The Forks More

In today's freep their is talk of adding more development to the forks Housing and Commercial , what are you feeling s to this . I think that enough is enough what happened to the park aspect that was sold to us to start.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/new_project_pitched_for_forks.html There has been enough development for now lets put this on hold and let the site mature while putting some effort into the downtown proper .

Exactly, gotta clean up downtown for first, then the North End, then the CPR yards, then the North End, then Point Douglas, then the North End, then the potholes, then the North End...

Pavolo wrote:In today's freep their is talk of adding more development to the forks Housing and Commercial , what are you feeling s to this . I think that enough is enough what happened to the park aspect that was sold to us to start.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/new_project_pitched_for_forks.html There has been enough development for now lets put this on hold and let the site mature while putting some effort into the downtown proper .

Enough is enough! Why is everyone so opposed to development in this city! People try to do something good like pave over unused green space in a park (or whatever you call the Fork) and all we get is outrage and negativity! Don't people realize that making the Fork a true destination place will add to the tax base? I look forward to the day when this town gets it act together and creates the Canadian Rock'n'Roll museum at the Fork. It will be the largest Canadian Rock'n'' Roll museum in the world and the first such one built outside of Ottawa. Main attractions will include the vacant but reserved sarcophagus for Ronnie Hawkins, Neil Young, Len Cohen and Murray McLaughlin. Neogotiations are under way to not bring the final resting places for Anne Murray and Rita McNeil to Winnipeg.

There is ton's of room for development at the forks. I say build more destination spots on top of all those ugly lawns. And tear down that ugly train station. It adds nothing to the area.

But I refuse to support a Rock 'n Roll Museum. Too much public money would have to go into it. And for what? So a few aging hippies can be celebrated? Show me the business plan.

you forgot one...
C.D.

There isn't as much room at the Forks as you think. Remember that some of the green space is considered a National Historic Site so there can be no building on that land. And then there is the CMHR site. Where there needs to be development at the Forks is on the south point (other side of the Assiniboine) but the aboriginals will not want that as they claim that for their village in the summer. And as a last point, I think if there were to be hotel development, the folks who own the Inn at the Forks would block that beofe it even got started. Put up condos on the parking lot that the Goldeyes use if development is warranted. But then who wants to live right next to the main line?

Did any one business get an exclusivity deal with the Forks? I did hear that a hotel would go up opposite the CMHR.

You could develop the Goldeyes parking lot, main line or no, with some creative design and new construction techniques. Would sammy allow it?

In all seriousness that area screams for density and high levels of activity year round. It is already a wonderful destination spot but it could be so much better.

grumpy old man wrote:There is ton's of room for development at the forks. I say build more destination spots on top of all those ugly lawns. And tear down that ugly train station. It adds nothing to the area.

But I refuse to support a Rock 'n Roll Museum. Too much public money would have to go into it. And for what? So a few aging hippies can be celebrated? Show me the business plan.

I'd much rather have a Rock N Roll museum then that waste of space Human rights museum...Way more people would attend a Rock n Roll museum...:-)

Where o Where at the forks could housing even think of going?

And no... no housing the forks is a public space. Lets not start creating private alcoves at the forks.

Twenty years ago the Forks was sold to us as a greenspace, a market, a family destination. Why bring in housing and change the rules in the middle of the game? I like the Forks the way it is, adding the hotel and that ugly parkade was quite enough in my opinion.

Goth, can you say facetious? Heh heh heh

I would like to see more to bring the forks out as a destination for us. But not housing. Some art galleries would be cool, a outdoor full size soccer pitch and available clubhouse would be way awesome.( could be used for football and ultimate too ) and would add some actual green space to the area. A garden sort of like the one at assiniboine park would be nice.
putting all vehicles underground and eliminating all the streets leading up to it would be way cool., expensive, but cool.

Actually just closing the streets would not be very expensive at all. Underground parking. Yup. Megabucks.

Soccer pitch? Nah. Since I would have no need for such a facility I vote no. Apparantly only one vote is all that is needed so, out it goes.

Housing? Sure. Mixed use. Rich, poor, old folks and families.

Art galleries (especially for Aboriginal, Metis and Inuit art) is cool. I'd also like to see a real market as well like the Toronto and Vancouver Public Markets, but maybe on a lesser scale.

"Soccer pitch? Nah. Since I would have no need for such a facility I vote no. Apparantly only one vote is all that is needed so, out it goes"
HA!
Also it was not just parking I was thinking. those streets are heavily used by people going to and from the bridge. so closing them without replacing them with something would be a significant problem. Gotta have underground tunnels basically. if we keep the current routes.. or maybe we could get away with just adding on a lane or two to the existing route.

The green space ( AKA soccer pitch) would be more then just a soccer pitch. It would have some stands for sure, seating lets say 1000 to 5000ish. Bathrooms, a canteen and clubhouse for people to change. the posts would be "removable" to be able to configure for football, lacrosse, ultimate, full 3/4 and mini soccer. The biggest initial cost would be the stands. It could be booked and if no one had it booked it could be used by anyone for anything. Dogs and owners could use it provided they cleaned up after themselves... and hells yes.. why dont we have an actual dog walkers park in the area too?

Hey. Mebbe you're onto something there Deank. Increase the seating to, oh, what? 30,000? Yeah. That's a great idea. Then we can expand the use to include the Bombers. You gotta run for office Deank. That kinda creativity is desperately required on Main Street or Broadway...

nah...no stadium there. would waste too much space

FYI... Here is the site courtesy of the WFP...

What's wrong with a little housing down at the Forks? It will help guarantee customers for the shops currently struggling there.

I'm at the Forks every Sunday for my daughter's dance class...and you can see how the shops are failing due to lack of business. Add the closed store spaces which COULD be housing a couple of new shops...but for lack of business/customers.

A suggestion for the road-space though...maybe restrict it to some trolley cars/buses (though trolleys would be cooler). Get rid of the parking AT the forks except for employees...and hide their cars (like in the parkade). Make people park in the lot across from the Goldeyes stadium and either walk or take the trolley down to the Forks shopping & tourist area.

Catch 22 eh? More attractions (and/or housing) = more peeps. But we seem to be against any new developments. So no more peeps at the forks when it is 30 below...

nah GOM we are only against development that makes little or no sense or does not fit with the fabric of the surronding community.
ie a stadium at the forks.. not such a good idea. A free to use green space/ field type thing for amatuer sport... a better idea...

What's that ugly pointy grey thing to the right of the red squares? A new witch's hut?

Electrician wrote:What's that ugly pointy grey thing to the right of the red squares? A new witch's hut?

LOL....pretty much yeah.

No. seriously, what in the world is that trash?

Deank wrote:Where o Where at the forks could housing even think of going?

And no... no housing the forks is a public space. Lets not start creating private alcoves at the forks.

My point exactly allow housing kiss the Canada day Party hell New Years good bye as the tenents would bitch . And the fact that noise would be made o boy I can hear the whining now . But low and behold skateboarders and homeowners what the frick is Jim August smoking I want some .

Ummm there is a very successful hotel right in the thick of things The housing is slated for an area quite a bit north of the hotel the skateborders will not be skating on their doorsteps nor will the fireworks be on their roof make the residents sign an agreement that they knowingly moved into the noisiest housing development in the city.

,...,,..,,.