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WFP: Calming traffic by design (Apr29'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '23

01 May '23

CALMING TRAFFIC BY DESIGN THE City of Winnipeg will study ways to calm traffic through design. Council has approved a motion to order a city staff report on methods to add traffic-calming design elements whenever a street is selected for reconstruction. The potential changes could include narrowing roads, adding speed tables (sections of raised road) and/or installing curb extensions to create more space for pedestrians. A report on the matter is expected back in about eight months.

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WFP: Councillor pushes for Portage, Main plebiscite (Apr29'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '23

01 May '23

*Councillor pushes for Portage, Main plebiscite* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/04/28/councillor-pushes… IF the city wants to reopen Portage Avenue and Main Street to pedestrians in the future, all Winnipeggers should get another vote on the idea first, according to one city councillor. Coun. Russ Wyatt will push for a policy that requires a plebiscite prior to opening the city’s most famous intersection to foot traffic and for council to follow the results. Wyatt said he will raise a motion to that effect at the May council meeting, primarily over road safety concerns. “When you open this intersection to pedestrians, you can expect injuries and fatalities and that’s my biggest concern. I want the citizens of Winnipeg to have a right to weigh in on this issue as they did before. And that will be council policy before any decision,” he said. Plebiscites are typically considered non-binding votes, which is why Wyatt wants the policy to commit city council to respect the results. In 2018, 65 per cent of Winnipeggers who participated voted “no” to reopening the intersection to pedestrians; council has not taken action to permanently reopen it since. Wyatt said he is concerned there may be a new appetite to restore pedestrian access. Debate has raged on for years about allowing pedestrians to cross the street at the surface level of the intersection, something they haven’t been able to do since 1979. Supporters argue pedestrian access would help connect and revitalize downtown, while opponents argue it would snarl traffic and pose safety concerns. The matter was thrust into the spotlight again this week as the city began seeking public feedback on options to enhance the intersection. An online survey and open houses will seek input on a wide variety of ideas, including a sixth-floor-level “sky garden” circular walkway, “monumental” public art, a set of four lookout towers and multi-media lighting poles, along with simpler upgrades that would add trees and/or enhance paving. None of the options would give pedestrians permanent access to cross the street at ground level. While those ideas from a city consultant don’t include cost estimates, Wyatt said he is also concerned about the potential price tag. “I don’t see why the ratepayers of Winnipeg should be subsidizing fancy lights and whatnot that could cost millions. I think there’s higher priorities in our city,” he said. Others argue a policy that guarantees voters a say in the matter wouldn’t make sense. “I think that’s preposterous. I think it’s an abrogation of their duties as elected councillors. We don’t have a plebiscite over the Chief Peguis (Trail) extension. We didn’t have a plebiscite over (building) Bridgwater. It’s just ridiculous,” said Adam Dooley, a spokesperson for the Vote Open campaign in 2018. The city council process already allows the public to provide input on council and committee decisions through a delegation process, he said. A Winnipeg-wide vote would also prevent the city from focusing on feedback from the intersection’s immediate neighbours, Dooley said. “I think if this were a regular public works project, then the residents in the area would have a larger say than what they are having because they overwhelmingly want this to happen: pedestrian access at Portage and Main. And they’re being told they can’t have that because of votes from, mostly, the suburbs.” Coun. Sherri Rollins said she doesn’t support the use of more plebiscites, stressing elected officials shouldn’t shirk their duty to make informed decisions on voters’ behalf. “A simple yes/no (public) vote is just artificially narrow, so I’m not a fan of plebiscites in general. I really feel that they are anti-democratic. They don’t underline or emphasize the accountability that most of us believe is part of being in elected office,” said Rollins. In a brief written statement, Mayor Scott Gillingham said he won’t support Wyatt’s motion. “I don’t think the city needs another plebiscite on Portage and Main.” joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Special-interest groups don’t represent most Winnipeggers, says Coun. Jeff Browaty (May1'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '23

01 May '23

*Special-interest groups don’t represent most Winnipeggers, says Coun. Jeff Browaty* *Advocates’ relevance questioned* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/04/28/special-interest-… CITY council’s most senior member has caused outrage after telling members of special interest groups their views are out of step with what most Winnipeggers want. “I appreciate your advocacy, but I don’t think a lot of these opinions are relevant,” North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty, who was first elected in 2006 and is currently finance committee chairman, told Marianne Cerilli, a former MLA and mayoral candidate, after she made a presentation to councillors. “I appreciate everybody who comes to city hall, and takes time out of their day to make presentations — people are very passionate,” Browaty said during the East Kildonan-Transcona community committee Wednesday. “(But) the people who present here really do not represent most Winnipeggers, in my opinion. Each one of us on council represent 45,000-ish people. They’re not looking to blow things up. They don’t have time to come and make presentations all day. They want their street lights timed so they can get to and from work as fast as possible. Or drive their SUVs through Tim Hortons drive-thru to get their coffee on their way to hockey practice. “The consultation we get is not as relevant as the consultation we get as elected officials going door to door every four years to talk to people… it’s not at all as representative of Joe Lunchbox Winnipegger, the people who pay taxes and work all day long to provide for their families, to make a life for themselves.” On Friday, Browaty made an attempt to explain his comments, saying he knew Cerilli had been a politician, so she would have a “thicker skin because of the business we’re in.” But there was little in the way of contrition. “I’m not sending her an apology card today, but all Winnipeggers have the right to have their views and ideas heard. I still do maintain that some of the delegations we hear on budgets are from special interest groups and aren’t representative of the majority of Winnipeg,” he said. “Just because you’ve come to council, your opinions aren’t more important than residents submitting letters to the editor, calling in to talk-radio shows, posting in online community forums or talking directly to elected officials.” Mayor Scott Gillingham said he wasn’t at the meeting, and he doesn’t know everything that was said, so any questions about it should be directed to Browaty. But Gillingham said all councillors work hard to have a good sense of the views of the people they are representing. “We do have an open process at the City of Winnipeg. I appreciate the knowledge and passion that delegations bring to their presentations, and I have learned a lot from this process, but Coun. Browaty is correct that delegations are just one tool that council uses to make its decisions,” he said. “From what I saw (on a social media posting) I didn’t see anything that concerned me, as far as decorum.” Cerilli, a founder of the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, said Browaty’s comments were offensive. “This is not about personal opinion. This is about research and evidence. I was telling (councillors) the city has policy on this and for the city to follow the policy. I think he needs to be more concerned about his conduct with a city committee about following public policy. His ideas about urban development are from the 1950s. That’s where he is,” she said. “I don’t care if he apologizes or not.” Marc Cohoe of advocacy group Bike Winnipeg has been making presentations to councillors since the days when cyclists asking for bike paths were considered members of a fringe group. The city now spends millions of budget dollars to build, maintain and clear them. “I was shocked to hear him. I’ve heard presentations that have changed my mind on things and I’m sure others have, too,” Cohoe said. “It’s important in the democratic process for people to listen. I know this is not the whole process, but we bring in expertise and ideas which are valuable to the city. If you sit and dismiss that public-engagement process, what are you telling people?” Longtime Point Douglas advocate and social activist Sel Burrows said he is likely considered “a special interest delegation” by councillors. “It is important for politicians to hear from others,” Burrows said. “Delegations showing up at city council is part of gradually changing councillors’ thoughts on issues. It is particularly important for suburban councillors, who aren’t aware of inner-city issues where most of the homelessness and crime happens.” Mel Marginet, co-chair of the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, said she believes Browaty’s comments are so serious the mayor should remove him as finance chair. “His comments were deeply shocking. It was deeply insulting to his residents and the city as a whole. He should be pulled from the committee,” Marginet said. Coun. Matt Allard said he not only has no problem with delegations, he welcomes appearances from more of them. “I believe that it is important to encourage and welcome delegations from the public and any organization that has an interest in making the city better and wants to share their ideas about it,” Allard said. — With files from Joyanne Pursaga kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Analysis: Portage and Main has to be people-friendly (May1'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '23

01 May '23

Portage and Main has to be people-friendly https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2023/05/01/portage-and-m… Is it too soon? Can we talk about Portage and Main again? It’s been almost five years. The vote was clear, but 2018 feels like a different lifetime, doesn’t it? We’ve been through a lot since then, and a lot has changed. The pandemic was devastating for downtown, and its legacy is lasting. Significantly fewer people are now coming downtown to work. Office buildings are sitting empty. Shops, restaurants, and the last movie theatres have closed. Tax incentive programs that were eagerly snapped up by developers in the past, now sit unsubscribed as they shy away from new residential construction in the city centre. As the social, cultural, and economic heart of our city, downtown needs as much help as it can get right now, because no city flourishes without a prosperous and healthy core. Another thing that has changed is we now know what’s going to happen at the city’s storied intersection. The waterproofing membrane that protects the underground concourse at Portage and Main needs to be replaced and the barricades we so passionately fought over are coming down as part of a multi-million-dollar construction project. If we are removing the barricades, what should we put back? A design team was hired to answer that question, and their proposals were recently unveiled for public feedback. The goals for the design are to improve accessibility, increase safety, enhance the pedestrian experience, and attract people back to the intersection, restoring it to a vital public space and needed a catalyst to help bring downtown back to life. Of course, they must do this while maintaining the pedestrian blockades that prevent people from using the intersection if they are not driving in a vehicle. The designers face the daunting task of trying to attract people while at the same time actively repelling them. Attempting to overcome this dichotomy, the proposals made are dramatic, a ring of sky gardens floating six storeys in the air, lookout towers on each corner, or monumental public art that we can drive under. The scale and grandeur of the proposals are striking and demonstrate just how important Portage and Main is in our collective psyche. Portage and Main is not just an intersection. It’s where we come together in celebration, in protest and in mourning. It has always been seen as the heart of the city, even when hidden behind concrete walls. There is significant irony in the fact that we believe Portage and Main is important enough to invest in a big idea that brings it back to life, but we voted so clearly to say we are not willing to spend a few seconds longer in our cars to accomplish this goal organically, and at low cost. The designs presented are beautiful, and would be exciting additions to our city, but without allowing functional day-to-day use of the intersection by pedestrians, creating attractions to draw people is unlikely to find success. The fact that attractions are felt to be necessary to overcome the impacts of our choice to value driving faster over quality of place, accessibility, and economic vibrancy, means they would stand as monuments to our city’s unwavering dedication to the vehicle, even more than the concrete walls are today. These grand gestures would be the embodiment of the gymnastics our city is willing to put itself through to avoid the easy solution, and ensure it remains subservient to vehicles above all else, even in our downtown. Despite the difficult times downtown Winnipeg is going through, Portage and Main is seeing some important sidewalk-level growth. Restaurants like Earls, OEB, 529 Uptown, and Hy’s are opening or expanding, a Goodlife gym has been built, 300 Main and soon 138 Portage East will bring 550 new residential homes to the area, and the MMF is transforming the Bank of Montreal into an important heritage centre. These developments, and the more than 10,000 people working within a block of the intersection, provide more than enough pedestrian gravity to create a vibrant public space simply by inviting people to freely cross the street, restoring Portage and Main to the powerful neighbourhood connector it once was. Despite the post-pandemic need for downtown to be given every opportunity to find new life, it is unlikely we will seize the simple solution, and settle for prettier barricades that can be enjoyed from our cars as we drive past. Thankfully, the distant future of Portage and Main has been cast and it will be as a vibrant public space and downtown focal point. Paired with the redevelopment of Union Station, the Transportation Master Plan envisions a major downtown rapid transit station at Portage and Main, anticipated to serve more than 50,000 people every day. It seems impossible to imagine a major transit hub without reintroducing pedestrians. Portage and Main is really just an intersection. Its traffic volumes, weather, width and whatever else has created its mythological status, isn’t wildly different from Main and Broadway, Portage and Colony, Kenaston and Sterling Lyon, or many large intersections across the world with pedestrian crossings. Until we treat it like it is a normal intersection, it won’t matter how many floating doughnut gardens or elevators to the sky we build. Portage and Main will never successfully attract people if it is simultaneously designed to repel them. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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WFP: Urban expert staying out of Portage and Main fray as new city planning, property, development director (Apr28'23)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Apr '23

28 Apr '23

New planning, property and development director advocated for re-opening intersection *Expert stays out of Portage & Main fray* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/04/27/urban-expert-stay… A ONCE-VOCAL advocate for reopening Portage and Main to pedestrian traffic will be staying out of the debate on the future of the historic intersection in her new position. The city announced Wednesday that urban planning expert Hazel Borys will become director of planning, property and development at the end of July. Borys, an engineer with an MBA and president of Placemakers, an international city planning firm, was a leading voice for the Yes side in the campaign to remove the concrete barriers before the 2018 municipal election, where the issue appeared as a non-binding plebiscite question on the ballot. “Keeping this corner closed signals to Winnipeggers and the world that we are a car city,” she told the Free Press at the time. “Keeping the intersection closed hurts our economy and well-being.” A majority of residents disagreed, voting to leave things as they are. Borys intends to leave advocacy to others when she begins her new role. “My past opinion hasn’t changed at all, but what has changed is Portage and Main is a political decision now,” she said Thursday. “For it to change, it would be a political decision.” Earlier this week, the city released a discussion paper outlining the issues surrounding the intersection, including a massive project to repair the membrane under the street protecting the Winnipeg Square concourse, which has been in place since the underground mall opened in 1979. The paper also revealed several concepts for improving pedestrian movement and the area’s physical appearance. The city has asked for public input. Borys said the planning department will help city council get the information it requires during public consultations and, eventually, arrive at a decision. Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he wasn’t concerned that the department will be led by someone who advocated to open the intersection. “I think hiring Hazel Borys is good for our downtown development plans,” he said, noting her reputation as “an innovator.” “She has an extensive record of working with cities across North America and working on densification… I think the work she has done will serve us well.” Borys, who is married to Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq director and CEO Stephen Borys, has helped cities reduce red tape in order to make development processes easier, while also assisting in guiding governments through zoning reforms. She said she will be able to do both in her new position, just from a different vantage point. “I’ve spent the last 19 years on the other side of the desk,” she said. “I’m super-excited. I’m looking forward to going much deeper than on my consultant side.” Coun. Jeff Browaty, who helped lead the battle to keep Portage and Main closed to pedestrians, said he’s looking forward to working with the new planning department head. “While we clearly disagree on the opening of Portage and Main to pedestrian crossings, I actually support a lot of the planning principles she has been involved with,” Browaty said. “I came to respect her work many years ago when she successfully led the public consultation for the private developer of the controversial Edgewood Estates towers at Chief Peguis Trail and the Red River. While the majority of the time elected officials and public servants see eye to eye on issues, when we don’t, it’s understood council’s direction needs to be implemented.” Browaty also noted, as an aside, he is partially responsible for getting Borys to Winnipeg. “I was the city rep on the Winnipeg Art Gallery board of governors when we hired her husband… as director,” he said. Borys said she will be mothballing her company and expects the first weeks and months in her new position to be part of a “big learning curve.” “I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “I can’t wait.” kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Businesses have mixed feelings about proposed pathways at Portage & Main (Apr27'23)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '23

27 Apr '23

*Businesses have mixed feelings about proposed pathways* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2023/04/27/businesses-have-mixed… Businesses below Portage and Main have mixed feelings about proposed pathways above the iconic intersection. On Tuesday, the City of Winnipeg released ideas to revitalize the downtown crossing, seeking public feedback. One rendering displayed a “sky garden” — a circular walkway six storeys above ground level with potential bridge connections to adjacent buildings. Glass elevators would connect to the street, the plaza and the underground concourse. “They already have the connection down below,” said Mike Publicover, owner of Stonework’s Bistro. Publicover opened his Winnipeg Square eatery last year. Connecting to Winnipeg’s skyscrapers, including the new 300 Main, was a major consideration before settling, Publicover said. “So now (people are) going to start walking over and above,” he said. “Will they come down?” Already, businesses below struggle to get customers when the workday ends. Publicover’s feelings would be different if the underground network, which covers Portage and Main and extends outwards, didn’t exist. “The added cost to the city of doing it, I don’t know that there’s value when there’s already something here,” Publicover said. The city is preparing to replace the waterproof membrane protecting the underground concourse. It could cost between $15 million and $20 million to excavate the intersection’s surface for membrane repair, according to one engineering report. More connections above ground could be good for business, said Melani Bastians. “Down here, we do have a lot of folks who are Monday to Friday,” said Bastians, who owns two restaurants in Winnipeg Square. When the weekend hits, customers leave and everything shutters, Bastians said. Taste of Sri Lanka, one of her businesses in the underground concourse, closes after 4 p.m. during the week and doesn’t open Saturdays or Sundays. “I want more customers, always, and avenues of which they can get here,” Bastians said. “If we had overpasses, then it would support the general public.” She’s now doubly invested in Winnipeg Square. Bastians opened The Green Eatery beside Taste of Sri Lanka three weeks ago. “People don’t really know that there are places like this in Winnipeg Square,” added Adanna Hanniford, The Green Eatery’s manager. If overpasses will bring people downtown, that’s good news, she said. The nearby GoodLife Fitness and the 300 Main residences are already positives for the restaurant, which has vegan and gluten-free products, Hanniford said. Above-ground changes to Portage and Main likely wouldn’t affect Cookies by George, predicted Lasha Yaeger. “We get business from there,” she said behind the counter, pointing to the Portage and Main concourse. “They’re coming here anyways. It’s not like they’re going to avoid us.” Still, she worried businesses in the concourse might see fewer visitors if overpasses became concrete. The proposed sky garden’s effect on underground businesses is hard to forecast, according to Loren Remillard, president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. New infrastructure could draw people to the area, he noted. “Right now, I think our bigger concern isn’t skywalk/underground, it’s ‘How do we get more people downtown?’” he said. Once traffic has increased, the focus becomes guiding people to shops and vendors downtown, he said. “Some of the initial concerns were about costing and city priorities — all legitimate concerns. We really want to be creative, we really want to be innovative, and this is an opportunity to engage Winnipeggers in a conversation around ‘What kind of downtown do we want?’” Remillard said. A public survey to give feedback on potential Portage and Main changes is open until May 26 at winnipeg.ca/portageandmain. The city will also host two events about the ideas in May. — with files from Joyanne Pursaga gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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CBC: Winnipeg hires CEO of urbanist consulting firm as new planning, property and development director (Apr26'23)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '23

26 Apr '23

Hazel Borys to divest herself of Placemakers, take on helm of city department https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/hazel-borys-planning-director-1.682… The City of Winnipeg has chosen an urban planner who runs a binational consulting firm to be its new director of planning, property and development. Hazel Borys, the CEO of Placemakers in Canada and the United States, will take over the city department responsible for land use at the end of July, Winnipeg chief administrative officer Michael Jack announced on Wednesday. She will succeed Marc Pittet, who's served as Winnipeg's acting planning, property and development director since John Kiernan retired in 2022. Borys said Wednesday she feels like she's taken on the job at "a really critical moment" in Winnipeg's history. "I think we have a number of significant challenges that we'll need to address together and that's really similar to many Canadian cities right now," Borys said in an interview. "But I think we also have both the opportunity and the responsibility to become a more resilient, livable and inclusive place. One of those challenges will involve stemming a burgeoning trend where Winnipeg is starting to lose development opportunities to several of its immediate neighbours. An increasing concentration of industrial, commercial and residential developments have sprouted up just outside city limits in municipalities such as Macdonald, Rosser, West St. Paul and Springfield. Borys said she plans to work with other municipalities to ensure both the city and its neighbours benefit from a new regional planning framework ordered by the provincial government. "My focus as the director of planning, property and development won't be about fighting over the existing pie that the region has, but how when we all work together, we can grow that pie quite a bit," she said. "So I'm not terribly concerned about where today's development capacity is going." Modernizing land use Borys said she believes development can intensify in existing Winnipeg neighbourhoods if the city modernizes outdated rules that govern land use. "What the development community most struggles with is our zoning bylaw hasn't yet caught up with the policies that we have in place to help do those things," she said. "That means that development takes longer — and time is money, from a developer's perspective." Borys suggested the city must focus on densification to achieve its development goals. "I think we have to get back to our agricultural roots and instead of thinking about dollars per new development, we need to be thinking about dollars per hectare and jobs per hectare," she said. "So how we can use our land more productively, just like a farmer looks at how to use her land more productively as well." Winnipeg's mayor, a centrist conservative who hired a number of urbanists to his own staff, referenced the incoming property director's progressive leanings when he welcomed her to the city. "Hazel has an incredible reputation as an innovator, placemaker and community builder and I look forward to working with her in this new role," Scott Gillingham said in a tweet on Wednesday. Borys, however, chose not comment on several hot-button issues facing Winnipeg's planning, property and development department, including the revitalization of Portage and Main and a pending decision in a lawsuit against the department by developer Andrew Marquess. Born in Alabama, Borys was educated in Ohio before she moved to Winnipeg in 2008 with her husband, Stephen Borys, who runs the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq. Borys has worked in the urban planning field for 19 years. With Placemakers, she consulted for both developers and governments. She helped the City of Winnipeg develop its long-term planning framework and also sits on the Manitoba Municipal Board. Borys said she has tendered her resignation from the municipal board, whose powers have been expanded to include the ability to overturn City of Winnipeg land-use decisions. She also said she will divest herself of an ownership stake in the U.S. side of Placemakers and dissolve the Canadian company of the same name.

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WFP: ‘Sky garden’ among ideas floated for Portage & Main (Apr26'23)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '23

26 Apr '23

City seeks public input on concepts to improve pedestrian access, enhance appearance at reimagined intersection *‘Sky garden’ among ideas floated for Portage & Main* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/04/25/sky-garden-pedestrian-pl… THERE’S a chance Winnipeggers could finally be able to cross the street again at the city’s most famous intersection… but they’d be doing it six storeys above traffic. A “sky garden,” with a plant-adorned circular walkway, potential bridge connections to adjacent buildings and glass elevators connecting the street, plaza and underground concourse, as well as an option to add a set of four lookout towers with viewing platforms (one at each corner), are among several ideas to revitalize Portage Avenue and Main Street the city is now seeking public feedback on. “The City of Winnipeg sees Portage and Main as an iconic, historic destination and worthy of a little bit of extra attention… and that’s why we’ve looked at ideas that are somewhat conventional, as well as some that are more bold,” said Kurtis Kowalke, a principal planner for the city. The changes — advanced by a city consultant — could allow for temporary pedestrian access at ground level, such as for special events. However, the vision doesn’t pursue a long-debated call to permanently restore surface-level pedestrian crossing. The intersection has been closed to pedestrians since 1979, and Winnipeggers voted down a non-binding plebiscite to reopen the corners in 2018. The new vision is being considered as the city prepares to replace an ailing waterproof membrane that protects the underground concourse, which has been deemed beyond its useful life. A deal struck by the city in 1976 to construct the concourse and an above-ground building guaranteed the developer a barricaded intersection for 40 years, forcing pedestrians into the underground mall. Crews must excavate the intersection’s surface to repair the membrane, which an engineering report once estimated would cost between $15 million and $20 million. Kowalke said public input will help the city narrow down design ideas to reimagine the public space, and the crumbling concrete barriers will likely be replaced with more-attractive fencing or bollards. Other options to revamp the site could add “living art” (a raised garden ring with no pedestrian access) or “monumental public art,” such as a large, dome-like structure above the street (depicted as an example in the city survey). Multimedia lighting poles could also be added with or without canopies. At street level, the city could add public art to building walls, plant trees and spruce up the site’s paving. Cost estimates for the new options were not provided. Mayor Scott Gillingham declined to offer an opinion on which, if any, of the ideas he supports. “It has to be something that is reasonable but also exciting. It’s our most iconic intersection,” said Gillingham. The idea of simply reopening pedestrian access at street level has triggered intense debate for years, with supporters arguing the change is needed to help revitalize and better connect downtown. Opponents say allowing foot traffic would snarl vehicle traffic, cost millions of dollars and increase road-safety concerns. In the 2018 plebiscite, 65 per cent of Winnipeggers voted against removing the barriers. Advocates for pedestrian traffic argued most of the no votes were cast by people living in the suburbs who did not want to be inconvenienced by longer stop-light waits at the intersection that would be required for walkers to cross the street. One advocate who urged residents to “vote open” at the time questions the logic of diverting pedestrians upward, instead. “I don’t know if you need to invest as much as some of these designs are going to cost. I think we can have a really great intersection if we have a pedestrian crossing at grade and some nice, artistic, culturally relevant designs going on at street level,” said Adam Dooley. Pedestrian access at an overhead walkway could perhaps be seen as a compromise keeping vehicle and foot traffic apart, but a grade-level crossing remains his first choice, he said. The president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce said the new options to enhance the site are worthy of discussion. “It elevates the conversation that we’ve been having for far too long around this intersection… from one of barricades or removing barricades to one… (about what) kind of downtown centre… we want to have for our community,” said Loren Remillard. Kate Fenske, chief executive officer at the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, said street-level access remains her organization’s top priority. “Allowing pedestrians to cross the street at Portage and Main would have a minimal impact on drivers but drastically reduce the time for pedestrians to get across…. A good design is one that encourages more people at street level. That’s critical for economic activity, for improving safety and for vibrancy of downtown,” said Fenske. She also questioned how adding a raised circular walkway would stack up against other priorities for limited city dollars. Some city councillors agree the primary focus at Portage and Main should be to add a ground-level pedestrian crossing. “Before we start contemplating the budgets involved (with) pedestrian overpasses that might be pretty and might involve greenery… I’d like to just ask that basic question… (of) how to make it accessible at grade,” said Coun. Sherri Rollins. Rollins is backing a new motion at city hall, which calls for staff to study options to add surface-level access at Portage and Main. The public works committee is expected to consider ordering that report next month. On Tuesday afternoon, folks in the Portage and Main area shared mixed views on the ideas. Adam Enns said paving and tree improvements make sense but an above-ground circular walkway isn’t realistic. “What’s the function of it, just to look nice?…. It seems like a waste of money to me,” said Enns. Jennifer Olson feared the “sky garden” walkway may not best serve downtown residents. “It looks nice but what is in it for the people who live here? I’d like to see a grocery store, some more services… not necessarily some elevated walkway. And I would like to see Portage and Main reopened (to pedestrians at the surface level),” said Olson. Jay Rodgers said he liked the “sky garden” at first glance, though its potential cost must be considered. “I think it’s very attractive,” Rodgers said. “It looks modern and I think it would increase traffic circulating in the area.” A survey at winnipeg.ca/portageandmain will seek public feedback until May 26. The city will also host two events on the ideas, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10 at the lobby of 201 Portage Ave. and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11 at Portage and Main’s underground concourse (near Scotiabank). joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Nature article: Suburbs are a climate disaster, but they can be redeemed
by Jackie Avent 25 Apr '23

25 Apr '23

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01369-3 How to create liveable suburbs <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> The sprawling outer areas of US cities are the physical embodiment of unequal distribution of wealth and opportunity, argues urban-design researcher Dana Cuff. Rigid and often absurd planning rules prevent the construction of blocks of flats <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>, shops, schools, health facilities and workplaces. “It will take many creative solutions to redeem suburbs,” Cuff says, such as building housing for teachers on underused school land or offering loans for constructing affordable housing. Nature | 5 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Nature Briefing <briefing(a)nature.com> Date: Tue, Apr 25, 2023 at 1:04 PM Subject: First close-up images of tiny Mars moonlet To: <Jackie.avent(a)gmail.com> What matters in science | View this email in your browser <https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?e=4e0751221c&u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Tuesday 25 April 2023 [image: Nature Briefing] <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Hello *Nature *readers, Today we discover that researchers have sequenced the genomes of more than 10,000 ancient people, find out why parrots like to video call each other and marvel at the first close-up images of Mars’s tiny moonlet Deimos. [image: A bleached human skull lies on its side on mossy ground. The skull’s lower jaw has become detached, lying separately in front of the skull. More bone fragments and broken skulls are visible in the background.] <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> These 2,000-year-old human remains were found in a stone chambered cairn in Greenland. There has been an ‘ancient-DNA gold rush’, with the number of ancient-human genomes exponentially increasing since 2018. (Ashley Cooper/Getty) Ten thousand ancient genomes sequenced <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> More than 10,000 ancient-human genomes have now been sequenced. In 2010, the first ancient-DNA sequence was published, of a man who lived 4,000 years ago. Since 2018, thanks to technological advances, there has been an explosion in the number of ancient genomes sequenced. The vast majority come from people who lived in Europe, Russia and the Middle East <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>. “We need to shift that focus and obsession with numbers” and look at genomes from other parts of the world, says palaeogenomicist María Ávila-Arcos. Nature | 4 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Reference: bioRxiv preprint <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> (not peer reviewed) [image: A line chart showing the quantity of genome data from ancient-human remains. The data set has grown rapidly since 2018, owing to advances in DNA sequencing, and extraction and has risen to 10,067 in 2023.] <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Parrots call each other to be less lonely <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Giving pet parrots the opportunity to video call other birds helps to counter isolation and boredom <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> in the intelligent animals. Researchers trained 18 pet parrots, ranging from macaws (*Ara*) to cockatiels (*Nymphicus hollandicus*), to phone a friend using Facebook Messenger. “All caretakers reported perceived benefits, some arguably life-transformative, such as learning to forage or even to fly by watching others,” write the authors in their paper, which includes some well-worth-watching video <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> of parrots chatting. The Guardian | 4 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Reference: *CHI '23: Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems* <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> paper <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Reader poll [image: Pie chart illustrating poll results to the question “What do you think about the commercial space age?”] <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Today, a lunar lander built by the Japanese firm ispace will touch down on the Moon’s surface <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>. It will be the first private company to land on the Moon, and the first of several commercial lunar trips flying this year. Briefing readers had mixed feelings about this burgeoning commercial space age: more than half of the respondents to our poll last week said they preferred when space exploration was led by governments only. Another 40% welcome private space missions. Many readers felt the money pumped into space missions — both private and public ones — could be better spent on Earth, for example on addressing climate change. There were concerns about the amount of space debris that missions would create, and about the environmental impact of rocket launches. “There should be an international agency to regulate who can send what into space and clean up afterwards,” writes librarian Penelope Bulloch. “I think we should reframe the conversation altogether,” suggests sustainability project manager Joan Suris. “Every time we have started mining resources on Earth we have created more environmental and social problems than we have solved. What are the unforeseen consequences of ‘commercial exploitation’ of the Moon?” Features & opinion Deep ocean exploration isn’t about science <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Attempts to reach the bottom of the sea have a surprisingly long history, as Jeff Maynard recounts in *The Frontier Below*. The book is a brisk tour of diving and submersibles <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>, heavy on engineering and light on science. “That’s fitting, because the endeavour was hardly ever about science,” writes reviewer and *Nature *reporter Alexandra Witze. Instead, it was about retrieving goods from wrecked vessels, military interests or finding a ‘lifeless’ place to dump nuclear waste. Nature | 6 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> [image: Nature Special: Nature+] <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> ACCESS *NATURE* AND 54 OTHER NATURE JOURNALS <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Nature+ gives you immediate online access to *Nature* and 54 other journals. Nature+ is a flexible monthly subscription and is currently available only to personal users in the United States <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> and in the United Kingdom <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> . Learn more about Nature+ in the US <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> or in the UK <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> How to create liveable suburbs <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> The sprawling outer areas of US cities are the physical embodiment of unequal distribution of wealth and opportunity, argues urban-design researcher Dana Cuff. Rigid and often absurd planning rules prevent the construction of blocks of flats <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>, shops, schools, health facilities and workplaces. “It will take many creative solutions to redeem suburbs,” Cuff says, such as building housing for teachers on underused school land or offering loans for constructing affordable housing. Nature | 5 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> The far-reaching impacts of melting ice <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> How does melting ice contribute to destructive wildfires in the western United States? And how does ice loss lead to extreme floods in Nepal? A sobering yet hopeful quiz, accompanied by stunning visuals <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>, clarifies how the shape of coastlines, the weather and the survival of communities are all tied to ice. NPR | Interactive 5-min scroll <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Image of the week [image: The moonlet Deimos, looking like a small grey space potato, floats serenely in front of the giant red shape of Mars in the background.] <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> The first up-close images of Mars’s little-known moonlet Deimos have revealed that it is made of the same material as the red planet. The tiny, 12.4-kilometre-wide moon probably formed together with Mars <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>, rather than as an asteroid that was captured in the planet’s orbit. (Nature | 4 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>) (Emirates Mars Mission) Quote of the day “I often have a nightmare with my tombstone that reads: ‘What did she think she was doing?’ Because all of us have to reckon with the fact that the future will look back on us with new tools and a new framing.” <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> Neurologist Helen Mayberg hopes that deep brain stimulation — invasive surgery that helps people with severe depression — will eventually be seen as outdated. (Nature Careers Podcast | 25 min listen or 15 min read <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> ) As we celebrate World Penguin Day, spare a thought for what the word ‘penguin’ actually means to you <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…>. Psychologists found that even such simple words can signify wildly different concepts for people — and we’re often oblivious to these variations. Send me your definition of the word ‘penguin’, alongside any other feedback on this newsletter, to briefing(a)nature.com. Thanks for reading, *Katrina Krämer, associate editor, Nature Briefing <briefing(a)nature.com>* *With contributions by Flora Graham* We’ve recently launched two new e-mails you might like. They’re free, and of course you can unsubscribe at any time. - *Nature Briefing: Cancer* <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> — a new weekly newsletter written with cancer researchers in mind. Sign up here <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> to receive the next one. - *Nature Briefing: Translational Research* <https://nature.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c6057c528fdc6f73fa196d9d…> covers biotechnology, drug discovery and pharma. 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CBC: Circular walkway, massive orb, towers among Portage and Main redesign options (Apr25'23)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '23

25 Apr '23

Circular walkway, massive orb, towers among Portage and Main redesign optionsCity seeks public feedback on designs that would see existing barricades come down — without pedestrian access https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/portage-main-redesign-options-1.682… A circular walkway above Portage and Main, a massive orb and a quartet of lookout towers are among eight potential and in some cases fanciful redesign options for Winnipeg's most famous intersection. The City of Winnipeg is seeking public opinions about new designs that would see the existing concrete barricades at Portage Avenue and Main Street be replaced by a more esthetically pleasing streetscape that would still bar pedestrians from crossing at street level. The city must remove the barricades as part of a multimillion-dollar repair job at the intersection, where a leaky membrane allows surface runoff to damage the underground pedestrian concourse. The barricades are to be replaced as part of a broader redesign. The city has launched a public opinion survey <https://engage.winnipeg.ca/portageandmain> and will hold a pair of public events in May to solicit feedback on the options. They include an above-ground walkway called a "sky garden," a hanging garden with no pedestrian access, lookout towers, a row of lights, a row of lights mixed with trees, new paving, both with and without trees, and a "monumental" orb at Portage and Main reminiscent of the laser pyramid floated by former mayor Susan Thompson after she left office. None of the options are costed out in the survey, which is open until May 26. The survey asks whether respondents live or work downtown. The public events will be held May 10 in the lobby of 201 Portage Ave. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and May 11 in the underground concourse, also from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The survey also asks what other amenities Winnipeggers wish to see at Portage and Main, such as food trucks and Indigenous programming. The City of Winnipeg will make officials available to speak about the project this afternoon. Portage and Main closed to pedestrians in 1979. Winnipeggers voted against reopening the intersection in a non-binding plebiscite in 2018.

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