't mind the lack of parking, but dammit, $5m in trees? A pocket is being lined somewhere. Or use that money to make the opening of P+M nicer.

Trees are nice, but we're still doing alright in that department...

1.5 M for street improvements.

"Next year's construction budget calls for $1.5 million to improve both parking and streets in the Exchange District on both sides of Main Street. But the bulk of the money — $3.5 million — will be spent on a one-time top-up of the urban forestry budget."

3.5 M is a drop in the bucket for the forestry department budget. They are way behind in DED removal, and the further behind we get, the worse the problem gets. Beyond just catching up with removal, the city hasn't been keeping pace replacing trees that are removed or pruning existing trees. Of course the problem will get worse once the Ash population is decimated by the latest threat. I'm totally OK with the city boosting funding for trees, but it's a one time only deal. They need an ongoing increase in funding.

[drew]

Originally Posted by Wolf13

I don't mind the lack of parking, but dammit, $5m in trees? A pocket is being lined somewhere. Or use that money to make the opening of P+M nicer.

Trees are nice, but we're still doing alright in that department...

I can't speak for other areas - but Wolseley has been decimated over the last couple of years, noticeably losing mature elms thru-out the neighbourhood.

Dutch elm is the culprit of course, but its effects are amplified by the lack of routine pruning that gets rid of the dead branches before the disease can set in.

Trees are an investment, and need $$.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by drew

I can't speak for other areas - but Wolseley has been decimated over the last couple of years, noticeably losing mature elms thru-out the neighbourhood.

Glenelm too. I lost a huge double trunk elm in my yard this year despite basal spraying, pruning and fungicide injection.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by DancingDuck

1.5$m for parking and street improvements in the exchange, 3.5$m for trees as per the article

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

1.5 M for street improvements.

"Next year's construction budget calls for $1.5 million to improve both parking and streets in the Exchange District on both sides of Main Street. But the bulk of the money — $3.5 million — will be spent on a one-time top-up of the urban forestry budget."

3.5 M is a drop in the bucket for the forestry department budget. They are way behind in DED removal, and the further behind we get, the worse the problem gets. Beyond just catching up with removal, the city hasn't been keeping pace replacing trees that are removed or pruning existing trees. Of course the problem will get worse once the Ash population is decimated by the latest threat. I'm totally OK with the city boosting funding for trees, but it's a one time only deal. They need an ongoing increase in funding.

Originally Posted by drew

I can't speak for other areas - but Wolseley has been decimated over the last couple of years, noticeably losing mature elms thru-out the neighbourhood.

Dutch elm is the culprit of course, but its effects are amplified by the lack of routine pruning that gets rid of the dead branches before the disease can set in.

Trees are an investment, and need $$.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd still defer the tree problem to another day. $3.5M is a ton of money for just trees.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by windypeg

Vibrancy means a healthy mix of local residents living in the area, out and about with their day-to-day business. It doesn't mean a bunch of wasted 20 year olds from the suburbs showing up for 2 hours a week to smash things, scream at each other in the middle of the night and piss or puke all over everything before heading back to their parents' place in Fort Richmond. The whole club thing is not vibrancy but very much the opposite of it.

if it wasn't for those suburbanites that you have so much contempt for, there would be no underground scene in the Exchange, or OV or West Broadway for that matter. Who do you think moves into these "cool" areas? It's kids who grew up in the suburbs, and now in their 20s/30s, are looking for that "urbanist" lifestyle.

[Hecate]

The thing is is all great cities have great entertainment districts that are busy no matter what time of day you go. They don't shut down at eleven. People in this ever changing world are working increasingly different hours. I start work at seven am on Sunday so maybe there should be no noise after 11:00 on Saturday too. Lol. And some people work nights don't they deserve peace and quiet during the day so they can sleep too. Why should someone have to hear a jackhammer or a lawn mower at 11:00 in the afternoon if they work nights. Anyway. Like I said all great cities have great entertainment districts. This could have been the exchange but it's too much of a "neighbourhood" now. Same with Osbourne village and Corydon ave. if you go to London and go to picadilly circus it's a gong show at three in the morning! there's shit to do. There's stores and bars and restaurants and game places and casinos and all kinds of shit 24 seven. This is what the forks could and should be! A waterfront entertainment district that is uninhabited to prevent this closing down at 11:00 shit from happening. Once people start living at the forks it's gonna be the same shit that you see everywhere else in this city. Not in my backyard!

[Roger Strong]

If you promote an area as the Next Big Thing for residential, if you zone it and give tax breaks for everyone to build apartments and condos, then those who move in are going to treat it like they live there.

A place where, among other things, they sleep before going to work in the morning.

What's so hard to understand and predict about this?

[bomberjet]

And then when all the trees die everyone will complain how we did nothing about it. I for one think we should spend a ton of money on protecting our trees. Call me a tree hugger.

[Portmanteau]

Notices up yesterday regarding road improvements and streetscaping.

Highlights:

James to be closed for 9 weeks from Lily to Waterfront for new asphalt, sidewalk, shifting parking from North side, and plantings.

Waterfront restricted one way for 5 weeks from Lombard to George. New ped-xing to be installed at James.

Bike pathway will be connected to pathway behind Mere hotel

[pegcityfan]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

1.5 M for street improvements.

"Next year's construction budget calls for $1.5 million to improve both parking and streets in the Exchange District on both sides of Main Street. But the bulk of the money — $3.5 million — will be spent on a one-time top-up of the urban forestry budget."

3.5 M is a drop in the bucket for the forestry department budget. They are way behind in DED removal, and the further behind we get, the worse the problem gets. Beyond just catching up with removal, the city hasn't been keeping pace replacing trees that are removed or pruning existing trees. Of course the problem will get worse once the Ash population is decimated by the latest threat. I'm totally OK with the city boosting funding for trees, but it's a one time only deal. They need an ongoing increase in funding.

It's probably why they are left to use tactics with homeowners to save cash.

Few days after a dot showed up on one of my trees (I band my trees since moving in, last owners did nothing). A crumpled piece of paper showed up in my mailbox (luckily mine is a slit so I actually see everything). Some houses on my street don't even have mailboxes anymore (community mailboxes). The letter states that if I don't reply within 3-4 weeks, I am responsible for cutting the tree down and have only 3 months to cut it down. If the city does it, they schedule the tree to be cut over 2 years later.

[Riverman]

^ Banding doesn't help to stop DED. It is just for canker worms.

[buzzg]

Can't defer the tree problem any longer – that will only make it worse an more costly. If anything, move funds from future years up to now to decrease future costs.

Last week the city removed 3 out of the 5 trees on the north side of Bannatyne between Main & Rorie. Not sure why, don't think they had DED as they couldn't have been more than 2-4 years old (they were in new beds that were added when streetscaping was last done.

[oftheMoon]

Originally Posted by Portmanteau

Notices up yesterday regarding road improvements and streetscaping.

Highlights:

James to be closed for 9 weeks from Lily to Waterfront for new asphalt, sidewalk, shifting parking from North side, and plantings.

Waterfront restricted one way for 5 weeks from Lombard to George. New ped-xing to be installed at James.

Bike pathway will be connected to pathway behind Mere hotel

Are these details online somewhere?

[windypeg]

Originally Posted by Bdog

if it wasn't for those suburbanites that you have so much contempt for, there would be no underground scene in the Exchange, or OV or West Broadway for that matter. Who do you think moves into these "cool" areas? It's kids who grew up in the suburbs, and now in their 20s/30s, are looking for that "urbanist" lifestyle.

Not entirely. When I was still in school my buddies were far more likely to go out to some crappy Canad Inns bar than to Osborne or the exchange. I moved to the village because it was close to work, close to all the bus routes and I didn't have a car at the time. I now have quite a few friends who all moved to Winnipeg in their 30s and set up in Osborne or the exchange because they moved here from places where the urban lifestyle was already very popular.

[GreyGarden]

I think it depends on where people grow up and what social circles they are a part of. For example my friends and I grew up in a relatively liberal urban neighbourhood and were part of the art scene at our school. As a result I think we had a lot more exposure to these types of urban environments growing up and now they are just what we expect/want.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Can't defer the tree problem any longer – that will only make it worse an more costly. If anything, move funds from future years up to now to decrease future costs.

Last week the city removed 3 out of the 5 trees on the north side of Bannatyne between Main & Rorie. Not sure why, don't think they had DED as they couldn't have been more than 2-4 years old (they were in new beds that were added when streetscaping was last done.

Probably suffering from winter salt kill.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

I think it depends on where people grow up and what social circles they are a part of. For example my friends and I grew up in a relatively liberal urban neighbourhood and were part of the art scene at our school. As a result I think we had a lot more exposure to these types of urban environments growing up and now they are just what we expect/want.

Which is exactly why we need a diversity of businesses and entertainment options, so there's something for everyone.

Originally Posted by cllew

Probably suffering from winter salt kill.

Maybe, but it's been winter for like 2 weeks. It's also on a low speed/traffic street, that always has parking buffering it (for 2/3 trees), so it's a little odd. They left one standing at the spot that would be the most affected by salt lol.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by Hecate

The thing is is all great cities have great entertainment districts that are busy no matter what time of day you go. They don't shut down at eleven. People in this ever changing world are working increasingly different hours. I start work at seven am on Sunday so maybe there should be no noise after 11:00 on Saturday too. Lol. And some people work nights don't they deserve peace and quiet during the day so they can sleep too. Why should someone have to hear a jackhammer or a lawn mower at 11:00 in the afternoon if they work nights. Anyway. Like I said all great cities have great entertainment districts. This could have been the exchange but it's too much of a "neighbourhood" now. Same with Osbourne village and Corydon ave. if you go to London and go to picadilly circus it's a gong show at three in the morning! there's shit to do. There's stores and bars and restaurants and game places and casinos and all kinds of shit 24 seven. This is what the forks could and should be! A waterfront entertainment district that is uninhabited to prevent this closing down at 11:00 shit from happening. Once people start living at the forks it's gonna be the same shit that you see everywhere else in this city. Not in my backyard!

This is what I think is perplexing: in these great entertainment districts in cities around the world there is always a large population of permanent residents. The first floor of all these buildings in always a bar/club/restaurant/store but what do you think the other 5 or 6 floors are? Always apartments. Not sure what came first in terms of vibrancy or high desirability but what is certain is that living close to the action doesn't seem to be problematic in any other city in the world.