Make good first impression, Asper urges city
By: Alexandra Paul
Updated: September 29 at 04:58 PM CDT
Now that the human rights museum is a reality, it's success will depend
on Winnipeg being a beacon of human rights in practice, Gail Asper told
city business leaders Monday.
"We want this museum to be a social and economic force to change this
city for the good," Asper said. "We have to be seen as a leader of
human rights," Asper said.
About 400 city business owners turned out at noon Monday to hear Asper,
national campaign chair for the Friends of the Canadian Museum for
Human Rights, speak at the Convention Centre.
Despite cost overruns and political opposition, the museum is now on
track break ground in 2009, with a tentative completion date of April ,
2012.
Asper, who was recently named one of eight members on the board of
trustees of the museum said the mission of the museum, is to reshape
the city's image in the eyes of the world.
Then Asper illustrated the poor impact first impressions make now with
a real-live anecdote from a pair of wealthy tourists this summer.
Two Ottawa businessmen flew to Winnipeg with a $20,000 cheque for the
museum and the poverty here nearly scared them away, Asper said.
"When they checked in (to their hotel), they asked where they could
have dinner and they were told they could walk up and down Portage
Avenue and they'd find something," Asper said.
It was after 6 p.m. and they didn't find dinner. "What they found was a
decayed, scary and hollow downtown.. . . Their idealist views of
Winnipeg were shattered. First impressions matter and ours are not up
to snuff," Asper said.
Her staff later took the businessmen on a tour to show them the city has a friendly side.
Asper said she chose the gritty topic for her keynote address at the
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce luncheon because it's high time Winnipeg
cleaned up for company because there's lots coming.
"If we are going to be the heart of the continent, then we have to have
a heart . . . We have to eliminate poverty, violence, racial slurs and
other crimes," Asper said.
Asper said in a short exchange after her speech that she chose now to
appeal to city business leaders to help rebrand the city because first
impressions are worth millions in tourist dollars.
The museum is expected to draw 250,000 visitors a year.
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Source: Winnipeg Free Press
I do agree that there needs to be lots done with the entrance ways into the city and into the downtown; the majority of them are really embarrassing! Is city council aware of this, and are they doing anything to try and fix this?
By: Alexandra Paul
Updated: September 29 at 04:58 PM CDT
Now that the human rights museum is a reality, it's success will depend
on Winnipeg being a beacon of human rights in practice, Gail Asper told
city business leaders Monday.
"We want this museum to be a social and economic force to change this
city for the good," Asper said. "We have to be seen as a leader of
human rights," Asper said.
About 400 city business owners turned out at noon Monday to hear Asper,
national campaign chair for the Friends of the Canadian Museum for
Human Rights, speak at the Convention Centre.
Despite cost overruns and political opposition, the museum is now on
track break ground in 2009, with a tentative completion date of April ,
2012.
Asper, who was recently named one of eight members on the board of
trustees of the museum said the mission of the museum, is to reshape
the city's image in the eyes of the world.
Then Asper illustrated the poor impact first impressions make now with
a real-live anecdote from a pair of wealthy tourists this summer.
Two Ottawa businessmen flew to Winnipeg with a $20,000 cheque for the
museum and the poverty here nearly scared them away, Asper said.
"When they checked in (to their hotel), they asked where they could
have dinner and they were told they could walk up and down Portage
Avenue and they'd find something," Asper said.
It was after 6 p.m. and they didn't find dinner. "What they found was a
decayed, scary and hollow downtown.. . . Their idealist views of
Winnipeg were shattered. First impressions matter and ours are not up
to snuff," Asper said.
Her staff later took the businessmen on a tour to show them the city has a friendly side.
Asper said she chose the gritty topic for her keynote address at the
Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce luncheon because it's high time Winnipeg
cleaned up for company because there's lots coming.
"If we are going to be the heart of the continent, then we have to have
a heart . . . We have to eliminate poverty, violence, racial slurs and
other crimes," Asper said.
Asper said in a short exchange after her speech that she chose now to
appeal to city business leaders to help rebrand the city because first
impressions are worth millions in tourist dollars.
The museum is expected to draw 250,000 visitors a year.
alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Source: Winnipeg Free Press
I do agree that there needs to be lots done with the entrance ways into the city and into the downtown; the majority of them are really embarrassing! Is city council aware of this, and are they doing anything to try and fix this?
