Winnipeg is a unique case in Canada in that it is a city with a very high concentration of heritage buildings in the downtown central business district (CBD). Fortunately, multiple factors have contributed to these buildings remaining in the CBD, one of which is that Winnipeg is a “slow growth” city in comparison to other Canadian cities. Today, downtown Winnipeg largely retains the unique “Chicago of the north” distinction while downtowns in similarly-sized cities such as Edmonton, Alberta have changed drastically. What are the forces that have combined in Winnipeg to result in such a unique national case, and how do the cities approach their unique development situations?
Winnipeg’s attitude concerning CBD development is largely a result of the city’s slow growth patterns. In the latest released Canadian census (2001), Winnipeg’s population was 619,544, up 0.2% from 618,477 in 1996. This slow rate of growth has been focused on the suburban areas of the city, slowly draining people away from the downtown area. From 1881 to about 1918, the Exchange District was under construction and Winnipeg was booming in terms of population, architectural and economic growth. Winnipeg was the third largest city in Canada and was home to the Canadian grain industry, finance, and manufacturing businesses until a few events brought the city’s rapid growth to an end: World War One and the Great Depression closed many downtown businesses, and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1913 created a new shipping route that bypassed Winnipeg. Many areas of the downtown have since fallen into disrepair and neglect, the result of decades of disinvestment. The1980s brought an increased effort by the City of Winnipeg to promote the rebirth and revitalization of downtown as both a residential and commercial destination, which is still a main focus today.
Winnipeg’s Plan 2020 states that downtown revitalization should be one of the city’s top priorities, and that the City will aid the downtown area by promoting development, encouraging downtown living, promoting a safe and exciting downtown, celebrating heritage, encouraging accessibility, integrating parks and green spaces, and promoting “high standards of urban design”. CentrePlan furthers the document by providing more detail to the policies laid out in Plan 2020. In recent years many new buildings have been constructed including the MTS Centre, additions to the Forks, the new Manitoba Hydro building, and renovations to the Millennium Library; but some organizations remain focused on the upkeep and revitalization of the city’s heritage buildings.
CentreVenture Development Corporation was created in 1999 by Winnipeg’s City Council in an effort to undertake the goals outlined in CentrePlan. The city felt it was important to combat the increasing detrimental effects inhibiting the downtown area such as increased crime, arson, increasing building vacancies and declining property values. CentreVenture now promotes itself as an “advocate and catalyst for business investment, development and economic growth in downtown Winnipeg”, and encourages new venues, public space, and development of underused downtown space.
Heritage Winnipeg is a non-profit organization dedication to the “restoration, rehabilitation and preservation” of Winnipeg’s architectural environment. It was established in 1978 by the municipal, provincial and federal governments and is an independent organization that works to protect downtown buildings that are threatened by demolition or neglect. The organization is responsible for the National Designation of the Exchange District, seeking UNESCO (World) Designation and the Heritage Tax Credit for heritage properties. However, organizations and the government are not the only supporters of a revitalized downtown – the public has also shown interest and concern. The Facebook group “Protect the Heritage Buildings of Winnipeg from Demolition by Neglect”, with 954 members recognizes that the historic downtown environment is an important aspect of Winnipeg’s character, and makes the city unique within Canada. The members of the group may not have degrees in architecture or city planning and have no direct gain from the preservation of the buildings, but are still advocates for protection of what makes the city unique.
In contrast, Edmonton was incorporated as a city in 1904 (compared to Winnipeg’s 1873), and has experienced an extremely high growth rate in the last few decades. The city’s population (excluding the metropolitan area) bounced from 616,306 in 1996 up 8.1% to 666,104 in 2001. The rapid growth of Edmonton has had numerous effects on the city, which began with the oil boom in 1947. In the 1950s the city’s population grew rapidly from 149,000 to 269,000, and continued to grow. Alberta is still experiencing rapid growth due to the oil industry, and is a “rich” province in comparison to Manitoba – naturally allowing the City of Edmonton to tear down older buildings and start from scratch.
The city is currently planning a revitalization of the historic “Downtown East” district, into “The Quarters Downtown” – marketed as “a vibrant, healthy community comprised of four quarters, each with its own character, activities and feel, structured around a unique linear park system”. The plan includes breaking up the existing grid into a more “walkable” organization, although to make space for this buildings will likely face demolition. Although the city seems to be more conscious of heritage buildings today, this was not always the case. “The Quarters Downtown” displays the revitalization efforts that a “rich” city can afford, though similar undertakings in Winnipeg would not be feasible.
Compared to Edmonton, Winnipeg’s situation has the beginnings of a success story. Government, organizations and citizens have pulled together in order to preserve and reinhabit parts of the city that, if they existed in Alberta, would probably have been demolished years ago. Winnipeg’s slow growth and financial “lacking” can be acknowledged as a blessing for the city, allowing historic areas like the Exchange District to remain – although demolition of other historic buildings in the city is a constant threat.
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Sources
CentrePlan: Working Together for Winnipeg’s Downtown. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://www.winnipeg.ca/ppd/pdf_files/1vis_strat.pdf
CentreVenture Development Corporation. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.centreventure.com/
City of Edmonton Historic Resource Management Program. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://www.edmonton.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_379_214_0_43/http%3B/CMSServer/COEWeb/infrastructure+planning+and+building/Historic+Resources/
Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.heritagewinnipeg.com/
Lost Buildings of Edmonton. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:http://www.epl.ca/EPLPhotoBuildings.cfm
Plan Winnipeg 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://winnipeg.ca/cao/pdfs/plan_2020.pdf
Planning, Property and Development, Heritage Conservation. Retrieved February 21, 2008 from:
http://winnipeg.ca/ppd/historic/historic.stm
Statistics Canada. Retrieved March 14, 2008 from:http://www.statcan.ca/
Virtual Heritage Winnipeg. Retrieved February 20, 2008 from:
http://www.virtual.heritagewinnipeg.com/
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