current forum:Winnipeg Urban Issues & Provincial Affairs

[Northender]

However, maybe "repurposing" the mall would be a good idea - e.g. replacing the retail space with offices, or getting one of the colleges/universities involved.

Yes, more tax payer dollars thats the ticket.

I am sorry, but I am sick of pouring taxpayer dollars somewhere it appears private business does not want to be.

Who cares if private business wants to be there. It's our city. We need to be there. If we make it better and safer for residents and commuters, everything else will follow.

[Outsider]

However, maybe "repurposing" the mall would be a good idea - e.g. replacing the retail space with offices, or getting one of the colleges/universities involved.

Yes, more tax payer dollars thats the ticket.

I am sorry, but I am sick of pouring taxpayer dollars somewhere it appears private business does not want to be.

Who cares if private business wants to be there. It's our city. We need to be there. If we make it better and safer for residents and commuters, everything else will follow.

Now we are getting somewhere!!!
HOW do we make it SAFER for residents and commuters

[Ex-Pat_Pegger]

An army of social workers.

[Northender]

One thing would be to improve services for commuters who use active transportation. There should be more secure bike parking.

[cancelbot]

Yes, more tax payer dollars thats the ticket.

I am sorry, but I am sick of pouring taxpayer dollars somewhere it appears private business does not want to be.

Where did I say that?

Which of your precious taxpayer dollars are being poured into Portage Place, for that matter?

[Outsider]

Yes, more tax payer dollars thats the ticket.

I am sorry, but I am sick of pouring taxpayer dollars somewhere it appears private business does not want to be.

Where did I say that?

Which of your precious taxpayer dollars are being poured into Portage Place, for that matter?

Your comment from the previous page:

However, maybe "repurposing" the mall would be a good idea - e.g. replacing the retail space with offices, or getting one of the colleges/universities involved.

Where do colleges and universities get their money from if not the taxpayers.

I would rather my precious tax dollars were spent on health care for the people who actually paid the tax dollars in the first place instead of downtown Winnipeg.

And how did Portage Place get built in the first place?
I am sure there were some tax dollars there.

[Outsider]

One thing would be to improve services for commuters who use active transportation. There should be more secure bike parking.

Thats a small step in the right direction.
But did I read something about another store closing in Portage place.
Manitoba Hydro dumped hundreds of new employees (and potential customers) right across the street from the Portage Place mall about 6 months ago. And stores are still closing.
I am sorry but something more drastic is going to have to be done to make shoppers feel more safe about shopping in that mall.

[Outsider]

An army of social workers.

I was thinking more along the lines of another big jail.
Because if there is drug dealing going on downtown as someone on this forum suggested, jail is where the dealers belong.

[cherenkov]

I don't know if building residential towers is the answer. People looking for condos and anybody with decent disposable income will probably prefer something closer to the river or exchange. The market they would probably capture with apartments would be the same as with Place Promenade: lower income folks mostly. That won't do much to make Portage Place more desirable or successful IMO. I personally wouldn't want to live above Portage Place even though I work near by.

[cancelbot]

Your comment from the previous page:

However, maybe "repurposing" the mall would be a good idea - e.g. replacing the retail space with offices, or getting one of the colleges/universities involved.

Where do colleges and universities get their money from if not the taxpayers.

So let's say that PP gets converted to other uses, half offices, half university/college space funded by tuition fees, private donations for capital costs and (gasp) government money. Where is the problem in that? Why do you assume that it's automatically better if university/college space gets added someplace where it doesn't provide additional benefits?

And how did Portage Place get built in the first place?
I am sure there were some tax dollars there.

How is that relevant?