Blog
September 11th 2008 | 1
Winnipeg: One Great Sprawl
Winnipeg is an expanding city.
No, really. It is.
While the city’s population has been fairly stable for the past few years, it seems that Winnipeg can’t help but claw further and further away from downtown.
The Perimeter Highway seems to be the only obstruction to Winnipeg’s expansion, but how long will that last?
Waverly West is one of the latest subdivisions being constructed right now. It will extend from the corner of Bishop Grandin Blvd and Waverly St. all the way to Brady Rd. and the Perimeter Hwy. It will be knocking on the door of the rural municipality of Macdonald.
So what’s the big deal? Doesn’t new housing mean better living conditions for people?
Well, yes and no. We’re all no doubt familiar with the term “urban sprawl,” and that’s exactly what is happening in Winnipeg. As more housing is built around the edges of the city, the inner-city whithers and becomes undesireable real estate.
I’m convinced that if the University of Winnipeg were not located downtown that the area would not be half of what it is today. By that I mean local businesses would relocate and the conditions of core neighbourhoods would plummet.
But wait, businesses DO relocate to these tasty, apparently crime-free neighborhoods on the outskirts; and core neighbourhood conditions are constantly on the verge of slumdom.
That’s right, slumdom.
There IS hope though! The response from people who live in these neighborhoods has been huge. Associations like Spence Neighbourhood and the Daniel MacIntyre/St. Matthews Community Association do great work in beautifying their neighbourhoods and maintaining them as nice places to live.
So what does this mean for Waverly West? People in a medium-to-high income bracket can afford to live there, and that’s more than half the appeal, I’m sure. There’s no low-income housing being built out there, and from the looks of it, there are gates and high walls to separate the whole thing from the rest of the world.
Apparently there’s a big market for isolationism. Communities like Linden Woods and Whyte Ridge are built to be homes, not communities. There are parks, but few sidewalks. There are trees, but only a few.
Not to mention the proximity to the landfill! Whyte Ridge has dodged that bullet, but will Waverly West?
If you don’t have a car, good luck getting to and from these areas. This means that the youth growing up in these scrubbed subdivisions are completely reliant on vehicle transportation.
One of my jobs is in Whyte Ridge, and I live downtown. It’s not a commute that I look forward to on my bicycle. It’s a long ride along some barren streets like Waverly. If I have to work late or on a weekend, the possibility of bus service is very slim. Taking a taxi costs at least $20, and if the weather is bad and I miss my bus connection (it’s always at least 1 or 2 transfers), I’m pretty well out of luck.
Winnipeg continues to expand, but not grow. What can we do about it?
Discussion
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What scares me the most about kids who grow up in the ‘burbs with virtually no contact with other areas is the fear and distrust they have of the downtown and other core areas. Growing up in the North End (which is where I continue to live), I suppose I developed street smarts at a young age. However, these street smarts are not what people might expect (no back pocket shanks, for one). Rather, I find a smile goes a long way. My experience with suburban kids is that they let their fear get the best of them and eye everyone they pass with skepticism. Others can sense this. Of course, take precautions when you’re downtown, but don’t let your nerves get the best of you.
– Stacy | October 3rd 2008 at 2:57pm | Link
