Municipal Election: Is it Fall yet?

Posted on January 16, 2014 by jameswhoddinott
Winnipeg Winter December 24, 2013

Human Rights Museum

In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities:

integrity, intelligence, and energy.

And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.
Warren Buffet

 In the fall of this year we will be having a municipal election in order to elect a new mayor as well as city council. At the minimum one could say it has not been an easy last few years for our mayor, the executive policy committee and counsellors. It seems there has been controversy after controversy and it is clear for many Winnipeggers we have lost faith in city council, which has resulted in many becoming increasingly apathetic or for some like me and others more vocal that enough is enough.

Many people may be thinking it is too early to start the conversations about the elections but if we are really interested in changing what is happening at city council we are going to need a complete retrofit.  In order to do this retrofit of mayor and council we are going to need to find those great people in our city who can bring about the changes to all aspects of our municipal government bringing Winnipeg back to life. Many of those individuals who can impact our city in a positive way may not be thinking about taking that step forward. In essence from the outside looking in to truly bring about the change required to create an effective municipal government will require a united effort by those elected to not only recognize our municipal government is broken but put a plan in effect that will bring the community’s voice into our local government. A daunting task to say the least. I have said it in a previous blog that Winnipeg’s most valuable asset is the people. We need to value what they have to offer and say about what their communities and what our city needs to be. It will require a mayor that can create a vision and belief in our city that people matter. All people.

What are the characteristics we should be looking for in our Mayor?

1)      A Vision for the future. The mayor should be able to look at where the city is now and where it needs to be in two years, five years and even twenty-five years. It is looking at the city from above and identifying what pieces of the puzzle are missing and put a plan of action together that allows us to build that puzzle. We don’t try to put puzzle pieces in places they don’t fit.

2)      A great communicator. It is one thing to have a vision but can our mayor articulate that vision and convince others to join in making that vision a reality. The vision needs to become a shared vision. In order for this to happen it means meeting and talking with community groups, business leaders and developers as well as those everyday people who pay taxes to keep our city running.

3)      Be an inspiration to others. In the end it will not be the mayor who does great things but create an atmosphere where the people of Winnipeg are able to make each community a great place to live. The mayor then is the leader and facilitator to put the vision into action.

4)      Is surrounded by good people.  Decisions need to be made by people who can make the vision and plans happen. We must take the politics out of action. It can be easy for a mayor or political leader to fall to some political and media pressure. The mayor must have the people who keep the vision moving ahead and not side-tracked because of an issue of the day. Do the civil servants and leaders in the city’s largest departments have the ability to advise the mayor and do their voices count?

5)      The mayor must be a person of action. Change is difficult. If what we are doing isn’t working we need to do something different. It must be done strategically and with an eye on the long-term vision. We don’t do something just to do something. It must fit into where we see our city going or in the long run it will cause more problems than the one it was supposed to solve.

6)      The mayor must have Integrity. Michael Josephson in his article HIRE FOR CHARACTER, TRAIN FOR SKILLS: Character is an Essential Competence he states, “If you were hiring a new CEO, what are the most important qualities you’d look for? Surely you’d want a high level of demonstrated competence – knowledge, experience, intelligence, vision, communication, and relationship skills and the ability to motivate, manage, and solve problems. But what about qualities such as honesty, moral courage, accountability, and fairness?”

Each of us can make our own decisions as they read this article as to whether our current mayor meets the criteria above. If you are reading this blog and are not from Winnipeg you as well can look at the six criteria above and determine if your mayor meets these standards. It doesn’t matter what the situation or where we are from, we need to demand good government. We need to have high expectations. It is my hope that we can entice some of those people from our city to stand-up and decide to work with the people of Winnipeg to create strong and vibrant communities where it is the people who matter most.

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A Walk through the Historic Exchange District through Photography

Posted on January 12, 2014 by jameswhoddinott

The warmth of the sun on a balmy sunny day seemed like the perfect time to take a Photographic Walk through Winnipeg’s Historic Exchange District. It was only just over 10 years ago that the transformation from old abandoned warehouses and vacant lots this area began to come alive as Winnipeg’s cultural hub of the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Pantages and the Concert Hall, Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature started to become something more. A place of small unique businesses and restaurants taking advantage of the beautiful early 1900 Victorian style architecture to create a peaceful feelings as you stroll along the streets of the area, enjoying everything this rich neighbourhood has to offer. A Walking Tour through the area is offered during the summer where the history of the buildings and area come alive as you stroll down the streets of this historic area.

Waterfront Drive's newest Restaurant and Café. Taking advantage of the architecture Old Harbour Master's Building to overlook the Red River giving magnificent views and atmosphere.

Waterfront Drive’s newest Restaurant and Café. Taking advantage of the architecture Old Harbour Master’s Building to overlook the Red River giving magnificent views and atmosphere.

A view from the Stephen Juba Park towards Sky Waterfront Condos. The building on the side is 'The Mere Hotel' the only non-brick building in the area.

A view from the Stephen Juba Park towards Sky Waterfront Condos. The building on the side is ‘The Mere Hotel’ the only non-brick building in the area.

Heading south on Waterfront Drive towards the Forks. The controversial but historically significant ‘Pumphouse’ in focus.

Heading south on Waterfront Drive towards the Forks. The controversial but historically significant ‘Pumphouse’ in focus.

The Strand and Excelsior Condominiums overlooking Stephen Juba Park (dedicated in recognition of Juba’s leadership in making this park a reality) and the Red River.

The Strand and Excelsior Condominiums overlooking Stephen Juba Park (dedicated in recognition of Juba’s leadership in making this park a reality) and the Red River.

. Looking west on Waterfront you come to Bannatyne Avenue which is fast becoming known as Winnipeg's Latin Street as it is home to three restaurants dedicated to Latin cuisine: Carnival, Hermanos and Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria an 80-seat bite of South America aims to foster the same vibrant vibe with an all-day menu, selection of beer, wine and espresso and, tucked away at the back, a reading corner that encourages guests to linger and learn.

Looking west on Waterfront you come to Bannatyne Avenue which is fast becoming known as Winnipeg’s Latin Street as it is home to three restaurants dedicated to Latin cuisine: Carnival, Hermanos and Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria an 80-seat bite of South America aims to foster the same vibrant vibe with an all-day menu, selection of beer, wine and espresso and, tucked away at the back, a reading corner that encourages guests to linger and learn.

Looking north towards James Street Pumphouse from Bannatyne Avenue. The focus is high above Sky Waterfront Condos where the proposed 24 storey Glass Skyscraper would find a home....

Looking north towards James Street Pumphouse from Bannatyne Avenue. The focus is high above Sky Waterfront Condos where the proposed 24 storey Glass Skyscraper would find a home….

Looking West towards Portage and Main. The Richardson Building in the distance marking the end of the Exchange District and start of some of Winnipeg's tallest building found along Portage Avenue .

Looking West towards Portage and Main. The Richardson Building in the distance marking the end of the Exchange District and start of some of Winnipeg’s tallest building found along Portage Avenue.

The Exhange

Heading north from the Richardson Building back towards the Manitoba Theatre Centre and Concert Hall

This ends my photo tour of the Exchange District but head to Tourism Winnipeg’s Website for more information.

Exchange District

Located in the heart of Winnipeg, the Exchange District National Historic Site boasts a spectacular collection of terra-cotta and cut-stone architecture. Established at the turn of the 20th century, the Exchange District is the original centre of commerce and culture in Winnipeg. Today the area is teeming with incredible shopping and cultural opportunities. Visit unique retailers, galleries, eateries and much more.

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A Leap of Faith

Posted on January 8, 2014 by jameswhoddinott
This is what the current view from The Sky Waterfront 5th floor terrace looks like.

This is what the current view from The Sky Waterfront 5th floor terrace looks like.

Update: One factor Residents of the Exchange have been told that the only plan that will work is the 24 storey Tower. Residents want development. Residents felt that through a proper consultation process a variety of designs or proposals could have and should have been explored.

The Globe and Mail: Mayoral mischief: Canada’s growing cities face a problem of oversight
Winnipeg Free Press Article: Tower designer not licensed

Article New York Times:  Judge Blocks Part of N.Y.U.’s Plan for Four Towers in Greenwich Village

Many residents of the Exchange are disappointed that their voices fell silent to the Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management. On a very cold Winnipeg morning many concerned citizens reorganized their work commitments to present their concerns on the building of a 24 storey glass skyscraper in Winnipeg’s historic and cultural hub. Besides those present at the Appeal Hearing many not able to attend made written submissions and a petition with 400 signatures was presented. Despite their presentations and opposition the committee took only minutes to deny their appeal.

The unfortunate aspect of this process is more than just the building of a 24 storey glass tower that will despite Jenny Gerbasi’s statement that the project will have a ‘relatively minimal impact’ change the look of what was becoming one of Winnipeg’s most beautiful streets and vibrant communities. The differences between the statements of the committee and those opposed is the residents came with facts, a willingness to work to develop alternate solutions and a request that the Committee follow the current bylaw and articulated vision for the Exchange District. The committee made comments like:

Jeff Browaty: I didn’t think the 24-storey height of the building is inappropriate for Waterfront Drive. 

Artist's rendering of proposed 24 storey tower

Artist’s rendering of proposed 24 storey tower

Both Browaty and Gerbasi seem unable to understand:

Historic areas typically exhibit a range of heritage values, such as social, historical, and architectural. Frequently, they also have aesthetic significance; therefore, the design quality of new insertions in a historic area is important.

Statements like I think or I feel do not provide the evidence or instill the confidence of residents that they know what they are doing and all the factors related to the decision made. We need to take the ‘I think’ and ‘I feel’ out of decisions. It is the reason why successful long-term sustainable development requires a plan. A plan whose guidelines continue to support the ‘feel’ of a neighbourhood’. The city planners and committee members have failed to address any of the issues raised about traffic, sight lines or the darkness a tower that will be more than three times the height of the buildings in the area. It will be six times the height of the building next door. To put this in perspective this would be like building a six storey apartment complex in a neighbourhood of bungalows. This is not a minor variance as city planners, developers or committee members have indicated. This is a major change. Anyone who drives down Waterfront can clearly see how much a change in design can affect the feel of a community.

In a time where many cities around the world have adopted the strategies related to Smart Growth our city continues to ignore the foundations of such a system. It has been stated that we need to build 24 storeys and we require denser development. The principles of Smart Growth would disagree with the concepts of skyscrapers but rather speak of ‘compact growth’. Skyscrapers have historically been considered not environmentally friendly.

Large plants, such as cranes, diggers and dumper trucks are all used continuously in the construction of such buildings, producing a large amount of carbon emissions, whilst the materials used in the construction are also transported to the site, sometimes coming from other parts of the world, meaning that even before the completion of the Skyscraper, the building could already have a large carbon footprint. The heating and cooling, basic services and the use of lights in Skyscrapers are what form the main energy consumption in the everyday running of a Skyscraper, and as it requires an immense amount of energy to pump these services and materials to the higher floors of the buildings because of gravity.

Have our city planners and Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management been provided with the information about the environmental impact of this new building that unlike the majority of other developments in the area have utilized the already existing bricks and mortar to build; therefore minimizing their environmental footprint.

Perhaps for those of us that live in the Exchange District it is the statement by our counsellor Mike Pagtakhan, chair of the committee and who also sits on the Executive Policy Committee said “It’s important that we take a leap of faith on this important project.” It is our local counsellor who has failed to represent or attempt to understand, even dialogue with his constituents over not only this issue but on the important Residential Parking Pass issue when the city took away parking from Exchange Residents siting their inability to change a long-standing bylaw. Ironic.

‘A Leap of Faith’ in fact has been what our council and municipal government has been doing for the last number of years with devastating and long-lasting consequences financially for the taxpayers of Winnipeg. It was with this ‘Leap of Faith’ they agreed to build the Police Headquarters with only 30% of the plans seen. Counsellors then seemed surprised when there appears to be little oversight of a project of that magnitude that is now more than 75 million dollars over budget.

It was with this ‘Leap of Faith’ that the Mayor and council approved Phil Sheegl as Director of the City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department. This has led to questions around controversial land dealings and substantial cost over-runs in regards to the building of four Fire Halls.

It is was also with a ‘Leap of Faith’ Winnipeg has been asked to believe the right decision was made in building beautiful Investor’s Field in its current location. It is with that ‘Leap of Faith’ we have another project mired in cost over-runs, traffic congestion and which to be sustainable will require continued provincial and municipal support to enhance infrastructure required to ease problems associated with attending events at our brand new (not-domed) stadium.

It is with a ‘Leap of Faith’ we have been asked to support continued Urban Sprawl as new developments that with each new house built, tax revenue generated does not match revenue required to provide infrastructure and services to these new communities.

This ‘Pumphouse’ issue has always been about more than the building of a 24 storey glass structure in a historic neighbourhood. It has always been about more than preserving the ‘Pumphouse’. It has always been about a continued problem with how City Hall is doing business. It is about transparency, accountability and trust. It is about a City Council that does not seem to have a vision for long-term sustainable development of our city.

This is about creating a culture in our city by having a plan and vision for development that is founded on “the three Cs,” namely:

1) certainty in the planning system about what constitutes appropriate development;

2) consistency in government decision-making; and

3) communication and consultation between government decision makers and the development sector, community on creating successful outcomes.

Successful outcomes do not constitute just having something built. The four Fire Halls although needed did not have a successful outcome as outlined in the audit. Each of the projects we were asked as Winnipeggers to take ‘A Leap of Faith’ have not had successful outcomes as a result of one factor or another. The commonalities in all of them has been a lack of transparency, no or limited accountability and a loss of trust by the public as indicated in our Mayor’s current popularity and now legacy of ‘conflicting interests’.

It is my hope that out of another decision wrought with more of City Hall’s version of us taking ‘A Leap of Faith’, we as Winnipeggers will find our voice. The media and public demand accountability.

What differentiates poor people from rich people, is lack of voice. The inability to be represented. The inability to convey to the people in authority what it is they think. The inability to have a searchlight put on the conditions of inequality.

James D. Wolfensohn

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Have We Lost our Way?

Posted on January 5, 2014 by jameswhoddinott

plato

Many societies Canada included have worked and fought hard to have a country and society founded on the basic principles of Democracy. The foundational principles of our government is one where elected representatives are given the mandate to make decisions in the best interests of country, provinces and municipalities. Given the complex situations that can arise from time to time this is not an easy task. Most individuals may feel the only time for people to have a voice in what is happening in our country, province or city is when an election arises.

In its ideal form democracy is a system of governance that is supposed to be inclusive of as many people and views as possible to enable a fair and just society. Our democratic form of government should support ideals of universal freedoms such as the right to free speech. A system of free speech or the voice of the people serves to check unaccountable power and manipulation by the few at the expense of the many. In essence a democracy is form of government, where all people are supposed to have equal voices in shaping policy.

There is a common expression where people say ‘You can’t fight city hall’, which sadly seems to have disenfranchised many individuals from asserting their civil rights as our municipal government seems to make poor decision after poor decision. In order for our municipal government to work effectively there are two essential components. Transparency and accountability into decisions and processes need to be recorded and made available for the general public to access, debate and discuss, if necessary. The views and opinions of the community and access to our municipal government is becoming increasingly difficult. There often is no consultation prior to decisions being made and the opportunity to discuss concerns are either held at times the average voter needs to work or is left for a less than in-depth debate by our elected municipal counsellors which often appear to be more about posturing or opportunism to garner votes at the next election.

winston

It has become an increasingly difficult process for the average voter to feel their views and opinions matter. Our elected officials often don’t run with well-defined visions for our country, province or city. Besides once elected, most decisions appear either opportunistic or at times seem to have no real basis for being made. In the CBC report called ‘Competing Interests’ (Oct. 22, 2013) a number issues were identified where either our current Mayor and/or council have been involved. Remember this was before Phil Sheegl, before the Audit and before the cost of Police Headquarters was revealed. There seems to be no desire to do the work necessary to get to the bottom of these questionable dealing. Do we have a desire to hold our City Council and Executive Policy Committee accountable for the pay out of Phil Sheegl mere moments before the Audit of the Fire Hall Fiasco was made public? Does the investigation stop there or do we need a more detailed Forensic Audit (an accounting analysis that is suitable to the court which will form the basis for discussion, debate and ultimately dispute resolution)? Does this need to be applied as well to our Police Headquarters because despite what counselors have indicated we actually don’t know what happened?

We now have a seemingly simple issue of whether or not to build a 24 storey skyscraper in Winnipeg’s historical and cultural centre. This requires a change of a bylaw which appears simple enough to obtain since the Culture and Heritage Sub-committee does not seem concerned with this breach of a plan for the Exchange District completed with input from community members. They have already strayed from the plan for the area by building The Mere Hotel on land that had been deemed ‘Greenspace’. A park in honour of one of our previous beloved Mayors (Stephan Juba Park) made smaller to accommodate this new building. Not only was it built-in a location that no other previous builder was given permission to, but it also didn’t have to meet the design standards outlined. How and who made these decisions? Where was public input into the building of this hotel that has transformed the look of Waterfront Drive? In my humble opinion not in a good way.

What will happen at the hearing to be held on January 6th for Appeal of Variance Order No is: DAV 13-170176/B in the Council Building at 510 Main Street? There are a number of citizens that have submitted appeals and over 400 people have signed a petition stating their opposition to the building of a 24 Storey Skyscraper on top of the existing Pumphouse. Will the Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management listen to those individuals who support a vision for the Exchange District? Many people in opposition who have voiced the concerns publicly and attempted to meet with our elected officials will be unable to attend the hearing as having such an appeal held during the regular work day makes it difficult and impossible for many to be present. This by itself shows our Municipal Government’s lack of concern about what the residents of the Exchange District and Winnipeg think.

This is more than just about the building of a skyscraper. This is about people wanting a voice in how their communities are developed. It is about a system that is transparent and where our councillors and Mayor are held accountable for decisions they make when they don’t follow an inclusive process that includes the very voters that elected them.

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The Pumphouse

Posted on December 30, 2013 by jameswhoddinott
The Pumphouse

The Pumphouse

Next Monday the Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management will hear the appeal against the variance approved by The Director of Planning, Property and Development of the City of Winnipeg. The Director approved that a 24 storey multi-family could build a 24 storey multi-family skyscraper above the existing ‘Pumphouse’. Residents of the Exchange District and Winnipeg continue to challenge this short-sited vision for this historic and important cultural area of Winnipeg.

The current by-law states:

Downtown Zoning By-Law 100/2004 was being crafted at the same time Waterfront Drive was being developed as a roadway. The zoning standards for the Waterfront Drive Downtown Living Sector were created in tandem with an overall vision for the redevelopment of this area. It was a unique opportunity to create a different kind of downtown-street, with a large number of City-owned redevelopment sites available to advance the Waterfront Drive vision of compact, low-rise, mixed use development reflective of the adjacent Warehouse Sector. The same year Zoning By-Law 100/2004 was adopted, the City published the Waterfront Drive Expectations for Development guideline document. It encourages new buildings to be two to six storeys in height built up to the sidewalk. (The zoning permits eight storeys south of Galt Avenue, with no height limit north of Galt.) Six Waterfront Drive parcels have been developed since 2004. Only one is over six storeys. The eight storey Excelsior complex has its top storey set back so that the visual massing is reduced.

This has most often been advertised as a ‘Pumphouse’ issue, an opportunity to save the historical ‘Pumphouse’ and at the same time develop a 24 storey multi-family dwelling that will bring more people to the exchange. This is a much bigger issue than being about the Pumphouse.

1)    THE Height of the building is inconsistent with the community

The original By-law is less than ten years old where the city looked to create a unique and historical part of Winnipeg. The architecture of the Exchange District is magnificent. Walking through the Exchange District visiting the local restaurants, theatres and galleries gives you a bit of a European feel. Closer to Winnipeg we have Quebec‘s Old Town (Vieux-Québec) which has worked hard to maintain the historical integrity of one of Canada’s treasures. Winnipeg’s Exchange District is an important part of our heritage. The splendour of the architecture in the area is remarkable and the By-Law and plan that was developed in 2008 must be maintained. The 24 storey structure will change the face Waterfront Drive.

2)    Negative Effect of already developed structures

Beyond setting the wrong precedent, the height of this proposed development also comes with 2 other negative effects:

(a) Blocking potential views to the river / forks /downtown from other projects

(b) Shadow casting on neighbouring properties –

The Condo most affected would be Sky Condominiums. The tower will block views and light from the south-facing units of the Sky Condos year-round, as was shown in the developer’s models. It will decrease the livability of these units and negatively affect the value of these properties. Sky Condominiums developed a second phase which as per their plans created an enclosed courtyard to be shared by all residents as it is connected to its Common Room. This area is designed as a place to build community and enjoy the sunlight that will create a beautiful outdoor meeting place for residents.

3)    Will the Pumphouse actually be preserved?

The models at the open house showed a tall, generic-looking apartment tower component rising out of the remains of the Pumphouse. The developer claims they will “save the Pumphouse” by building this tower, but in essence the character of the Pumphouse will be lost, if not destroyed, by such an ominous and generic glass structure. Indeed, it is questionable whether this development would ensure the preservation of the Pumphouse heritage asset. The City is not even asking for guarantees that the developer will maintain and respect the heritage assets of the Pumphouse in return for granting the zoning variance required. The aesthetic of the proposed design is also incompatible and contrary to stated architecture of the area. It does not complement surrounding low-profile heritage buildings.

Does any of this sound familiar? It should sound familiar we can look at Investor’s Field that was supposed to be covered? It not only isn’t covered but still cost more than budgeted. The costs of Investor’s Field to the City of Winnipeg is still growing. Traffic issues which can in reality only be solved through major infrastructure as well as the need to hire additional police officers to manage traffic problems. We then have approval of the redesign of Police Headquarters with only 30% of the plans in place. Cost over-runs, poor project management have created City Hall approved project that will cause a burden to the Winnipeg’s budget moving forward. We have the debacle of Fire Halls, the building of the Mere Hotel that has also negatively changed the skyline along Waterfront Drive. What if citizens hadn’t stood up and stopped the development of the Mayor’s thought of building a Waterpark across from the Human Rights Museum?

The issue here is what guarantee do we have that the project will move ahead as discusses.

4)    Lack of Community Involvement

A complete lack of opportunity for the community to provide input into this proposal. The councillor for this area has consistently ignored email request for information or meeting with residents.

This is yet another example of the City of Winnipeg ignoring its own bylaws and plans, when they even exist, to cater to developers at the expense of tax-paying residents. The bylaws for the Waterfront Drive area impose an 8-story height limit to give it an aesthetic, livability, and sense of scale desirable for a successful mixed-use residential neighbourhood. Many of the residents in this area moved to the Waterfront because they bought into the vision the City was selling. However, the city is now turning their back on the very people they were desperate to win over to “downtown living.” Residents are entitled to have a say in how their neighbourhood is developed.

5)    A real concern for Traffic and Parking

The traffic in this area is a problem, especially during rush-hour when traffic is backed up from James Ave. to Provencher Bridge. No traffic study has been done to show how a 220 suite apartment building will further the impact of traffic along Waterfront Drive.

The area cannot meet the parking needs of the current residents and visitors of the

Waterfront area, let alone meet the needs of the potential residents of a 24-story building. While there is talks of developing a 3-4 story parkade at James Ave. and Amy Street, this will only resolve some of the issue we have now. It is certainly not enough to accommodate the new development.

This is just another example of why are city needs a plan.

6)    Our City needs a Vision and a Plan

A Secondary Plan needs to be developed for the neighbourhood by the City, with the input and engagement of the residents. So far, the City shows no interest in doing this. Here is a question? Who are the developers? How about who developed and owns the Mere Hotel? How did that variance and approval of design occur? What happened to the guaranteed ‘Greenspace’?

Developers of many communities always have conditions for development. Purchasing or building a new home in a development most often requires all structures to meet certain guidelines. These can be from materials used to build, the height of a building and the purpose for the building. Why not here? Why can the City so easily disregard its own bylaw and approve a variance that clearly will be out-of-place and negatively affect current residents?

There are many ways and ideas to develop on the ‘Pumphouse’ site. There will always be different viewpoints. Can the entire structure of the ‘Pumphouse’ be maintained? Do we need to find a compromise that may be keeping the historical aspect of the ‘Pumphouse’ as well as the historical nature of the entire neighbourhood? Is a 24 storey multi-family building what the community needs?

These are questions that can be answered through the approval and design of a plan for the historical Exchange District. I would go further and state a plan and a vision for all of Winnipeg where we look at each of our communities and how to make each of the areas better and more functional places for the people of Winnipeg.

There are already Condo developments that sit vacant. One factor to why they sit vacant is because of parking concerns. Another is people are looking for access to a small grocery stores or perhaps a bakery or another community meeting place. The “Pumphouse’ space has the ability to enhance the neighbourhood and be a multi-use space to meet the needs of current and future residents and maintain the cultural and historic integrity of the area.

If there is one thing I have learned in my time living in the Exchange District it is that Municipal politics is important. We need to pay attention to what is happening at City Hall. The current lack of vision, mismanagement of past projects as well as a total disregard for a true and legitimate consultation with the people of the City of Winnipeg is not acceptable. The true resource in Winnipeg is the people. City Hall ignores its most important resource. My conversations with people in regards to this issue and the numerous other problems at City Hall indicate we want our city to be run differently. We want a vision. We want to make Winnipeg a great place for people to live not only for today but as we move forward. We can’t let another project move forward without bringing about the changes we need in how City all operates.

Please click to hear my interview on CBC Radio Manitoba

Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.

 Thomas Edison

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The Meaning of Christmas

Posted on December 24, 2013 by jameswhoddinott
Winnipeg Winter December 24, 2013

Winnipeg Winter
December 24, 2013

Christmas is a day recognized by Christians as the birth of Jesus Christ. Although not as important religiously as important as Easter it certainly has come to be the most anticipated event in many countries. It also combines the story of Saint Nicolas who is the patron saint of children and was a well-known priest who would bring gifts to children and help the poor. He preferred not to be seen leaving the gifts so families told their children to go to sleep or no gifts would come. Saint Nicholas’s legend grew and he was seen as a generous and kind man who was later put in prison for five years as he was mistakenly identified as a God and lost favour with people who believed in only one God. The Puritans of North America refused to believe in Saint Nicholas and renounced his name but in time history brought us Santa Claus.

How have these two stories brought about the Christmas we see in 2013? I had the opportunity to be Santa Claus in a small elementary school and give my best imitation of a jovial ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ to the excited faces of the young children. I was greeted by smiles, hugs and many I love you Santa from the youngest of the children. In the time I had to talk to the children it was evident as the children got older their belief in Santa diminished but their desire for gifts increased. The younger children were excited to talk about leaving of the cookies, drinking milk and how I got those pesky reindeer to fly. It is perhaps one of the greatest questions that young children ask, ‘Is Santa Claus real?’ The spirit of Saint Nicholas is certainly alive and well as gift giving and awareness to help those in need during the Christmas season is evident in the stories and through people’s generosity to donate time and money to make sure all children find something under their tree.

The religious part of Christmas somehow is seemingly becoming less of what Christmas is about. Media and musicians seem more inclined to move towards the Saint Nicholas story. Commercialization in 2013 has reached new heights as buying presents not only for children but everyone has become the new meaning of Christmas. I heard a story of a woman who shared a story of how she cried for days because the gift she received from her husband just wasn’t what she wanted. There is no doubt along with the joy of Christmas comes the stresses of buying gifts and wondering if buying the wrong gift will put you in the dog house with Snoopy.

As I have gotten older and my now adult sons are reluctant to dress up in their Santa Suits that made them so cute, Christmas for me has become more about being with family and reconnecting with those that our busy life seems to preclude. A celebration of food and our own traditions with those that we love have become the meaning of Christmas. The cooking of the turkey, calling my brother to exchange recipes as we try to make that perfect stuffing, or the phone call to family that have chosen the sunshine over the cold and snowy winters days of Winnipeg.

In the end Christmas, the holiday season has become many things. Some of them commercial as for many businesses the Christmas season may make or break the business. It is for Christians a time of coming together to celebrate the birth of Jesus. There are not many better stories than of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus in a stable. It is about family, community and a time for generosity not only of spirit but of deeds. It is a time of stress for those who have lost loved ones or may find themselves alone on Christmas Day. It has been about traditions and discovering new traditions as our multi-cultural society finds a way to respect everybody’s beliefs.

Most of all though it is about us finding peace. Peace for ourselves and others. Becoming the spirit of Saint Nicholas where we show kindness to children and those in need. Whether you are Christian or not the belief in the teaching love and kindness and generosity of heart, body and soul as we strive towards understanding it is better to give than receive. So despite all the media hype and commercialization we find in the holiday season, Christmas is still about ‘Peace on Earth and Goodwill.’

Wishing everyone a joyous and wonderful Christmas season. May you all find your inner peace.

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The Rose Petal – A Short Story by James W Hoddinott

Posted on December 22, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

rose petel The Rose Petal was my first published short story…

THE ROSE PETAL

By: James W Hoddinott

                I peered out the window as I watched the sun majestically rise its head above the horizon to mark the birth of a new day; a birth that was awash with irony. Each new day is a precious gift and today I allowed myself a brief smile in appreciation of the magnificent yellows and oranges as the sun joyously announced its arrival. How many of these precious gifts had I squandered, choosing to remain curled up in bed taking for granted the opportunities each new beginning provides. I realize sunrise is a gift we receive every day and like many of our blessings it remains overlooked and unappreciated. The sunset has received far more celebration, yet it marks the end rather than the beginning. All my memories are of sunsets. The romance of a walk on the beach, holding the hand of your girl as the sun glistens on the water. Skinny dipping or drinking wine by the pool as the sun disappears from view. A time to reflect on the day of those things we didn’t get a chance to do. As we reminisce we always think, I will do that tomorrow for as the sun sets we know it will return giving us another chance to make a difference, or change what you have done wrong or just to be with those people you care about.

Today however, as I greet the sunrise, I know the time has come for my sunset. Man’s sunset is different. We do not return to be able to change what we have done. Our time is the time from the first breath we take to the last breath we take. I have been lucky. I lived a life with few regrets. So no complaints from me, besides complaining rarely does any good and least of all now. It has been a charmed life and the death of someone my age is natural, to be expected. To be celebrated. My only misgivings about dying is that I will break a promise. A promise I made so many years ago.

Perhaps it was a foolish promise, given in a moment, knowing all to  well that I could never guarantee I would never leave her. When in love you believe anything is possible. Yet my promise to take care of her, to cherish her forever was to be broken. I’m sure she doesn’t know today is the day of a broken promise, but we have been expecting it for a long time. When I had my first heart attack just over a year ago, we both knew this day was inevitable. We took this last year as a gift. We cherished each day more than we had previously done. Tried to leave each day with all things in order, leaving nothing unsaid or undone. Not everyone gets that chance so we were blessed.

The last few weeks I have been waking up to enjoy each sunrise; to enjoy the newness of each day. I knew right away that today’s sunrise would be different. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know this will be my last sunrise and for the first time in 53 years, my wife will not be going with me. I have always had difficulty speaking the words in my heart, writing seemed to be easier, as I grabbed my pen and paper and knew the time had come to write her my last letter. How many mornings had I banged away at the keyboard while she slept? Today would not be on the computer, today would be pen and paper. Today my words were for just her.

Repositioning my chair so I could watch her as she lay sleeping. I marveled at how kind the years had been to her. Not a wrinkle on her lovely face. Although at times I suppose, I gave her just cause to age. She looked exactly how she did when we first met, actually that is not true, she looked better, to me more beautiful. So many woman fear ageing but for me there is a beauty in an older woman that can never be captured in youth. The richness to a soul, a beauty that only comes with the experience of age.

Each morning before I started my day the last thing I did before I crawled out of bed was to look at her. This is something she didn’t know or I ever told her. Did I smile when I slept? She always did. My mind never seemed at peace, always thinking, forehead full of wrinkles, mind racing, seemingly no time for smiles. Don’t get me wrong, her smile had nothing to do with her not thinking, but somehow her thoughts would transpose a smile. Her thoughts brought on smiles. I fear I never thanked her for all those smiles I received even at times when I didn’t deserve them. Opening the drawer beside our bed I removed my cherished slightly yellowed envelope which I had kept since our first anniversary. My hidden treasure.

Inside the envelope there still remained one lonely rose petal. It was an extraordinary rose petal. It didn’t look special as it was dried out, really not even a petal anymore, but still the significance of this lonely rose petal and the others that had come before would finally be discovered by her. On our first anniversary I bought her one dozen red roses and these were the only red roses, correction the only flowers I ever bought for her. Some people, even her on those rare times she showed her disappointment, couldn’t understand why I never bought flowers on her birthday, for Valentine’s Day, our anniversary, but I couldn’t. Perhaps it was selfish. I never wanted to spoil the memory of her face, that smile, those eyes and my God the dimples as I entered our tiny apartment carrying a dozen red roses. Like most newlyweds we were just scraping by and could not afford the extravagance of a dozen red roses, but it was our first anniversary and roses, red roses, were her favorite. On our wedding day she wore a simple white gown as she carried a bouquet of roses. In the evening she placed a red rose in a simple vase on every table. This was my wife. She didn’t need extravagance to show beauty, for she was beauty without all the make-up and bling others seem to feel necessary. Like the red rose she was beautiful on her own.

My plan to not buy her flowers didn’t come to me right away. At first as we struggled to make ends meet, the money just wasn’t there to afford the extravagance of flowers. Many suggested I buy her one rose, it was romantic they would say, but be it stubborn or not, I just never did. One day I discovered a way to savour that moment from our first anniversary. On our first anniversary she took our cheap pale green plastic water pitcher and placed those beautiful red roses in the center of our kitchen table. All the red roses proudly displayed their splendour and each morning my wife would sit at the table mesmerized by their beauty.  As is the case flowers eventually lose their petals and each morning we would find new petals that had gracefully fallen onto the table. I would lovingly pick-up each petal as it fell and place it carefully in an envelope I kept in my nightstand. I was able to collect over fifty petals. Fifty-four red rose petals to be exact. Now this is much harder than you think, because I collected them without her knowing. At times I wanted to scream as I watched her clean-up those petals and throw them in the garbage bin. Still I managed to save fifty-four precious petals.

When our second anniversary came around, I walked into our tiny apartment empty-handed. She greeted me as always with a wonderful smile, those dimples that told me I was home, but this smile was different for it also came with disappointment. After all we were doing a little better financially and I certainly could have bought her the red roses she deserved and desired but I knew even though selfish I could not buy her any more flowers. We had a wonderful dinner and reflected on how far we had come in the last year. How much we were still in love. I thought that evening as we went to bed she would be pleased when she saw the one lone red rose petal resting on her pillow. It did bring a quick smile to her face, but it was brief. Don’t get me wrong, my wife was never one to expect or want big gifts so the brief smile told me she didn’t know the single rose petal had come from the roses I bought last year. I didn’t tell her either. As the years went on, I continued my tradition of placing a single petal on her pillow. Each year I received the same brief smile.

When she gave birth to our first son, even my mom was annoyed with me for not giving her flowers. “Do you know what she has just gone through?” I did of course as I was beside her the entire time feeling helpless as I held onto her hand as she brought our child into this world. We cried together as we heard our son’s first breath. I wondered if I was being selfish and of course I was. Was the memory of that smile that important? She loved flowers even if they were not roses, but I just couldn’t. I just couldn’t buy her flowers. There were times I tried but be it stubborn or selfish or something else, it just didn’t happen.

Every spring she carefully planted beautiful flowers in our yard. She lamented on the fact she would never be able to grow the red roses she loved so much because of our short growing season. She grew pink roses, yellow roses, even roses that looked red, but not roses like I gave her on our first anniversary or roses like she placed as centerpieces at our wedding. For years she would give me hints about buying her roses, red roses she would say ‘Are the most beautiful of the roses and signify love.” I would buy her a watch, a diamond necklace, pearl earrings, but somehow those gifts didn’t bring about the same smile the bouquet of red roses did. Thinking back, perhaps she wanted to have that moment again. Perhaps to her the roses were as important to her as my memory of her when she got them. As the years went on I convinced myself that buying her roses would only bring about disappointment. She would feel they were a gift of I had to rather than I want to. She would not see them as a gift of love but to allay guilt.  She would have been right because my gift of love was the single rose petal I placed on her pillow every anniversary.

I felt the crushing pain in my chest as I continued writing. It was time. I made my way carefully to the phone, grimacing as I walked. Weeks ago I had looked up the number to our local florist as I reached into my packet for the number I could feel a smile come to my face. When the florist answered I quietly, so not to wake her said “One dozen red roses, please. Deliver them to 38 Walnut Grove. Not before 3 pm please. No by credit card. Yes a card. Just put on the card, ‘Save the Petals.’ No don’t say who they are from she will know. No nothing else. Just don’t deliver them before three. Thank-you.

I made my way back to the chair by our bed. I couldn’t wake her, not even to say good-bye. I picked up my pen to finish my letter. I apologized for leaving her, for breaking my promise, but most of all thanked her for our children, for taking care of me especially over this last year, but most of all for her smile that greeted me every day. I picked up the last rose petal remembering how worried I was last year when I realized there was only one petal left. I took the petal out of the envelope and placed it and the letter on her pillow as she slept peacefully. I leaned back, smiling as I took my last breath…

               rose petel

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It’s A Wonderful Life

Posted on December 18, 2013 by jameswhoddinott
Bedford Falls

Bedford Falls

What really puts me in the spirit of the holidays is the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.” For me, what makes a classic is how timeless the story is. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is one of those movies that will touch the hearts of the viewers for generations yet to come and whether it be 1946 when the movie was made or 2013 the story line, the characters all still pull at the old heart-strings. This year as I watched the holiday classic I tried to imagine in Winnipeg who represents the characters in this movie classic.
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is about a man named George who fights for the everyday person and doesn’t seem to recognize the difference he is making for himself, his family and in the broader sense the community he lives in. How many men and women do we have in our community who are doing selfless acts for people without any need for recognition? People collecting and delivering hampers, during those hot days of summer that seem so long ago giving away a simple bottle of water, working tirelessly to make sure people are cared for. One of the pieces that make Winnipeg great is the number of volunteers and generosity of spirit we seem to have. At times though like George those people seem overwhelmed as if they don’t really make a difference.

Successful People

Successful People

The villain in this movie “It’s a Wonderful Life’ is not your typical bad guy. Harry F. Potter is a banker and a businessman who works hard to let people believe he is trying to help them while in essence in the movie he is meeting his needs first. Potter is in a position of power and influence. Potter is in a position that requires him to take on the leadership to do the right thing. With great power comes great responsibility. Winnipeg like other towns and cities also has our share of individuals in position of influence who choose to put the needs of the one or few over the needs of the community.

mandela

Truly a timeless story, it happens everywhere in the world all the time where we have people working hard for the bettering of the lives of people. Putting the needs of others first. Fortunately for all of us there are lots of Georges (men and women) in the world. We also have many individuals playing the role of Potter. Who try to act like they are supporting people but in reality are trying to create their own Pottersville; a place where people don’t matter.

Still yet there are the rest of the characters in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ who as George describes his father to Mr. Potter he says:

 But he did help a few people get out of your slums, Mr. Potter, and what’s wrong with that? Why… here, you’re all businessmen here. Doesn’t it make them better citizens? Doesn’t it make them better customers? You… you said… what’d you say a minute ago? They had to wait and save their money before they even ought to think of a decent home. Wait? Wait for what? Until their children grow up and leave them? Until they’re so old and broken down that they… Do you know how long it takes a working man to save $5,000? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you’re talking about… they do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn’t think so. People were human beings to him. But to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they’re cattle. Well in my book, my father died a much richer man than you’ll ever be!

What make people like Mr. Potter survive and sometimes flourish are good people doing nothing. Mr. Potter throughout the movie forgets that the people of Bedford Falls are people. We often all are guilty of feeling powerless. Feeling that standing-up and doing something is stopping progress or just too hard.
It comes down to what kind of world we want to live in. Do we want to live the life of George? Do we want our families and communities to matter? Currently in our town the people of Winnipeg often feel they don’t have a say or what they say doesn’t matter. We often feel powerless as if we don’t make a difference. Like the citizens of Bedford Falls we feel if we go to our Mr. Potter he will not listen, or worse, refuse to see us or acknowledge we matter. Should our leaders not be people like George who put the needs of family and community first? Engage people in the conversations to make our lives and community better. Should we not be made to feel we are important?
A city which puts the needs of its people first will be a successful city. It will be a place people want to live, a place where businesses want to grow.

I’ve learned that happiness is a worthy personal goal as long as it isn’t achieved through selfishness or self-indulgence. Happiness is both deeper and more enduring than either pleasure or fun. I’ve learned that what is fun or pleasurable is not always good for me and what is good for me is not always fun or pleasurable.  I think the surest road to happiness is good relationships and that the best way to have good relationships is to be a good person.

Michael Josephson

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The Pumphouse -Residents want a Plan?

Posted on December 13, 2013 by jameswhoddinott
This is what the current view from The Sky Waterfront 5th floor terrace looks like.

This is what the current view from The Sky Waterfront 5th floor terrace looks like.

The deadline is fast approaching to have your say on a proposed change that can impact our Historic Downtown forever. December 16th is the last day to submit your appeal To reject the height variance for 109 James Avenue, thereby restricting the height of any new construction on this site to 8 storeys and under. Please see the end of the blog to send your message to the municipal government that you value our Historic Exchange District. We want our city to have a plan for future development of the area and the city honour the guidelines and promises made for development in this area. Rejecting the proposal can be a new beginning for Winnipeg.  We need our city to do things differently. We need a plan for our future.

At the City Council meeting held on December 13th we once again saw how dysfunctional our Municipal Government is. Over the last few months there has been many high-profile missteps when it comes to taking caring of the best interests of the people of Winnipeg not only today but as we move forward. Somehow in our democratic system it has become wrong to ask questions like:

  • How do you approve a project that’s design is only 30% complete?
  • Who were the project managers of the building of Police Headquarters?
  • What are the current approval processes and consultation processes to get projects approved? Is there a connection to vision for city?
  • What effect has the substantial cost overruns had on the need to increase taxes?
  • Why are city initiatives and projects not more transparent?
  • What about the residents, business and developers who have invested in creating a strong, vibrant and cultural centre of Winnipeg?
  • Why does the city change the rules for certain developers?

Our mayor’s response to questions is to simply avoid them or we need an ‘Ethics Commissioner’ or accuse counsellors who ask questions of grandstanding.

Wyatt also accused Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo) of improperly attacking senior administrators, in particular acting CAO Deepak Joshi, who criticized her for suggesting senior administrators were guilty of mismanagement or possibly corruption.

(Winnipeg Free Press, December 13)

What is a democracy if we are not allowed to question elected officials or even talk to elected officials? In our democracy we need to be asking questions and given the evidence gathered so far we need to have all our city councillors held responsible for of cost overruns, no city plan, urban sprawl to name but a few. Very simply we need to know “What is going on at City Hall? How can the people of Winnipeg trust what is happening and what decisions will be made? How can future investors or developers feel they have a fair chance at development opportunities given the results of the audit on the fire hall fiasco? How can a developer or residents of a development (Waterfront and Exchange District) trust the rules won’t change after they have moved into an area. Have faith in what the city promises them.

Our city deserves better. The people of Winnipeg need a voice and need to matter. There is absolutely no research to support the current methods our city is using to operate and manage Winnipeg. There is however mountains of research to support a different way to run our municipal government. A planned way to manage Winnipeg. It takes the average person but a few minutes to find thousands of articles on ‘Why Cities need Urban Plans? Or Why Sustainable Growth is important? Yet our Mayor and Council refuse to adopt a vision and plan for Winnipeg. They refuse to be accountable for their actions or take current and long-term interests of not only the people who currently live in Winnipeg but future developers and community members as well.

John Orlikow: “If we move forward as blindly as we seem presently, I’m worried about the future… It’s not the fact we have a nice police station or not; the fact is we had a budget and we blew it. We should, instead of putting our heads in the sand, be really trying to find out what went wrong and how do we prevent this from happening in the future.”

John Orlikow is right. How do we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect the result to be different? How can we approve another project in the city when clearly the way the city is currently doing business is not working? Please be part of the solution and say no to the proposed variance to put a 24 storey building in our historic and cultural district of Winnipeg. Let’s get a plan in place that includes community, developers, representatives of provincial and municipal governments and work together for a better Winnipeg.

PUMPHOUSE NEIGHBOURHOOD

The Pumphouse

The Pumphouse

A fresh new vision for Waterfront Drive

Thursday, 12 December 2013

SIGN THEIR ONLINE PETITION – to save Winnipeg’s Waterfront

Please sign and make sure to share with your family, friends, and neighbours.

To reject the height variance for 109 James Avenue, thereby restricting the height of any new construction on this site to 8 storeys and under.

Developers (who remain unidentified) have applied to the City of Winnipeg to construct a 24-storey skyscraper at 109 James Avenue on top of the historical pumphouse station.

A 24-storey skyscraper would set a precedent that is in opposition to the City of Winnipeg’s proposed direction for the warehouse district and waterfront area. The skyscraper being presented is three-times higher than any adjacent buildings and does not have consideration for the surrounding natural and cultural landscape.

Beyond setting the wrong precedent, the height of this proposed development also comes with 2 other negative effects: (1) blocking potential views to the river, forks, and downtown from other homes and businesses, and (2) shadow casting on neighbouring properties, namely the Sky Condominiums.

We believe the existing urban fabric of the Historic Exchange District and its waterfront is no place for skyscrapers. There are other places in the city where this is appropriate. This historic neighbourhood calls for more creative initiatives. Please sign our petition to preserve the integrity of the Waterfront neighbourhood by keeping all new construction on this site to 8 storeys and under.

In signing you will help us:

– Preserve the historical integrity of the Pumphouse and of the Waterfront neighbourhood so that it remains intact for future generations.

– Ensure that future development on this site be in scale to human life and remains in context with surrounding architecture and natural landscape

– Ensure that future development on this site is part of a plan, developed together with the community and the city (not developer-driven).

Please sign our online petition and join the campaign to save Winnipeg’s waterfront.
Click on this link ( http://chn.ge/1cDNv3E ) to sign, and please share!

Many thanks,

The Residents of Waterfront
pumphouseneighbourhood.blogspot.ca

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James Street Pumping Station

Posted on December 6, 2013 by jameswhoddinott

The Pumphouse If after reading this post you would also like to appeal the VARIANCE APPLICATION: DAV 13-170176/B to allow the City of Winnipeg to change the Variance please contact:

Andrew Poitras

Senior Committee Clerk

City Clerk’s Department

Telephone: 204-986-6170

E-mail: apoitras@winnipeg.ca

 

City Planning and Development under the direction of our current Mayor Sam Katz and counselors has just gone through an audit by Ernst & Young which provided a sobering reflection on how the City of Winnipeg does business. Cost over-runs, not appropriate checks and balances in the system, no long-term vision for development and business dealings and hiring of close personal friends of the Mayor. The Mayor and Councilors are elected to as Counselor Gerbasi stated,”cities are supposed to serve its citizens. They think we’re about pipes, police and pavement, but cities are actually about people, and I think that’s what’s been forgotten in this budget,”

I would go one step further in saying there is a moral and civic responsibility to provide a plan and vision for the City of Winnipeg that is transparent and involves the citizens of Winnipeg. We need to put a stop to Katz’s legacy of fiscal mismanagement by a proclaimed businessman so he does not bankrupt Winnipeg. We have had a seventeen million dollar cost over-run in our new Police Station, a 4 million dollar deficit with the Fire Halls, developers going unchecked in expensive and unsustainable ‘Urban Sprawl’ developments. Decisions made without guidelines, without a vision and apparently financially benefitting some of the Mayor’s friends and much speculation it hasn’t hurt the Mayor’s pocket-book either. The secrecy, lack of consultation and what can be said as tenuous at best given the  timing of announcements related to the construction of a 24 Storey skyscraper in the midst of our historic neighbourhood that will have consequences to the well-being of Winnipeg long-term. The proposed 24 storey Sky Scraper on James Street and Waterfront Drive represents many of the pitfalls already identified in the Ernst and Young Audit of the Fire hall.
Let’s be clear the Mayor’s hands are all over this project. The announcement of the project was made in August and now the proposed variance is posted in December with a deadline for appeals being December 16th. City Planners and the proposed developer must be counting on the busyness of the two holiday seasons to catch Residents of the Exchange off guard. I have attended a meeting with Residents in the area and the over-riding theme is pro-development, pro-respecting the integrity of the Exchange District as well as not wanting to add another building in the Exchange that will be a blight on what was becoming a beautiful and historical centerpiece worthy of Winnipeggers. Here is the essence of the by-law our City Planning department is requesting a variance for:

Downtown Zoning By-Law 100/2004 was being crafted at the same time Waterfront Drive was being developed as a roadway. The zoning standards for the Waterfront Drive Downtown Living Sector were created in tandem with an overall vision for the redevelopment of this area. It was a unique opportunity to create a different kind of downtown-street, with a large number of City-owned redevelopment sites available to advance the Waterfront Drive vision of compact, low-rise, mixed use development reflective of the adjacent Warehouse Sector. The same year Zoning By-Law 100/2004 was adopted, the City published the Waterfront Drive Expectations for Development guideline document. It encourages new buildings to be two to six storeys in height built up to the sidewalk. (The zoning permits eight storeys south of Galt Avenue, with no height limit north of Galt.) Six Waterfront Drive parcels have been developed since 2004. Only one is over six storeys. The eight storey Excelsior complex has its top storey set back so that the visual massing is reduced.

There will be people who will come out in favour to the project reaching out to the fears of people who look how long the property has sat vacant. This is our last chance to have development here. If you are against this project you are against development. Let there be no mistake about it I am against the kind of development that our Mayor and Council have been doing, but I am pro-development, pro-Winnipeg and more than anything recognize that continued haphazard development by our Municipal government will eventually bankrupt our city.
In the last 10 years there has been growth downtown where many believed no one would want to live. It is a strong and vibrant community. Imagine if you were the developer of Sky Waterfront, ‘The Excelsior’ or any of the other beautiful and historic developments that respected the intent of the by-law and vision for the area but contributed to building a not only a vibrant community but one that respects and highlights the Historical aspects of the Winnipeg. The previous developers now have to watch as bylaws are changed that changes the rules and some would indicate, give preferential treatment to the developer and designer of the skyscraper. ‘The Mere’ hotel is another example of preferential treatment as it not only was developed on a site that was to be Green Space but is a  design that will be a blight on our skyline for the foreseeable future and this new twenty-four story building  will only serve as another scar that no future plastic surgery will be able to remedy.

The Changed Waterfront Skyline

The Changed Waterfront Skyline

It is disappointing to me that this application has gotten as far as it has. It is another indication of the need for a plan, strategy and criteria for development in the City of Winnipeg. It is difficult to understand why a City of over 700 000 people doesn’t have such a plan, strategy or specific criteria for development.  A variance requesting to change the current 8 storey height regulation to 24 stories is no small request. The resulting change would impact not only the cultural and historic make-up of the community but also has implications for the issues of parking, traffic as well as there should be concerns in regards to the stability of land and possible issues arising on neighboring developments.
Living in the Exchange District has certainly resulted in me being more aware of City politics. At times it has made my stomach turn as the apparent disregard for the people of our communities underlies every decision made. This is not just a residents of the Exchange area problem, but a problem that will have a negative impact on all Winnipeggers now and into the future. This particular variance being requested does not meet any standards that should be required when developing in this Historic Community and should not meet the standards of any city let alone our City. Make no mistake about it this is a valuable piece of Real Estate that overlooks the river and Stephen Juba Park and it shows a lack of faith by our civic leaders that they think this is the best we can do.

Again I would like to indicate I am pro-development but it must be thoughtful. Perhaps the City of Winnipeg would benefit from following the lead of many Canadian and US cities as they develop strategies and criteria for development.

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