Winnipeg | Osborne Village & Corydon area

[bomberjet]

I know. I wasn't saying lets build a subway.. But it's similar and just an example of what could be done. Take traffic off the street.

Just like Times Square in New York. They've removed part of the traffic from the square. Eventually I could see all of it being removed there as well.

Of course these are top notch world Cities with some money to play with. Traffic is OV is a bottle neck and takes away from the street scene.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I know. I wasn't saying lets build a subway.. But it's similar and just an example of what could be done. Take traffic off the street.

Just like Times Square in New York. They've removed part of the traffic from the square. Eventually I could see all of it being removed there as well.

Of course these are top notch world Cities with some money to play with. Traffic is OV is a bottle neck and takes away from the street scene.

If Osborne suddenly became, say, two lanes -- one north, one south, with wide cycling lanes (plus perhaps a bit of on street parking and some cutouts for bus stops)... where would the traffic flow to?

I'm guessing that coming from the south, it would push mostly over onto the Donald bridge, with some onto Donald, and a tiny bit onto Sherbrooke?

[buzzg]

If the city could add a lane to the SB Donald bridge, expropriate Domo, Midtown, etc. to add a third lane to the SB part of Donald up til Century 21 where it's 4 lanes, you could honestly probably reduce capacity on Osborne with out a ridiculous amount of issues, as Maryland is already 3 lanes all the way to Academy. Problem right now is that the 2 lanes on SB Donald are already bad at rush hour, so forcing more traffic over now would be brutal.

[goldenboi]

Lets also remember that quick easy access into downtown for single person vehicles during peak hours should not be expected. Safe, liveable neighbourhoods should be expected. We have a brand new rapid transit line stretching south - theoretically that should be enough to alleviate the pressure of narrowing osborne. There are many other ways we could increase capacity other than widening roads - seperated, priority snow-cleared bike lanes, encouraging car-pooling, walking bridge from fort rouge to mcfadyn park.

[Roger Strong]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

If Osborne suddenly became, say, two lanes -- one north, one south, with wide cycling lanes (plus perhaps a bit of on street parking and some cutouts for bus stops)... where would the traffic flow to?

It would flow back into the 3rd and 4th lanes - two north, two south - that would quickly be opened up after those who closed them were sacked.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by Roger Strong

It would flow back into the 3rd and 4th lanes - two north, two south - that would quickly be opened up after those who closed them were sacked.

Definitely. I live there. Please do not advocate for this traffic disaster. Thanks in advance.

[borkborkbork]

heard a rumor tim hortons is looking at the second cup space in the village. no idea if it's true (they already have a counter at safeway, but it's pretty small...)

[buzzg]

^Friend involved in commercial real estate told me Tims and Freshii are both currently "fighting" for the space.

Also heard from a friend that works at Sobeys that apparently they're considering converting the OV Safeway to a Sobeys. Seems like maybe in areas where they only have 1 of the stores, they'd prefer it to be a Sobeys.. not sure if Cory has heard anything. I personally think it would be smart as Sobeys has a way better deli and dairy section, and Safeway has a lot of "expensive" connotations, even since the merger. I have quite a few friends in OV who only go to Safeway in a pinch and still prefer to go to Sobeys or Superstore further away.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Freshii

how many flavourless quinoa wraps can one city sustain? there are already a dozen freshiis here (including one about a km away on corydon). this chain is going to be the next quiznos-style franchise overexpansion flamewreck.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Freshii

Never been.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

Never been.

I'll try it when the Cityplace location opens up, but based on everything I've heard about it I'm not expecting all that much.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by buzzg

^Friend involved in commercial real estate told me Tims and Freshii are both currently "fighting" for the space.

Man, Tim Horton's food and coffee tastes like soil excavated from an old toxic dump site, but as a Village resident, I think the amount of steady foot traffic they'd bring to this location would be great for the neighbourhood.

[esquire]

^ That would be a bit of a sad statement about the Village though... from McNally's to Second Cup to Tim Hortons over the span of barely two decades. Next thing you know Money Mart will be looking for another location to match the one at Confusion Corner.

Speaking of Osborne Village, is the Gas Station Theatre project dead?

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by wardlow

Man, Tim Horton's food and coffee tastes like soil excavated from an old toxic dump site, but as a Village resident, I think the amount of steady foot traffic they'd bring to this location would be great for the neighbourhood.

Best description I've heard is an old dishcloth that was left on the radiator overnight.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ That would be a bit of a sad statement about the Village though... from McNally's to Second Cup to Tim Hortons over the span of barely two decades. Next thing you know Money Mart will be looking for another location to match the one at Confusion Corner.

Speaking of Osborne Village, is the Gas Station Theatre project dead?

I agree it's quite the change, though I would add that chain stores are not new to Osborne. The biggest draw in the neighbourhood is a large Safeway, then there's Shoppers Drug Mart, Starbucks, A&W etc., and does anyone remember when KFC was located at Osborne and Gertrude?

As mentioned on this thread before, Osborne hasn't been the Most Interesting Street in Winnipeg for quite some time, so some degree of blandness is expected. At least with Tim Horton's (rather than many other omnipresent chain), they are open all the time and draw a bunch of pedestrian traffic.

Last I heard, some months ago now, the Gas Station project isn't entirely dead, but obviously not moving very fast. Who knows.

[buzzg]

The only thing going for Freshii is that it's nice to have a healthy alternative to fast food burgers and Subway... but it's so bland. It'd be nice if some of the veggies were cooked or seasoned, not just raw. And in an effort to keep "bad" nutrition numbers down, there's never enough dressing/sauce/flavour in their dishes, and I'm someone who likes very little sauce.

The last public update about Gas Station was that without the government money they would have to cut out the residential. So to me, with no residential, I don't see this going forward – how do they expect to pay off the building when the only money making aspects are their own (already existing, not high profit) theatre, and Subway's lease.

I also think I'd rather it stay the same than go forward with no residential as I do think in 5 years as the village continues to intensify it will naturally increase values and development prospect on Osborne. I just think the strip is in a transition period now as values are rising, forcing out some smaller/older businesses. I have confidence in a couple years it will rebound – but I think it's crucial they find a new BIZ head.

[esquire]

^ I know I've said this before, but I find it somewhat incredible that for all the development that has taken place in OV over the last decade or so, next to none of it has been on Osborne itself. Money continues to stream into the area while the strip itself does nothing but decline.

[buzzg]

I think the strip is at a low point right now and will rebound in the next 2-4 years – the neighbourhood will change, then the commercial district will naturally follow.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Anyone heard anything about the Osborne Village Inn? It looks like nothing has happened there in months.

[Wolf13]

Things ebb and flow.

Traffic alone isn't "killing" anything. Vacancies hurt the area. Yet still, it's not easy to find parking aka people ARE THERE.

The problem is partially the generation that gathers there. There used to be a greater appreciation for the unique, or even high quality, whether it's ethnic to high end food or eclectic shops that actually generate traffic and revenue.

The upstairs, which is shit and the Toad, which is awesome are drawing most of the crowds and that used to be dispersed among a variety of shops and destinations. The current demographic that flocks to osborne is a little basic, that's all.

I still enjoy osborne very much, whether the whisky bar at the toad or the Cornerstone. It's been better but we can pull our fingers back from the big red button.