Why is downtown Winnipeg important to Manitobans?
Why is our downtown important to Manitobans? Every election, the same key issues come to the forefront: health, lower taxes, safer neighbourhoods, good jobs, affordable housing and a sustainable city. And it's no wonder, since Manitobans hold these priorities near and dear to their hearts.
But this election, we have not heard a lot about downtown Winnipeg. Is it even relevant in a provincial election to make downtown a priority?
I believe there is a strong link between our downtown and these core priorities so important to Manitobans. I believe absolutely that downtown Winnipeg is a relevant provincial election issue.
These core priorities, which lead to a better quality of life for all Manitobans, can be achieved with the continued renewal of our downtown.
When you have travelled to other cities around the world, what is the first place you are drawn to? I bet it's more often than not the city's downtown. You may even have stayed right in the downtown, conveniently located to much of the city's attractions and readily accessible from the airport or train station.
What was your first impression? Were the historical buildings preserved and refreshed, intermixed with new structures? How many people were walking around the sidewalks at different times of the day? Did you get a sense of the city's history and culture--perhaps even felt the essence of the life and breath of that city? Were there social issues evident on the street; did you feel safe? Were there cool public places to hang out, interesting restaurants and outdoor patios, and ample retailing at shops you have never seen before? Or were there empty storefront and pawnshops? Was there an active nightlife or a festive spirit to the downtown, or was is just plain dead? When you left that city, what lingering feelings and thoughts did you take with you about the health of that city, the spirit of its people and the politics of that community? Did you come back home telling people of a great experience or a bad one, and would you go back? Our downtown is the front door to the world. If our downtown is vibrant, it means our province is dynamic and worthy of investment, worthy of people moving to our city and starting businesses. If it's exciting, it's also the most important magnet to retaining youth and families, for the same reasons.
But how does a vibrant, fully developed downtown neighbourhood achieve our goals when it comes to health, lower taxes, safer neighbourhoods, good jobs, affordable housing and a sustainable city?
With a focus on downtown development--both residential and commercial--taxpayers do not have to build new infrastructure, roads and bridges costing them hundreds of millions more and annually millions more to operate new city services. There are ample surface parking lots to build dense places for people to live.
And when obsolete downtown buildings are reused, the environment benefits as waste is diverted from expensive and dangerous landfill sites, and less natural resources are consumed.
People living downtown naturally walk more, leading to healthier lifestyles, and they tend to drive less, reducing carbon emissions and taking cars off the roads. When people of all ages and incomes live downtown, in the density which you see downtown, and are walking about, relying less on their vehicles, there can be more social interaction and less isolation (which might be at odds with sociologists' ideas of big city living, but I believe especially in Winnipeg, it's true). It creates a more diverse, tolerant and connected neighbourhood.
More people living in dense places leads to more restaurants and more shops and services, and as a result a safer neighbourhood. And with the largest concentration of businesses in the city, a more vibrant downtown also serves as the incubator for new businesses and job growth. If new and creative businesses are going to be fostered creating high paying jobs for young people, a vibrant and exciting downtown is where this is going to happen. Some would even go further to say that a more sustainable and healthier suburb can only be achieved when downtown is running on all cylinders; suburbs often subsidize the declining taxes of a failing downtown. Our downtown is the birthplace of our city and served as the first place for Manitobans to work, live, learn, play. It's historically been the hub for trade and commerce. And the interrelationship between the future of our province and the health of downtown is clear to many. Don't think so? Think back to those cities and provinces or states you have visited. Would you go back?
Find out more about the provincial parties' positions at the Downtown Forum Provincial Party Debate, Monday, September 19, 5pm to 7pm, in Portage Place Edmonton Court. Participants: Hugh McFadyen, PC; Jon Gerrard, Liberals; and Gord Mackintosh, NDP. Moderators: Richard Cloutier, CJOB and Dan Lett, Winnipeg Free Press.
On the mark, yet again.
ev