Retail Strategy Response

Last week, we released some information on the Downtown Retail Retention and Recruitment Strategy. The Free Press ran a great story on Saturday and today, another one outlining some more great information on downtown development. You can find these stories here:

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/rescue-plan-for-retail-in-core-recommendations-for-three-main-areas-81060287.html

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/Incentives-seen-as-key-in-core.html

One of the places we posted the information was on the forum called "The Winnipeg Sandbox". With many people having thoughtful discussions about Winnipeg, we thought it seemed like a good place to get some feedback. And we did!

See the link here: http://kwdc.forumn.net/local-f4/downtown-wininpeg-retail-strategy-t4281.htm

There were some good questions asked and we would like to respond to some of them.

If there ever was a silver bullter to stronger retail downtown, more residents would be it (more office workers near existing retailing would help too). If our downtown could realistically absorb one thousand housing units per year, in ten years, the downtown population would almost double. This would radically transform downtown retailing.

Thankfully, with the arrival of the new provincial TIF plan, the BIZ believes downtown housing development will now move much quicker. If downtown could realistically absorb 1000 housing units per year, in 10 years, the downtown population would almost double and would transform downtown retailing.

In the interim, there is a general feeling that current retailing could be developed further to better serve the current market, attract more shoppers, and prepare for future developments and changes.

More police presence is needed downtown period. This is something we have been pushing hard for, while investing our own dollars through our Watch and Outreach programs. Not because downtown crime is rampant--crime happens everywhere in the city, in fact, only 4-6 per cent of the city's total crimes happen downtown--but because there are serious issues related to poverty, mental illness, homelessness, panhandling, public intoxication etc. We know that a strong police presence provides comfort and better manages these issues.

In 2009, the police chief and mayor committed over 200 new cadets to the BIZ that will eventually be stationed at the new Public Safety Building on Graham Avenue and will supplement community police patrols. These extra eyes and ears will bring with it the downtown comfort level the BIZ has been advocating for.

Also with the announcement of the new Public Safety building, 2000 police officers will work in the heart of downtown, strolling the sidewalks and weather protected walkway system.

Over the last three years, the BIZ's Outreach Program, a joint effort undertaken with the city's police and fire paramedic departments, and the Province of Manitoba, has puts ten trained individuals on downtown streets to help deal with an important social issue facing downtown--public intoxication. The program has helped relieve some of the pressure on the city's emergency services, and has helped move those at risk into safer environments--with a response time of 10 minutes or less upon a public complaint.

You can call 958 – SAFE (7233) (a free call from any MTS payphone or cell phone) anytime you come across a safety issue.

All combined, these initiatives will help to significantly address the negative perceptions of downtown safety, and of course, decrease crime even further.

To help combat poverty issues downtown, a serious and informed effort to help the homeless off the street has been announced through a housing first model, spearheaded by federal and provincial governments. A pilot project, now in effect, will permanently help over 200 people off the street with the sensitivity and leadership of our Aboriginal community.

The BIZ agrees that we cannot completely and appropriately revitalize our downtown until there is a long-term strategy to address homelessness and those at risk. This type of initiative has been proven in other jurisdictions. But it will be a long time until 1000s of people are helped off the street permanently--this will be difficult and costly, but will result in one of the greatest improvements for downtown.

We know there are numerous tasks to accomplish to create the vibrant downtown we all want to see, and the retail strategy is only one piece of the broader plan. We thank you for your feedback and want you to know your concerns are not going unheeded. There are a lot of people working very hard to address these concerns and numerous others.